A temperament type can be used to describe what causes a person to act in a certain way or what motivating factors control their behavior to cause them to follow along certain predictable lines of actions or mannerisms. See the book “Spirit-Controlled Temperament” by Tim LaHaye for more details.

Part 1 – Temperament Types

The study of temperament types should be kept on the most basic level. Whenever people become too exhaustive in the study of temperaments then there is a tendency to become distracted by it. Some people have even made a full-time career out of teaching about temperament types but it is enough to know that there are four basic types and this is enough to provide an understanding of why people behave the way that they do. This understanding has helped my wife and I to understand each other better. Often one temperament type will try to convert another to become just like themselves but this is always a mistake. Each person must be true to the temperament type that God gave to them because if they try to be someone else it will only result in confusion and insecurity.

In this lesson, we only want to introduce a basic idea of these things so people can understand one another better. This is the same principle applies in a marriage relationship in understanding the difference between genders because a man has to understand that women are created differently and do not operate by the same masculine logic as men and so the husband should not expect them to function the same as a man does. This basic understanding can help men to dwell together with women in peace by having understanding of how God made them. In the same way, having a basic understanding of temperament types also helps people to work with together with others by giving them an understanding that not everyone is created the same.

People must also understand that there are certain weaknesses and defects that are inherit with all temperament types and it is impossible to completely eradicate these weaknesses from their lives. But they can however be aware of these weaknesses and be on guard in their area of weakness and by doing so they can learn to manage their weakness by simply not yielding to them. A Sanguine is going to have trouble with fear of man and lusting for the limelight and this can lead to jealousy toward those who have more attention than himself. He has to watch himself in these areas. A phlegmatic must beware of laziness and passivity and seek to overcome these traits by learning to be diligent and faithful. A choleric will have to guard himself in his weakness of being overly self-sufficient and forgetting about God and not relying on God for help and also in making decisions in rash manner without thinking first. A melancholy will have to overcome negative thoughts and remorse over past mistakes that can hinder him in the present time. The tendency for “characterized” type of sin will be present in each of the temperament types but if each temperament type is aware of their weakness they can be on guard in such areas and watch themselves so they do not slip.

No one is a pure temperament type because they all have various blends. For example, one person may be 90% melancholy and about 10% phlegmatic. The phlegmatic part of him will cause him to have a tendency toward laziness and he will therefore have to work on being self-motivated in order to overcome this phlegmatic trait. The temperament type that is of a greater percentage within him will be the most obvious to see and this will govern most of his actions and the way that he does things in life.

This study of temperament types is not exhaustive but only provides general guidelines to help people understand one another. It is enough if people understand that others are different than themselves and they should not try to change others but learn to accept them as God has made them.

The study of temperament types can also educate people about the type of leader they should follow. Having a bold choleric (who is full of great confidence) does not always mean he is the best leader. Many choleric types do not think ahead and are not detailed about many things and they can be the wrong type of people to follow. Often, they are confident about something they have no knowledge of. If choleric-types are facilitating a plan made by a melancholy then they might find some real success and value in being a choleric because they are facilitators (not leaders) as many would presume.

It is therefore just the general idea of the four basic temperament types that we want to teach here in order to provide a basic understanding of them. We do not want to get too exhaustive about this because we can easily get mired down in the endless details of temperament types.

This lesson is given for the purpose of understanding others and knowing who the best person to follow as a leader.

Of the four temperament types, I have listed the best type first from the point of view of humans because the Sanguine is the most popular and best liked temperament type on earth. But what we will discover is that those who are best liked on earth are not always going to be those who please God and make it to heaven. There exists an upside-down kingdom within the kingdom of God in that those temperament types that are most accepted on earth are often rejected by God and those temperament types most despised on earth are often those most pleasing to God. Being accepted by mankind and being popular on earth is not often something that will result in gaining favor with God. The Sanguine type and the Phlegmatic type are the best loved temperament types on earth but also have an increased number of their types in hell. The Choleric and the Melancholy are possibly some of the most disliked temperament times on earth but have a potential of having more of their number in heaven than other temperament types. This is all because of the contrast of what God sees as important compared to what humans see as important on earth.

Luke 16:15 (NASB)

¹⁵ And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Those things highly esteemed by mankind are actually an abomination in the sight of God.

Sanguine Temperament Type

Words to describe him: Warm, buoyant, lively, enjoying, popular, entertaining.

Distinguishing traits: Feelings dominate his decisions rather than rational thought. He has an unusual capacity to enjoy himself and he enjoys people and does not like solitude. He is at his best when surrounded by friends. He is entertaining and typically produces an endless number of interesting stories even if most of what he says is invented from his own imagination. He appears freewheeling and exciting and can cause others to envy him for being the life of the party. He may appear more confident than he really is because of his noisy and blustering ways.

Best Roles of Sanguine: They are best in people-orientated roles and make good hostesses, entertainers, hotel receptionists, tour guides, salesman, hospital workers, teachers, conversationalists or talk show hosts, actors, public speakers, and things related to being a people-person.

Strengths: They are good with people and make everyone happy and are always having a good time and are entertaining and popular.

Weakness: Sanguine types are often given over to jealousy particularly when they feel others are receiving the human attention or praise that they themselves lust to have. Sanguine types are also tremendously in bondage to fear of man and will do anything to be accepted by the crowd. This tendency makes them become compromisers because they care very much about being accepted by the group. If the group is breaking God’s laws then the Sanguine will typically join them because he does not want to be rejected by the group. This proves to be fatal to the Sanguine because he typically wants to be accepted by humans more than he wants to be accepted by God. A Sanguine seldom thinks before he acts and may not even consider the eternal consequences of committing sin. He will typically just follow his impulses and think about what he has done later. A Sanguine may even come into bondage of vices if he is in the company of the wrong crowd only because he does not want to be rejected by the group by refusing whatever they offer him. Everything is focused on being the life of the party and it does not matter to him if he is fabricating most of the stories because he considers the truth to be too boring and wants to liven it up with some sensational additions that are not true at all. There is a tendency for a Sanguine to be a liar and those closest to him will often say, “You cannot believe a word that he says!” The reason he holds the interest in his audience is that they presume he is telling the truth and are amazed by what he is saying. But once they discover he is fabricating these stories few people will want to waste their time in listening to his fiction. The Sanguine is typically just a big smoke screen of constant chatter and it is all focused on being accepted by the group. But in the final analysis of his life, what has he accomplished on earth and how has he pleased God?

But being a people-pleaser is one way to become an enemy of God because no one can please both.

James 4:4 (NASB)

⁴ You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Those who desire to be a friend of the world are an enemy of God. The Sanguine has the greatest tendency of all temperament types to desire to be a friend of the world. It is for this reason that the Sanguine temperament type has more people in hell than any other temperament type on earth! It is interesting to note that the most liked and well-accepted temperament type on earth is often the least likely to please God and enter heaven. Things are exactly opposite with the kingdom of God because those things highly regarded on earth (like Sanguine-types) are not often highly regarded by God. Temperament types which are often despised on earth have a more likely chance of pleasing God and making it to heaven.

First Case of Sanguine Jealousy

Genesis 4:4-8 (NIV)

⁴ But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

⁵ but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

⁶ Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?

⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

⁸ Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

I believe that Cain was the first Sanguine because when his brother Abel was accepted by God and received God’s favor then the face of Cain was downcast and he became very angry! I have seen this type of thing numerous times when someone received the attention or praise of humans that a Sanguine longed to have! The Sanguine types will often have a downcast face (like Cain did) if they witness others having the human attention that they want to have. If a video camera was to pan the audience while a performer is receiving praises from humans then almost every Sanguine in the audience could be identified by the rage and anger seen in their faces. This rage can be described as “murderous rage” and if they could get away with it these Sanguine-types would no-doubt kill those who received the human-attention instead of them! This is just like Cain who killed Abel only because Abel received the favor of God that Cain longed to have! The desire for human praise and attention is so strong in the Sanguine types as to make them murderous with jealousy if others receive that human praise or attention instead of them!

Sanguine Jealousy and King Saul

1 Samuel 18:6-9 (NIV)

⁶ When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes.

