23: The Rebellion of Korah the Levites (Num 16:1-35)

Though the Lord warned them that gathering against God would arouse God’s wrath in 14:35, they rebelled again.

πŸ‘‰ Read Numbers 16:1-35

They said, “Seeing that the whole community is (              ), every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why do you (            ) yourselves above the (                     ) of the Lord?”

 

Moses replied, “In the morning, the Lord will make known who is (            ). He will cause that person he has (             ) to approach Him.”

What caused them to rebel against Aaron? (9)

 

God was angry at them because they refused the leaders that God had (                ).

 

How did the Lord’s punishment come down upon the rebels? (31-33, 35)

 

Answer and Meditation

 

Holy, exalt, community

Such a claim that the whole community was holy was aroused by the pouring of the Spirit upon them in chapter 11, triggered by Moses’ complaint of the heavy leadership burden.

 

Holy, chosen

Korah’s view about being ministers: They took being a minister as a higher rank than others. The whole community is holy = everyone is good in their nature.

Moses’ view: A minister is chosen by God rather than being elected by people according to one’s ability. Ministers’ task is not ruling over others but approaching God. The whole community is holy = God has chosen them to be holy (separated).

 

They thought their ministry as the Levites was small compared to the role of priest. 

Their mind seeking their own glory made them think this way. 

You should not compare your role with others in the church. Anyone who serves the church is chosen by God. What matters is not your ability but that you are chosen.

 

Chosen

Separation, holy, and chosen are the keywords to understand the theology behind chapter 16. The rebels didn’t understand that they were innate sinful. Therefore, they viewed God’s ministry from a human standpoint.

If we acknowledge that we are sinful and hopeless, we will seek God’s sovereign works of salvation. Then, we would respect and follow the leadership that God has chosen.

 

The earth swallowed them alive.

The fire from the Lord’s presence consumed them.

Supernatural death shows it came from the Lord.


The story of Korah warns us that sinful humans could fall into the last and most notorious sin of seeking their own glory, even in the field of ministry.

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