Numbers 16:19, commentary and pictures

Korah with Dathan and Abiram and two hundred and fifty princes gathered all the congregation against Moses and Aaron to the door of the tabernacle, expecting the people to witness their victory over Aaron. As they stood in opposition, the glory of the Lord appeared before all the congregation in divine intervention and public vindication of His authority with warning of judgment. To gather against Moses and Aaron was to rebel against Jehovah Himself and the authority He had given them, rejecting Christ their invisible leader while thinking they opposed only men like themselves. The gathering worked out on a narrower stage the same pride and ambition that led Lucifer to complain of God's government and seek to overthrow heaven's order, with Satan infusing envy and desire for self-exaltation. The experience was faithfully chronicled for instruction and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, because the same rebellion and deception in following a rebellious leader can recur until the close of time.

Rebellion Assembled at Tabernacle

Korah, with Dathan and Abiram and two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown, gathered all the congregation against Moses and Aaron to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. The gathering brought the whole congregation together in opposition at the tabernacle, where the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. In exalted self-confidence Korah assembled Israel against God's appointed leaders, extending the rebellion far beyond two men to a vast company with the princes at its head.

The rebels accused Moses and Aaron of taking authority upon themselves, claiming the whole congregation was holy and the Lord was among them. They assembled the people at the tabernacle to witness what they expected would be their victory over Aaron. The assembly was gathered by the rebels, not by Moses. The people had been influenced by misrepresentation to believe they were righteous while blaming Moses for their troubles.

Glory Appears in Judgment

When Korah gathered the congregation in opposition to Moses and Aaron at the door of the tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared before all the congregation, marking divine intervention in the rebellion. That appearing was God's public vindication of His authority and a warning of judgment in an open challenge to His order. The work driven by self will not endure, while work done in God will stand, for service must use what God provides and not what men kindle for themselves. The rebellion was against the authority God had given Moses and Aaron, and its judgment showed that Korah and his followers had sinned against the Lord by leading the people to distrust and reject His appointed leaders.

The appearing brought an immediate word to Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the congregation so that He might consume them in a moment. Moses and Aaron then fell on their faces to plead that God would not be wroth with all for one man's sin. The congregation was commanded to get up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and to depart from the tents of those wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest they be consumed in their sins. The assembly had been gathered by the rebels, not by Moses, to witness what they expected would be their victory over Aaron.

God's judgment visibly destroyed the leaders and princes, and their brethren died before the Lord by plague. Yet the survivors remained deceived and blamed Moses the next morning, showing how stubborn rebellion can persist even after a clear sign and deceive men into rejecting clear evidence of divine judgment. Their disaffection was so deep that it was not cured even when God stretched forth His hand and swallowed up the wrongdoers and the people fled to their tents in horror. Nearly forty years later, when Israel came again to the same wilderness place at Kadesh and found no water, the thirsting multitude murmured against Moses and Aaron and wished they had died with those destroyed in that plague.

The ensuing judgment revealed that Moses had acted at the Lord's direction and not on his own authority, for the people had been influenced by misrepresentation to believe themselves righteous while blaming Moses for their troubles. By that terrible destruction God sustained Aaron in the holy office, confirming that the priesthood was conferred upon Aaron's house and honoring Aaron with sacred consecration as high priest. That confirmation was later shown by the sign of Aaron's budding rod, which proved God had chosen Aaron's house and exposed the rebels' accusations as wrong.

Rebellion Against God Himself

Gathering all the congregation to the door of the tabernacle against Moses and Aaron was rebellion against Moses and Aaron and against Jehovah, against the authority God had given them, so its judgment showed they had sinned against the Lord. By that destruction God confirmed that the priesthood was conferred upon Aaron's house, and the sign of Aaron's budding rod exposed the rebels' accusations as wrong. The rebels thought they were opposing only a human leader, a man like themselves, and believed they were serving God. But in rejecting God's chosen instrument they rejected Christ their invisible leader and insulted the Spirit of God. By rejecting the men of God's appointment the congregation rejected God as their leader, and in murmuring against Moses and Aaron they blasphemed God.