⁷ As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

⁸ Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”

⁹ And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

I believe that King Saul was a Sanguine-type because when the women sang songs that Saul has slain his thousands while David his tens of thousands then this refrain galled Saul terribly and he displayed Sanguine-type of murder toward David when David received more human attention or praise than himself!

1 Samuel 18:10-11 (NIV)

¹⁰ The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand

¹¹ and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.

After hearing the women praise Saul for thousands and David for tens of thousands then Saul was stirred to jealousy and tried to kill David with his spear! This murderous anger is typically found in Sanguine-type jealousy when someone else receives more human praise or attention than they themselves receive. If such people had the opportunity, they would no doubt kill those who receive more human attention than they do just as Cain killed Abel and as King Saul repeatedly tried to kill David (who had more attention than he did)!

Phlegmatic Temperament Type

Words to describe him: Calm, cool, slow, easy-going, well-balanced, happy, unexcited, pleasant, unruffled, slow to anger, unemotional, consistent, pleasant, efficient, peace-maker.

Distinguishing traits: He is quiet and gentle and not easily agitated or made angry. He can be efficient and a good planner only because he wants to avoid working more than necessary and is always seeking for the easiest way to do things. A phlegmatic is the type of person that might do something like keeping a toothbrush attached to his jacket on a string or a chain just so that he will not have to bend over and pick it up to brush his teeth! He is always thinking of how to make life easier and comfortable for himself and how to do as little work as possible. He is patient and peaceful and best described as being pleasant and is well-liked by others for this reason because he is nice to have around.

Best Roles of a Phlegmatic: They are best in areas where their calm and slow temperament type proves to be an asset. They are not easily ruffled so one role that comes to mind for the phlegmatic would be a teacher for a bunch of third graders. If the kids are tearing down the classroom and yelling and screaming and overturning things, the calm phlegmatic would be unruffled and would not be upset by the disturbance. He is not easily provoked to anger and is good for any type of work where patience is a virtue. He can do the best in circumstances that could cause other temperament types to fall-apart or lose their temper! He is a peace-maker and is not easily ruffled by outward circumstances. As such they are great as teachers of kids of young age, or as a CPA who is patient enough to deal with long lists of numbers all day long or any role where being easy-going and patient and organized is a virtue.

Strengths: They are peace-makers and well-liked by others and their gentle easy-going manners bring peace to situations where there might be strife or turmoil or high tensions in others. They can be organized and efficient and patient and these qualities have the potential to make them capable in many areas or job responsibilities.

Weakness: The weakness of the phlegmatic temperament type can be laziness and passivity. The lack of motivation of the phlegmatic causes them to do as little as possible and this can result in them often becoming a spectator in life. This can have serious consequences for them eternally if they do not overcome this weakness because God requires that those who enter the kingdom of God should be overcoming people. Overcoming is not something that will be natural for a phlegmatic as they are quite content with doing as little as possible in life. In light of the fact that the bible speaks much about overcoming in order to enter the kingdom of God (Rev. 2:7, Rev 2:11, Rev 2:17, Rev 2:26, Rev. 3:5, Rev 3:12, Rev. 3:21, Rev, 12:11, Rev 21:7) this can disqualify many phlegmatic types from entering God’s kingdom if they choose to follow their natural tendency of being passive in life. If a person has a mixed-temperament type it can be their phlegmatic part of them that is like an anchor that slows them down and causes passivity and laziness and a lack of overcoming in their lives. Those believers who are mostly a pure phlegmatic temperament type have even more to overcome than those with only a part of this nature within them. The phlegmatic temperament types typically have more people in hell than other types (except the Sanguine-type) because of passivity. Phlegmatic types who do not overcome are only second to the Sanguine types in numbers in hell because Sanguine types place pleasing people over pleasing God.

Choleric Temperament Type

Words to describe him: Self-disciplined, self-determined, confident in himself, aggressive, bold, bossy, driven, project-orientated, focused, organized, strong leadership, dominant.

Distinguishing traits: Many of his decisions are reached by intuition not analytical reasoning. They are bold and confident and people naturally follow them because they never hesitate or show indecision. They can answer instantly with great boldness and confidence even when they have no knowledge of the subject being discussed. Most of the dictators of the earth have all been choleric types who seized leadership in bold and aggressive manner. They can be some of the most hated people because they can drive others around them like a slave-driver.

Best Roles of a Choleric: This is a case where this temperament type is most often placed in a position that is not best suited for them. It is the choleric temperament types that are most often placed in a position of leadership because it is assumed that they are natural born leaders when in fact their strength lies in being a facilitator not a leader. It is far better to have a melancholy in leadership even when it may appear the melancholy is weak and indecisive. The melancholy can see all of the details of a project and can make better leadership decisions than a Choleric for this reason. The choleric type of personality will typically plunge into a project like a bull in a china shop and in his great self-confidence he assumes he can solve any problem as he comes to it. But they are not good planners and seldom have full knowledge of the subject they are dealing with. But it does not matter to the Choleric if they have knowledge of the subject or not. They have been described as being unencumbered by knowledge of the subject and they are bold because they do not even realize what they are getting into. It is far better to have a melancholy do the planning and then have the choleric facilitate his plans so that there will be a good plan to follow. Typically, the choleric will push ahead in his ignorant bliss and the melancholy will be forced to follow him to fix his mistakes. A choleric type would not be good in anything detailed like “brain-surgery” because they are headliner people and might show up to the surgery with an “ax” rather than a scalpel! Their primary asset is in facilitation of a plan made by a melancholy and they thrive when they are under the authority of those who do the planning for them. A parent of a choleric child must assign them job responsibilities or they will typically become bullies in the playground because they are seeking an avenue for leadership. They are born to facilitate and must be given something to do in order to fulfill this need. If they invent their own projects they may end up in a ditch because they are not detailed enough to think through the plan completely.

Strengths: They can really get things done and pull a group into cooperation because of their great confidence and dominance that causes people to follow and obey them without question. They are excellent group organizers for this reason even if they should not be the planner of the project themselves. They make a good foreman but not a good plant manager (who needs to see all of the details involved with the big picture).

Weakness: It is ironic that the choleric is actually not a good leader because they are not detailed enough to make wise leadership decisions. They are headliner people who do not see details and can easily launch projects that they are later sorry for. They can be void of Christian compassion, hard, angry, and their great self-confidence can be a hindrance to them depending on the Lord. Many of the world’s most depraved criminals and dictators have been choleric types. But again, there is a paradox here because even if they are on the bottom of the list of being popular, when a choleric is saved they have a great potential to serve the Lord. People will discover that once they get beyond the outspoken and abrasive personality of the choleric that choleric types are generally straight-forward people who are honest and do not play games or flatter people. What you see is what you get and there is generally not going to be any deception found in them. They can be appreciated after they are understood and they seem down-to-earth and practical even though they may be outspoken and frank. If overcoming people make it to heaven then the choleric will have many of his type in heaven because no one overcomes more than the choleric. They are a driven- personality that is a total opposite of a phlegmatic type (who has a hard time to get up and do anything).

Melancholy Temperament Type

Words to describe him: Perfectionist, sensitive, excellent, analytical, detailed, faithful and self-analyzing.

Distinguishing traits: The melancholy is faithful and he will lay down his life for his friends even though he does not make friends easily. Typically, they will give themselves to a sacrificial vocation in life and have an unusual desire to give themselves for the betterment of mankind. They are aware of their limitations and rarely take on more that they can handle. He does not waste his words like a Sanguine but is often precise in saying exactly what he means. He can see potential problems in any project because he is given to detail.

Best Roles of a Melancholy: The analytical ability of the melancholy qualifies him for such fields as mathematics, theoretical science, diagnostic medicine, architecture, philosophy, writing and other exacting vocations. They are actually the best leaders although they may not always appear to be a strong leader like a choleric does. They see the problems with a project before it begins and their foresight is actually a great asset for leadership. They are the perfect planner and if they do the planning and a choleric facilitates their plans then there is a great chance of success in any endeavor that they undertake.

