Leaders Must Take Unpopular Stances At Times
Biblical leadership principles from the Book of Numbers
Before anything else, Numbers is about knowing Yahweh—our Covenant Keeping God—and how we are to live in covenant relationship with Him. Every book of the Bible is always about that first and foremost.
In the Old Testament, it is revealed to us by seeing the immediate context as well as the redemptive-historical context. In the New Testament, it reveals this to us by witnessing how Christ is the climax of the Bible. Wherever you are in the Bible, it is about Jesus (see Luke 24).
But, there is also the theme of godly (and at times, not-so-godly) leadership. Numbers is often showing how God fulfills His redemptive purposes through godly leadership and despite ungodly leadership. Ultimately, He does this on a much larger scale through the True Leader—Jesus Christ.
To be very clear, I am not writing this because I’m in a place to teach leadership. I’m writing this as a way for my own further growth in studying leadership.
Leadership Principles from Numbers 1
Often the LORD calls us to leadership positions when the conditions are not ideal. In Numbers 1:1, you can see how they are “in the wilderness”. Stability is lacking. People are anxious. The future is blurry. But, God is determined to raise up leaders who can guide people to where they need to be.
Leaders must be prepared for battle. They aren’t to be gung-ho for battle by showing ungodly zeal to enter into conflict. They are to be ready, alert, and armed for when the battle inevitably comes to them. This is why Moses doesn’t take a census on his own. God tells Moses to “take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel…all in Israel who are able to go to war” (1:2-3). There are times when God tells us to enter into various “battles” for the sake of protecting the flock.
Leaders need other leaders. This is clear from the chapter as God raises up leaders to come alongside Moses in his leadership. Therefore, we ought to strive to develop a culture of godly leadership. In a healthy church, we ought to develop a culture of training. This means regular training and testing.
As one can see what comes later in Numbers, these leaders must be prepared to purge the camp of wolves. As Victor Hamilton says, “Israel is being sent forth as a sheep among wolves.”1 Part of leadership is learning to discern between what is ignorance and arrogance. Ignorance and Arrogance can ask many of the same questions. But, there are totally different heart postures. Ignorance acts out of a lack of knowing more. Arrogance acts out of sinful pride. Wolves will always try to take over the flock. And, sometimes the wolves are nice. People like them. They don’t always intend to be wolves. But, leaders need to protect what matters most—the truth of God’s Word.
Hamilton says, “The presence of God over/among/at the head of his people as they march on does not render the need for a prepared army superfluous.”2 God was teaching the people that He uses means to accomplish His purposes. He doesn’t need those means but He freely and sovereignly chooses to use those means. For leaders, we ought to never try prayer as our last result. We are not leaders if we’re not regularly praying. Yet, we ought not to be careless over pursuing practical means while immersed in prayer. We ought to study, prepare, and put in good work yet understand that this is worth nothing without the power of God.
Leaders ought to know that not everyone is called to the same type of work. In 1:47-50 we see that God had preserved Levites for tabernacle service and protection. Leaders need to help people be in the right positions to help them fulfill their God-given purpose in their particular circumstances. This can change through different seasons of life, personalities, skill set, or even the lack of others filling positions. This goes for leaders as well. Sometimes you might have to fill a vacant position out of necessity even though it’s not your greatest skill set.
There are certain things that take first priority. Church leaders (pastors, officers, etc.) need to help people have the right priorities. The Levites were to remind the people that the worship of Yahweh is their greatest priority. For the church, you cannot put people in leadership position who are not known for regular communion with God. They must be filled with the Spirit (Acts 6:1-7). Above all, these men must be ones who are known as those who love Jesus.
There are times when leaders must protect what matters most (1:51-53). There are times when leaders take an unpopular but firm stance. It can be in church over a particular doctrine or to protect a healthy culture for the church. It can be at work to uphold a godly ethic. It can be at home to protect family worship. These stances are not always popular but they make be taken.
This truth is also important for the people they lead. We live in a “cancel culture” world where we love to “cancel” or get rid of any leader who makes us feel the least bit uncomfortable. It is a dangerous thing to oppose a godly leader because they will be primarily opposing God. When opposing a godly leader who is striving to be faithful to God’s Word, people who oppose that leader are actually opposing God and His Word. This is a serious matter. We need to believe that—while a leader is not perfect—we should follow their lead when they are faithful to God’s Word in the realm in which they lead.
Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Pentateuch, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005), 306.
Ibid.