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DIGGING OUT
THE ROOT
OF BITTERNESS!
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In the article on the virtuous woman, we read how she worked with her hand, not being afraid to get her
hands dirty, be it, house cleaning , or working in her garden. I have to admit, I am not much of a gardener, but
I do know this: some plants, especially some weeds, will never die unless you dig out their roots and utterly
destroy them. You can cut them off at the surface time after time, but they just keep coming back. However,
when the root is exposed and removed from the dirt, the plant is gone. It takes work to dig out roots, but it is
worth the effort, since it protects the other plants in the garden.
Addressing this thought today: Digging out the root of bitterness and rebellion. Do you know what
bitterness and rebellion is? These words has the following definitions: (1). strong and sharp in taste: having
a sharp strong unpleasant taste, for example, like that of an orange peel; (2). resentful: angered and insurrection;
(3). difficult to accept: (4). painful or very hard to accept; (5). hostile: expressing intense hostility; (6). very
cold: penetratingly and unpleasantly cold.
We are interested in that second definition: resentful- angered-insurrection. It has the idea of brooding
anger over that which has happened in life. This type of anger produces a bad spirit within a person. It is a spirit
of hostility and coldness toward God or others.
Where does bitterness and rebellion come from? It can come about as the result of what others do to
us or say about us. Sometimes bitterness and rebellion can result from some unpleasant events in life. If we
blame God or others for our troubles. Bitterness and rebellion will affect every relationship within your life, but
it will affect your relationship with the Lord most of all.
The Bible talks about this root of bitterness and rebellion that is a possibility in our lives. Notice: Heb
12:15, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble
you, and thereby many be defiled.” This verse refers to that "root of bitterness" or rebellion. It is called a root
because it begins hidden within the soil of your heart. From there, its roots will entwine themselves around your
heart and mind, until they choke God’s life out of us, emotionally and spiritually. If allowed to grow unchecked,
this ugly root will spring up into a plant that will cast a shadow over everything we are and do. A "root of
bitterness and rebellion” in ones life will literally come to dominate our very existence.
In our instruction book for life, we are presented with a man having some followers who was in the
strangle hold of a massive root of bitterness and rebellion. This man named Korah met a tragic end, because
he allowed a root of bitterness and rebellion to flourish in his life. His was a sad fate, but thankfully,there are
lessons that we can learn from his tragedy that will help us to avoid the same fate.
Today we are seeing some Churches of God breaking apart over who the leader should be, who is the
greatest among us to lead God’s called?
In the story of Korah we find bitterness can build and rebellion is the end results which does not pay off
very well. There is a lesson from Korah's rebellion for those who have been chosen to be in some leadership
roll. All who are being groomed to be leaders in the next millennium might be asking your selves, what I am
doing here? Did I volunteer for this? Moses was chosen to be Israel’s leader, God specifically called him
to speak as His representative. He was in charge by God's choosing, not his own. There were times when he no
doubt, wondered if he was where he was supposed to be. Probably you may have asked yourself the same
question after being called into God’s church.
In Number 16, there is much to learn from this old time event. It speaks about our attitudes towards
God's authority; how committed one is to their calling and how God's response to the seed of bitterness and
rebellion. In Number 16: verse 1, we find the main character is a man named Korah. Num 16:1-2, “Now Korah,
the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son
of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two
hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown.”
Korah was a Kohathite, from the tribe of Levi and was a cousin of Moses and Aaron which tells us he
was a Levite. Seems he was not satisfied with his position or responsibility’s given him. The Kohathites were
responsible for transporting the supplies of the sanctuary, but Korah wanted Moses or Aaron’s job. He wanted
to be a priest, maybe even high priest.
His unwillingness to accept his role was the seed of ultimate rebellion. He was dissatisfied with what God
had chosen for him to do. Dathan and Abiram were Reubenites. Their ancestor, Reuben, the first-born of Jacob,
had been disposed as the first among the tribes to be replaced by God's choice of Judah. They shared in this spirit
of dissatisfaction, and were easily persuaded by Korah to join in with his bitter-nesses .
