SUBJECT: Korah
QUESTION: What is the “spirit of Korah”? Just what
did Korah do and what lessons are there for us today?
ANSWER:
The “spirit of Korah” refers to a negative attitude he held
regarding the leadership of the children of Israel. He
sought, with others, to overthrow Moses and Aaron. Korah
felt he was more qualified than Moses and that he should be
leading Israel. To tell you the story, following is an
excerpt from “The Bible Story” published years ago by our
parent church:
Picking up the story in Chapter 41, REBELS CHALLENGE
GOD'S GOVERNMENT”
Discontentment Grows Again
Not long after the Israelites left Kadesh, another wretched
event took place that resulted in another great disaster.
The situation developed because a state of envy existed in
the minds of some of the people who wanted to be priests or
who wanted certain of their friends to be priests and
leaders instead of Levi's family.
Foremost among such men was a man named Korah, one of Levi's
great grandsons and a first cousin to Moses and Aaron. He
strongly felt that he should have been chosen for a high
office. In fact, he had the idea that he should be in Moses'
position as head of Israel. He was joined in this ill
attitude by three Reubenites, Dathan, Abiram and On. They
were of the opinion that Moses was favoring his family too
much, and was not properly distributing the offices of
authority. These men thought all the congregation should
have a voice in government. (Numbers 16:1-3.)
For a long time these men had been seething with discontent
and planning how they could move in to take over the
priesthood for themselves. This scheme against Moses was the
same as scheming against God (Numbers 26:9), but these men
were desperate for power. Gradually they managed to persuade
high-ranking Israelites that their cause was right.
Eventually two hundred and fifty Israelite leaders agreed to
join these influential, smooth-talking schemers in the hope
that all would move into higher rank with greater power and
more income.
One morning when Israel was camping at a stopping place on
the way southward, all these ambitious men gathered before
Moses' tent. With Korah, their best speaker and worst
schemer leading them, they came to demand of Moses that some
changes be made in the priesthood. When Moses was told that
a crowd of high ranking men had come to demand some changes
in government, he wasn't surprised. He had sensed for weeks
that this kind of trouble was brewing. Now, as he came out
of his tent, he expected to see only a handful of men. He
was rather startled to see more than two hundred and fifty,
and he was considerably upset to recognize so many trusted
men of high rank among those who now stood before him with
unfriendly expressions. (Numbers 16:2.)
"Why are you here?" Moses asked.
Korah Wants More Authority
"We are here because we believe you are taking on too much
power for one man," Korah answered. "You and your priests
act as though you are holier than any of the rest of us. If
we are God's chosen people, then ALL of us are holy. That
means that all of us have equal rights in matters of
government. However, you use your authority to put men who
are your friends in the best positions in government. (Verse
3.) We demand that you yield some of those offices to the
congregation so we can choose our own officials." Korah,
being a good speaker, knew he could be elected to a high
office if the people were allowed to choose their own
leaders. What Korah really was after was complete control of
all Israel. Leaders of nations have always been the objects
of envy by greedy men. Seizing leadership has always been a
selfish, bloody game, with the greatest losers generally
turning out to be the citizens. Even Israel, God's chosen
nation, wasn't free of this kind of ambitious trouble
makers.
Moses was shocked by this blunt demand from Korah. He could
see that the men weren't just bluffing. It was plain that
they were willing to go to extremes to gain what they had
set out to do. Setting armed soldiers on them would only
mean bloodshed. Besides, most of the Israelites would
sympathize with the victims of the soldiers, since they were
popular, well-known leaders, and the situation would become
worse.
Without even going back into the privacy of his tent, Moses
knelt forward with his head to the ground and asked God for
help. A few of those assembled became uncomfortable as they
stood in the presence of a humble man calling on his Creator
for aid. They included On, one of the Reubenites. He wanted
no more of the matter, and slipped out of the scene. Other
onlookers merely smiled at what they considered an attempt
by Moses to gain their sympathy by appearing pitifully
pious.
"This is no time for a show, Moses!" Korah called out.
"Stand up and explain why at least some of us shouldn't be
priests in place of some of those who are now in service
merely because it was your whim to put them there." Korah, a
Levite, already had a high office, but he wanted an even
higher office -- the priesthood that was given to Aaron.
(Verses 8-11.)
Moses slowly came to his feet. Those who watched him
couldn't know that God had just inspired him to know what to
say. Ignoring Korah, Moses addressed Dathan and Abiram.
Moses Tries to Save Rebels
"Before you carry this matter further, let us discuss it in
my tent," Moses said, thus giving them an opportunity to
separate from Korah.
"There is no reason to talk with you," Dathan and Abiram
replied. "We refuse to listen to your excuses for leading us
from the good land of Egypt and into a desert where we are
to die. Your only aim has plainly been to control the
people, no matter what becomes of them." (Verses 12-14.)
These untruthful charges upset Moses. He was tempted to
summon soldiers to slay every rebel before him. But he knew
this was not according to God's plan of dealing with them,
and he controlled himself.
"You have started something you will have trouble
finishing," Moses declared to Korah in a voice that reached
the whole crowd. "Your belief that just anyone can be in the
priesthood without being ordained by God is not a true one.
However, if all of you insist on trying to force your way
into such offices, every one of you should be here tomorrow
morning with incense and with a censer filled with hot
coals. Aaron and his sons will also be here with their
censers. God will make it known which ones he will choose as
priests and their helpers." (Verses 4-7.)
Korah smiled when he heard this. He lacked respect for God,
and he felt that he had bluffed Moses into giving in to the
extent that he and his followers could gain a foothold in
wresting power from Moses.
