The Fringe
Moses was wrongly accused by one he had helped to consecrate to God’s service. Korah, and the others tried to rise up against him, God would not allow it. The ground opened up and swallowed them.
The Lord Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin, and the Pharisees, and they wrongly accused Him. The Lord could have stopped them, but He chose not too. We know why, it was because of His plan to rescue all who were lost. Yet it is an interesting parallel.
According to Numbers 16:9, Moses alludes to Korah’s group seeking the Priesthood. Some scholars say the whole argument began over the command concerning the fringe of the garments. Whether that’s the case I don’t know, but it sparks two thoughts.
First, the Reubenites were on the south side of the Tabernacle, with the Kohathites between them and the Tabernacle. Korah was a Kohathite, and cousin of Moses. Scholars believe he was able to influence them because they felt slighted by not being honored as the primary tribe of birthright.
When you mix an agenda, hurt, with influences on the fringe, or edge of the camp, trouble happens. Korah was the mastermind, but he influenced those who allowed hurt to bring them to the fringe. The fringe command wasn’t the problem, God’s plan never is, but where we are can be.
That brings me to the second, and wonderful point. Whether you’re talking about the Sanhedrin, or us Gentiles, we were all on the fringe. The Apostle Paul said, “”All have sinned and come short of The Glory Of God.” Why is that exciting, because Jesus came to reach everyone, including all those on the fringe of their own mess!
Our High Priest, came to die for the very High Priests who plotted His death. Like us, they weren’t just on the fringe, they were over the edge. The Lord didn’t open up the ground to swallow us all up. Instead, He gave His life on the Cross to free us all!
He did borrow a tomb, and was laid there for three days, but He did so to open a portal. Perhaps that’s also why the Psalmist said this about the fringe of the garment. “ It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;” Psalms 133:2 (KJV)
Aren’t you glad Friday is about reaching to the outskirts, or fringe of mankind. To bring not just the seemingly attentive, but the rest of us to Salvation! The hard headed, stubborn, and slow to listen us! Where, in The Old Covenant, judgement would have swallowed us whole, in The New Covenant He opens the door of death so we can have life! As Pastor Denny Livingston from our Church Point Of Mercy said so eloquently, “Friday He died, but Sunday is coming!”