The 250 princes, men of renown, that we read of in verse 2, were probably also suffering from an attitude
of dissatisfaction toward Moses' leadership. They were possibly disgusted with the sentence of death announced
for their whole generation in the previous chapters. They may have interpreted Moses' work as a leader, showed
to much authority over them personally.
Seems they were not as holy as they judged themselves to be, they reeked with showing jealous. The
book of James shows us where bitterness comes from. “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your
hearts, Do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual,
demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there” (James 3: 14-16).
Envy is a seed of rebellion. Both Dathan and Abiram were persuaded to join in.
Korah used his relationship with these followers, called princes, [leaders] to sway the majority of the
people to voice their dissatisfaction and confront Moses and Aaron. These men were well respected and were
used to influence others.
Korah skillfully presents his case to Moses and Aaron: “And they gathered themselves together against
Moses and against Aaron, [nothing new under the sun] and said unto them, you take too much upon yourselves,
for all the congregation is holy, everyone of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves
above the assembly of the Lord ? (Numbers 16: 3).
Their complaint centered on the exclusiveness
of holiness to the priesthood. “Every one is holy” before God. God is among all of us, not just you Moses.
Moses is discounted by an appeal to fairness and democratic equality. This has great appeal. It is what seems
right to us. We naturally believe that we are both capable and responsible for directing our own lives.
The complaint of Dathan and Abiram also included their evaluation of Moses effectiveness and success
as God's leader. In their estimation he had not done a very good job. “Is it a small thing that you have brought
us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a
prince over us? (Numbers 16: 13). Just where is this land of milk and honey from which they came? It was
Egypt! A land of slavery, genocide, and death! Their desire to go their own way caused them to distort reality,
and shows their contempt for God's words of promise given through Moses.
But this matter at hand here is: Who really led them into the wilderness? Who was telling Moses what
to do and where to go? Whose fault was it that they were not now in possession of the land of Canaan?
In verse 4, Moses' response to Korah’s rebellion: his attempt to seize the priesthood. Moses' quick
reaction says much about God's chosen leaders. “So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face” (Num 16: 4).
Some suggest that Moses was expressing his emotion, others believe he was calling on the Lord in prayer, so he
could answer this charge! His authority was from God. God was the one being challenged. Moses emerges
from the prayer with the full assurance of what to do. Num 16: verse 5, “And he spoke to Korah and all his
company, saying, Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is Holy, and will cause him to
come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him. Do this: take censers, Korah
and all your company; put fire in them and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow, and it shall be that
the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!” Vs.
9, “Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you
near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them;
and that he has brought you near to himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you
seeking the priesthood also?”
Moses tells Korah in verse 5, that the Lord will show us who is His and who is holy. God's choice is still
the issue, not what seems fair or just to us, or what we think will work. In verse 12, Moses goes on a separate
mission to speak to Dathan and Abiram. Their complaint was different. They were opposed to the civil authority
of Moses. They despised his leadership and were unwilling to submit to it. They also refused to come when
Moses asked them to come and meet with the others. They chided his ability to deal with this great show of
force, they expressed– Moses you have no authority. Moses, the meekest man, became angry, and on the surface
Moses response seems to yield to the rebel's request. You come and take charge and don’t forget to bring your
censors. Korah may have though he won a victory.
Moses was not defending his own rights or position. He would allow God to defend Himself. Moses
having been given God’s Holy Spirit, understood his unique responsibility. Notice Matt. 5:10-12, “Blessed are
they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, when
men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice,
and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before
you.” We are not called to defend ourselves! Moses identifies their dissatisfaction with what God had given
them to do. When we read verse 9 of Numbers 16, “Seems it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel
has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself to do the service of the tabernacle
of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?”