They were so deluded as to think themselves righteous and to regard those who faithfully reproved their sins as actuated by Satan. They were deceived by Satan but by their own consent, because they placed themselves in his power under his wizard-like power and moral infatuation. Their hearts were steeled against the influence of the Holy Spirit and separated from God, so their hearts were not under its subduing power. In that state they revealed the attributes of Satan, oppressing fellow men by an influence contrary to truth and justice and righteousness, doing despite to the Holy Spirit and casting aside warnings from God again and again while venturing on in the same course.

Self-directed work will not endure, while work done in God will stand. Only the fire God kindles is safe, and service must use what God provides, not what people kindle for themselves. God rejects common fire and self-serving attempts to improve on His plans. When self is hidden in God, the Lord appears as the true Worker.

Satanic Pride and Tactics

The gathering at the door of the tabernacle was the working out on a narrower stage of the same spirit that led to rebellion in heaven, driven by the same pride and ambition that prompted Lucifer to complain of the government of God and seek the overthrow of the order established in heaven. Satan worked upon Korah, Dathan, and Abiram to infuse envy and discontent and ambition for position and honor, arousing desire for self-exaltation and exciting envy, distrust, and rebellion. Because Aaron and others were honored with a part in the work as helpers, they thought themselves equal to Moses and an essential part of the whole, and felt credit and honor should be given to them and not all to Moses. That claim reveals self-importance and self-sufficiency in opposition to reproof.

Rebellion works secretly and in darkness, refusing to come openly to the ones against whom anything is held, and instead carries falsehoods and enmity and evil-surmisings and satanic representations to gain sympathy, as Satan did with the angels under him. Its course is first to gain the sympathy and confidence of souls perishing for truth, then to tell a deceptive story of being abused men when the abuse was on their own side, and to sow seeds of doubt about those in whom God would have the people have confidence. Hasty, unadvised words, claims of being misused, bearing false witness against brethren, and leavening other minds with distrust weaken faith in God's instrumentalities, close the heart to divine influence, and foster self-esteem against practical godliness and allegiance to God's law. Gathering against appointed leaders to make their testimonies of none effect means refusing God's testimonies, being deceived and deceiving others, and strengthening others who join the opposition, quote the leader, and spread the influence to a vast number. Such a course and the result of its influence upon other minds is charged in heaven and must be met in the final accounts.

The rebels' course was oppression of fellow men and an influence contrary to truth and justice and righteousness. That same spirit is repeated in the desire of one institution to control all others and in men entrusted with weighty responsibilities but having no living connection with God. Their course does despite to the Holy Spirit and casts aside warnings from God again and again while venturing on in the same course. Clinging to and sympathizing with a corrupt leader who throws around him a religious garb and appears mild and devoted while corruption and rebellion are within belongs to this gathering. It means sowing unbelief, being at war with the work of the third angel and at war with the visions and despising them, and drawing those who hold to such influence into darkness.

It means rising up like Korah to reproach those upon whom God has laid the burden of His work without having toiled to bring out precious truth but receiving prepared points and taking the Sabbath which cost them nothing but cost others much. It is seen where people whose whole experience is contrary gather opposition and criticize management even when the Lord is guiding it, talking so as to make it appear there are mistakes and developing unconverted traits instead of being converted. Those who repeat this experience need to change their thoughts and attitude in every way in order to work in Christ's lines.

Warning Written for End

The gathering at the door of the tabernacle was faithfully chronicled with all its objectionable features for instruction and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. The account of Korah, Dathan and Abiram with two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous men of renown, is to be read carefully and prayerfully and studied so its development can teach later generations about rebellion, apostasy and consequences. It gives instruction appropriate at the present time to keep the whole flock from being fed with errors that cause them to go astray, for Christ came not to aid rebellion but to put it down.

The record stands especially as a warning to God's people living near the close of time, because Satan leads persons to imitate Korah, Dathan and Abiram by raising insurrection among God's people. Ambitious opposition to those entrusted with God's work can grow into open revolt, and the blindness and deception of following a rebellious leader instead of standing on the Lord's side can recur until the close of time, so God's people must choose whom they will serve and stand firmly for the truth.

Those who rise in opposition to plain testimony become self-deceived, thinking those upon whom God laid the burden of the work have exalted themselves and that their counsels and reproofs are uncalled for. They oppose the testimonies God gives to rebuke wrongs, war against the straight testimonies, try to make themselves and others believe they are untrue, claim the people are all right and the reproofs make the trouble, and when they unfurl a rebellious banner all the disaffected rally around it. All the spiritually defective, the lame, the halt and the blind unite their influence to scatter and sow discord.