Strengths: They produce more achievements than any other temperament type. They are rich and sensitive and prone toward genius and here are a higher percentage of geniuses in this temperament-type than any other type. Inventors, artists, musicians, surgeons, and any type of genius that produced anything great for mankind on earth have all been melancholy. Great men of God like Moses were melancholy and they are sensitive to God by their nature. They constantly are engaged in self-examination and search their own hearts for sin and are easy to repent before God. No one is more self-sacrificial than a melancholy and most missionaries who accomplished great things on earth were all melancholy. They consider the end results of all of their actions so even if tempted for sin they will follow their logic to the end conclusion in their minds (like going to hell) and often decide not to do it. That is in stark contrast to the Sanguine who gives no thought of the consequences of his actions and just follows his impulses and thinks of his actions later. Melancholy types rarely seek the limelight in contrast to the Sanguine who lives for the limelight! The Melancholy and the Sanguine are on two opposite extremes of the temperament types in almost every way.

Weakness: No temperament type has more weaknesses and defects than the melancholy possesses. They would rank as the most disliked and depressing people that ever lived. In a popularity contest they would be the last ones to even be considered and are totally opposite of the Sanguine types who are on the top of the list for being well-liked by people. Their great weaknesses and defects almost seem to cancel out anything good that they can accomplish on earth. They are sensitive but this also causes them to be hurt or wounded easily and they can easily take offense. They have such a high standard of excellence that they cannot live up to their own standards and this causes them depression. They may seem indecisive because they can see all of the details involved with a project and are reluctant to even begin. The quality of self-examination can side track them into reliving the past and thinking of decisions made in the past and how they could have done it better if they could do it all over again. But this living in the past can paralyze them for the present because their mind is focused on the negative rather than on what they are doing in the present. It seems that it is a paradox that God gave the temperament-type with the most potential for doing good, a load of weaknesses that seem to cancel out the good potential that he has. If he can get his mind out of being depressed and distracted long enough, he might create some great work of art or invention of something that can bless all humanity. Some great inventors like Howard Hughes in aviation and Nicola Tesla with electricity were both genius melancholy types but both ended up dying alone in hotel rooms forgotten by mankind (even after they brought great advancement and technology to the earth). Some melancholy men will remain single all of their lives just because they are melancholy and too perfectionist to live with.

The purpose of this study is to give only a general idea that people are made differently and have certain inborn traits that cannot be changed. This means that the weaknesses and defects of temperament types will remain with that person for life and it is impossible to totally eradicate them. But if the person is aware of their natural born weakness, they can manage them and overcome them and every person can make it to heaven regardless of their natural born weakness.

Peter the Sanguine

The Apostle Peter comes to mind as a man who had the natural born weakness of a Sanguine. He was a big mouth and always spoke without thinking as is typical of a Sanguine type.

Luke 9:33 (NIV)

³³ As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters–one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

Peter witnessed a great supernatural event as Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah in heavenly splendor. But as typical of his Sanguine weakness he opened his big mouth and said something foolish (not knowing what he was saying).

John 13:8-9 (NIV)

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

The foolish utterances of Peter were constant as he did not often think before he spoke. He would refuse to have his feet washed and then asked to have his hands and head washed as well. He would pause his mindless utterances only momentarily in order to change the foot he just put in his mouth!

Matthew 26:73-75 (NIV)

⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.”

⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.

⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

When Peter denied the Lord three times it was because of his sanguine fear of man and wanting to be accepted by the group and his fear of rejection by people.

Acts 5:15 (NIV)

¹⁵ As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

Peter was greatly used by God and even his shadow healed people as he passed by. But he struggled with his Sanguine weakness all of his life.

Galatians 2:11-12 (NIV)

¹¹ When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.

¹² Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.

The Apostle Paul rebuked Peter publicly at Antioch because of the Sanguine fear of man that manifested in Peter. Peter was afraid of being rejected by the Jews for having eaten with the Gentiles. He separated himself from the Gentile believers for this reason because he feared being rejected from the Jewish group. This shows that he was still struggling with the typical weakness of the Sanguine that had caused him to deny the Lord publicly three times. But this event in Antioch took place years afterward so Peter should have been matured enough by now. He was used mightily in ministry and was a powerful preacher and had many miracles follow him. But his Sanguine weakness of fear of man still showed up again concerning being a man-pleaser and trying to be accepted by the group.

The weakness of a temperament-type can follow a person all of the days of their lives. People must be aware of these weaknesses and learn to guard themselves in these areas and manage those weaknesses. There will be a tendency to sin in certain areas and there are inborn weaknesses related to every temperament type. They however can overcome these areas of weakness if they will be aware of them and refuse to yield to them. Every person can overcome and make it to heaven regardless of their inherited temperament weakness.

No, God did not create some temperament types just to send them to hell but every person has a free choice and they can manage their natural born temperament weaknesses. Every person has an opportunity to enter into the kingdom of God if they will be aware of their weakness and manage them and learn to overcome. But yielding to these weaknesses can result in eternal damnation if they do not repent and overcome in these areas.

A Spirit-filled temperament type speaks of a believer who has learned yield to the Holy Spirit and to overcome their weakness by the power of the Holy Spirit rather than just natural self-discipline. By the enablement of the Holy Spirit every believer can overcome and finish their race on earth and obtain eternal life. Every believer has weakness to overcome and they must understand that many of these weaknesses are natural born to them and knowing this will help them in this process of overcoming.

In marriage, the choleric and the melancholy are actually good matches even though they may seem to be extremely different. The melancholy is not strong in confrontation but the choleric thrives in this area. A melancholy can therefore delegate some of the areas of his weakness to the choleric to handle for him. Also, the choleric is weak in details so the melancholy can do the planning and organizing and the choleric can facilitate those plans and they can both have great success. But if two married people have the same temperament type then they would have all of the same weaknesses and all of the same strengths and not much would be gained from such a marriage union.

Yes, opposites can be united in marriage if the couple understands the basic strengths and weaknesses of each temperament type and they learn to flow together as a team. This is part of what it means to become one-flesh or one-person together in marriage. It takes some time to get to know one another and how to flow with each other in the best possible way. But if a couple will not give up, they can come into a place of unity where they flow together as one-person in Christ.

I had a book given to me about temperament types years before I was married but it really did not seem to have much application to me at the time and this book just sat on my shelf. I got it out again after I was married and it was then that both my wife and I saw how valuable this teaching was in understanding one another.

The same understanding is necessary for the natural differences that exist in male and female and how both genders think differently and how they have to learn to flow together as one-person. It is the basic understanding of these things that we want to give in this teaching lesson to help couples understand each other and help all believers in general understand and appreciate those around them so they can work together without friction.

Temperament types in the bible

Peter is really an obvious Sanguine-type of temperament because he was always talking without thinking and he had a real fear of man that followed him all of his life. This made him deny the Lord three times in fear of being rejected by the group who accused him of being a disciple of Jesus. This same fear of man also made Peter withdraw from the Gentile believers when the Jewish believers arrived in Antioch. The Sanguine temperament type will naturally have a weakness of fear of man because of their strong desire to be accepted by the group. This same thing can be seen in Aaron who was also a Sanguine type.

Exodus 32:1-6 (NASB)

¹ Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

² Aaron said to them, “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”

³ Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.

⁴ He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

⁵ Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”

⁶ So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

When Aaron was alone with a crowd of people bent on mischief then he would follow them. The people asked him to make a false god for them and he complied with the wishes of the group. A Sanguine-type has a real problem with saying NO to a group of people and because of fear of man the Sanguine-types will typically follow the crowd even if that means sinning against God. In the absence of a strong leader who serves God, the Sanguine will follow whoever is most dominant.

Exodus 32:19-24 (NIV)

¹⁹ When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

²⁰ And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.

²¹ He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

²² “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil.

