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Korah's Rebellion: Numbers 16
Korah was a Levite who had a desire to be a priest. He thought that Moses and Aaron had gone too far and exalted themselves above everyone else. So he gathered 250 leaders together against Moses and Aaron and rebelled.
Moses was distraught over this, and told Korah that God would show whom He had chosen. They gathered with firepans for incense outside of the tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
God told the people to get away from the dwellings of the rebellious men. Moses then told the people that if these men died like ordinary men, then God had not sent him; but if the ground opened up and swallowed them, then the rebels had spurned the Lord. Just as finished saying this, the ground opened up and the families of the rebellious men were swallowed up, and fire came down from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering incence.
This event demonstrated that God had chosen Aaron and his family for the priesthood. Korah and the rest of those who were with him had rebelled, not against Moses and Aaron, but ultimately against God who had chosen and sent them. Moses recognized this when he said that Korah and his company were “gathered together against the Lord.”
This teaches us that rebellion against God’s order of things is a direct rebellion against God Himself. Further, it is a very serious offense to spurn that which God has given. Korah and those with him learned this the hard way. Today, we must pay attention and keep from following that path.
Discussion
1. Who was Korah and what did he want?
2. What was the complaint that was given against Moses and Aaron?
3. How was it to be shown whom God had chosen?
4. What was the punishment for their rebellion? Why was it so severe?
5. What lessons can we learn today from considering this incident?