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Numbers Chapter 16
- Numbers 16:1 Now Korah, the son
of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and
Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of
Reuben, took men:
- 2 And they rose up before
Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and
fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men
of renown:
- 3 And they gathered
themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said
unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the
congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among
them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the
congregation of the LORD?
- 4 And when Moses heard
it, he fell upon his face:
Looks like they didn't learn anything from what happened to Miriam
when she and Aaron did almost the same things to Moses.
Moses never once sought to exalt himself or make himself higher than
anyone else. God is the one that chose Moses and set him as leader.
Moses was a meek man who desired that all be filled with the
spirit and all would prophesy and do the work of the Lord. He was
not a man that wanted or desired to be lifted up higher than anyone
else. I believe that is why God chose this man above all others.
To rebel against a man chosen of God who is humble and does not seek
to exalt himself is a very serious offense. We need even today to be
careful not to harm one who is truly called of God.
Many though have exalted self and have used these passages to lord
over the flock and dominate, not being called of God to do so. These
passages are warnings against rebelling against those truly anointed
and called of God not self appointed people.
Things to look for in a true anointed leader are:
- Love for the people they lead
- Humility
- Gives God the glory
- Does not exalt self
- Does not use their authority to abuse or
take advantage of others especially financially
- Desires others to be used and called of
God.
- Speaks the truth and does not use parts
of scripture to support pet doctrines that take the verses out
of context.
We are to be as the Berean's and search the scriptures to make sure
our leaders are speaking the truth. "Touch not mine anointed" does
not mean deceivers and those that are using religion as a cloak to
deceive and gain followers after self.
A true godly leader will lead people to Jesus Christ never to self.
- Numbers 16:5 And he spoke unto
Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even tomorrow the LORD
will show who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to
come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause
to come near unto him.
- 6 This do; Take you
censers, Korah, and all his company;
- 7 And put fire therein,
and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow: and it shall
be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye
take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
- 8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
- 9 Seemeth it but a small
thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from
the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do
the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before
the congregation to minister unto them?
- 10 And he hath brought
thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with
thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
- 11 For which cause both
thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD:
and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
- 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not
come up:
- 13 Is it a small thing
that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with
milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make
thyself altogether a prince over us?
- 14 Moreover thou hast not
brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or
given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out
the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
- 15 And Moses was very
wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering:
I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of
them.
- 16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and
they, and Aaron, tomorrow:
- 17 And take every man his
censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD
every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also,
and Aaron, each of you his censer.
- 18 And they took every
man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon,
and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with
Moses and Aaron.
- 19 And Korah gathered all
the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all
the congregation.
- 20 And the LORD spoke
unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
- 21 Separate yourselves
from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a
moment.
- 22 And they fell upon
their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all
flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the
congregation?
- 23 And the LORD spoke
unto Moses, saying,
- 24 Speak unto the
congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
- 25 And Moses rose up and
went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed
him.
- 26 And he spoke unto the
congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of
these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be
consumed in all their sins.
- 27 So they got up from
the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and
Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their
tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little
children.
- 28 And Moses said, Hereby
ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works;
for I have not done them of mine own mind.
It is a shame that the company of Korah that was of the tribe of
Levi decided to act in this manner. They were chosen of God to serve
but they proved themselves unworthy of their office. They didn't
learn from the lesson of the unbelief of the 10 spies which caused
their possession of the promised land to be delayed. It could be
that this family was part of the cause of all unbelief.
- Numbers 16:29 If these men die
the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the
visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
- 30 But if the LORD make a
new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up,
with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into
the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked
the LORD.
- 31 And it came to pass,
as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the
ground cleaved asunder that was under them:
- 32 And the earth opened
her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the
men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Notice that God gave any innocent people a chance to depart and get
away from these rebellious people before the earthquake appeared.
Some could have been saved by just believing God's word and removing
themselves from among the guilty.
- Numbers 16:33 They, and all that
appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth
closed upon them: and they perished from among the
congregation.
- 34 And all Israel that
were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said,
Lest the earth swallow us up also.
- 35 And there came out a
fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men
that offered incense.
- 36 And the LORD spoke
unto Moses, saying,
- 37 Speak unto Eleazar the
son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the
burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are
hallowed.
- 38 The censers of these
sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates
for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the
LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto
the children of Israel.
- 39 And Eleazar the priest
took the brazen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had
offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the
altar:
- 40 To be a memorial unto
the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the
seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that
he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him
by the hand of Moses.
This again reminds us of "One way". Only one way of salvation and
that is God's provision, never man's religious works. God ordained
who was to do what, when and how. No person, tribe or family had a
right to change things to their liking. Two of the sons of Aaron
even perished for offering a strange fire that God did not command.
This points to the fact that God planned the correct way of
salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said: "I am the way
the truth and the life, no man comes unto the Father but by me."
There was only one way in the Old Testament and one way in the New
Testament. The Old Testament points to the New Testament. The New
Testament fulfills the Old.
Had they been truly people of the Lord as the other Levites, they
would never had rebelled against Moses.
- Numbers 16:42 And it came to
pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and
against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the
congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory
of the LORD appeared.
- 43 And Moses and Aaron
came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
- 44 And the LORD spoke
unto Moses, saying,
- 45 Get you up from among
this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And
they fell upon their faces.
- 46 And Moses said unto
Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar,
and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and
make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the
LORD; the plague is begun.
- 47 And Aaron took as
Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation;
and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put
on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
- 48 And he stood between
the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
We never learn but keep repeating the same mistakes. It seems like
the fearful and the unbelieving were destroyed before those of faith
could enter the promised land.
Notice the Moses stood in the gap to keep more people from dying and
the plague stopped.
This is an example of Jesus standing in the gap which separated man
and God and giving His own life as a ransom for the souls of all who
would just turn from their sin and believe in Him. Jesus
stands is the gap to keep souls from perishing in hell. Moses was a
type of Christ. Someone standing in the gap to keep people from
suffering the wrath of God for their sins. That is what Jesus is
doing now for all who would simply believe in Him and be cleansed of
sin.
Many perished as sin had to be purged before they could enter the
promised land.
Sin has to be cleansed before we can enter into eternal life and be
part of God's everlasting kingdom to come. Jesus is the only way to
be accepted by God. He made the sacrifice of Himself, the just for
the unjust in order to save as many as would receive Him.
What a glorious, wonderful promise to all who receive what God
gives.
- Numbers 16:49 Now they that died
in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside
them that died about the matter of Korah.
- 50 And Aaron returned
unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
and the plague was stayed.
The fearful and unbelieving have no part in God's kingdom.
- Revelation 21:7 He that
overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and
he shall be my son.
- 8 But the fearful,
and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.
Those that enter into the rest of God are those who:
- Revelation 22:14 Blessed are
they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the
tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
- 15 For without are
dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and
idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
- 16 I Jesus have sent
mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I
am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and
morning star.
- 17 And the Spirit and
the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let
him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the
water of life freely.
Those that rebel against the word of God and do not take His word
seriously are living dangerously. At His word nations stand and at
His command nations will fall and so will the leaders. Fear God and
love His coming. He is good to all who put their trust in Him.
We can believe in Jesus and be saved in one moment. The past is gone
and we inherit everlasting life. We can't earn this, we do it by
trusting in what Jesus did to save us from sin. God provides
salvation. Our own religious acts, rituals and works is not enough
to save one soul. Jesus did it all for us but we have to believe
this in order for it to count on our behalf. -DC
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