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Old Testament History

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 20, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 19.

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Old Testament History.

By J. W. Scoles

THE REBELLION OF KORAH.

(Lesson 22, June 1, 1889.)
1. WHAT instance have we already had of envy because of the exalted position of Moses?
2. How did God regard that manifestation?
3. How was rebellion again fomented?
"Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown; and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, 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?" Num. 16:1-3.
4. Against whom were they really rebelling?
"Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? and he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee; and seek ye the priesthood also? for which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord; and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?" Verses 9-11.
5. When Moses sent for the conspirators, what did they reply?
"And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; which said, We will not come up; is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? Moreover, thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards; wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up." Verses 12-14.
6. What false accusation did they bring against Moses?—Ib.
7. How did Moses repel their charge?
"And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering; I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them." Verse 15.
8. What did the Lord tell the people to do?
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram." Verses 23, 24.
9. Why was this order given?
"And he spake unto 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.
10. What did Moses say the Lord would do to test the truth of the charges that had been brought against him?
"And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord." Verses 28-30.
11. What was done to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram?
"And 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." Verses 31-33.
12. What was done to their fellow-conspirators?
"And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense." Verse 35.
13. What was done to keep this rebellion and its result in mind, and as a warning to others?
"Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed. The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar; for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed; and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar; to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord; that he be not as Korah, and as his company; as the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses." Verses 37-40.
14. Notwithstanding the fate of the rebellious princes, what wicked charge did the people still bring against Moses and Aaron?
"But 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." Verse 41.
15. What did the Lord say to this?
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces." Verses 44, 45.
16. How quickly was the judgment of God visited upon them?
"And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them; for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people; and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people." Verses 46, 47.
17. How many perished in this plague?
"Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides them that died about the matter of Korah." Verse 49.
18. How can you account for such daring rebellion as was manifested by the people? ## NOTES. A VERY brief examination of our hearts in the light of God's word and by the aid of his Holy Spirit, will generally suffice to show us the sins which are hiding there. But of all the sins which beset us, and lurk along our pathway, probably none are more difficult of detection than that of rebellion. The Lord has truly said of it that it is "as the sin of witchcraft." It comes to us as a most subtle temptation, and is apparently only a proper and laudable desire to assert our own rights, and claim what justly belongs to us, whether it be position, influence, wealth, or friendship. So it was in the case of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Satan led them to think there was no rebellion in their unrighteous act. It was simply asserting their own claims, which were, to their minds at least, certainly worthy of consideration. So it always has been. Rebellion is so specious in its promptings, and so deceptive in its arguments, that if we hearken to it but for a moment it blinds our spiritual discernment, and masquerades before our mental vision in the garb of righteousness.
God's judgments are always just. The sin of Korah and his companions was simply a repetition of the sin of Satan. Presumptuous in its conception, it was blasphemous to the uttermost degree in its attempted execution. Had God allowed this wickedness to prevail, it would only have been followed by greater trespasses, and more arrogant assumptions of that power which belonged to him alone.
DATHAN and Abiram were of the tribe of Reuben, and could lay no just claim whatever to the position of the priesthood. They forgot that the honor of the priesthood had been conferred on the Levites because of the refusal of that tribe to join in the idolatrous worship of the golden calf, and being themselves descendants of Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob, they doubtless were ready to co-operate in any plan which would furnish them an opportunity for advancement.
INGRATITUDE is one of the basest of sins. How soon men forget the tender kindness of the Lord; and only when his terrible judgments fall upon them do they remember that he holds in his hands the issues of life and death for all men. When the plague smote the spies who brought back a false report, the congregation were humble and repented; when Miriam received such signal punishment, the congregation again trembled; when Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire, and died for their presumption, all the children of Israel feared before the Lord; and yet, with the very remembrance of all these things fresh in their minds, and notwithstanding the many miracles and signal blessings God had wrought for them, they were again ready to turn against him, and ignore all his long-suffering toward them.
THIS was because their repentance was occasioned by fear rather than by a true sense of the sinfulness of their course. Paul speaks of godly sorrow that works "repentance to salvation not to be repented of." 2 Cor. 7:10. This is the only kind of sorrow that is of any value in the sight of the Lord. Anything short of this avails us nothing, and if we experience no other repentance than that which needs to be repented of, the time will soon come when we will desire true repentance, but, like Esau of old, will find no place for it, though we seek it carefully and with tears.
"ALL the congregation are holy, every one of them; wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord." Jealous inferiority always delights in casting aspersion and reproach upon those who occupy heights to which it can never attain. It was this principle which led Korah and his company to gainsay the testimony and work of the Lord's chosen servants. And it was this also which led them to make the claim that the congregation was holy, a claim which was instantly disproved by the congregation themselves in the sympathy they showed for the rebels.
IT is not necessary for us to be continually reiterating the fact that we are holy and pure. If we are truly devoted to God, and sanctified to his service, we will not desire others to be continually parading the fact. It will make itself manifest without such demonstrations as these. It is not always the loudest professions of piety that prove the individual to be the possessor of the genuine article. The adornment of a meek and quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price.
"Be thou and all thy company before the Lord . . . to-morrow." While righteously and justly indignant at the insult offered to the Lord, Moses did not call for judgment to fall at once upon the rebellious ones. "Perhaps they might reflect upon the wickedness of their course if time were granted them. Who could tell? Wait a little season, and possibly the goodness of God would lead them to repentance. Wait until to-morrow." It is thus in pity and mercy that God deals with his erring children. How many more opportunities shall we slight, and how many more times shall he have to call us before we hearken to his loving voice?
BUT although he is a God of mercy, the Lord is a God of justice as well. His love abused and his proffers of mercy ignored, the long-suffering and long-delayed wrath of God falls at last with terrible vengeance on the heads of the ungodly. So it was with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and all their company. So it will be with us if we fail to heed the lesson given. "All these things happened unto them for types [margin], and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come." May the dear Lord help us to prove loyal to him. His loving-kindness and tender mercy are ever towards them that fear him. His promises are ours to claim, his strength is ours to accept, and his overcoming grace and precious blood will lead us on to glorious victory. He has promised it. What more can we ask? J. W. SCOLES.