(Num 16 NKJV)  Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with 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 some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty

·     leaders of the congregation,

·     representatives of the congregation,

·     men of renown.

{3} They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"

 

 

(Num 12 NKJV)  Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. {2} So they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" And the LORD heard it.

 

 

{3} (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.) {4} Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!" So the three came out. {5} Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. {6}Then He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.

{7} Not so with My servant Moses;

He is faithful in all My house.

{8} I speak with him face to face,

Even plainly, and not in dark sayings;

And he sees the form of the LORD.

Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?"

{9} So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed.

{10} And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper.

{11} So Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned.”

 

Now let us return to Numbers 16

 

(Num 16:4) So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face;

 

 

(Num 16:5) and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, "Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him.

 

 

(Num 16:6) "Do this: Take censers, Korah

and all your company; {7} "put fire in them and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the LORD chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!"

 

 

(Num 16:3) They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You take too much upon yourselves,

 

 

(Num 16:8) Then Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, you sons of Levi: {9} "Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; {10} "and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also?

 

 

(Num 16:11) "Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?"

 

 

(Num 16:12) And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come up!

 

 

(Num 16:13) [1] "Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, [2] to kill us in the wilderness, [3] that you should keep acting like a prince over us?

 

Are these charges worth answering?

 

[1]  This is a reference to Egypt from which they cried for deliverance.

[2]  Moses hadn’t killed any of them.   Those who died, died as an act of God.

[3]  (Num 12:3 NKJV)  (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

 

(Num 16:14) "Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey,

nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!"

 

 

(Num 16:15) Then Moses was very angry, and said to the LORD, "Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them."

 

 

Tomorrow is Judgment Day!

 

(Num 16:16) And Moses said to Korah, "Tomorrow, you and all your company be present before the LORD; you and they, as well as Aaron. {17} "Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer." {18} So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moses and Aaron.

(Num 16:19) And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

 

From human eyes, it isn’t looking good for Moses and Aaron, but things change quickly:

 

Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation. {20} And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, {21} "Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." {22} Then they fell on their faces, and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?"

 

 

(Num 16:23) So the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, {24} "Speak to the congregation, saying, 'Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.'" {25} Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

(Num 16:26) And he spoke to the congregation, saying, "Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins." {27} So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children. {28} And Moses said: "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. {29} "If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. {30} "But if the LORD creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the LORD." {31} Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, {32} and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.

(Num 16:33) So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. {34} Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, "Lest the earth swallow us up also!" {35} And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

 

What an awesome display of:

·     God’s power!

·     His righteous judgment!

·     His people will be vindicated in the end!

 

You would think this would have settled everything for ever, wouldn’t you?

 

How long did it all last?

 

Would you believe the next day they were back at it again:  (Num 16:41) On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the LORD."

 

 

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