Numbers 16:28-35 Contentious

 28Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things, for it was not my own doing: 29If these men die a natural death, or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. 30But if the LORD brings about something unprecedented, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.”                31As soon as Moses had finished saying all this, the ground beneath them split open, 32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households—all Korah’s men and all their possessions. 33They went down alive into Sheol with all they owned. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly. 34At their cries, all the people of Israel who were around them fled, saying, “The earth may swallow us too!” 35And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.

Sheol

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the dead is sheol. It simply means “the place of the dead” or “the place of departed souls/spirits.”

Contentious people in the church.

Titus 3: 10Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition, 11knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Romans 16: 17Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. 18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Have you ever experienced contentious people in the church? We have and you usually experience them when you are leading a ministry. On one such occasion my wife was the Nursery Coordinator overseeing the infants through the three year old’s. A two year old had wet her pants so my wife cleaned her up and installed a church supplied diaper. The father became irate because he was trying potty training her. Then they started gossiping within the body of Christ. It wasn’t fun, but expect it if you’re in a leadership position. 

I believe if Moses was there, the Lord could have opened the earths mouth and put an end to it! 😇

Have you ever been contentious in the church?

Blessings