²³ They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’

²⁴ So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

When Moses appeared again then he asked Aaron what the people did to him to cause him to make a calf idol. Aaron just said that the people were prone to evil but the fact of the matter was that Aaron was Sanguine and he was prone to following the crowd because of fear of man. Aaron said he just threw the gold into the fire and out came a calf idol! But in order to fashion a calf idol, the gold would have to be melted down and poured into a mold and this mold is not going to be made by accident. It was a willful and deliberate manufacture of a cast idol but “big-mouth-Sanguine-Aaron” said that a golden calf just jumped out of the fire by itself when he threw in the gold! Sanguine types do not typically consider the end result of their actions but they are just moved by impulses or emotions and by fear of man.

Exodus 32:7-10 (NIV)

⁷ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.

⁸ They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

⁹ “I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people.

¹⁰ Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

When these people bowed down to the idol that Aaron had made then it provoked God to anger and all of these people were nearly destroyed by the wrath of the jealous God! Only the intercession of Moses saved them all from complete destruction! The Sanguine Aaron did not think of the consequences of making a cast idol and he almost got everyone killed including himself!

Deuteronomy 9:19-21 (NIV)

¹⁹ I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the LORD listened to me.

²⁰ And the LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I prayed for Aaron too.

²¹ Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain.

Aaron was nearly destroyed by the wrath of God but was only spared from destruction by the intercession of his brother Moses and this saved his life. Sanguine temperament types seldom think before they speak and seldom think of the consequences of their actions and only seek to please people and be accepted by the crowd. It is for this reason that many Sanguine types often end up in hell because if they do not willfully overcome their weaknesses, they will make themselves enemies of God.

Numbers 12:1-2 (NIV)

¹ Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.

² “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the LORD heard this.

Miriam was a strong-willed choleric woman who wanted to seize control of leadership for herself but because she was a woman, she needed some male endorsement. Strong-willed women will typically seek out weak-willed men that they can manipulate and control and use them for endorsement to accomplish their own goals. A weak-willed man who follows a woman like a little boy is called a “beta-male” and a man who enables women by his male endorsement is called a “beta-male-enabler” for this reason.

1 Kings 21:4-8 (NIV)

⁴ So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.

⁵ His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”

⁶ He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.'”

⁷ Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

⁸ So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him.

Ahab was a beta-male enabler who gave endorsement to Jezebel to run the country using his usurped authority. She wrote letters in his name and endorsed them with his signet ring and ordered Naboth the owner of the vineyard be executed. Then she told her weak husband to take possession of the vineyard of this now deceased man! Ahab sulked like a child giving a message to his wife to take action on his behalf. This is the behavior of a beta-male-enabler who endorses women to take action and do whatever they want.

So, Jezebel married the weakest-willed man she could find who also held authority. Her passive husband Ahab was the king of Israel and his position allowed her to control the entire nation of Israel. So, a weak woman was able to control a nation through a passive man like Ahab.

This same thing was happening with Miriam the older sister of Moses. This was the girl who watched over Moses when he was an infant in an ark made of reeds in the Nile River. She was too familiar with Moses and presumed him to be her little brother and did not hesitate to try to seize leadership from Moses when he was leading over 600,000 Jewish families out of Egypt.

In order for her do accomplish her goals she got her weak-willed and passive brother Aaron to join her in a conspiracy against their younger brother Moses.

Numbers 12:1 (NIV)

¹ Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.

In this case it was the name Miriam that was listed before Aaron because she was the ring-leader and Aaron was just a weak follower. Aaron would typically follow whoever was the strongest leader who was present at the time. If Moses was present, he would follow him and if he was alone with the crowd then Aaron would follow the crowd and when his dominant sister was present then Aaron also followed her.

Numbers 12:4-10 (NIV)

⁴ At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them came out.

⁵ Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward,

⁶ he said, “Listen to my words: “When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.

⁷ But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house.

⁸ With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

⁹ The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them.

¹⁰ When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam–leprous, like snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy;

It is interesting to note that when the judgment fell from God it was Miriam who as defiled by leprosy. The reason for this was because she was the ring-leader and she was the one speaking against Moses and her Sanguine brother Aaron was just a passive follower. Normally however the passive man would be judged first but, in this case, Miriam was not the wife of passive Aaron but his elder sister and so God held Miriam responsible for her actions and the judgment came to her first. Later when the garments of the priest were removed from Aaron then death came to him as well because before this he was standing in the office of a priest and was protected from the judgment by his office.

However, if a man is passive with his wife, he will typically be the one to be judged first as was in the case of Ahab. Ahab was killed first and then later the judgment came to his wicked wife Jezebel.

These scriptures about the judgment of Miriam speak of the fact that Aaron was a Sanguine who follows whoever is the strongest leader present. It is a warning to all Sanguine people to watch themselves in this area of fear of man and being a man-pleaser. If they do not consider the long-term results of their actions it can result in their judgment and their eternal damnation!

Jehu the unlikely Phlegmatic

The Phlegmatic temperament-type received his name from Hippocrates a Greek physician and philosopher that lived in 400 B.C. This Greek physician recognized four basic temperament types in mankind but he thought that temperaments in humans were caused by body fluids. Blood described the Sanguine type and the choler or yellow bile described the Choleric types and the black bile described the melancholy types and the phlegm described the Phlegmatic whose slow and undisturbed behavior was similar to the slow movement of thick mucus (like phlegm).

There is an irony that exists with the Phlegmatic in that though they have a tendency of being slow and lazy, they can actually be organized for no other reason than they want to avoid work. So, the Phlegmatic will typically analyze a job and try to find the easiest way to accomplish that task with the least amount of work possible. It is his laziness that causes him to analyze the tasks at hand to best suit his agenda of avoiding work.

In the case of Jehu, it would not immediately appear that he was a phlegmatic temperament type but later his calculated means of using others to do his work reveals his phlegmatic nature.

2 Kings 9:20 (NIV)

²⁰ The lookout reported, “He has reached them, but he isn’t coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi–he drives like a madman.”

Here Jehu the son of Nimshi is described as a man who drives his chariot like a madman! He must have been whipping his horses into a froth everywhere that he went and this would not normally be typical of an easy going phlegmatic to drive with such zeal! But a phlegmatic can alter his behavior in order to best suit his long-term agenda of having an easy life.

In the case of Jehu, he was a commander in the army of Israel.

2 Kings 9:4-5 (NIV)

⁴ So the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead.

⁵ When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said. “For which of us?” asked Jehu. “For you, commander,” he replied.

The prophet came and anointed Jehu and called him commander. It would normally not be expected that a phlegmatic man would be promoted to the rank of a commander because of his typical traits of passivity and laziness. But in the case of Jehu he saw that promotion was a means of an easier life. Being an officer meant that he had men under his command to do the work for him and he could use his rank to delegate authority to others. Jehu as a phlegmatic achieved the rank of commander for the purpose of having an easier life and to get out of work in this manner. Jehu knew that he would not be promoted if he was displaying passivity and laziness in the military so he altered his behavior and he became a driven man in order to obtain rank.

A phlegmatic may even become extremely organized and analyze a job for no other reason than to do that job in the easiest way possible. A phlegmatic can even drive himself for promotion for no other reason than to just take it easy and have others serve him. This is the reason that Jehu (the phlegmatic) was driving his chariot furiously. He would behave in this manner with all of his tasks for the sake of promotion so that he could obtain his goal of having an easy life later and being served by others. This shows that a man can alter his natural temperament type and even behave in a manner that is opposite of his natural character tendency.

2 Kings 9:1-3 (NIV)

¹ The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead.

² When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room.

³ Then take the flask and pour the oil on his head and declare, ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run; don’t delay!”

God anointed Jehu for the purpose of destroying the dynasty of Ahab and God sent a prophet to anoint Jehu as the king for this purpose.

2 Kings 9:6-10 (NIV)

⁶ Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head and declared, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the LORD’s people Israel.

⁷ You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the LORD’s servants shed by Jezebel.

⁸ The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel–slave or free.

⁹ I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah.

¹⁰ As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.'” Then he opened the door and ran.

When Jehu made a decision then he would execute that decision with all zeal and accomplish that task and that is how he was promoted to the rank of commander. But his long-term goals were to have an easy life and to be served and this was his primary phlegmatic motivation behind what he did.

