The Cape Water Buffalo (Numbers 16:31-33)

The Cape water buffalo resembles the domesticated water buffalo. However, this animal is anything but a domesticated beast. It is wild animal and extremely intelligent. Stories have been told and verified of the intense loyalty that this buffalo has for its brethren. More than one horrified hunter has witnessed or experienced the vengeance of the water buffalo as it selectively tracks the hunter or hunters that wounded or killed one of its own. One woman recounted a story of a group of hunters that killed one of the water buffalo. The hunters were camped next to their camp in the African safari. During the evening, a large thundering sound was heard. The water buffalo had tracked the hunters by their scent and trampled the men to death in their tents, sparing all of the others.

Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.
Numbers 16:31-33

God’s judgment and wrath can be fierce and quick. But God is not indiscriminate. In this passage from Numbers, the Holy Spirit records the swift punishment that God pronounced upon Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who were leading a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. God commanded the earth to open and swallow only these men and their followers, sparing the rest of the Hebrews. Like the Cape water buffalo, God was selective, and only punished the sinners and rebellious, sparing the innocent.

God’s mercy and love for us has been revealed through the Bible which explains God’s plan of salvation. Through the Bible, we know that God has given us His Son, Jesus Christ, so that by believing and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior, we may be justified and sanctified before God. And when we accept Jesus Christ, God indwells within us through His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and enables us to trust and rely upon God to become more like His Son, Jesus Christ. God has given us all that we need to live the life He meant for us to live.

We live under the grace of Jesus Christ. For 2000 years, Jesus Christ has made this offer of salvation to all. It is up to you to accept His offer. But on the day that Jesus Christ returns, He will return as the King and Judge and will execute His judgment upon the entire world. And when He returns, if you have not made a decision to accept Him as your Lord and Savior, it will be too late to change your mind about Him. His judgment and wrath are not indiscriminate. He has been patient and merciful to all of us. But a Holy God cannot accept sin. And we are all sinners and will not be reconciled to God unless we accept the invitation of Jesus Christ.

God is not indiscriminate and desires all to come to know Him and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Let Him know that you accept His gift of salvation for you.

Amen!