The deaths of Rebels

Numbers Chapter 16

Korah, a descendant of Kohath, son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab and On the son of Peleth from the tribe of Reuben. They incited a rebellion against Moses involving 250 prominent leaders, all member of the assembly. They approached Moses and Aaron and told them they had gone too far and set everyone in Israel apart by the Lord. They asked what right Moses and Aaron had to act as though they were greater than anyone else among the people of the Lord?

Moses heard this and threw himself face first on the ground and told the men that the next morning the Lord would show who belongs to him and who is holy. The lord would allow only those chosen to enter his holy presence. He told Korah and his followers to take incense burners and burn incense in them the next day before the Lord and see who the Lord chooses.

Then Moses again spoke to the Levite rebels and reminded them that the God of Israel chose them to serve in his Tabernacle and to minister to the people. He reminded them that the Lord gave them a a special ministry and now they were demanding priesthood as well.

Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram and they refused to come, saying wasn't it enough they were taken from Egypt, promised a land of milk and honey and now to be killed in the wilderness.

Moses was very angry and told the Lord to not accept their offerings. He told Korah to come the next day and bring his 250 followers with incense burners and Aaron would also bring his. So these men came and stood at the entrance to the Tabernacle with Moses and Aaron. Meanwhile Korah had stirred up the population and they also assembled at the Tabernacle. Then the Lord appeared to the whole community and told Moses and Aaron to get away from those people so he could destroy them. But Moses and Aaron fell down on the ground and pleaded with God not to destroy all of them, when only one man had sinned. So God told all the people to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.

Moses rushed to the tents of these three men and evacuated people from the tents of the wicked rebels and warned them not to touch anything that belonged to the rebels because if they did, they too would be destroyed. So all the people stood back and Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their wives and children stood at the entrances of their tents.

Moses told the community, you know the Lord has sent me to do all the things I have done, I have not done them on my own. So if these men die a natural death, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord performs a miracle and the ground swallows them, then you know these men have despised the Lord.

He had barely finished speaking when the ground opened up and the earth swallowed the men, their households and followers. The earth closed over them and the people of Israel heard their screams, and they fled. A fire blazed forth from the Lord and incinerated the 250men who were offering incense.

The Lord told Moses to have Eleazar son of Aaron pull all the incense burners from the fire, for they were holy. He had them hammered into a sheet as a covering for the altar. The altar cover served as a warning to the people of Israel that no unauthorised man, who was not a descendant of Aaron, would enter the Lord's presence to burn incense.

The very next morning, the community began muttering against Moses and Aaron and they gathered to protest, but saw the cloud had covered the Tabernacle and the Lord appeared. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron that he could destroy all of the community, but Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. Moses had Aaron run among the people with incense and make atonement for them. But God's anger was already starting a plague. Aaron burned incense and made atonement and stood between the living and dead until the plague stopped, but 14,700 people died in the plague. Then Aaron returned to the Tabernacle with Moses.

BIBLE NOTES show Korah and his rebels were probably afraid that Moses, Aaron and his sons were trying to make the priesthood the same kind of political machine as they had seen in Egypt. Korah did not understand that Moses only ambition was to serve God.

God gave the people warning before he destroyed Korah and his followers. He was forcing the people to make a choice between siding with him or with wicked people. It is amazing that the next day the community began to rebel again.

WOW! This chapter is full of rebellion, violence and death. Hard to believe the people would continue to want Moses and Aaron destroyed after what they had witnessed.

How does this chapter relate to us today? We see rebellion in many places in today's world. Via the media, we see people killed everyday because they have revolted against authority. Rebellion against tyranny is one thing, but rebellion against our God is unforgivable. Bitterness and resentment erode a good attitude. If you are constantly dissatisfied, skeptical and bitter, there is a good chance you are going to be a candidate who may separate from God. So please raise your own self-esteem. Find satisfaction in the kind of power and position that help you continue to obey your Lord.

Yours in Christ,
Mary