The Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
By J. W. Westphal
THIS great rebellion on the borders of the promised land is recorded in the fourteenth chapter of Numbers. The next uprising, that of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, the one which involved more than any other, is described in the sixteenth chapter of Numbers. There was no special circumstance or event to call it forth. It revealed only a deep-seated dissatisfaction with the leadership and with the arrangements in the organization of Israel. In it all they lose sight of Him who had led them all the way; who, like a tender father, had carried them in his bosom; who had protected and delivered them many times; and they see only Moses and Aaron. They say, “Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?” Verse 3. From the standpoint of their confused, darkened understanding they could make out a clear case against Moses. When he led them forth from Egyptian bondage, he had manifested a fatherly leadership, but as time progressed, they considered that he was taking to himself despotic power. Thus, when at Sinai they had made a golden calf, Moses bade the sons of Levi to “slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. . . . And there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.” Ex. 32:27, 28. When the people were smitten “with a very great plague” for eating greedily of the quails sent them, as recorded in Numbers 11, could not they put the blame upon Moses for not announcing what the result would be? In the sentence that their carcasses would fall in the wilderness, they saw only Moses’ arbitrary will and determination to destroy them because they would not blindly follow his leading. “Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?” Num. 16:13. Did not the fact that they were afterward willing and ready to go up and possess the land prove that if Moses had had more patience with them and love for them, they would have followed him into the inheritance? They evidently reasoned, did not Moses again show his wilful stubbornness in refusing to go up with them when they were ready to go? And thus Moses was really the one who was to blame for their not going into the promised land. They said, “Thou hast not brought us up into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards.” Verse 14. It was thus clear to them that if Moses could not rule absolutely, he would destroy. It was true that the Lord had often revealed himself to Moses, and that he11had given them much instruction through him, but it was also clear to them that what purported to come from the Lord was not all from him. Had not Moses put captains over thousands, and hundreds, and fifties, and tens, simply upon the advice of Jethro, his father-in-law? And did not this clearly prove what an influence his relatives exercised over him? Did not Moses send twelve spies to search the land at their request, and at other times had not he yielded to their demands? and did not this prove how human influences affected him? Under these circumstances they thought it a difficult thing for them to know what was from the Lord and what was not. The tribe of Levi was appointed to the special work of the sanctuary. But, they reasoned, this was the tribe of which Moses was a member. Aaron and his sons were appointed to the sacred work of the priesthood. But was not Aaron the brother of Moses? and were not Aaron’s sons Moses’ nephews? Why should Moses make this difference between the tribes, and even the families of the same tribe? Had not they, because of their intimacy with him and relationship, influenced Moses? and had not Moses shown partiality to his tribe and near relatives? Under these circumstances how could they have any confidence in this arrangement? “Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?” Verse 3. So sure were they that this arrangement was only from Moses, that “two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown,” “took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.” Verses 2, 18. By this it will be seen how much was involved in that rebellion. They would not deny that the Lord had brought them forth from Egypt, and that he had been with them in the wilderness, and that Moses was an instrument in the Lord’s hand in bringing them out. However, the personal opinions and prejudices of Moses and the influences brought to bear by others had become so intermingled with the Lord’s leadings that they felt it devolved upon them to decide what was human and what was divine. Virtually it called in question Moses’ entire leadership. It struck at the organization of “the church in the wilderness.” It refused to recognize the order and authority God had established, and was destined to bring in anarchy among the people of God. These self-appointed leaders in this rebellion professed to appear as the champions of the rights of the people against the encroachments of papal principles. They said, “Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?” They had carefully sown the seeds of sedition among the people, and believing their cause to be just and reasonable, and seeing only Moses and Aaron in the struggle, they gladly accepted the invitation to come to the door of the tabernacle to have it determined who are the Lord’s, and who are holy, believing that they would score an easy victory, and Moses and Aaron would be deposed. To accomplish and witness this “Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” The three leaders in the rebellion, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, were strong-headed, decided men. Their position in Israel as leaders and princes could only have strengthened these traits. When “Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab,” their temper is shown in their reply: “We will not come up: . . . wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.” Verses 12, 14. If others would go out to be persuaded by Moses, or have their eyes put out by confusing their minds as to the real issue, they would not. This papal yoke had become unbearable. Others might submit further, if they would, but they would be honest and open and assert their Christian manliness and independence. This attitude they maintained to the last. The wives and children of Dathan and Abiram had so fully imbibed their wicked spirit and evil accusation that they, together with Korah, brazenly and daringly stood “in the door of their tents,” mocking and deriding the threatened judgments. “It came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.” Verses 31-33. Moses said, “What is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?” Verse 11. Aaron had not been responsible for his own appointment. He could do only what the Lord had commanded. It was true the Lord had appointed him through Moses as high priest, but the Lord had given Israel every evidence that he was guiding Moses. The Lord had also shown that he accepted the service of Aaron by appearing in glory upon the tabernacle, and burning the sacrifices they brought at its dedication. Why say a word against Aaron when he was only doing as the prophet of the Lord had commanded? How could he do otherwise? Besides accusing him, two hundred and fifty men, “princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown,” stood ready to dispute the place of the Lord’s anointed. In the supposed justice of their cause they were not afraid to come before the Lord to burn incense. “And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.” Verse 35. In the midst of the judgments hanging over the heads of these men, Moses spoke to “the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.” Verse 26. Although they had drunk in a spirit of dissatisfaction, they still retained some respect for the aged prophet. The power and authority of his words forced them from the “tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side.” Verse 27. But it was not sufficient to separate from their tents; they must also separate from the spirit of rebellion sown in their hearts. However, it had taken too deep root to be quickly destroyed. “On the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord. And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.” Verses 41, 42. Before they realized it, the plague had begun, and “they that died of the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.” Verse 49.