Tears Of Korah
March 2023
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In Numbers 16:1-35; the Scriptures tell us about a rebellion that was led by a man named Korah. Korah was a Levite, this meant that he was a person of privilege among the Israelites and that he was specifically chosen from among God’s people to serve in the priesthood from the tribe of the Levites.
Korah was chosen from among God’s chosen people but was still not happy with his position and place when he compared it to Moses and Aaron.
In our modern context, we fall into a dangerous trap when we begin to compare ourselves with others. Korah was so discontented that he began to spread his discontent among 250 of his fellow Hebrews who were men of influence.
Early in my own ministry, I was frustrated at the lack of growth in the church I served as lead pastor. I used to drive by the largest church in my town and see the parking lot packed full of cars on the way to my church, which had about fifty regular attendees. I began to grumble and complain about this to the Lord, but He quickly chastised me. I felt particularly convicted of my attitude toward the lead pastor; I did not have a friendly relationship with him due to a number of issues. The Lord spoke to my heart and told me to pray for that church every time I drove by it, that He would bless it in every way.
Korah and his men brought forward a list of complaints, and they sought to have things their own way. Korah began to poison the mob with thoughts such as, “Moses is no better than anyone else,” or “Everyone in Israel is God’s chosen, not just Moses and Aaron.” They suggested that they could be holy priests and didn’t need to obey their spiritual authority because they believed that Moses and Aaron were no better than anyone else. (As you can tell from my personal story, jealousy is such an ugly thing when we allow it to take hold in our lives and ministries.)
At this turn of events, Moses was very grieved and fell to the ground. God spoke through him and set up a day of retribution. Every one of Korah’s 250 complainers were invited to attend a ceremony before the Lord at the Tent of Meeting with a censer filled with incense to burn before the Lord. On the day of reckoning, all those gathered together would witness the wrath of God.
Then God tells Moses to move everyone away from the grumblers and their tents. Moses then plainly states, and I paraphrase, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my own doing.”
Numbers 16:29-35 says: “If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.”
The rebellion of Korah and his followers shows us how comparison and jealousy can bring about ingratitude and dissatisfaction in the life of a believer. When we take our eyes off the finished work of Calvary and set them on our own desires, we open ourselves up to a spirit of grumbling and complaining that always brings us harm.
Out of a heart of jealousy and discontent, Korah incited rebellion in the hearts of his followers against God’s chosen leadership.
When we foster rebellion and discontentment against God’s chosen leadership, He is not pleased and will not bless our efforts. We will be held accountable for the gossiping and murmuring we engage in—gossiping and murmuring that turns the hearts of others against those whom God has placed in leadership.
Every Christian needs to submit to the spiritual authority that God has placed in his or her life. If we don’t agree with what they are doing, then we can leave their authority. But we must be very careful about tearing down a man or woman of God and the work of God.
James 4:6 tells us, “But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.”
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