Numbers 16:1-35
We now come to a very sad scene in Israel’s history. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with a company of the chief men of Israel, began to speak against Moses and Aaron. Korah, their leader, was of the tribe of Levi, and he told Moses and Aaron that they took too much upon themselves, and that they had lifted themselves up before the people. This was a serious charge. It was really not against Moses, but against the Lord, who had given Moses and Aaron their position. The people had failed utterly, and would have all perished long bore this, if it had not been for the iercession of Moses, and yet they spoke against him. Moses’ and Aaron’s posion here is typical of Christ, our Great High Priest, who has now entered into heaven by His own blood, “having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:12. To set Him aside, is to set aside the ground of all blessing—it is apostacy, and will bring down the judgment of God upon Christendom, just as this rebellion brought down the judgment of God upon Korah and his company. They said to Moses and Aaron, “Ye take too much upon yourselves ... .wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?” Moses replied, “Ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi,” and surely it was so! Moses spoke very solemnly to Korah, but they were filled with pride and rebellion, and refused to hearken, especially Dathan and. Abiram from the tribe of Reuben, who had joined with Korah in his wicked course. How often it is so, that when one in the wrong, influences others, they become worse than the leader himself in their rebellion.
Moses told them all to take their censers, and that the Lord would make manifest who had authority from Him, and who did not. There is one thing here that we notice with sorrow, for it marks the turning point in the life of Moses with the people. He did not no act in that meekness whinn he had shown when Miriam and Aaron rose up, but was angry, and called upon God not to respect the offering of the rebels. It was true that they deserved the judgment which fell, for it was only the grace and goodness of God through the priesthood (which they had despised) that could carry the people through the wilderness. This grace, Moses, in measure at least, failed to apprehend, or at least it was the beginning, which led later on to his calling the people “rebels,” and smiting the rock at Meribah. There could be no blessing for the people on the ground of their own responsibility, for they had failed completely, but only through the grace of God maintained toward them by the priesthood.
Nevertheless the instance gives a solemn warning to those who rebel against God’s authority. God was about to destroy the whole congregation, but Moses and Aaron interceded for those who had not joined in the rebellion, so the Lord told the others to separate from Korah and his company. Those who did, escaped the solemn judgment which fell upon the rebels, for the earth opened and swallowed them up with their children, their houses, and ail their belongings. They went down alive into the pit, and their cries were so terrible, that those who were near fled away. Oh, dear young reader, if you are unsaved and could hear the cries of the lost right now, you would surely “flee from the wrath to come.” You would not delay one moment longer. Why not turn to Christ as your Saviour today, before it is forever too late?
ML 10/28/1951