Self Promotion?

"And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers." (I Samuel 12: 6, 7)

All advancement and promotion in spritiual things is the result of a gracious act of the Lord himself. There is no "self advancement" or "self promotion" in the Lord's kingdom.

All those who seek to advance themselves, wickedly and deceitfully, by their own will and power, will not be promoted eternally.

Those who seek self exaltation are spiritually treasonous individuals, as was Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who sought to advance themselves and to demote those men whom Lord God had truly chosen, exalted, advanced, and promoted, Moses and Aaron.

"Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?" (Numbers 16: 1-11)

"Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core (Korah)." (Jude 1: 11)

The "gainsaying of Korah" was his verbally and seditiously attacking Moses and Aaron, men whom Lord God had chosen and promoted.

For Korah to seek their demotion and their own promotion, outside the will of God, was an abominable crime against the Lord.

"Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." (Psalm 75: 5-7)

Korah was guilty of such spiritual insurrection, seeking not the promotion and advancement that comes only from the Lord, but seeking his own promotion, setting his own will against the will of Heaven.

"The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools." (Proverbs 3: 35)

Such certainly was the outcome of the sedition of Korah! He was a spiritual fool to oppose the will of the Lord. He came to shame, the ground opening up and swallowing alive Korah and all his evil company of self promoters, so that they went down into the pit of Sheol.

"For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me." (Psalm 92: 9-11)

In the scriptures, particularly the Old Testament, the exalting of the horn was a figure of speech referring to promotion, advancement, and general exaltation in quality of life, glory, and riches. An exalted horn denoted power, success, victory, achievement, progress and advancement.

"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee." (Proverbs 4: 7-9)

Do we want to advance spiritually? Do we want real promotion with the Lord? Then we must come to him as our great Wise Lord and King seeking wisdom and understanding from his lips.

"For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted." (Psalm 89: 17)

"In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted." (Psalm 86: 19)

"All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted." (Psalm 75: 10)

Though it is only partially fulfilled in this life and age, that the righteous only are promoted, yet in the age to come, only the righteous will be advanced and promoted in that "everlasting kingdom" of the Lord Jesus Christ. They who have humbled themselves, in this life, in service to Christ, will be exalted and advanced supernally in the world to come. At such time, as the prophet forefold, the wicked, who have promoted themselves, like Korah, will be destroyed and supernally demoted.

"And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." (Ezekiel 21: 25-27)

"He whose right it is" is a prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, who only has right to rule for God and wear the diadem of sovereign power. But, he has promised to allow believers to sit with him on his throne, and to act as regents under him. (Revelation 2: 26, 27) Glorious things!

"When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died." (Hosea 13: 1)

"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23: 12)

"He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree." (Luke 1: 52)

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." (I Peter 5: 6)

"He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour." (Psalm 112: 9)

He has thus shown us the way to true spiritual and eternal advancement. Are you willing to humble yourself under God's hand and government, or do you seek to promote yourself?