GOD-Exaltation vs. SELF-Exaltation
They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”
When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him. [Numbers 16:3-5, ESV]
You know the end of that story, don't you...not pretty...at least for Korah and the rest of his rebellion, and unfortunately, their families, too. We often bring down those we love, in our foolish pride and self-seeking. If you ever watch the news, you know exactly what I mean. As foolish men are carted off to prison for presumptuously taking what was not their own (thinking they would get away with it--you know, all the Bernie Madoff's out there) dragging families and friends through the muck and mire behind them. It isn't a new phenomenon.
There is a HUGE difference between GOD-exaltation and SELF-exaltation.
When God exalts, you can be humble, and He will lift you up--you never need to put yourself on display in any way, shape or form for people to see or recognize you. He will increase you, as you decrease, and mortify the flesh. Remember what Paul wrote to the Philippian church--it's a paradox. If we exalt or promote ourselves, we will be rejected or abased by God, because we have our reward of men; but, if we instead, humble ourselves, and "have the mind of Christ" He will exalt us, in due time. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." [Philippians 2:5-11]
When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him. [Numbers 16:3-5, ESV]
You know the end of that story, don't you...not pretty...at least for Korah and the rest of his rebellion, and unfortunately, their families, too. We often bring down those we love, in our foolish pride and self-seeking. If you ever watch the news, you know exactly what I mean. As foolish men are carted off to prison for presumptuously taking what was not their own (thinking they would get away with it--you know, all the Bernie Madoff's out there) dragging families and friends through the muck and mire behind them. It isn't a new phenomenon.
There is a HUGE difference between GOD-exaltation and SELF-exaltation.
When God exalts, you can be humble, and He will lift you up--you never need to put yourself on display in any way, shape or form for people to see or recognize you. He will increase you, as you decrease, and mortify the flesh. Remember what Paul wrote to the Philippian church--it's a paradox. If we exalt or promote ourselves, we will be rejected or abased by God, because we have our reward of men; but, if we instead, humble ourselves, and "have the mind of Christ" He will exalt us, in due time. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." [Philippians 2:5-11]
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