Ep. 50. Numbers 16-17 | Korah's Rebellion

EPISODE 50

KORAH'S REBELLION: NUMBERS 16-17

It would help us understand these couple of chapters to consider how the Levite workers were broken down. Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel, had three sons of his own: Gershon, Merari, and Kohath.

The Gershonites were responsible for the tents and the curtains of the tent of meeting. The Merarites were responsible for the stands and the pillars of the Tabernacle, and the Koathites were responsible for moving the holy things of the tent, including the ark of the covenant. There was a fourth category of Levites, of course. Aaron, a Kohathite, and his immediate descendants were to be priests to God Most High.

The Kohathites had the most prestigious responsibility of the three divisions and were only second to Aaron and his sons. But Korah was discontent with his service and wanted the priesthood. He wanted to supplant Moses and Aaron, "You've gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, for the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" It is interesting that Korah of the Kohathites was himself exalted above the rest of the community, but he wanted more.

Korah and his 250 chiefs, "chosen from the assembly, well-known men," stood opposed to Aaron. The following day, they would all take their censers and set incense before the LORD. They would wait to see who God selected and would honor his verdict. Certainly, the deaths of Aaron's two oldest sons just a few months earlier rattled around in the head of the old priest. It's interesting that Korah and the other Kohathites had so quickly forgotten what happened when an unauthorized fire was brought before the LORD.

On the following day, Korah and his band of rabble-rousers were consumed by fire; their censers hammered to the sides of the altar as a warning to anyone else who might want to take it upon themselves to stand in the presence of God uninvited. I would be remiss if I didn't take this moment to remind you that we have been welcomed into the presence of God now through the "torn curtain" of Christ's flesh. We no longer need a priest to bring us near to God since Christ has brought us near.

For a single day, the people were brought into obedience, but by the next day, the rest of the crowds opposed Moses and Aaron, and another fourteen thousand were struck dead before Aaron was able to intercede. This crowd had a short memory for sure.

It is beautiful to note that the sons of Korah did not follow in their father's rebellion and were instrumental nearly five hundred years later as singers in the temple built by Solomon, the son of David. We still have some of their songs recorded for us in the Book of Psalms.

Korah, on the other hand, will go down along with Cain and Balaam as examples of false teachers.

ADDITIONAL READING: Leviticus 10; Numbers 12; Numbers 26:10-11; Jude 1:11; Hebrews 9:4; Psalm 42, 44-49, 84-85, 87-88; 1 Chronicles 26:1,19; 2 Chronicles 20:19