Oh my goodness...God is done playing with the Israelites!!! In this chapter, Korah teams up with Dathan and Abiram from the tribe of Reuben and 250 other individuals, and incites a rebellion against Moses. “They went to Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! Everyone in Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than anyone else among all these people of the Lord?” (Numbers 16:3) Moses then said to them, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show us who belongs to him and who is holy. The Lord will allow those who are chosen to enter his holy presence. You, Korah, and all your followers must do this: Take incense burners, and burn incense in them tomorrow before the Lord. Then we will see who the Lord chooses as his holy one. You Levites are the ones who have gone too far!” (Numbers 16:4) This does not sound like it’s going to end well for Korah!
Let’s pause for some context. Only a select few were allowed to get near the Lord and the Tabernacle, and those individuals were Moses, Aaron(High priest), and Aaron’s descendants(priests). Remember the Levites were responsible for moving the Tabernacle from campsite to campsite, but even then, if they touched any of the Tabernacle furnishings, they would die.
Moses spoke again, “Now listen, you Levites! Does it seem a small thing to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the people of Israel to be near him as you serve in the Lord’s Tabernacle and to stand before the people to minister to them? He has given this special ministry only to you and your fellow Levites, but now you are demanding the priesthood as well! The one you are really revolting against is the Lord! And who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?” (Numbers 16:5-12)
Wow! Let’s unpack this. They were complaining to Moses, but they were really complaining to the Lord! Are we guilty of displacing anger on others, when we should be having personal conversations with God? Also, what things has God given us, knowing that the Lord has been good to us, and we still have the audacity to complain?
After being summoned by Moses, Dathan and Abiram said, “...Isn’t it enough that you brought us out of Egypt, a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us here in this wilderness...What’s more, you haven’t brought us into the land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards.” (Numbers 16:13-14) Displaced anger. When they should be blaming themselves...they’re blaming others for the position they've created for themselves.
At this point, Moses became angry and told Korah and his followers to come to the Tabernacle tomorrow and present themselves before the Lord. He also instructed them, all 250 followers, to bring an incense burner with incense to present before the Lord. Moment of context….Moses knew that only priests (Aaron and his descendants) were allowed to burn incense in the presence of the Lord! Matter of fact, in Leviticus 10:1, two of Aaron’s sons were consumed with fire and killed for burning the WRONG fire incense before the Lord. Moses is sneaky...sounds like a set up. Lol!
By the next day, Korah had stirred the entire community against Moses and Aaron, and showed up with their incense burners, burning coal and incense, and assembled at the Tabernacle entrance. “Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to the whole community, and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Get away from these people so that I may instantly destroy them!” But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God, the God and source of all life, they pleaded. “Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?” And the Lord said to Moses, “Then tell all the people to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” (Numbers 16:19-24) Moses did as instructed. “So all the people stood back from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances of their tents with their wives and children and little ones. And Moses said, “by this you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things that I have done--for I have not done them on my own. If these men die a natural death, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord performs a miracle and the ground opens up and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive in the grave, then you will know that these men have despised the Lord.” He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them. The earth opened up and swallowed the men, along with their households and the followers who were standing with them and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave along with their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished. All of the people of Israel fled as they heard their screams, fearing that the earth would swallow them, too. Then fire blazed forth from the Lord and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense.” (Numbers 16:27-35) Wow!
At this point, God instructed Moses to tell one of Aaron’s sons to collect the incense burners because now they were holy from being used in the Lord’s presence. He also told him to have Aaron’s son, Eleazar, to hammer the metal of the incense burners into a sheet to serve as a covering for the altar, and a warning to the Israelites that no one, who was not a descendant of Aaron, should ever enter the Lord’s presence to burn incense. I told you...STAY IN YOUR LANE!!!
“But the very next morning the whole community began muttering again against Moses and Aaron (ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!), saying, “You two have killed the Lord’s people!” (Numbers 16:41)
I just dropped my bible! I’m trying not to be judgmental, but man...they make it hard!
“As the people gathered to protest to Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tabernacle and saw that the cloud had covered it, and the glorious presence of the Lord appeared. Moses and Aaron came and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and the Lord said to Moses, “Get away from these people so that I can instantly destroy them!” But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. And Moses said to Aaron, “Quick, take an incense burner and place burning coals on it from the altar. Lay incense on it and carry it quickly among the people to make atonement for them. The Lord’s anger is blazing among them--the plague has already begun.” Aaron did as Moses told him and ran out among the people. The plague indeed had already begun, but Aaron burned the incense and made atonement for them. He stood between the living and the dead until the plague was stopped. But 14,700 people died in that plague, in addition to those who had died in the incident involving Korah.” (Numbers 16:42-49)
Wow! How many times does God have to show us who He is before we listen and accept Him as our Lord and Savior??? Let not your heart be hardened.
Lord, thank you for your Word, today! Help us to see your love and blessings each and every day. Keep our hearts open to you, knowing you will never forsake us.
“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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