Human Partnerships and Godly Direction
Number 10 concludes the time Israel spends at the foot of Sinai. The camp is assembled, ordered and the tabernacle is filled with its instruments. The people are settled around the camp, the Levites have been given their responsibilities. All is set for Israel to wander along the path of God's leading to the Promised Land.
Now in Numbers 10:11 Israel is making its first move following the leading of the glory cloud of God.
Numbers 10:11–12 (ESV) In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.
But in the midst of all this amazing God-directed movement, Moses has a curious conversation with one of his in-laws:
Numbers 10:29–32 (ESV) And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.”
Some thing struck me when I read this. Moses is asking Hobab to come both for Hobab's benefit AND Israel's benefit. Basically, Moses could use Hobab's help. Look at how Moses speaks: "Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us."
The temptation here is to see this action on Moses' part as a lack of faith - a distrust in God's provision. Doesn't Moses have the glory cloud to follow? Doesn't Moses know by now that all he needs is God? So why then does he need the navigational abilities of a man who isn't even an Israelite by birth?
I see here a principle for leadership. YES, we must trust God. YES we must follow the cloud and believe that God's Spirit will lead us. But God has also given us people, relationships, common sense and strategy. Moses knows that God will ultimately provide. But Moses also knows that help from his fellow man is a good thing for this great task God has set before him.
Leadership in the church does not have to be so heavenly minded that we disregard any earthly (common grace) ideas. Sometimes church leaders have their heads in the clouds when God wants their feet on the ground. Yes, we trust God, but we can also open our eyes and reach out for help from the available natural sources.
Let us not forget either: Moses initiated this conversation. That's important. It tells us what kind of leader Moses was. He was able to appeal to others for advice. He knew God would lead, but he also understood God had given Hobab some special skills. These were not to be disregarded. There's a good leadership lesson in this passage. Let's not be so up in the clouds that we fail to see it, and use it.
Now in Numbers 10:11 Israel is making its first move following the leading of the glory cloud of God.
Numbers 10:11–12 (ESV) In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.
Numbers 10:29–32 (ESV) And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.”
Some thing struck me when I read this. Moses is asking Hobab to come both for Hobab's benefit AND Israel's benefit. Basically, Moses could use Hobab's help. Look at how Moses speaks: "Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us."
The temptation here is to see this action on Moses' part as a lack of faith - a distrust in God's provision. Doesn't Moses have the glory cloud to follow? Doesn't Moses know by now that all he needs is God? So why then does he need the navigational abilities of a man who isn't even an Israelite by birth?
I see here a principle for leadership. YES, we must trust God. YES we must follow the cloud and believe that God's Spirit will lead us. But God has also given us people, relationships, common sense and strategy. Moses knows that God will ultimately provide. But Moses also knows that help from his fellow man is a good thing for this great task God has set before him.
Leadership in the church does not have to be so heavenly minded that we disregard any earthly (common grace) ideas. Sometimes church leaders have their heads in the clouds when God wants their feet on the ground. Yes, we trust God, but we can also open our eyes and reach out for help from the available natural sources.
Let us not forget either: Moses initiated this conversation. That's important. It tells us what kind of leader Moses was. He was able to appeal to others for advice. He knew God would lead, but he also understood God had given Hobab some special skills. These were not to be disregarded. There's a good leadership lesson in this passage. Let's not be so up in the clouds that we fail to see it, and use it.
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