In the case of being promoted to King, Jehu saw an opportunity to have an easy life and to be served so that was his chief phlegmatic motivation in accepting this job or role as king. He destroyed the house of Ahab for his own motivation of being in a position of having others serve him and thus obtaining an easy life.

2 Kings 10:1-9 (NASB)

¹ Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying,

² “Now, when this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, as well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the weapons,

³ select the best and fittest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

⁴ But they feared greatly and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?”

⁵ And the one who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders, and the guardians of the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, all that you say to us we will do, we will not make any man king; do what is good in your sight.”

⁶ Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.

⁷ When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel.

⁸ When the messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons,” he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”

⁹ Now in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are innocent; behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

In typical phlegmatic efficiency Jehu did not seek to exert any more effort than necessary. He just wrote some letters to the elders in the city were the seventy sons of Ahab were being raised and he let them do the killing of the sons of Ahab for him. A phlegmatic will seek to delegate his work to save himself from labor or exertion. Phlegmatic people can also be planners and schemers as they can develop analytical thinking to cause things to work according to their agenda without expending their own labor on the project. It is for self-serving reasons that a phlegmatic will generally make his plans in order to save his own energy. Most of his plans are for the long-term goal of having an easy life for themselves.

2 Kings 9:30-34 (NIV)

³⁰ Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window.

³¹ As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?”

³² He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down at him.

³³ “Throw her down!” Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.

³⁴ Jehu went in and ate and drank. “Take care of that cursed woman,” he said, “and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter.”

When Jehu went to Jezreel to execute the wicked Jezebel he again did not expend any more energy than necessary in doing the job. This is typical of a phlegmatic to save themselves their own effort whenever possible. Instead of going upstairs and killing this woman himself he just remained in his chariot and shouted, “Who is on my side?” Then a few eunuchs peeked out at him from an upper window and he commanded them to throw her down. Then Jehu finished Jezebel off by trampling her with the horse’s hooves of the horses attached to his chariot. So, he used the labor of others to throw her down and used the horses to do the trampling and so he did not exert any of his own effort in destroying Jezebel himself. This is typical of a phlegmatic that does not want to do any more work than necessary.

Then Jehu went inside and ate and drank and then commanded someone else to go out and bury the cursed woman. He was using his position of leadership only to be served and to use others by delegating his tasks to them. The burial of Jezebel was unnecessary however because the corpse of Jezebel was consumed by the dogs while Jehu was having lunch in the house.

2 Kings 9:24 (NIV)

²⁴ Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart and he slumped down in his chariot.

Joram the son of Ahab was reigning at the time that Jehu was anointed to destroy the dynasty of Ahab (including the son of Ahab who was King Joram). Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders as Joram turned his chariot around to flee. The arrow pierced his heart and Joram slumped down in his chariot dead. The phlegmatic will typically kill in the most efficient means possible even if that means shooting a man in the back. Jehu did not use sword play to defeat Joram in open combat because that would expose Jehu to the danger fending off counter blows in a sword fight. Jehu killed with the most efficient means possible with the least risk to himself and that is why he used the bow and arrow to kill safely at a distance with minimal risk to himself. The phlegmatic always looks for the easiest way possible to do the task with the least risk to own self.

Part 2 –Temperament Types

2 Kings 10:18-28 (NIV)

¹⁸ Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much.

¹⁹ Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his ministers and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the ministers of Baal.

²⁰ Jehu said, “Call an assembly in honor of Baal.” So they proclaimed it.

²¹ Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the ministers of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other.

²² And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring robes for all the ministers of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them.

²³ Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the ministers of Baal, “Look around and see that no servants of the LORD are here with you–only ministers of Baal.”

²⁴ So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: “If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life.”

²⁵ As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: “Go in and kill them; let no one escape.” So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal.

²⁶ They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it.

²⁷ They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.

²⁸ So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel.

When Jehu destroyed the Baal worship that was started by Jezebel he did so in the most efficient manner. It would be a hard task to hunt down all of the individual Baal worshipers and exterminate them all. So, he used deception to get all of the Baal worshipers into one place and he gave them robes to identify those who were Baal worshipers and then Jehu again delegated his work to others and ordered the officers and guards to go in and kill them all. The cunning and calculating phlegmatic always operates in thinking of how to do the job in the easiest way possible with the least risk to himself.

2 Kings 10:17 (NASB)

¹⁷ When he came to Samaria, he killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to Elijah.

Jehu killed all that remained to Ahab in Samaria but mostly his motivation was that of removing any competition to his own position of king. Jehu actually went beyond his requirements of exterminating the dynasty of Ahab and he proceeded to kill all leadership in the entire nation of Israel.

2 Kings 9:27 (NIV)

²⁷ When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, shouting, “Kill him too!” They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam, but he escaped to Megiddo and died there.

Jehu was to exterminate the dynasty of the wicked king Ahab who was king of the northern kingdom of Israel. But Jehu proceeded to also kill Ahaziah the king of the southern kingdom of Judah.

Notice also that Jehu told others to kill Ahaziah the king of Judah so as to save his energy from having to draw his own bow. This is typical of a phlegmatic not to do any more work or effort than is necessary and a phlegmatic leader will always be seeking to delegate all of his labor to others. It was for this reason that Jehu exterminated all leadership so he could have a secured position in order to be served himself.

2 Kings 10:13-14 (NASB)

¹³ Jehu met the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you?” And they answered, “We are the relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.”

¹⁴ He said, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and killed them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.

Jehu also killed off all those who were related to Ahaziah king of Judah so this guy was just going on a random killing spree to kill off all leadership in the entire country. Jehu was anointed by God to destroy the dynasty of Ahab and all those related to Ahab but he went too far in including the king of Judah and his followers as well. The resulting blood bath produced a leadership void in the country as Jehu killed off everyone for no other reason than to eliminate any competition to his own position of leadership as a phlegmatic seeking to be served.

The history of Israel shows that the country went into decline after Jehu killed off all of the leadership of both northern and southern kingdoms of Judah and Israel. Israel suffered territorial losses and experienced turmoil and unrest during the reign of Jehu. Both the Arameans and the Assyrians humiliated Israel during his reign and Jehu became a vassal to foreign domination because he had killed off all of the leadership that could have been of service to him.

Jehu went too far and went beyond the word of the Lord which commanded him to exterminate only the northern dynasty of Ahab. Self-serving Jehu was only looking for an easy life but did not consider the future of his nation. His decisions were self-serving as a phlegmatic and resulted in national decline.

This national decline is similar to Egypt after the Exodus when all of the leadership of Egypt was drowned in the Red Sea. Without leadership Egypt went into decline and become a weak and third-world nation that was greatly diminished from the power and splendor that they had prior to the Exodus of the Hebrew people. When leaders are destroyed then a country will languish in poverty and weakness just as what occurred under the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia who exterminated her own leadership and turned the nation into a primitive and backward state.

Hosea 1:4 (NIV)

⁴ Then the LORD said to Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.

God punished the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel and this was not for killing off the dynasty of Ahab because God told Jehu to do that. The punishment was pronounced for the massacre of the King of Judah and the leadership of Judah when Jehu went too far in his massacre at Jezreel and killed off all leadership of Judah together with the dynasty of Ahab. Jehu was self-serving and went beyond the word of the Lord given to him only because he wanted to secure his position to be served from anyone else of leadership potential. His selfish motives killed off the leadership of both the southern and northern kingdoms of Israel and left a leadership void.

The fact of the matter is that Jehu did everything in calculated manner and his killing spree was aimed at serving himself and getting out of work. This is not a good reason for a man to seize leadership. He was self-serving and was not considering the best interests of his nation. He exterminated the best people and leadership in the land so that he would be unchallenged to the throne. But after he had killed the leadership off, he was unable to provide any strong leadership himself. He was nothing but an exterminator (not a leader) and he ended up becoming a vassal to a pagan nation. He proved he had no leadership ability and his country was diminished and made weak and unable to defend itself later in the reign of Jehu.

The biblical principle here is that a phlegmatic is not the best choice as a leader because their motivation is only to seek an easy life for themselves and they can destroy an entire nation if they are in charge and follow the policy of seeking a life of ease for themselves. Phlegmatic types can be cold and calculating but it can be for their own service to get out of work and that is not the best policy to follow for a leader of any nation.

