READ: LEVITICUS 10:1-20 TEXT: v20 CONTENTMENT
And when Moses heard that, he was content.
What contented Moses? Ans:- Reply/Aaron to a particular point in the
law. After Aaron's sons were severely judged for their sin of offering
false before God (v1-10) Moses instructed Aaron and his remaining sons
to eat the meat offering (v12-15) something which they did not do - it
being burnt instead (v16) This led to an angry Moses questioning Aaron
and his remaining sons (v17-18) Aaron replies for them all (v19) and
basically indicates (according to Andrew Bonar) that they could only
eat if the original offering had been accepted/God and, of course, it
hadn't.
With this answer, Moses was content. Want to think about contentment. 4 main thoughts:
1) CONTENTMENT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD AIM FOR:
A/ Not something that comes automatically in this life: Job 5:7
Not even for a forgiven Believer (Sadly some of the most discontented people profess faith)
B/ We have a DEFINITE PRECEPT to be contented:
Be content with such things as ye have: Hebrews 13:5
Not something for mature Believers: Luke 3:14
C/ We have a DELIGHTFUL PROMISE:
…For he hath said; I will never leave thee or forsake thee
How can we ever be discontented in the presence of Jesus?
Elkanah said to the fretting Hannah (Perhaps somewhat unfairly) "Am I not worth 10 sons to thee?"
So the Lord Jesus says to us: "Is my presence not worth 10 times what you are fretting over?"
D/ We have a DUTIFUL EXAMPLE of contentment:
Philippians 4:11
[i] Spoken from the prison cell
[ii] By a man who had enemies without and within etc.,
[iii] A man who did not know what the future held
(Although he knew Him who holds the future)
He had learned (Not automatic/naturally so) to be content.
Greek Word for learned comes from a word which means "discipline" Paul had disciplined himself to accept his lot
Whatever my lot…thou hast taught me to say; "It is well/my soul"
Here is the same man (with all his reasons/moan) who could say:
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (1 Corinthians 4:17)
No record in 13 epistles of Paul ever moping about his lot
Yes…he lists his trials/tribulations (Not a Stoic) but he never moaned once nor complained.
He was a most contented man.
2) CONTENTMENT IS TO BE REGULATED BY GOD'S WORD:
A/ There is a contentment that is of the earth, earthy and to be despised/rejected
Such was the contentment/Esau
[i] Had been most discontented in Jacob taking the blessing
Vowed to kill him: Genesis 27:41 Jacob fled and many years passed and
Esau had come to live with his disappointment and when they met again,
made no mention (never mind avenged) the deed done against him.
Good…but only to a point
[ii] Esau uttered words which showed: he had not only forgotten about Jacob's actions, but that he was also content without God:
And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto
thyself. (Genesis 33:9) Wretched contentment! Effectively saying:
"Who needs God? I can live quite happily without Him. It was no big disaster when Adam was ejected from the Garden/Eden."
Such contentment is the forerunner of a sure damnation
Let us eat, drink and be merry…tomorrow we die… […and wake up in hell, being in torments! ]
B/ There is a contentment among professing Christians which is not recommended either. At ease in Zion (Amos 6:1)
These are they who will be saved as so by fire with very little or
nothing to give back unto the Lord to Whom they are so indebted
Definitely not recommended.
C/ In our passage, Moses wanted the matter done by the Book
He had been up the Mountain/God and had received the law
Been told to keep to the pattern received in the mount
(a requirement quoted in the NT) and he would not be content until this was the case
Do not merely view Bible: Rule book.
Easily end up in Pharisaism and tithe mint and anise and cummin, and
omit the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:
(Matthew 23:23)
But we should place ourselves under its authority
This is what it means to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:
(Mark 12:30)
D/ Therefore Moses (other side/coin) could not be contented until he had this seeming omission sorted out
While everything is not as black/white as some hotheads would like it
to be…and there is room for differences in some matters between
dissenting brethren…yet there are matters in which indifference
is compromise
God had moved in this chapter in wrath against two men
Had been indifferent to the ways/God and offered false fire
From the immediate punishment inflicted…not a matter of taste
or church polity where we learn to agree/disagree
Was there to be another divine visitation in wrath?
Previous privileges/family connections meant nothing
Moses could not be content if this matter was outside the clear instructions of Gods word
E/ Think of David who shared Moses' outlook
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:128)
Here was a man content/God's word. He esteemed it highly and in doing so, he abominated every false way. Two go together.
3) CONTENTMENT SHOULD PRECEDED BY EARNEST ENQUIRY:
Really a follow on from the above - but more practical
Without going round in endless circles, raising sand and getting it into people's eyes - yet note:
Moses just didn't hold to his theory but pursued it to its logical end
A/ He was diligent (v16) Diligence/contentment hardly seem to be compatible words.
The diligent always seem to be up/doing here and there. Need not be so.
If you're diligent…then you can really be contented.
Sit down in peace knowing that you have left no stone unturned. Careless have everything to be fear.
B/Moses identified the supposed problem (v17-18)
This is a sign of his diligence. Not criticising from the sidelines.
He knew what he was talking about and why he was objecting.
C/ He was angry (v16) Consider the circumstances esp. with Aaron having lost two sons and the others, two brethren
Obviously we can't go about in anger all the time either…and as it turns out, Aaron (at least) had a point.
Some think Moses was technically right but eased up here - Geneva Bible notes: "Moses
bore with his infirmity, considering his great sorrow, but does not
leave an example to forgive them that maliciously transgress the
commandment of God."
The anger at least showed the great concern to get it right
D/ Moses was no legalist. He always acted on the principal/grace.
Reference to the atonement/blood (v18) is a ref. to the Cross
We contend for the Book, because we have been washed/Blood
Grace is not a free for all.
Read Paul's epistles as he first expounds the gospel/grace of God and
then (subsequently) charges the people/God to work out that grace in
their lives in accordance with what is written/Bible.
Only when this was sorted out, would the words contentment be associated with Moses.
Assuming Aaron's technical point was more accurate…Moses didn't fight stubbornly on.
Things had been done right. Moses was content.
4) CONTENTMENT SHOULD NOT LEAD US TO NEGLECT GOD:
A/ The incident here comes at the end/chapter.
In the beginning of the next chapter…God speaks again/Moses (11:1ff) and Moses sets off to obey God again.
His contentment was entirely Bible based
B/ Can we match this? Why not? We won't in our own strength.
We might be diligent at the beginning, but keeping it going will be another matter.
Can only do this in the power/Spirit of God
Moses was not just a stickler for keeping rules.
Although conscious of the wrath/God (How could he not be?)
Yet he was also a man who talked with God as friend to friend
This became a way/life to Moses. Should be so to us also.