The reproof of hurtful indulgences such as tea, coffee, snuff and tobacco irritates those who will not sacrifice their idols. Torn between conviction and appetite, they are left unsettled until appetite prevails and their sense of sacred things is perverted by slow poisons, so they decide not to deny self whatever the consequence. That decision raises a wall of separation between themselves and those who cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord.

That rebellion is acted over where firm self-complacency, pride, prejudice and unwillingness to accept and acknowledge heaven-sent light and truth are manifested. The congregation is then actuated by the same spirit and not by God's Spirit, despising His messengers and message and showing contempt for His word with mockery, lightness, trifling, jesting and joking, and with unsanctified independence and refusal to accept evidence or correction doing insult to the Spirit of God. Spiritual eyesight is obscured and judgment perverted, and unless every soul repents and is converted they will walk in darkness and lie down in sorrow, though God desires to come near to bless and heal backsliding.

Threatening separation from brethren and pursuing one's own judgment in defiance of warnings show the rebellious course of refusing the Lord's voice. Twisting Scripture and God's warnings to support one's own ideas brings the rebellion and confusion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram to recur.

Faithfulness in God's Work

When Korah gathered the congregation against God's appointed servants, the glory of the Lord appearing before all made clear that God Himself judged the rebellion and publicly vindicated His authority. That judgment calls for decisive action against evil workers in the Lord's work, for resisting God's warnings and leaving sin unconfessed brings dishonor and judgment. Genuine rebellion is hardly ever curable and must be called by its right name as rebellion and apostasy, and the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram was extended, including far more than two men, led by two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation, men of renown. A critical, distrustful course could bring the experience of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram upon the community.

Korah gathering the congregation against Moses and Aaron at the tabernacle warns against accusing and condemning those God has entrusted with the work and against pursuing an independent course that divides the church. His party opposed the established body and drew the congregation into its challenge, warning against separating from the church, accusing fellow believers, and using their errors to build oneself up. Opposing God's appointed leaders warns against joining the gainsayers and weakening others' faith. Standing with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram means becoming self-deceived, calling light darkness and truth error, and resisting those who seek to do God's will and rejecting the light He gives.

The same work today is assailing and holding up to ridicule those God has appointed to do work for Him, creating dissension, false impressions, and false sympathy, cutting off the influence of those accused, misleading others into the same error, and endangering souls. Such work resembling that of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram is an offense to God and must be met rather than passed over in silence leaving the people to think their trusted brethren are no longer worthy of love and fellowship. On every point accusers must be called to bring proof, every charge must be carefully investigated and left in no uncertainty, the people must not be left to believe a lie, and every reproach that cannot be substantiated must be lifted so God's servant is cleared. Those who claim to believe the truth must not judge from human feeling as Israel did and sympathize with the wrongdoer, and when God's servants correct the erring those without that burden must not stand between the offender and God but hold their peace and let the arrows of the Almighty fall just where He directs and pierce those with little sense of sin.

By gathering all the congregation against God's appointed leaders at the door of the tabernacle while claiming to be especially exalted of God, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram forfeited all right to claim that their voice was to be respected as the voice of God. The same forfeiture comes when leaders entrench themselves behind the sacredness of their office and demand obedience as to God, while claiming great light they do not fully obey, mingling their work with men's devisings and selfishness, hurting God's servants, and sustaining men whom God cannot favor. Their rebellion was wicked, and God saw it and would repay them according to their works, showing that disaffection against God's work cannot prevail if the work is of God. Rebellion against God's voice ends in abandonment to destruction, and all who join such rebels, refusing to walk in the light of the Lord but walking in the sparks of their own kindling, will lie down in darkness and fall into the ditch with them. The history was faithfully chronicled for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come, teaching the church to sink deep into the mines of truth, to distinguish the voice of the true Shepherd from a stranger and the false from the genuine, and to know leaders by their fruits rather than be easily led astray. Since the same blindness and deception in following a rebellious leader instead of standing on the Lord's side, with contempt for God's word and refusal to accept evidence, can recur until the close of time, God's people must choose whom they will serve and stand firmly for the truth.