Even Solomon was a phlegmatic because another characteristic of a phlegmatic is that they are stingy.

Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 (NIV)

¹⁰ Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

¹¹ As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?

This was written by King Solomon who was the richest man that ever lived. He had so much gold that silver was counted as nothing during his time. But even with all of his money and wealth he was never satisfied by it. Solomon lamented that when his goods increased then those who consumed them also increased so he saw no benefit for himself except to watch his people consuming his goods. This shows a major streak of being stingy within a Phlegmatic man who had vast amounts of wealth and still did not want to share it with those who served him.

1 Kings 9:11-14 (NIV)

¹¹ King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and pine and gold he wanted.

¹² But when Hiram went from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them.

¹³ “What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?” he asked. And he called them the Land of Cabul, a name they have to this day.

¹⁴ Now Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents of gold.

Hiram king of Tyre was a great ally to King Solomon and supplied Solomon with all of the cedar and pine and gold that he wanted. King Hiram gave huge amounts of resources to Solomon but in return Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in Galilee. Hiram would have expected that Solomon would have given a gift to him equal with the great resources that Hiram gave to Solomon. But when Hiram saw the towns Solomon had given to him, he was greatly disappointed and called them Cabul which means good for nothing. Solomon was stingy in giving to his best ally who had given him untold wealth as a sign if his friendship. Solomon gave some beggarly and poor and worthless towns to a man who gave unlimited wealth to him. Hiram gave 120 talents of gold to Solomon that is about 9,000 pounds! In return Solomon gave him some worthless towns!

The weakness of the phlegmatic is that they have a tendency of being stingy and self-serving and only want to serve themselves. Even when Solomon had enormous amounts of wealth, he was still stingy in giving toward others. He did not want to see his employees consuming his wealth and he did not like to give anything valuable in return to his best ally who previously gave him enormous amounts of wealth.

It is the tendency of a phlegmatic to be self-serving. They are self-serving when they seek a life of ease and are self-serving when trying to find an easy way out to save themselves some work. Finding an easy way to do a task is a noble thing but the motive behind the phlegmatic is only to save themselves some work. Solomon was blessed by great wisdom and he controlled the trade routes between two great empires located north and south of his nation and he received great tax revenue from the trade routes that passed through Israel. But he was self-serving and he brought a curse to the nation by embracing pagan women and their false gods. He did not think of the long-term future of his nation and what would happen when they fell from favor with God. He brought a curse on his own nation by idolatry and the kingdom of Solomon was lost in the hands of his son and the nation fell from splendor. Self-serving people may have short-term prosperity (as in the case of Solomon) but when they do not consider the long-term effects of their actions, they can bring a curse of God.

Solomon brought a curse on his nation by idolatry and his kingdom was split immediately after his death. He served himself and his own lusts while alive on earth but his kingdom did not last after his passing. Phlegmatic people can be capable leaders like Jehu or Solomon but yet their motivation can be self-serving and they can be stingy with those around them. Not honoring your people is a recipe for disaster and it caused the kingdom of Solomon to be split in the hands of his son Rehoboam. Phlegmatic types are not the best men to follow as leaders even though they are calculating and can be planners because of the motives of self-serving that exist behind their calculations. They are typically seeking only to serve themselves and this can be seen in the way they tend to seek an easy life and are stingy with those who serve them.

Paul the Choleric Acted without Thinking

Acts 26:9-11 (NIV)

⁹ “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

¹⁰ And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.

¹¹ Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

Paul was a choleric by nature and as such he did not think about his actions but he would just grab onto a plan and execute that plan with great focus and determination. As a religious zealot Paul got it into his mind that those Messianic Jews who called upon the Name of Jesus were a threat to his Jewish religion and he took up his holy war against them. He obtained official license to go and attack those who called upon the Name of the Lord and he put many of these saints into prison. He was involved in putting many of them to death and thought he was doing the world a service to rid the earth of these Jewish believers in Christ.

If he would find Jewish believers in any synagogue and he would punish them for being unfaithful to Judaism because these people believed in Jesus the Jewish Messiah. Paul tortured these believers and even went to foreign cities to hound them to the ends of the earth to persecute them. A choleric does not typically think of his actions or the long-term affects of what he is doing but the choleric may just latch onto come cause or goal and follow that cause blindly and with great zeal and diligence. Choleric people are goal orientated and they will make a goal and execute their plan and nothing can deviate them. They are like a bulldog that latches onto something and will not let go. This is what Paul did when he latched onto the goal of destroying all those who believed in Jesus (particularly believing Jews).

Acts 26:12-19 (NKJV)

¹² “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

¹³ at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.

¹⁴ And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

¹⁶ But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.

¹⁷ I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,

¹⁸ to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

¹⁹ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

Paul the zealous choleric had latched onto his goal of destroying every believer in Christ that he could find. But on the road to Damascus Paul had an encounter with the Lord and he fell to the ground blinded by a great light. Paul had companions with him at this time indicating that the strong confidence of a choleric will generally cause others to follow them into the same projects that the choleric undertakes. But when Paul had an encounter with the Lord, he was arrested from his choleric purpose of killing believers. At this time Paul switched allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ and from that time forward Paul began to serve the church that he previously had sought to destroy.

Paul was a choleric and he was bold and aggressive and dominant and goal orientated and he would not be distracted from any goal that he set for himself. But the weakness of a choleric is that they are not good at setting their own goals because they might take on something that they regret later. Paul had remorse for the rest of his life over the great pain and trouble he had inflicted upon those who believed in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:9 (NIV)

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Paul felt that he was not worthy to be an Apostle because he had persecuted the church of God. He remembered all of the people he had killed and tortured and tried to force to blaspheme to damn their souls to hell! After he was converted, he had great remorse because of what he did in his ignorance as a zealous choleric that will latch onto any sort of goal without thinking about what he is doing.

1 Timothy 1:12-13 (NIV)

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.

¹³ Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

Paul was a choleric and he engaged in his goal of destroying the church but he did it in ignorance not realizing what he was doing. It is the natural born weakness of a choleric to act without thinking or considering their ways or even thinking of the end results of their projects. The choleric needs to have their job assignments given to them or they may embark on some crazy plan or goal as Paul did who assumed his own project of exterminating Jewish believers.

But on the road to Damascus Paul was arrested by an encounter with the Lord. At this time Paul received his new job assignment from Jesus and that is when Paul changed his allegiance. Instead of persecuting and destroying the church Paul changed and began to serve and build the church instead. Paul only lacked a proper and good job description to follow. Paul received his assignment from the Lord Jesus Christ and then he latched onto that new assignment and he never ceased for the rest of his life.

Choleric people are bold and aggressive and dominate and many people would assume they are natural born leaders because of their great confidence in what they are doing. But in fact they are created by God to be facilitators-not leaders. The choleric needs to be given a job assignment because if they are not given a job assignment they may latch onto some crazy plan or goal and pursue it to the end without stopping one time to think about what they are doing and they seldom consider the consequences of their actions.

Parents of choleric children need to give their choleric children job assignments because if they do not then those same children may go to the playground and bully other kids. If a choleric is not given a job responsibility they will invent their own jobs and this is typically detrimental because they are all goal-orientated and they do not think about the long-term consequences of their actions.

But Paul was not evil or wicked even though he was killing and torturing and hunting down believers and even going as far as pursuing them to foreign cities. Paul did this in his ignorance not knowing he was doing anything wicked. He even supposed he was doing God a service as a religious zealot to destroy all of these believers in Jesus.

But when Paul had an encounter with Jesus, he saw the folly of his ways and realized he had been pursuing the wrong goal. When he came to this revelation, he did not hesitate to switch his allegiance and then he began to serve the same church with great zeal as he had done to persecute it before his conversion. Choleric types are not really evil people but they only need to be given job assignments. If they invent their own plan, they may take their great zeal and confidence and leadership ability and lead others down the wrong road toward accomplishing the wrong goals.

