Mine is a whole lot less than stellar. Downright humiliating and shameful in some circles.
I'm grateful for the transformation and new life that God has provided for me. I was reminded today and recall that I'm not the first.
15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, "Do not regard their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them." 16 Moses said to Korah, "You and all your company be present before the Lord tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. 17 Each of you take his firepan and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan." 18 So they each took his own censer and put fire on it, and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. 19 Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.
31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, "The earth may swallow us up!" 35 Fire also came forth from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense.
36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 37 "Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall take up the censers out of the midst of the blaze, for they are holy; and you scatter the burning coals abroad. 38 As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they did present them before the Lord and they are holy; and they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel." 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar, 40 as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the Lord; so that he will not become like Korah and his company—just as the Lord had spoken to him through Moses.
Nice move - stand up and face off with God's anointed. This was Moses they were taking on for crying out loud.
Did you notice that the rebels followed the popular and respected men of renown? Often we put our trust in the opinion of others, when there is only one opinion that matters.
Search for the phrase "men of renown" at BibleGateway.com (NASB). What do you find?
Read 1 Kings 18 and be reminded of the prophets of Ba'al (those who were the leaders of the day) who came against God and His prophet Elijah. (reminds me of those who are coming against Israel and God's plans & prophecies - that won't end well for those who stand in the way - good to elect leaders who are not going to align your country into direct opposition of the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY).
Back to the point - our names, our legacy, our review.
Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.
"His name is mud", is a common phrase in America. Taken from Dr. Samuel Mudd who assisted John Wilkes Booth with his leg, during Booth's flight from justice. This following Booth's assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
The name Mudd went from one of esteem to contempt in a moment.
Good or bad many names and reputations have undergone rapid transformation, including Nixon, Sandusky, Oswald, Hastert, Cosby, O.J. Simpson. And while I'm not writing to throw stones during this week's bitter heartbreak - Baylor University has some men whose lives, persona, reputation and careers will likely never be the same.
I empathize with these men, for I too am one in need of a fresh start and a new name.
The sons of Eliab: Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram who were called by the congregation, who contended against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the Lord, 10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, so that they became a warning. 11 The sons of Korah, however, did not die.
The Korahites are grandsons of Levi and the Levites and are to serve in the temple, cannot own property, are to live and work in and around the temple, many were killed, some survived and this priestly remnant was banished from the temple and relegated to greeting at the front door.
What do these Levites tell us? That they long to go into the temple. Even Gentiles and birds can go into the courts, but they cannot.
Have you ever been in a place where your sin was out for everyone to see? These doorkeepers were reminders of the wages of sin (Romans 6:23).
For nearly 1500 years these men stood at the doors to the temple and were reminders of the rebellion. Prohibited from entry. Rejected. Ridiculed.
How would God redeem their story?
The same way He always does, by using it to remind others.
Read Psalms 84, paying careful attention to the heading. This was written from the descendants of Korah.
For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
In 1995 Matt Redman took a guitar and Psalms 84 and out came the words to "Better is one Day". Millions of Christians have come to worship through these familiar words. iTunes lists 160+ versions of this song by many different artists.
This song has been recorded by the group Kutless and has over 1.1 million YouTube views.
Be encouraged that through the stories in His Word and the tapestry of each us, His church, He is remaking us into the image of the Son and these present sufferings are not worth comparing (Romans 8:18) with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Did you notice the transformation comes when we see Him clearly? The darkness, the sin, the distraction and attention to self, turns or blocks our eyes from Him. When we see Him, sin flees. Darkness hides.
Read these for some more insight (Revelation 6:19, Isaiah 2:19, Revelation 9:6, Luke 23:30).
When we doubt, despair and rebel, we are not seeing clearly. We are declaring that God is not good, sufficient, sovereign or we are declaring we do not wish to participate in His plan, His way.
I think often about the sin that so easily entangles (Heb 12:1) and I am reminded that when Isaiah was thrust into the very throne and presence of God Almighty, he could suddenly see clearly and he was not in heaven struggling with sin, temptation and self.
When temptation comes, shine some light in there. Truth. Look to the community, authenticity, transparency, and honesty found in the body of Christ. You don't fight sin by sheer will, determination, or by pushing it out - you fight it with replacement.
I'm reminded of the 360 times the Bible tells us to remember, not forget, be still, sabbath and "let this be a sign for you".
Reminded of Hebrews 12:1-2 and the great cloud of witnesses around me.
Reminded of Psalms 22:24-25 and the ancestors who have met God and were not disappointed, declaring Him good.
Today has been a good day to sabbath, to remember, to refocus and to look forward to the great and certain hope we have in Christ.