Who is On the Lord's Side?

Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me.  And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.  And he said unto them, thus saith the Lord God of Israel, put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.  Exodus 32:26, 27

Picture this scene.  Moses, whom God had chosen to be both prophet and leader of the Old Testament Church, has just finished forty days alone with God in the mountain.  He has sat in God’s presence, and heard his voice.  He has received directly from God tablets of stone which contain the Law of God – written, rather chiselled, by the finger of God.

Suddenly, this sacred moment is interrupted.  The Lord tells Moses, “Go, get thee down, for thy people have corrupted themselves.” (Ex. 32:7)  The fierce wrath of God has been ignited, and He bids Moses, “Let me alone…that I may consume them.” (Ex. 32:10)  Moses, however, pleads with God to spare them and his prayer is heard.

As Moses enters the camp he finds a golden calf, idolatry, revelry, immorality and lewdness.  He breaks the tablets which God had given him and burns their idol as well.  Moses then positions himself in the gate of the camp and utters, “Who is on the Lord’s side?”

 

What then takes place is probably very difficult for today’s Christian to identify with.  Those who respond to “Who is on the Lord’s side?” are commanded by Moses to go through the congregation – not with words of encouragement, not with sympathy and understanding, not with promises of forgiveness, but with swords unsheathed!  They are exhorted to “slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.”  The result was the execution of three thousand men – most likely the main offenders in this rebellion against God.

Now what shall we take from this lesson?  Certainly we are not to go through our congregations and literally slay our brethren, companions and neighbors for their sins.  But we are, however, required to have the same zeal against sin and be willing to unsheathe the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.  And if this sword slays our relatives, friends and neighbors – so be it.  For indeed, whose side are we really on?  And again, “Who is on the Lord’s side?”

The question at hand is not whether we should be loving and charitable – that we should be is evident.  The question is this:  When presented with a dispute between God and sinners, or between God and the church, or between God and your relatives, friends or neighbors, or lastly, even between God and yourself- whose side are you on?  With whom do you ultimately sympathize – with those who are sinful and wrong, or with Jesus Christ?  Do you feel more sorrow for those who rebel against God, or for God who is the recipient of their injurious treatment?  Do you feel more pity and have more love for those who by their impenitence do yet crucify Christ, or does your heart go out to Him whom they spit upon, scourge, and nail?  

More often than not, Christians are on the wrong side rather than the Lord’s side.  We are unwilling to let the sword divide us from relatives, friends and neighbors, and thus we stoop to all manner of compromise to make sure that everyone likes us and that no one is threatened by us.  We want their approval.  We want their friendship.  So we commit their iniquity and drink the cup of their death, and never consider that we who are so sure of God’s love toward us, have indeed become his enemies.

His enemies!  God forbid!  Why, we are the children of our loving God, and are the bride of Christ!  On the contrary, O adulterers and adulteresses: “Do you not know that friendship of the world is enmity with God?  Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world IS the ENEMY of God.” (James 4:4)  Whosoever means you!  If you drink with them, you will drown with them.  If you sleep with them, you will sleep the sleep of death with them.  If you live like them, you will die like them.

Ah!  But what about the love of God?  Again to the contrary, what about the love for God?  What about loving the things He loves and hating the things He hates?  What about genuinely caring about his feelings?  It is this sympathy with God which defines our faith as to whether it is true or not.  It is the foundation of our fellowship with Him and with one another.  I would rather be with one believer who truly cared about and sympathized with Jesus Christ, than with ten thousand believers who care little about Him, and sympathize only with themselves.

So reader, whose side are you on?  Are you on his side when He offers love to all mankind?  I’m sure you are.  Are you on his side when He extends forgiveness and mercy to sinners?  Yes, you are.  Are you on his side when He is patient and kind toward you? - Definitely.  But are you on his side when He rises to execute judgment upon sinners?  Do you agree with Him then?  Are you on his side when He casts the impenitent into hell, though they be your relatives, friends, and neighbors?  Or do you feel that He is somehow unfair and cruel to treat your loved ones so?  And lastly, would you take his side if he weighed you in the balance and found you wanting?  Or do you feel that somehow God owes you grace, and favour, and unconditional acceptance?

Thus brothers and sisters,  let us learn from the example set before us.  The Israelites turned away from the Lord when Moses was absent, and indulged in idolatry and immorality.  At his return, a distinction was made as to who was on the Lord’s side and who was not, and the guilty were slain.  So it will be in the end of this age.  The King of kings and Lord of lords shall descend from heaven mounted on a white steed and clothed in a robe dipped in the blood of transgressors.  Distinctions will be made. “The slain of the Lord will be many.”  And who is on the Lord’s side will be manifest.