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After the death of Moses, Joshua became the leader of Israel. While they were on the bank of the Jordan River, God instructed Joshua to 1) arise 2) go over Jordan into the Land of Promise. Then God told Joshua do not fear what he had been commanded because no man would be able to successfully oppose him all the days of his life. (Joshua 1:1-4) The assurance of this was in God’s promise, “As I was with Moses, so shall I be with you.” Joshua 1:5 Within this promise was the understanding of how to stand in the face of opposition. By remembering what opposition Moses had faced and how God responded to it, Joshua understood what type of opposition to expect and how to stand in the face of it.
This is also true of Christians. God’s promise to Joshua is also a promise to Abraham’s children by faith – Christians. (Galatians 3:14,26-29) By understanding the type of opposition Moses faced and how God delivered him, Christians can understand what type of opposition they may face as they do God’s will and how to stand in the midst of it.
While leading the children of Israel, Moses faced opposition from three sources: 1) Pharaoh (Exodus 3:19) 2) Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12:1-16) 3) Korah, Dathan and Abiram (Numbers 16:1-40). In each case of opposition, God delivered Moses. Moses was then able to continue to do what God had anointed him to do.
Moses' Opposition from Pharaoh
God used Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Pharaoh opposed their deliverance. God had informed Abraham that his descendants would one day be in Egyptian bondage, but He also promised to deliver them from that bondage and bring them into the Land of Promise. (Genesis 15:14,16) God repeated that promise to Jacob. (Genesis 46:3,4; 48:21; also see 50:24) Pharoah’s opposition was never a real issue with God. He was going to deliver the Israelites as He had promised. By opposing Moses, Pharaoh opposed God’s plan and purpose. For his oppostion, Pharaoh ended up sleeping with the fish! (Exodus 14:28)
Moses' Opposition from Miriam and Aaron
Miriam spoke against Moses because of his Ethiopian wife. Moses’ personal life was none of Miriam’s business. He had done nothing wrong – and even if he had, it was not Miriam’s place to correct him. It was God’s. (Exodus 4:24-26) Because of her opposition, God allowed Miriam to become leprous. After Aaron cried to Moses, Moses prayed for her. God healed her only after Moses prayed for her. However, god also expressed His displeasure with what she had done by comparing His judgment to a father spitting in her face! (Numbers 12:14-1) God does not like ugly!
Moses' Opposition from Korah, Dathan and Abiram
Korah, Dathan and Abiram were Israelites who rebelled against Moses’ leadership. They questioned Moses’ anointing, stating Moses had elevated himself to a position of leadership and had not been anointed by God to do the job. This made Moses angry – and God too! God anoints who He wants to do what He wants. (1 John 2:27) The decision is His and His alone. God demonstrated His choice of Moses as leader of Israel by allowing Korah, Dathan and Abriram to go to Hell alive! (Numbers 16:31-33)
The Unction Within
The way to stand strong in the face of opposition is to trust the unction within. In 1 John 2:20, Apostle John states Christians have an unction from the Lord. The unction is an anointing from the Holy Ghost. That anointing teaches Christians God’s will in a given situation. (1 John 2:27) It is a means of receiving direction from God. (Proverbs 20:27) Apostle John also states this anointing is authentic and true. That means it comes from Heaven and is without error. Therefore, Christians can trust in the direction they receive from the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Trusting in this anointing is also a means of living so as to hear the Lord say, “Well done”. By abiding in what that anointing teaches, Christians have the assurance of not being ashamed when standing before the Judgment Seat of Christ. (1 John 2:28; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; Romans 14:10)
Opposition to what the anointing teaches is not opposition to man, but to God. This is the spirit of antichrist. This is not THE Antichrist who will be made known during the Great Tribulation, but one of many erroneous spirits in the world today. (1 John 2:18) The spirit of antichrist refuses to acknowledge the presence of the Holy Ghost in a Christian’s life. It is a lying spirit of the world. The Holy Ghost dwelling within Christians is greater than the lying spirit of the world. (1 John 4:1-6) Therefore, when faced with such opposition, Christians are to listen to the anointing within.
Conclusion
From Moses’ experiences, we Christians learn opposition can come in three ways: 1) opposition to the plan and purpose of God 2) the nosiness of busybodies 3) rebellion against the anointing God has placed on our lives. However, regardless of the nature of the opposition, IT WILL NOT STAND. We Christians have the assurance that GOD IS WITH US as we do His will.
References
Hayford, Jack W., ed. Spirit-Filled Life Bible. New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991.
Zodhaites, Spiros, ed. The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible. King James Version. Red Letter Edition. World Bible Publishers.
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