Many of the world’s most depraved dictators, criminals and gang leaders have all be choleric temperament types. They are bold and aggressive and project-orientated and they can get people to follow them with their great confidence and they can accomplish a lot in their own strength. That is bad however if they happen to take up a goal or project that is not good. Many dictators have seized control of nations in past history and plunged their countries and the world into war that resulted in millions perishing. It is not good if a choleric invents his own goals because the can bring about the deaths of millions (if they have a large following or an organized army behind them).

A military general like George Patton may be a choleric but he still must be under the control and follow the orders of others because on his own he could do more harm than good. It is far better if the commander and chief is a melancholy like Eisenhower and is a good planner and then puts his melancholy plan into the hands of his choleric generals who can facilitate that goal only as a choleric can.

The fact of the matter is that choleric types are not the natural born leaders that people mistake them for. They do not think of the details and they do not think of the long-term effects of their decisions. They were made with this weakness because they are created to be facilitators of the plans of others-not the planners themselves. If they operate as facilitators with a good plan given to them then they can execute that plan and bring success to the group.

God created weakness in all of the four temperament types for the purpose that they would need one another. The Choleric seems really bold and does not show indecision or hesitation in what he does. He always has an instant answer for everything and people often assume he knows what he is talking about because of this great confidence that he portrays. But after people follow a choleric for some time, they will begin to realize that these overly confident people seldom think about the plan or where they are going or what they will do. They just boldly go forward and assume they can solve any problem when they come to it. Typically, the melancholy people around them will have to follow them up and try to fix their mistakes. This is not a good leadership-style because it involves “putting out fires” and fixing many mistakes as they go along. It is far better for a melancholy to do the planning and then give a clear job description to the choleric so that the choleric will have a good plan to follow. If he does not have a good plan he will go off on his own and lead his people into a ditch and make a big mess of things!

Typically, choleric people are placed into leadership positions assuming that they are natural born leaders because of their great self-confidence and lack of hesitation on anything. But nothing could be farther from the truth because choleric types are not good leaders but only facilitators working under someone else who gave them a clear job assignment.

When Paul received his job assignment from Jesus that is when he really began to shine as a choleric. Choleric people only need to be given a plan and an assignment because they will typically get into a ditch if they are making their own plans.

The bold and aggressive and dominate Choleric type is really not evil or wicked as they may often seem. They just need a plan and a job assignment given to them and then they will really shine and be productive.

Choleric people do not have evil motives like the calculating phlegmatic that may scheme and work a situation toward their own benefit. Choleric people will typically just follow a plan and they are goal-orientated and project-orientated and they typically have no evil motives within them (unless they have a bit of phlegmatic side as in the case of a blended temperament type). Choleric types are generally open and honest people and straight forward with no evil motives. Even apostle Paul was not evil as a religious zealot but he thought he was engaged in a worthy cause and thought he was doing the world a favor by exterminating believers. But when he was given a new job assignment, he saw he was following the wrong way and repented of this. He was not evil but only misguided because he was following his own invented project or goal. He really shined after he was given his new job assignment from Jesus.

Choleric types have some good assets that God can use. They are entirely goal orientated and if given a job assignment the choleric type will see that project through to the end and not give up. Apostle Paul was the most productive Apostle that the world has ever seen! He took his assignment seriously and labored abundantly at this assignment until the day of his death. Choleric people only need a job assignment because they are born as facilitators (not leaders) as many would falsely assume.

Choleric types do not have evil motives or calculating goals like a phlegmatic working his way toward an easier life. Choleric types can be taken at face value and what you see is what you get and there are no evil motives in them. They have no cold calculating ways but are just a project-minded facilitator engaged in a goal and that is about all they think about.

They are the master of overcoming and they would have to be killed in order to stop them because they just never give up. They will latch onto a goal and follow it to the end of their lives just like Apostle Paul did. If overcoming is required to enter into the kingdom of God then many choleric types will be in heaven because no temperament type overcomes better than a choleric. They have a lack of self-deception or evil motives and they do not care about what others think of them. They are frank and honest and straight forward. They will confront anyone without hesitation and rebuke them. So, the choleric types are free of fear of man that plagues the Sanguine types and they are free of evil motives that govern the calculating phlegmatic types who are often plotting for a means of obtaining an easy life.

Choleric types can be described as being open and honest and frank and free of evil motives and so they are people that can be trusted. This is amazing for a group of people who could appear as dictators or gang leaders but when confronted with the truth they will easily submit and change their job assignments. They are made by God for facilitation and that is where they really shine.

Melancholy Moses the Unlikely Leader

Acts 7:23-25 (NIV)

²³ “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites.

²⁴ He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian.

²⁵ Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.

Moses the melancholy had a perception within himself of his divine destiny from God. Melancholy types are sensitive and this includes being sensitive to God and being sensitive to spiritual perception regarding such things as divine calling. Moses perceived within that he was called by God to be a deliverer of his Hebrew people from the bondage of slavery to the Egyptians. When he was fully matured, he saw a Hebrew being mistreated and abused by an Egyptian and so he went to his defense and killed the Egyptian! Moses thought that his own Hebrew people would realize that God was using him to rescue them from the Egyptians. But the Hebrew people did not realize this because it was only Moses the melancholy who could perceive this divine calling as a deliverer within himself.

Melancholy people are typically sensitive and this includes being sensitive to spiritual things as well. That is why they are often used by God to perceive and communicate spiritual things to others. It was Moses who perceived his calling as a deliverer and he was indeed the one God had created for this purpose. But Moses was not ready and he had to be sent to the wilderness for another forty years until he learned not to operate in his own effort of the flesh or his own natural strength but learned how to depend upon and wait upon God instead.

1 Corinthians 1:25-29 (NIV)

²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

²⁶ Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

²⁸ He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are,

²⁹ so that no one may boast before him.

It is ironic that God has chosen the melancholy to be a leader because the melancholy is filled with many weaknesses and character defects. But God did this intentionally to choose those who are weak and despised by the world in order to bring glory to His Name. God chooses the lowly things of this world and the things that are despised to shame those who are strong in the flesh. The case of the melancholy leader is no different because God chooses him who is despised and weak so that the power of God might be made manifest through him. God wants someone who is dependent upon the Lord rather than upon their own natural strength so that is why God chooses the melancholy for a leader.

Moses was often challenged for his leadership and not only his elder sister tried to take his leadership position from him but also Korah used political intrigue to seize leadership from Moses.

Numbers 16:1-4 (NIV)

¹ Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites–Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth–became insolent

² and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.

³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?”

⁴ When Moses heard this, he fell face-down.

Korah was probably a Sanguine/Phlegmatic mixed type of temperament because he was popular like a movie star (showing his sanguine side) and he was calculating like a phlegmatic as he plotting to take over the leadership of over 600,000 Jewish families who followed the direction of Moses. Korah first solicited the help of key leaders among the congregation and then after poisoning their minds by casting doubts upon the good intentions of Moses he then spread this poison to other leaders as well. He had over 250-leaders following him who were all well-known community leaders and members of the council. Korah plotted using political intrigue to take over the leadership of Moses and he confronted Moses at the head of a large group of leaders. Korah knew that if he could influence leaders then he would also have control all of the people under that leader.

Exodus 18:21-22 (AMP)

²¹ Moreover, you shall choose able men from all the people—God-fearing men of truth who hate unjust gain—and place them over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, to be their rulers.

²² And let them judge the people at all times; every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

Moses followed the advice of his father-in-law Jethro and he chose men who were worthy to be leaders and appointed them over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens to be their rulers. If Korah could influence a leader of a thousand he would have all the people under that ruler. By poisoning the minds of key leaders with slander against Moses, Korah convinced them that Moses as unworthy to follow and that a change of leadership was needed.

Numbers 16:3-4 (NIV)

³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?”

⁴ When Moses heard this, he fell face-down.

Aaron was just the spokesman for Moses so Aaron as a weak follower was not really a leader. This conspiracy was against Moses entirely but when Moses heard what they said he did not defend himself but fell down face-down in humility. This shows that Moses was humble but men like Korah saw humility “as weakness” but God sees humility as strength. Korah and his men considered Moses as an unworthy leader because he was far too humble in character.

