Now, You

O. T. #336  "Now, You"
August 5, 2014
Numbers 16-Part 1
Now Korah...Numbers 16:1

LET IT GLOW

Sadly, I admit that there have been times that I rebelled against God's authority and those He placed in authority over me. I wish someone would have said, "Now, Linda, think about what you are doing/saying/thinking/considering. Consider the consequences for you and others."
Perhaps someone should have said that to Korah and nearly 15,000 would not have died as a result of his sin of rebellion.

God had called Moses to be the leader of the nation of Israel and Aaron to their high priest. The men of the tribe of Levite was established as the priesthood for the people. God is holy and He requires His standards be carried out according to His ways and laws which He established. The Levites knew them.
In verses 46-50, the next day after the Korah incident, Moses sent Aaron, the high priest, to quickly burned incense and walked among the rebellious Israelites, making atonement for assembly of Israelites.
Verse 48 states, He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. 

Atonement means to cover, appease, forgive, pardon, purge away, cancel, condone, reconcile, in Hebrew.

God was so angry with the congregation that he sent a plague that killed 14,700 people before the atonement could get made. This was in addition to those who died due to Korah's rebellion.

Romans 5:11 states, And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Can you joy in the Lord Jesus for making atonement for you? Or have you not yet received this atonement? Simply ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and He will, dear one.

Romans 12:19 tells us that vengeance belongs to the Lord God so we should not avenge the person who did us wrong, nor be wrathful. Paul was referring to Deuteronomy 32:35.

LET IT GROW

Shall we back up to the beginning of this chapter to see what brought all this on?

Korah, a Levite, got 250 Israeli leaders to oppose Aaron as their high priest in a religious revolt. Also, Dathan and Abiram organized a political revolt against Moses as their leader.

The Kohathaites (of which Korah was a member) were assigned a very important task of caring for the tabernacle furniture (4:1-20). But he apparently coveted the office of the priesthood also, an office limited to Aaron and his sons. (Falwell)

They were slandering Moses making lying accusations against him-bringing them out of the land flowing with milk and honey, to die in the desert, and to set himself up as prince over them.

Moses left it all up to the Lord. Moses suggested that they all bring their incense burners and stand before the Lord for Him to  appoint the leader and high priest of Israel. God was going to immediately kill those rebels, but Moses intervened, asking why God should be angry with the entire assembly when only one sinned. God instructed the assembly to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Those three men and their families were swallowed up by the ground as it split, closing over them. Then fire consumed the 250 men. As directed, Eleazar, Aaron's priestly son, emptied the censors held by the 250, hammered them into sheets to overlay the altar, and presented them to the Lord. It was the next day when the congregation grumbled against Moses and Aaron. Then Aaron took his censor, put incense and fire from the altar into it, and walked among the people, making atonement for them.

In name, number, unity, and attitude, those rebels seemed to have a strong case against Aaron and Moses. Their rebellion was based on their self-seeking and envy. They rejected God's Word and His prophet.  God placed people in positions as His willed. We are to use our spiritual gifts and offices for the work of the ministry, but not to covet another person's spiritual office. (See 1 Cor. 14:1,
1 Tim. 3:1, Acts 20:28-31, 2 Peter 2:10-22.) It is tragic when a few people sin and cause the deaths of many others. We are warned to not despise authority and rebel against God's truth. (Wiersbe)

Aaron literally became the Israelites' savior-he stood between the living and the dead and stayed the plague. His one censer accomplished more than the 250 censers of the rebels. Aaron illustrates the work of our Savior, for Christ left the place of safety to stand between the living and the dead and rescue sinners from death. (Wiersbe)

Are we willing to stand in the gap, to intercede for our loved ones, praying, so they can have spiritual life in Jesus Christ?


LET IT GO

Submit to the authority God has placed over me.

Surrender to God's Word as truth and obey it.

Be content with what God calls me to do in serving Him.

Intercede for loved ones.