Evil things happen. But we can be sure God never neglects to punish evil. He may not inform us of his plans—although sometimes he does.

Way back in time, when Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt to the land God had promised them, a rebellion developed among the people. The ring leader was Korah, a descendant of Levi, whose tribe the Lord had chosen to tend the work of the tabernacle. The rebellion didn’t end well. Let’s follow the story, beginning in Numbers 16.

“Korah…and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram…became insolent and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, ‘You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?’”

Moses went to the Lord—always a good idea—and he let the frustrated leader know he was about to do something. “Say to the assembly, ‘Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.’ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their tents.

“Then Moses said, ‘This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea.’”

Don’t you love that! This adventure was not Moses’ plan. He appeared content with the life he’d chosen, tending sheep, though at times he must have wondered if he’d missed God’s best. And then that burning-bush incident disrupted his comfy, ordinary life. Back to the story.

Moses said, “If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.

“As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah’s men and all their possessions. They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community…And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.”

That wasn’t the end of it. The Lord sent a plague, striking 14,700 people. Rebellion is a dangerous thing—a contamination that grows. And it never ends well.

Unfathomable evil has thrown our nation—our world—into chaos. Is there anything we can do to stem this evil tide? Click To Tweet

Unfathomable evil has thrown our nation—our world—into chaos. Is there anything we can do to stem this evil tide? I don’t have an answer. But I know this:

• God never yields control to the enemy.
• God never is without a plan.
• God never neglects to punish evil.

God has a plan. He may not inform us, but we can be sure he will act when he’s ready.

Our responsibility is to pursue the Lord with all our heart, stay sensitive to his leading, and make an impact where we are. Click To Tweet

Our responsibility is to pursue him with all our heart, stay sensitive to his leading, and make an impact where we are—whether it’s tending sheep on the hillside or leading a massive throng to a new beginning.

And keep in mind that God can act in catastrophic ways. Anyone who senses a little rebellion rising in his spirit should watch his step. That small crack in the earth could open and swallow him alive.

Do you recall a time when God interrupted your life, sending you in a different direction, or acted in an astonishing way to bring about his purpose? Tell me about it! And please share this with your friends!

© Dianne Barker 2019