252. Bitter Roots

Just when everything seems to be going so well in the church, a bitter root springs up. Someone becomes envious or offended and whispers about it to someone else who is in agreement with him. This process continues and spreads, and many become defiled.

If people were to do what is written in Hebrews 12:14-15, they would surely be spared from such things:

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”

A bitter root will thrive when people are not pursuing peace with all men. This root will flourish and receive even more nourishment when such people mobilize against others. All this happens when a person draws back from the grace of God. Then because of this bitterness they find fault with the doctrine or a particular person or with whatever else suits them at the moment. But the real cause is their own bitterness. Everything else is just a weapon that serves their bitterness.

Korah, Dathan, and On took men, and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.

They gathered together against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” Num. 16.

This was a powerful bitter root. It must have been developing over a long period of time in order to manifest itself in such a mature stage as it did on that day. Imagine how much suspicion and how many distrustful glances Moses and Aaron must have had to endure. But now, the bitter root was sufficiently established to manifest itself before the eyes of all the children of Israel.

The matter was settled the following day: And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and said: “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Depart now from the tents of these wicked men!’ And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up and their dwellings. And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men.”

The cause of this powerful bitter root was envy. They argued that it was not only Moses that the Lord spoke to. Then they continued: “Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us?”

The same pattern is repeated wherever one of God’s churches begins to blossom. Evil people nurture a bitter root. Those who never before have been used by God suddenly become great, and the power they receive comes from below and from those who have become defiled. Neither the power nor the light they have is divine; no, it is something they have fabricated for the occasion. Those who join them also get deceived.

The Corinthians had become puffed up. 1 Cor. 5:2. They were wise, strong, and distinguished, while Paul had become a fool for Christ’s sake. But in what area were they living epistles? For whom were the Corinthians fathers? In these matters they were left far behind, but still they required proof that Christ was speaking through Paul. 2 Cor. 13:3.

The Corinthians had allowed themselves to be deceived. For if someone came and preached another Jesus, whom Paul had not preached, or if they received a different spirit which they had not previously received, or a different gospel that they had not accepted, they would have gladly put up with it. 2 Cor. 11:4.

The bitter root was strong enough to rob them of everything: Jesus, the Spirit, and the Gospel. Instead the bitter root offered them another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel.

How dreadful! For this reason we must test everything we hear because not all are teachers. If something contradicts the things we have heard from the beginning and which made us happy, we must be on our guard.

The apostles knew that after their departure, men would rise up speaking perverse things. That is why Peter wrote: “Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.” 2 Pet. 1:15.

If the “field” is neglected for a period of time, and God’s co-workers are either not present or not fully awake, then Satan, in the form of an angel of light, can easily give revelations that lead to destruction. A clear indication of this is that brotherly love disappears, and people attempt to push through “their light” which, in truth, is darkness, and thus the bitter root grows.

Absalom instigated a bitter root against his father David, but he ended up hanging from a terebinth tree by his own hair and without having any solid ground under his feet, while the donkey he rode on ran away. 2 Sam. 18:9.

This is what happens to whoever opposes the established work that God has ordained and blessed and to those who sow corruption in God’s field. They never get a foothold, or they perish as in the rebellion of Korah.

May God free His people from all this corruption, so that we are much more diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. For we are to grow up together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. This mutual help saves us from destruction, and the chastisement in the church brings forth wisdom.

However if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.