Numbers 16:1-40
Numbers 16:1-40
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Rebellion Against Moses and Aaron
16 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; 2 and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. 3 They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
4 So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face; 5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him. 6 Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company; 7 put fire in them and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!”
8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: 9 Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; 10 and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? 11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?”
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up! 13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us? 14 Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”
15 Then Moses was very angry, and said to the Lord, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them.”
16 And Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow, you and all your company be present before the Lord—you and they, as well as Aaron. 17 Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer.” 18 So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.
20 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”
22 Then they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?”
23 So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ”
25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” 27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.
28 And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. 29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.”
31 Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. 33 So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!”
35 And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.
36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 37 “Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for they are holy, and scatter the fire some distance away. 38 The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.” 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar, 40 to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Nu 16:1–40.
Introduction
The hosts welcome viewers to "Coffee and Devotion," a weekday morning session dedicated to sharing coffee, reading, and reflecting on God's Word.
The goal for the year 2024 is to cover the books of Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Hebrews.
Numbers Chapter 16 Discussion
The session focuses on Numbers chapter 16, discussing the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their followers against Moses and Aaron.
Key themes explored include the distinction between unintentional sins and presumptuous sins, the importance of offerings, and the significance of blue thread in garments as a symbol of God's people being a royal priesthood and a holy nation.
The Rebellion of Korah
The hosts narrate the story of Korah and his followers challenging Moses and Aaron, questioning their authority and claiming that the entire congregation is holy.
Moses responds by proposing a test to demonstrate whom God has chosen as holy, emphasizing the special role of the Levites and warning against pride and rebellion.
The climax of the story occurs when the earth opens and swallows Korah and his followers, while fire from the Lord consumes 250 men offering incense, showcasing God's judgment and authority.
Reflections on Authority and Faith
The discussion transitions to reflecting on the authority structures established by God and the importance of respecting and trusting those authorities.
The hosts touch upon contemporary issues of authority and the tendency of individuals to desire to be their own authority, especially in matters of faith.
The story of Korah's rebellion serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of challenging God's established order and the importance of living under God's authority.
Closing Prayer and Invitation
The session concludes with a prayer thanking God for His authority, the blessings of the covenant, and Jesus Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The hosts extend an invitation to join them for worship and provide information about their church.
Key Takeaways
The session emphasizes the themes of authority, rebellion, and faithfulness to God.
Through the story of Korah's rebellion, viewers are encouraged to examine their own attitudes towards authority and to trust in God's ultimate authority over their lives.
The importance of community, reflection, and devotion in growing in love for the Lord is highlighted.