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?
THE PRIESTHOOD
‘Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: where fore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?’
Numbers 16:3
I. This assertion was strictly true.—Every one of the congregation was holy—i.e. separated to the service of God from all other people ( Exodus 19:6, Leviticus 20:24). The Lord, too, was amongst them, as He said, ‘I will dwell among the children of Israel, and I will be their God’ ( Exodus 29:45).
But though they (the rebels) spake what was quite true, they drew a totally wrong inference from it. Because all the children of Israel, all the congregation was holy, they drew the inference that there were to be no priests among them—none to stand between the Lord and the people to offer to God on behalf of the people.
Now the very same God who had separated all the people to be holy to Himself, and had made them a kingdom of priests as well as a holy nation, had separated one tribe to minister to Himself, and one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron, to be priests in a sense that no other Israelites were, and to perform functions of worship which no other Israelites could perform.
II. Now the same thing has taken place in Christian times, and by Christ’s own appointment.—He separated twelve men from the whole body of His disciples, and put a very great difference between them and His ordinary disciples. To these twelve, and these only, He said, ‘Do this in remembrance of Me.’ To these only He said, ‘Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.’ And He promised to be with them to the end of the world, so that the Church has always held that they live in their successors. Just, then, as the common priesthood of all the Jews did not prevent God ordaining a particular priesthood, so the common priesthood of all Christians does not undo the fact that there is an Apostolical ministry ordained more directly to represent Christ to His people. Let us then devoutly use the functions of His ministry, looking to the action of Christ in each case, giving all glory to Him alone, and we cannot be wrong. We must ask Him to enable us rightly to honour His ordinance, and He will hear our prayer.
—Rev. M. F. Sadler.
Illustration
‘Aaron’s family was but a junior branch of Levi’s tribe; “therefore,” said Korah, “our right is equal to yours, and, perhaps, better. You should at least share the priesthood with us. As to the Reubenites, who should rule, if not they? Was not Reuben the first-born? Should Moses, a mere Levite, keep the power all to himself?” The true origin of this conspiracy was to be found in two secret springs:—(1) Rank Ungodliness. The human law of primogeniture is everything, but the will of God, so clearly shown in the choice of both these men, is nothing. Here is that exaltation of man’s claims, to the belittling of God’s, which degrades and poisons so much of our modern politics. (2) Rank Selfishness. They talked grandly about rights, but their real aim was place and power, the priesthood and the leadership. Here, then, in this ungodliness and selfish hypocritical ambition, is enough to account for any depths of folly and any heights of presumptuous sin. What may not happen when, God being ignored, self both usurps His place and masquerades in the garb of righteousness?’
4.
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
5.
And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew 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 to morrow: 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, to morrow:
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 spake 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 spake 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 spake 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 gat 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.
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 clave 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.
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 spake 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.
SINNERS AGAINST THEIR OWN SOULS
‘These sinners against their own souls.’
Numbers 16:38
Words startlingly true! What had Korah’s splendid energy, and courage, and ability, used in the evil service of ungodly self, brought, but ruin and shame? But this can be said in measure of every sin. It is always a cruel wrong to oneself, a poisoning, or wounding, of one’s inner nature, and a deadly blow at true prosperity. ‘He that sinneth against Me (Wisdom) wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate Me love death.’ May this tremendous fact be written on our very hearts:—I cannot sin consciously, in deed or word or thought, without doing a wrong, haply a deadly wrong, to both my future and myself; and what can make up for that? ‘These sinners against their own souls’—it is a terrible sentence, just because it is so terribly true! Yes, the one great enemy to be feared is sin—sin in every guise. ‘The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Lord, put Thy fear in my heart, according to Thy Word.’
I. There are many modern Korahs who insist that God is the Father of all mankind equally, and that there is no need of the Mediator, Christ Jesus, thus despising the Great High Priest whom God hath appointed. Let all such be warned by the fate of Korah and his company. Moses does not contend for himself in any way, but is entirely willing that the Lord shall decide the whole matter. ‘And he spake unto Korah and to all his company, saying, Even to-morrow 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.’
II. A wayward people.—One would think after this terrible experience the people would be careful how they spoke against Moses and Aaron; but it seems impossible for them to learn, and in verse 41 we read, ‘On the morrow all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron.’ They are tempting the Lord almost beyond endurance, and this time they would all have been killed had it not been for Moses and Aaron, the very men they were speaking against. Notice that they were saved by atonement made by the high priest whom they had despised, and with whom they wanted to do away. If the modern Korahs are ever saved, it will be by atonement made by the High Priest whom they have despised, and want to do away with. ‘There is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.’
Illustration
‘What a privilege to speak with God mouth to mouth! It was the unique prerogative of Moses, hut it is the privilege of all those who, by faith, exercise their privileges in Jesus, and who are faithful in their special department in the household of faith. It is there that we learn to forgive, to pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us, to bless them that curse. There is no such school for love to man as the secret place of the tabernacle of the Most High. But sin in any of God’s own, though forgiven, will delay the march of the host. Our good and our evil promote or hinder all with whom we journey.’
39.
And Eleazar the priest took the brasen 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.
41.
But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
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 spake 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.
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.