Swallowed Up
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· 9 viewsThe Churches responsiblity to the Leadership
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Introduction:
Introduction:
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
-We’ve talked about God’s righteous standard for Pastors
-We’ve talked about God’s righteous standard for Deacons & Trustees
-We will now talked about what God requires from the Congregation.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
-Often in a great book or exceptional movie they will show you the ending then go back and pick up the details to show how a certain ending came to be......So we are going to go back two millenium from this when this text in Hebrews was written.
-Often in a great book or exceptional movie they will show you the ending then go back and pick up the details to show how a certain ending came to be......So we are going to go back several millenium to see how this failure to submit to the Leadership plays out....
-We are going to go back about 2500 years to tell a story that encapsulates this text we just read in Hebrews.
1 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 action, 2 and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. 3 They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” 4 When Moses heard this, 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 bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. 6 “Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your company, 7 and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!” 8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi, 9 is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10 and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also? 11 “Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, who is he that you grumble against him?” 12 Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. 13 “Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? 14 “Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!” 15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not regard their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.” 16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company be present before the Lord tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. 17 “Each of you take his firepan and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan.” 18 So they each took his own censer and put fire on it, and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. 19 Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation. 20 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” 22 But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?” 23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’ ” 25 Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, 26 and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.” 27 So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and their sons and their little ones. 28 Moses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. 29 “If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 “But if the Lord brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the Lord.” 31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, “The earth may swallow us up!” 35 Fire also came forth from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense. 36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 37 “Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall take up the censers out of the midst of the blaze, for they are holy; and you scatter the burning coals abroad. 38 “As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they did present them before the Lord and they are holy; and they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel.” 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar, 40 as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the Lord; so that he will not become like Korah and his company—just as the Lord had spoken to him through Moses. 41 But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord’s people.” 42 It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces. 46 Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from the Lord, the plague has begun!” 47 Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 He took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked. 49 But those who died by the plague were 14,700, besides those who died on account of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the tent of meeting, for the plague had been checked.
1 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 action, 2 and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. 3 They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” 4 When Moses heard this, 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 bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. 6 “Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your company, 7 and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!” 8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi, 9 is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10 and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also? 11 “Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, who is he that you grumble against him?” 12 Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. 13 “Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? 14 “Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!” 15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not regard their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.” 16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company be present before the Lord tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. 17 “Each of you take his firepan and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan.” 18 So they each took his own censer and put fire on it, and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. 19 Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation. 20 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” 22 But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?” 23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’ ” 25 Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, 26 and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.” 27 So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and their sons and their little ones. 28 Moses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. 29 “If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 “But if the Lord brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the Lord.” 31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, “The earth may swallow us up!” 35 Fire also came forth from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense. 36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 37 “Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall take up the censers out of the midst of the blaze, for they are holy; and you scatter the burning coals abroad. 38 “As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they did present them before the Lord and they are holy; and they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel.” 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar, 40 as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the Lord; so that he will not become like Korah and his company—just as the Lord had spoken to him through Moses. 41 But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord’s people.” 42 It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces. 46 Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from the Lord, the plague has begun!” 47 Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 He took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked. 49 But those who died by the plague were 14,700, besides those who died on account of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the tent of meeting, for the plague had been checked.
N
Setting: The Wilderness of Kadesh Barnea
Time: The Children are wandering in the Wilderness because of their failure to inhabit the land of Canaan
Characters: Korah a Son of Levi, the Sons of Reuben, 250 prominent men of Israel, The Congregation, Moses & Aaron sons of Levi
Transition Statement: Immediately in (v.1) the action starts
I. Korah’s Coalition
I. Korah’s Coalition
1 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 action, 2 and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown.
Numbers 16:
-(v.1) instead of building up to this scene the writer jumped right to the climax of the story. In this text a group of families have linked up to take action against Moses & Aaron. It is imperative that we do a little background work on them to ascertain their history.
-(v.1) The Text names two Major families. The Kohath who were part of the Tribe of the Levites. The Levites where the priest. It also names Dathan, Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth all of them were from the tribe of Reuben. Reuben was the first born of Jacob.
-Now lets see if there was any connection to these tribes:
10 “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur, 11 and his army, even their numbered men, 46,500.
10 “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur, 11 and his army, even their numbered men, 46,500.
-(v.10) Reuben and his Sons where south of the tabernacle. Reuben was Jacob firstborn, but Reuben lost the birthright many years prior.
29 The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the southward side of the tabernacle, 30 and the leader of the fathers’ households of the Kohathite families was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31 Now their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all the service concerning them; 32 and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was the chief of the leaders of Levi, and had the oversight of those who perform the duties of the sanctuary.