Rebels Challenge Moses
Next morning the crowd of two hundred and fifty, plus Korah,
Dathan and Abiram, appeared before the tabernacle. Every man
carried a censer filled with hot coals to show his readiness
to go at once into priestly service. Korah had spread the
word throughout the camps that he was going to challenge
Moses, and that there would be a showdown to free the people
from what was wrongfully referred to as Moses' unfair
leadership. As a result, a growing crowd of curious people
built up behind Korah's men.
Moses came out to face Korah. With him were Aaron and
Aaron's sons, all of whom held censers with hot coals. The
elders of Israel were also present.
There were minutes of strained silence. God hadn't told
Moses what to do beyond asking the men to show up with
censers. Moses didn't know what would happen next, but he
was certain that God would somehow make it very clear which
group would be in power from then on.
Suddenly there was a brilliant flash from the tabernacle,
followed by a second and a third. It was plain to most that
God was in the tabernacle. (Verse 19.) Some of them drew
back, fearful of what might happen. Even a part of Korah's
followers appeared to be ready to leave, but Korah told them
to stand firm. Korah had become so rebellious that he
actually doubted that God could hinder him and his men from
gaining leadership of Israel, and the blinding display of
light from within the tabernacle didn't move him from his
ambition.
Realizing that God wanted to give them some message, Moses
and Aaron stepped away from the others and approached the
tabernacle.
"Remove yourselves and the priests and elders from these
people who face you," God commanded in a voice that only the
two men could hear. "I want you at a safe distance because I
intend to wipe all the others out of existence!" (Verses
20-21.)
Moses shuddered at this alarming remark from God. The
Creator had threatened to do the same thing before, but
Moses had begged him not to, and God answered Moses' prayer.
There was nothing to do now but again ask God to spare the
people. Moses and Aaron bowed down in fervent prayer.
"Look at him!" Korah exclaimed to those about him. "He's
trying again to gain the sympathy of the people by appearing
pious!"
On the contrary, Moses wasn't concerned at that moment what
the people thought. He was concerned for their lives, and he
pleaded with God not to be angry with many people because of
the evil deeds of a few. (Verse 22.)
God Spares the People
"I shall do this much," God said. "I shall spare the
congregation if you can succeed in getting the people back
to their homes and away from the tents where Korah, Dathan
and Abiram live. Any who go near the homes of those three
men will risk losing their lives."
Encouraged by this merciful statement from God, Moses sent
his officers out to warn the crowd to break up and return to
their tents, and not to go near the tents of Korah, Abiram
and Dathan. Slowly and a bit unwillingly the people
sauntered away.
"You said that God would choose His priests if we would
assemble with censers," Korah called out to Moses. "You have
only proved to the people that you are not a man of your
word, because nothing has happened. Tomorrow we shall
return. The people will think the matter over, and tomorrow
they will be ready to back us up in what should be done
about your authority."
"You should remember this in the meantime," Moses replied.
"If you live till tomorrow, then you can know that I will
not continue to be the leader of the Israelites."
This strange remark was ignored by Korah, Dathan and Abiram,
who returned to their respective homes, which were close
together on the south side of the Tabernacle. (Numbers 2:10
and 3:29.) Korah felt that he had made another successful
step, and that it would be only a matter of a day or two
before the mass of Israelites would swing over to his side.
As for his two hundred and fifty followers, they also left
and went back to their various camps.
Later, Moses and Aaron and the elders went to make certain
that the people were not congregated around the homes of the
three main offenders. They found their residence free of
visitors, which was as God wanted it to be. Moses then
warned them that because they persisted in a scheme to take
over the government, God would cause the ground to open up
and swallow them. (Verses 23-30.)
Dathan and Abiram came out of their tents, along with their
wives and children, to hear what more Moses had to say.
"Now he's trying to threaten us with an earthquake," Dathan
scornfully shouted to Abiram. "Can you think of anything
more fantastic?"
"I'll believe it only when it happens -- and maybe not even
then," Abiram shouted back with a grin.
Too Late to Repent!
"We have given these men fair warning," Moses said to those
with him. "Perhaps God would spare them if they would
repent, but since they refuse to repent, it's obviously too
late now. Let us leave here before something dreadful
happens."
Almost as soon as their backs were turned there was a
growing rumble from within the Earth. The ground trembled,
then heaved upward directly between the tents of Abiram and
Dathan and the tent of Korah, which was close by in another
camp!
Chapter 42 "THE EARTH OPENED ITS MOUTH!"
SCREAMING terrorized people of all three families -- Korah,
Dathan and Abiram -- rushed wildly and aimlessly in all
directions. Then the quivering mound of ground suddenly
collapsed and fell back into a deep, yawning chasm! Tons of
soil and rock slipped off the vertical sides of this
horrifying hole and thundered down into dark oblivion,
taking people, tents, animals and most everything that
belonged to Korah, Dathan and Abiram. (Numbers 16:31-33 and
26:10.) It was as though a gigantic mouth had opened in the
Earth's crust for the one purpose of swallowing the
rebellious men and their possessions!
---end of excerpt---
The lesson is clear for us today. We should be immersed
into the Word of God and His Salvation Process and never
allow any type of a spirit of rebellion to creep into our
minds. We should never seek to unseat those over us in the
church because of envy, jealousy, pride or the desire for
power and position. We should never allow anyone to gossip,
murmur against nor tear down anyone in leadership. Korah
was not just rebelling against Moses and Aaron but against
God. Anyone today attempting to rebel against the
leadership positions in the church would be doing the same. |