In 2020, there will be a U.S. presidential election and a Korean parliamentary election. It is our right and the foundation of democracy that we elect our leaders with our own hands. But in a church, it’s a bit different. We don’t do campaign or hearing a pledge in electing a prophet or minister. We vote to elect our leaders but we say God has chosen them. Did God really choose them? Or do we use God’s name to approve our choice according to own desire?
Once upon a time, the Israelites came out of Egypt under Moses’ lead and traveling to the land of Canaan. This trip took 40 years and many things happened during that long time. It was the life of disobedient and complaints against Moses and God. One of them was their rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron.
God had chosen Aaron as priest, but some of the leaders of the people challenged Moses and Aaron, arguing that they could do enough of the priest's. God punished them on such a rebellion against God’s will and killed them. Then He confirmed again that God had chosen Aaron the priest. How? God asked them to bring twelve staffs from 12 tribes of Israel and put them in the tabernacle overnight. Then God will let one of them sprout. The owner of the staff is God's chosen man.
I'll read the Number 17:8-10. " 8 On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony– and the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted, and brought forth buds, and produced blossoms, and yielded almonds! 9 So Moses brought out all the staffs from before the LORD to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each man took his staff. 10 The LORD said to Moses, "Bring Aaron's staff back before the testimony to be preserved for a sign to the rebels, so that you may bring their murmurings to an end before me, that they will not die."
This confirms that God has chosen Aaron to be the priest. Also in the other parts in the Bible, God didn’t choose prophets or kings based on their popularity. God chose leaders not by man's standards, but by God's standards.
Then, what's the problem? It is most likely that we don’t welcome such a leader because we didn’t choose him. God chose him. As we see the flaws and shortcomings in our leaders, we would want someone else to be our leader. What about Moses? Were they 100% satisfied at him. Moses' meek character was perhaps seen as a lack of determination.
Why did they fail to follow the God’s chosen leader?
First, they forgot that they were sinners and could not approach to God. They thought they could do God’s work/ministry. They thought, if Moses could approach to God, there was no reason for them not able to come to God. They thought they deserved to come to God by themselves.
Numbers 16:3, And they assembled against Moses and Aaron, saying to them, "You take too much upon yourselves, seeing that the whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the community of the LORD?" (Num 16:3 NET)
They say, “Why do you alone come to God and deliver God’s message to us? Everyone is God's people and is holy. For we are not any less than Moses. Who are you to be so special?” Make sense, right? They approached to God by their own, they were all killed for they were not authorized to come. For sinners cannot stand before the holy God.
So how can Moses approach to God? There is no reason other than that Moses was chosen by God, not because he was holier than others. We are sinners and we cannot decide anything when we approach to God. Only God decides the way and the time how we approach to God.
Second, they didn't believe in God's good will, so they tried to establish another leader. The people of Israel complained, "Moses, you brought us out of the land of milk and honey to die in this desert." "God brought us out to die in the battle with the Canaanites." Whenever they encounter difficulties in their journey, they said God was inflicting them and killing them. I didn't trust God's good will.
So, whenever they had the chance, they tried to elect a new leader and go back to Egypt. If you do not believe in God's good will, you will reject the leader God has chosen. You would think your plan is better than the plan of God. So, in order to achieve what you want, you need to choose the leader as you wish. Do you want your kingdom coming? Then choose your leaders. If you want God’s kingdom coming, let God choose your leaders. Therefore, what is important is not to judge our leader, but to pray for the leader to follow God's will.
In this world, we choose our leaders, but so not in God’s kingdom. God chooses our spiritual leader. Therefore, as we vote for church leaders, we need to seek to know God’s will and choice. And you must pray that the leader chosen for us only seek God’s will, not human reputation.
Also, our true leader is Jesus. Please don’t forget this. We are sinners who cannot come to God without Jesus. Therefore, obey the leadership of Jesus and the leadership of the His chosen leaders. That is the best for us.