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“The Church needs leaders who needs to understand the Times, and know what the church should do”
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-(v.29) Kohath and his sons where on the south side of the Tabernacle also.
-( v.31) Korah’s was responsible for all the utensils used in the sacrifice, they were of the Levitical tribe, but they did not handle the sacrificing of the animals. This position was not the highest in the order of the Levitical priesthood, but it was still very essential. Amram was one of the sons of Kohath. Amram married Jochebed, making him the Father of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. So Korah was cousin to Moses. Aaron and his offspring were called by God to the office of High Priest
-Based on these factors we can come to some conclusion. The Sons of Reuben and the Sons of Kohath began to have midnight pity parties related to Moses and Aaron rule over Israel. We might say they live in the same hood together, and they both unified over their common enemy Moses and Aaron.
a. Korah-(v.9) Moses seems to be saying that Korah is dissatisfied with his amount of authority and leadership, so he is politicking for more
b. Sons Reuben-This is more speculative, but they may have been mad about not having a more prominent role based on the lost of their 1st born birth right.
-(v.2) “Men of Renown” This phrase means well-respected men of the community. The best and the brightest. Men that have a lot of influence. Korah was able to recruit more people to his cause, 250 men to be exact
Application
Coalitions in the church will most always start with people who are doing ministry in close proximity to one another. They sing in the choir together, they are on the marriage ministry together, they are serving on the Hospitality team together.
People who sow discord often unify together for different reason, but the principles of discord are most always related to submission to authority.
II. Korah’s Coup
II. Korah’s Coup
3 They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” 4 When Moses heard this, 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 bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. 6 “Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your company, 7 and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!”
3 They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
Numbers 16:
-(v.1) Now when you look at the listing of the dissenters Moses puts Korah, then the Sons of Reuben, the chosen well respected men of the Children of Israel and finally some from the congregation. This seems to imply that there was some recruiting going on.
-(v.1) Now when you look at the listing of the dissenters Moses puts Korah, then the Sons of Reuben, and finally some from the congregation, and the chosen well respected men of the Children of Israel. This seems to imply that there was some recruiting going on.
-(v.1-2) “took action and they rose up before Moses” and “They assembled together against Moses and Aaron” eventually after Korah was able to get some key strategic people he was able to confront Moses.
-(v.3) Korah then gives his reason for rising up.
a. We are holy also; meaning you are not better than us.
b. You have gained power by force/manipulation, and by implication not by the Calling of God.....Belittled the calling of Moses.
The New American Commentary: Numbers (1) Rebellion of Korah and the Reubenites (16:1–50)
The group furthermore asserted that Moses and Aaron were self-appointed rather than divinely ordained, an accusation far more true of those registering the complaint
R. Dennis Cole, Numbers, vol. 3B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 262–263.
Pt of Application: -isn’t interesting that people who like to start foolishness often do it by accusing the leader of the same charge that they are currently committing.
-(v.4) “Moses fell on his face” This is a powerful practical example of what should be our first response to uprising, disunity and discord in our families, churches, workplaces, and our government. Moses reaction suggest that this problem is too big for him to handle and that he needs a divine response from above.
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 bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. 6 “Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your company, 7 and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!”
Numbers 16:
-(v.5-7) Moses issues a challenge to Korah: In the morning we will let God choose who is holy and who is not. Take censers(plates), some incense, and fire. Then come into the presence of God and let him decided who’s sacrifice is holy.
-(v.5-7) Moses issues a challenge to Korah: In the morning we will let God choose who is holy and who is not. Take censers(plates), some incense, and fire. Then come into the presence of God and let him decided who’s sacrifice is holy.
-(v.7) “You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!” Moses had reached his breaking point. Now both Moses and Korah knew that what Moses was proposing was a death sentence to the one that was not chosen by God.
1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
Lev
1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
-Moses and the congregation knew what happened to the brothers who were disobedient and tried to offer sacrifices to the Lord. Korah and the 250 men of renown are so convinced of their own holiness that they take Moses up on his challenge.
III. Korah’s Claim
III. Korah’s Claim
9 is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10 and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also? 11 “Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, who is he that you grumble against him?” 12 Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. 13 “Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? 14 “Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”
Numbers 16:9-
9 is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10 and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also? 11 “Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, who is he that you grumble against him?” 12 Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. 13 “Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? 14 “Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!” 15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not regard their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.”
