UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM LEADERSHIP
2 THEREFORE THE PEOPLE CONTENDED WITH MOSES, AND SAID, “GIVE US WATER, THAT WE MAY DRINK.” SO MOSES SAID TO THEM, “WHY DO YOU CONTEND WITH ME? WHY DO YOU TEMPT THE LORD?”
3 AND THE PEOPLE THIRSTED THERE FOR WATER, AND THE PEOPLE COMPLAINED AGAINST MOSES, AND SAID, “WHY IS IT YOU HAVE BROUGHT US UP OUT OF EGYPT, TO KILL US AND OUR CHILDREN AND OUR LIVESTOCK WITH THIRST?”
4 SO MOSES CRIED OUT TO THE LORD, SAYING, “WHAT SHALL I DO WITH THIS PEOPLE? THEY ARE ALMOST READY TO STONE ME!”
5 AND THE LORD SAID TO MOSES, “GO ON BEFORE THE PEOPLE, AND TAKE WITH YOU SOME OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL. ALSO TAKE IN YOUR HAND YOUR ROD WITH WHICH YOU STRUCK THE RIVER, AND GO.
6 BEHOLD, I WILL STAND BEFORE YOU THERE ON THE ROCK IN HOREB; AND YOU SHALL STRIKE THE ROCK, AND WATER WILL COME OUT OF IT, THAT THE PEOPLE MAY DRINK.” AND MOSES DID SO IN THE SIGHT OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL."
Exodus 17:2-6 (NKJV)
Someone who is not called to lead should not venture into it (James 3:1).
The leadership in God's kingdom is different from that of the world. The leadership system of the world could be tyrannical and brutish: "BUT JESUS CALLED THEM TO HIMSELF AND SAID TO THEM, “YOU KNOW THAT THOSE WHO ARE CONSIDERED RULERS OVER THE GENTILES LORD IT OVER THEM, AND THEIR GREAT ONES EXERCISE AUTHORITY OVER THEM" (Mark 10:42 NKJV).
READ: Mark 10:42-45; Luke 22:25
However, Kingdom leadership should not be like that of the world. The people, the Israelites, in our text contended with Moses, complained against him, to the point that they almost stone him (Exodus 17:3,4).
This is reason that If you are not called to lead in the kingdom; you should not attempt to do it, because:
a. The people you are leading are of God, you cannot lord It over them and treat them the way you like (1 Peter 5:3).
b. You can equally not react to them how they behaved or treated you:
24 AND A SERVANT OF THE LORD MUST NOT QUARREL BUT BE GENTLE TO ALL, ABLE TO TEACH, PATIENT, 25 IN HUMILITY CORRECTING THOSE WHO ARE IN OPPOSITION, IF GOD PERHAPS WILL GRANT THEM REPENTANCE, SO THAT THEY MAY KNOW THE TRUTH, 26 AND THAT THEY MAY COME TO THEIR SENSES AND ESCAPE THE SNARE OF THE DEVIL, HAVING BEEN TAKEN CAPTIVE BY HIM TO DO HIS WILL" (2 Timothy 2:24-26 NKJV).
This is where being intimate with God as a leader comes in. You are to have a special tie with God Who has sent you on the assignment. You would have to cultivate the habit of taking every matter to God in prayer. Your response to matters or burning issues should always be prayer; telling the matter at hand, whatever bothering your mind, every confrontation or challenge in the work, to God in prayer—being tabled before God in your private time of prayer: "SO MOSES CRIED OUT TO THE LORD . . ." (Exodus 17:4 NKJV).
It is when you take the matter to God in prayer that He will tell you what to do, how to go by It and proffer solutions to the problem at hand.
Using your own human ideas would not help. In fact, God does want this leadership style of Moses, taking every matter to God in prayer—whatever being confronted with.
How would Moses get water for about 1.5 millions of people, with their animals, If God did not give him directions or tell him what to do.
Ministry leadership is not done by human ideas or knowledge but by God's divine ideas or instructions. You do things as you are commanded by God.
Note:
I. Based on the instructions given to Moses by God, he had to take along the rod with which he had previously struck the river (Exodus 17:5).
The rod symbolizes the uniqueness of your giftedness. The gift or pattern through which God has usually been moving to perform wonders or miracles through your ministry.
If you are assigned to carry out any task or assignment, do not try to use another person's rod or implement, the pattern which you copied or borrowed from another person or ministry.
God has a way or gift through which He has been working in your ministry, key into that, do not try to experiment a new rod or implement or gift or pattern which God has not been working with you before.
II. Why the need for the elders of Israel to be with Moses whilst the miracle of bringing the water from the rock is being performed? (Exodus 17:5,6).
God wanted them to be a witness to what He was about to do. God would not do His thing without a witness. He would want them to tell It to their children and document It for the unborn generations (Joshua 4:6,7).
We know the goodness and greatness of God today through the documented acts of His in the Bible: "FOR WHATEVER THINGS WERE WRITTEN BEFORE WERE WRITTEN FOR OUR LEARNING, THAT WE THROUGH THE PATIENCE AND COMFORT OF THE SCRIPTURES MIGHT HAVE HOPE" (Romans 15:4 NKJV).
READ: 1 Corinthians 10:11).
What, the acts of God, those elders saw and documented is giving hope to those who want to walk with God today. Those elders with Moses witnessed how God brought water from the rock with their naked eyes, and not online—they saw it physically.
III. Another thing to note in the passage, the text of this teaching, is; If God sent you on an errand or assignment; He would have gone ahead of you, waiting for you there to actualize what He has told or commanded you to do (Exodus 17:6 NKJV).
Thus, there should be no reason for doubt or retrieving back from going. Faith pleases God, while unbelief displeases Him (Hebrews 11:6).
God told Moses that He will be on the Rock in Horeb to do or perform what He said: "BEHOLD, I WILL STAND BEFORE YOU THERE ON THE ROCK IN HOREB . . . (Exodus 17:6 NKJV).
Peace.
STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).
- If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!