Moses and Shared Leadership

I am thankful to God this week for two new elders at our church, Highland Christian Fellowship. R.D. Hodges and I have been elders for about four years now. Last Sunday we added Walt Stringer and James Wilkes. It was a long and beautiful process to see our fellowship seek God’s leadership in this (I should write about that, too).

I love shared leadership. It is biblical and it makes sense. Having a plurality of elders was one of the primary findings in my dissertation The Authority of Church Elders in the New Testament.

I encountered in my Scripture reading this morning another affirmation of this principle. It is in Numbers 11, which is interesting in light of the fact that some point to Moses as the paradigm for a one-man leadership model.

Moses prayed, “I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me” (v. 14). God answered, “Gather for me seventy men from the elders of Israel. . . . I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone” (v. 17).

Sometimes it is difficult for men to share leadership. They become jealous and prideful. But “Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth” (Num. 12:3). When some men in the camp began to prophesy, manifesting that they also had received some of the Spirit, this bothered Joshua, Moses’ assistant. These men in the camp were not at the tent of meeting, where it seemed to Joshua that the official authorization of this shared leadership was imparted. Joshua said, “Moses, my lord, restrain them.”

How common it is to try to control such things. But Moses responded to Joshua, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” This demonstrates one of the most important qualities of a leader. His objective is not to have control, do things his way, and have all the leadership, gifting, and honor. His goal is the good of the people. And when more of the people are gifted and active in ministry and leadership, the more blessed and healthy the people are.

Wisdom is Moral

“But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
Man does not know its worth. . . .
It cannot be bought for gold. . . .
God understands the way to it,
And he knows its place. . . .
He saw it and declared it;
He established it, and searched it out.
And he said to man,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Job 30:12-28

I was struck by the simplicity of these verses this morning. Wisdom is moral discernment and righteousness. “It cannot be bought for gold.” This reminds me of the highly valued “college education,” which is purchased. Wisdom cannot be obtained this way. Wisdom is different than knowledge. One can have knowledge and not discernment and righteousness. You can determine how wise you are based on whether your not you can discern evil and whether or not you turn away from it.

Making Plans?

If you are making plans, consider these Proverbs:

“Desire without knowledge is not good,
and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.”
Proverbs 19:2

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
Proverbs 19:21

“Plans are established by counsel;
by wise guidance wage war.”
Proverbs 20:18

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
Proverbs 21:5

A Prayer for My Children

“May our sons in their youth
be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars
cut for the structure of a palace.”
Psalm 144:12

May my sons be healthy, mature, productive young men.
May my daughters be strong, beautiful young women, ready for honorable service.

What a contrast to our culture, which often produces immature, unprepared young men and women who are dependent consumers. I want to raise a different standard from my sons and daughters. I will do all I can to prepare them for a productive life of service.

The Necessity of Christ’s Divinity for the Atonement

I have heard and often reasoned myself for the necessity of the divinity of Christ for the efficacy of the atonement. If Jesus were merely a man, and not God, then he could not pay for the sins of all who come. At best a perfect man could replace one other. I have never really seen this reasoning in Scripture, though, before this morning:

“Truly no man can ransom another,
or give to God the price of this life,
for the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
that he should live on forever
and never see the pit.
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
For he will receive me.”
Psalm 49:7-9, 15