-(v.9) Moses asks “is it not enough” Korah; the Lord has separated you from all the congregation(he has given you a specific calling) and given you a place near to him. We can derive Korah intention from Moses’s comments to him.
a. Spiritual-They handled all the utensils related to worship of God.
b. Practical- their encampment was located right on the south side of the tabernacle. They along with Levi’s two other sons where all encamp nearest to the tabernacle. -(v.10) Moses tells Korah that Yahweh has brought honor to your whole family, and yet this does not seem to be enough??? Moses then get to the heart of the issue via a question: “and are you seeking for the Priesthood also????” Moses knew the answer to this already. This question is rhetorical. Korah was unsatisfied with his role, and wanted more. The High Priestly Role came from Aaron immediate family not Korah. He was jealous.
-(v.10) Moses tells Korah that Yahweh has brought honor to your whole family, and yet this does not seem to be enough??? Moses then get to the heart of the issue via a question: “and are you seeking for the Priesthood also????” Moses knew the answer to this already. This question is rhetorical. Korah was unsatisfied with his role, and wanted more. The High Priestly Role came from Aaron family not Korah. He was jealous.
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-(v.11) Moses says you have brought all these people to gather against the Lord, but your anger burns against Aaron “who is he that you grumble against him?” Aaron has done nothing to deserve this kind of contention.
Conclusion: Korah was going after Aaron & the Priesthood
The New American Commentary: Numbers (1) Rebellion of Korah and the Reubenites (16:1–50)
Moses’ second address to Korah confronts the Levites among the rebellious lot. He strikes at the heart of the matter, pointing to the Levites’ desire for position, power, and prestige instead of being satisfied with the special role God had granted them previously
Moses’ second address to Korah confronts the Levites among the rebellious lot. He strikes at the heart of the matter, pointing to the Levites’ desire for position, power, and prestige instead of being satisfied with the special role God had granted them previously
-(v.12-13) Moses like any good leader would do is separating the dissenters to try and quell the Coup. So he calls the Reubenites to see if they feel as strongly about the charges levied at he and Aaron......Notice the text: “We will not come up”
R. Dennis Cole, Numbers, vol. 3B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 264.
-(v.12-13) Moses then like any good leader would do is separating the dissenters to try and quell the Coup. So he calls the Reubenites to see if they feel as strongly about the charges levied at he and Aaron......Notice the text: “We will not come up”
-(v.13) The Reubenites become real indignant, and they attack Moses leadership head on with four charges:
1st-Unwise Leader- “You took us from Egypt where we were comfortable in the Land flowing with milk and honey”
-Is that really true????
9 “Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.
7 The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. 8 “So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 9 “Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.
Sidenote: “
2nd-Oppressive Leader- “but you would also lord it over us??” The Reubenites did not like Moses style of leadership. Notice they said “lording”over us....
-Is that really true???
1 Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 “Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. 6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 “If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 “Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? 12 “I will smite them with pestilence and dispossess them, and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.” 13 But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people, for You, O Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 “Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say, 16 ‘Because the Lord could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ 17 “But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.’ 19 “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” 20 So the Lord said, “I have pardoned them according to your word;
-You will notice in this story that God is about to go “Ham” on Israel. And Moses stands in the gap on behalf of his people. He pleads for their life & God spares them on account of his servant Moses. This certainly does not sound like a “tyrant”
3rd-Greedy Leader- “Indeed you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards” First they blame Moses for being in the wilderness(which was their fault), then the Reubenites claim Moses is holding out on their inheritance which implicitly means that Moses is keeping everything to himself.
4th-Lying Leader- “Would you put out the eyes of these men?” This is a Hebrew Idiom which means “you will not pull the wool over our eyes” we see your deception you liar.....
Conversation between Korah and the Reubenites
Conclusion: The Reubenites were going after Moses and his office of Prophet
-(v.15) Moses heated up when he felt his integrity being attacked. In communion with the Lord Moses said: “I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them” During these times tributes where paid to Kings vis a vis Gold, Silver, Land & Animals. Moses sounded like Celie in this text. He says “I ain’t never ask for anything from this tribe, and yet they call me a tyrant”
-Moses prayed to the Lord and asked him, not to accept their sacrifice in the Morning.
-(v.16) “Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company be present before the Lord tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron” The Challenge has been set, now it is time to put up or shut up
Sidenote: (v.11) Moses saw something that is critical to understanding Coup within a church. This is not a rejection of Moses & Aaron it is a rejection of God himself- “Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord”
Application
The thirst for power, rule and authority will always cause division in the body.(God has determined the authority structure of the church)
When a person has a problem with submission their is nothing you can do to please them, they will always be a source of dissent and confusion
When you attack the God ordained leadership of the church you are attacking God himself. God will protect his leaders.
Conclusion
Open the Doors of the Church