The whole story of bible Israel is one of repentance and rebellion. The God-given individuals rebelled against Him, and at least one person resurrected.  ,
Advertisement
I ca n’t imagine how difficult it must have been for Moses to liberate such a obstinate people from captivity and prepare them for the Promised Land. Figures 15-16 is one area where we can see the revolution in full display. In a speech where Dr. Albert Mohler spoke about those pages, I just overheard.
The Lord gives Moses some protracted debate of the rules governing sacrifices for crimes in Numbers 15 before going on to say something. The section concludes with instructions on how to keep the tassel, or tzitzit, on the fringes of one’s clothing to aid in their memory of the law. The people of Israel discovered a male gathering lumber on the Sabbath in the middle of those, and they stoned him.
Associated: Sunday Thoughts: The Torch and the Firepot
However, Numbers 16 has the big picture. A gang of men led Moses and Aaron’s second cousin Korah, one of the 250 Israelites officials who rebelled against them.
They confronted Moses and Aaron and said to them,” You have gone very much!” For all in the community are divine, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you elevate yourself above the Lord’s people?
Numbers 16: 3 ( ESV )
Advertisement
But Moses took them up on their issue:
When Moses heard it, he fell to the ground and said to Korah and all of his companions,” The Lord does show who is his, and who is sacred, and did bring him near to him.” He will provide the person he chooses with him. Do this: get pyres, Korah and all his firm, put blaze in them and put perfume on them before the Lord tomorrow, and the person whom the King chooses may be the holy one. You have gone very far, sons of Levi”! The God of Israel has separated you from the church of Israel, to send you near to himself, to perform services in the temple of the Lord, and to have before the congregation to minister to them, according to Moses, who said to Korah,” Learn then, sons of Levi, that the God of Israel has brought you near to him, and all your brothers are the sons of Levi with you,” he said. And would you also like to become a priest? So, gathering you and all of your friends together is against the Lord. What does Aaron mean to you when you criticize him?
Numbers 16: 4-11 ( ESV )
And Moses said to Korah,” Get existing, you and all your business, before the Lord, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow. And letting every one of you taking his companies and put perfume on it, and every one of you bring before the Lord his companies, 250 censers, you likewise, and Aaron, each his companies”. But every person gathered around the camp to meet with Moses and Aaron, lit his censer, lit it, and lit incense on them. The community was therefore pitied against them at the meeting tent’s entrance. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the church.
Numbers 16: 16-19 ( ESV )
Advertisement
The persons were instructed to turn their backs on Korah and his conspirators, Dathan and Abiram, the following morning. Moses told the people of Israel that they would see God’s assurance that Moses was His message as the three people and their people stood at the doors to their houses. Soon, the earth swallowed the males, their households, and all their possessions. Additionally, fire consumed the 250 people who were prepared to offer their rebel sacrifice.
According to Mohler, these people wanted to make their own concessions in opposition to Moses, Aaron, and the Levitical Priesthood that God established in His laws. So God obliged them and made them the concessions. He directed the priests to encase the men’s metal censers in a covering for the temple.
Jesus ‘ brother Jude used this account as a caution against those who continue to fight against the Lord, telling his visitors,” But these people blaspheme all that they do not know, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, know immediately. Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion”, ( Jude 10-11, ESV, emphasis added ).
Advertisement
” But all I’m trying to do with that New Testament reference is point out that, centuries and centuries later, the Lord through Jude will bring the rebellion of Korah back to mind, not just as a warning against Israel, but as a warning to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ,” Mohler said in his conclusion.
It’s a warning we can all understand today. We must fight back because rebellion is a natural trait of humans.