Numbers 12:3 (NIV)

³ (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

The bible says that Moses was very humble more than anyone else on the face of the earth. He was separated by God for forty years in the wilderness where he was broken and humbled before God. This was all in preparation for Moses to be a leader to the 600,000 Jewish families that he led out of Egypt in the time of the Exodus.

Numbers 16:5-7 (NIV)

⁵ Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the LORD will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him.

⁶ You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers

⁷ and tomorrow put fire and incense in them before the LORD. The man the LORD chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!”

Moses did not defend himself but told the opposing leaders that God would be the one to choose who is to be the leader of the congregation.

Numbers 16:11 (NIV)

¹¹ It is against the LORD that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?”

Moses knew that God had appointed him to be the leader of the congregation because he did not even want the job but was only obeying God by doing this. Moses said, “Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?” because Aaron was a weak follower who just followed whoever offers the strongest leadership at the moment. This conspiracy was directly against Moses who was the one whom God had chosen for leadership.

Exodus 4:12-16 (NIV)

¹² Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

¹³ But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

¹⁴ Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you.

¹⁵ You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.

¹⁶ He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.

After forty years in the wilderness Moses was entirely broken of trying to do things in his own strength. It was in this condition of brokenness and humility that God said Moses was ready to go and fulfill his calling as a deliverer to the Hebrew race. But Moses did not want the job and asked God to send someone else and this angered the Lord. God had to give Moses the assistance of Aaron the Sanguine who was a good speaker. God often makes up for the weakness of one temperament type by giving them assistance in the form of another temperament-type who is strong where they are weak.

It is typical of a melancholy leader not to want the leadership position because they can see all of the details involved with the project and they do not even want to get started with the enterprise. It is ironic that God will choose the man who does not want the leadership rather than choosing those who lusts for leadership. A Sanguine type may lust for the limelight and attention of being in front of a crowd. A phlegmatic type may want to be a leader so others will serve him and he can have an easy life. But a melancholy is typically the one who does not want the job but he only obeys because he fears God and does not want to go to hell for disobeying God’s orders.

Numbers 16:12-14 (NIV)

¹² Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come!

¹³ Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert? And now you also want to lord it over us?

¹⁴ Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? No, we will not come!”

Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab but they did not come and Moses was left without support from any leaders and stood alone with his weak brother Aaron who was evidently confused about who to follow in the presence of so many assertive leaders all vying for control. Moses was accused of bringing them out of Egypt to kill them in the desert and was accused of lording over them (when in fact Moses never did anything of the kind). They accused Moses of being a failure and his leadership never produced the inheritance of fields and vineyards and a land flowing with milk and honey. They even said that slavery in Egypt was their place of milk and honey! Moses had no support from any leaders whose minds had all been poisoned by the slander of Korah which happened in advance of that day.

Numbers 16:15 (NIV)

¹⁵ Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, nor have I wronged any of them.”

Moses was very angry at the accusations and slander that accused him of having evil motives for leadership when in fact he did not even want the job. Moses was not a Jehu type who sought to be served by others. Moses was a servant-leader and he never exploited anyone or even took a donkey (the lowest priced beast of burden) from anyone. Moses never wronged anyone and he was completely given to serve all of them.

Numbers 16:19-22 (NIV)

¹⁹ When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the entire assembly.

²⁰ The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

²¹ “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”

²² But Moses and Aaron fell face-down and cried out, “O God, God of the spirits of all mankind, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?”

God was angry enough to destroy the entire assembly with the poisoned leaders and all that followed them but again Moses was not self-seeking even for revenge and prayed that God spare their lives. This was a testimony to the brokenness of Moses and the effect of forty years of wilderness separation that had humbled Moses greatly.

Numbers 16:28-35 (NIV)

²⁸ Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea:

²⁹ If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the LORD has not sent me.

³⁰ But if the LORD brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.”

³¹ As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart

³² and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah’s men and all their possessions.

³³ They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community.

³⁴ At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

³⁵ And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.

God vindicated Moses by a dramatic display of power showing the people that God was the one who chose Moses as a leader. Moses told the people that it was the Lord who sent him and he did not do these things of his own idea. It is the quality of a broken melancholy type that they will only do what God tells them to do and God chooses them as leaders for this reason.

Korah and his men were swallowed up alive into hell as a dramatic demonstration of God’s displeasure and the 250 laymen with censors were turned to ashes by fire that came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them. This was done as a testimony that they should not try to seize leadership away from the one whom God has called to be the leader.

In God’s kingdom He most often chooses the melancholy as a leader who is full of defects and weakness and who has been humbled for years in the wilderness. Not often does God use the mighty or noble like the Korah types because they would take all of the glory for themselves and they are not dependent upon the Lord.

Numbers 11:11-12 (NIV)

¹¹ He asked the LORD, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?

¹² Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers?

Men like Korah lusted for leadership so that they could have the limelight and attention before the people and so that they could have others serve them. But the melancholy Moses did not even want the job! Moses complained to the Lord and asked if he was being punished by being forced to lead all of these complaining people. Moses asked if he had conceived them or gave birth to them that he was required to carry them around like a nursing infant. Moses did not even want the job but he was only obeying God. This is the type of leader that God will choose and typically the leader chosen by God will not even want the position of leadership.

The melancholy temperament type has no desire for limelight as a Sanguine loves and he has no desire to be served as a phlegmatic does. He obeys God because he fears the Lord and does not want to go to hell for disobedience.

It is when a man does not want leadership that the Lord sees him as qualified for it. Those who lust for a position of leadership are those who are disqualified in God’s sight from being a leader.

Melancholy leaders are sensitive to God’s voice and they hear the words of God and perceive spiritual things.

Deuteronomy 4:8 (NIV)

⁸ And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

Moses received the laws of God directly from the Lord and he gave these to the people. It is the melancholy who most often is used to receive revelation from God and who gives it to the people.

It is for this reason that the melancholy is typically the one chosen by God as a leader regardless of his apparent weaknesses. God uses the weak things to confound the mighty and melancholy leader is no exception.

Every temperament type has their weakness but the choleric and melancholy are the ones least liked on earth by humans but also have the greatest potential for God. The Sanguine and phlegmatic are generally the best liked on earth by people but may have trouble when qualifying for eternal things. So, everything is exactly reversed in the kingdom of God and those who are the most popular on earth will have more of their numbers in hell while those who are least liked on earth may actually have more of their numbers in heaven.

Every person has the ability to overcome their temperament weaknesses if they are aware of them and manage them. Weakness can be managed by refusing to yield to these areas so all temperament types have an equal chance of entering the kingdom of God if they will only overcome their weaknesses and refuse to yield to them.

The understanding of temperament types helps people to choose the right leader to follow and it also helps leaders to understand people and put them into the right places where their temperament-type is an asset rather than a hindrance. Each person has an ordained place where they can really shine and it should be a place where their strengths can be used as an asset.

Sanguine people should be used in roles related to being a people person. Phlegmatic people should be used in places where being easy-going and relaxed is an asset. Choleric people should be used as facilitators and Melancholy men should be used for leadership and planning as they are the most detailed and selfless people of the four temperament types.

God created weakness and deficiencies in every person for the purpose that they will need others and flow with others in a group. No man is an island to himself and they all need others to realize their maximum potential as part of a group. Understanding temperament types allows people to understand each other and flow together with others who are created differently than themselves.

General Biblical Topics

Three Parts of Man

Abraham Bosom

Spiritual Restraints

New Creation Born of God

Led by the Spirit

Origin and Operation of Demons

Doctrines of Demons

Factors that Affect Healing

Atonement Series

Giving and Kingdom Finances

Gift of Businessman “Giver”

Thornbush Leaders and Freeloaders

Salvation’s Race

Escape from Christendom

Overcoming Christian

Fear of the Lord

Christians in Hell

Button Hole Principle

Forsake Not Grace

Temperament Types

Faking-it-in-the-Flesh

Cutting Stones of Fit

Social Work Failure

Sin Nature Crucifixion

Remain in Ordained Place

Principle of Separation