We fuel rebellion when we are always looking at what is not our responsibility, rather than focusing on
what is! How did this rebellion turn out for Korah ? Was Korah successful in his efforts to reform Israel's
leadership? Numbers 16, gives the answer! The scriptures identifies this great gathering as Korah’s 250 princes,
the entire congregation, who wanted power to the people. They were there to choose their way, and follow their
leaders leadership. But notice verse 19, here in Numbers 16, “The glory of the Lord appeared to all the
congregation.” What did they see? God exhibited His glory by the confirmation of His word.
God called on Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the congregation. He was ready to destroy
them all. But here we see the true spirit of Moses. Rather than see God destroy them all he intercedes in behalf
of the rebels. His faith in God does not produce a self righteous attitude, he still has compassion on the lost.
God allows him to speak to those who are about to feel the wrath of God. He gives us that opportunity
as well. God demanded that those who would be spared to be separated from the rebellious. They had to make
a choice to be saved. “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the congregation, saying, get you up
from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram;
and the Elders of Israel followed him. And he spake unto the congregation, saying, depart, I pray you, from the
tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins” (Num 16: 23-26).
Again we notice that Moses points everyone to God's choice. Vs. 28, “By this you shall know that the
Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. If these men die naturally like
all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord
creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they
go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord" [NIV].
The next two verses tell us of the earth opened its mouth. The imagery there is vivid. The earth, as His
representative, is speaking for God. If they will not listen to Moses, they will listen to the earth! Both are
servants of God.
Continuing the story--Num 16:28-35, “And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent
me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. If these men die the common death of all
men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. But if the LORD make
a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go
down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. And it came to pass,
as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the
earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah,
and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed
upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at
the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the LORD, and
consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense” [KJV]. As we can see that rebellion hurts us and
our families around us!
By God's orders, the censors were formed into a covering for the altar, to be a continual reminder of
what happened here. “The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into
hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy;
and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.
So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were
hammered out as a covering on the altar, to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not
a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah
and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses” (Num 16: 38-40).
All the house of Israel needs to learn the lessons of the past. But did Israel at that time learn a lesson ?
Vs. 41, “On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron,
saying, "you have killed the people of the Lord."
After witnessing the super-natural, terrifying sight of the ground opening up, and hearing the screams of
the doomed troublemakers, they uttered nonsense accusing Moses a mere man of doing all this destruction!
The congregation was unwilling to accept responsibility. They would rather chose to blame Moses for the death
of the rebels.
The seeds of rebellion were still at work. The congregation had no respect for Moses or God. Then the
LORD said to Moses, "Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment, and they
fell on their faces. So Moses said to Aaron, take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and
take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The
plague has begun” (Num 16:45-50 NIV).
The story caries on with God responding with a continuing plague, and if it were not for the atonement
offered by Aaron, the whole congregation would have perished. With all this in mind, what can we do to avoid
being consumed by rebellion and bitterness?
Thankfully the Bible holds the answer to this question. Acknowledge our own sin in allowing a root of
bitterness and rebellion to flourish. When one harbor resentment in their heart and fail to extend forgiveness to
those who hurt you, then you are just as guilty as they are in the eyes of the Lord.
Your first step is to admit your own wrong before the Lord, 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Second, People must be
forgiven! This is not an option; it is a necessity, Matt. 18:15- 17; Matt. 18:21-35; Luke 17:1-5; Eph. 4:32. It is
better to confront those who have offended you and get
things settled than it is to allow bitterness to consume
from the inside out! Remember, God knows how to take care of His own children, Heb.12:6-12; Rev. 3:19; Rom.
12:17-21.
We too, all suffer from the seeds of rebellion in our hearts, and often do not learn to follow God. If not
for Jesus Christ’ sacrifice, we would all be lost. God stands between the living and the dead. Let us respect
God's choices and learn the lessons of rebellion. ☜
James Russell
Mount of Beatitudes
The Church of the Beatitudes marks the traditional site where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
In this sermon (addressed to Jesus’ disciples and a large crowd of listeners) Jesus spoke of a life of discipleship
based on a higher law of love for God and man. This site overlooks the sea of Galilee on its northwest shore.