Parasha Korach

Me

This week we read Parasha Korach, Numbers 16:1-18:32. Parasha Korach begins with the rebellion of Korach, along with his buddies Datan and Aviram, as they attempt a mutiny against Moses and Aaron, and we see some pretty strong and point-making miraculous responses from HaShem. In chapter 17 we see the Lord making it abundantly clear to Israel who His anointed servant in the Tabernacle is when He makes Aaron’s rod bud almonds. And in chapter 18 we see God kind of pauses everything and takes the time to refresh Israel of the role of the Kohen and his sons and the roles of the Levites so they don’t try to mess things up again by revolt against the Priesthood’s proper order. Oddly enough, all-in-all, the one overarching narrative we see throughout Parasha Korach is the idea of rebellion and disunity… And the damage that disunity can cause in the community.

As most of you know, I worked in restaurants for years, mostly I waited tables and bartended, but I did also venture into management for a brief period of time. I have worked in almost every sort of restaurant concept you could imagine, from Golden Corral to TGI Fridays to upscale Italian to fine dining steakhouses, and most anything in between. And I was really, really good at waiting tables… I don’t know why, I hated it, but I was really good.

In most restaurants on any given shift you would typically have two types of managers working, your front of the house managers who oversaw the service side of things and your back of the house manager or chef who oversaw the kitchen side of the operation. Front of house and back of house managers have to stay in some sort of constant communication with each other, this communication is vital in making sure ticket times are flowing smoothly, in making sure the host stand is giving out relatively accurate wait times, and the over all customer experience.

Things get really complicated when the front of the house manager tries to step in and handle the back of the house manager’s job and vise verse, especially on busy shifts.

Have you ever heard the old saying, “too many cooks in the kitchen”… Yeah, that’s what it feels like. Both the front of the house and back of the house may be very good at their own jobs, and they may even be able to step in in a pinch and assist with the other’s role, but in the heat of a busy shift with a three hour wait, the last thing you want is these two stepping over each other and throwing everything into a huge state of confusion.

In fact, in a restaurant, in order for things to run smoothly you really need every single piece of the puzzle from your management staff, to your hosts, to your servers and bartenders, to your kitchen crew, to your dishwashers working smoothly and cohesively together. Another way we might put this is all the pieces of the puzzle have to work in unity together.

We

Have you ever experienced the chaos that goes with coworkers trying to step into another person’s role?

Perhaps you work construction and were on a job site when a framer with a lot of years experience is trying to do the job of the foreman and instruct an electrician what they’re suppose to be doing.

Perhaps you work in a manufacturing facility and you’ve got a coworker who hates the shift lead so much that he is constantly trying to work against him and get others to do things his way rather than the leads.

Maybe you work in a bank and you’ve got an overzealous teller trying to do a loan officers job from the front desk.

And my favorite of all, maybe you’ve experienced this in your own home, where you’re wonderful twelve year old daughter wants to try on the role of parent for size and is always trying to boss her younger sibling around.

Odds are we’ve all experienced this in one way or another, and the consequences that go with it…

God

Well, in Parasha Korach we read all about this very kind of issue… Ultimately we’ve got two primary issues at play here, and they both work hand-in-hand: dissatisfaction with the calling God has given and disunity and division sewed because of that.

And we see a very important biblical principle come to light in this:

In the body of Messiah, it is important to stay in our lane or we may cause a deadly detour.

(Repeat it again)

Now, let’s take a look into Parasha Korach together...

Numbers 16:1–3 TLV

Now Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, and sons of Reuben—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth— rose up against Moses and took 250 men from Bnei-Yisrael, men of renown who had been appointed to the council. They assembled against Moses and Aaron. They said to them, “You’ve gone too far! All the community is holy—all of them—and Adonai is with them! Then why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of Adonai?”

So who exactly was Korach? He was a Kohathite, which means he was a Levite. But, not only that, he was a direct cousin of Moses and Aaron. As a Kohathite he had an important role already among Israel. Remember, the Kohathites camped south side of the Tabernacle and were responsible for the care and transport of the actual furnishings in the Tabernacle. They had a pretty important gig already, yet for Korach it just wasn’t enough...

So Korach decides to mutiny against Moses and Aaron, and if it was bad enough that he was doing this, he had leaders of the tribe of Ruben (Datan and Aviram) and 250 men of renown of Israel with him… If you track this, that means that at some point in the background, Korach, Datan, and Aviram had been sewing seeds of discord and division in the shadows of the camps of Israel, and likely for some time.

They cry out to Moses:

Numbers 16:3 TLV

They assembled against Moses and Aaron. They said to them, “You’ve gone too far! All the community is holy—all of them—and Adonai is with them! Then why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of Adonai?”

Notice how they’re trying to play this… It’s not just that these men are trying to rebel against Moses because they’re all jerks… No, they’re trying to make themselves look better by leveraging the whole nation of Israel in their scheme… “All the community is holy, aren’t they?”

Does this sound familiar?

Genesis 3:1–4 TLV

But the serpent was shrewder than any animal of the field that Adonai Elohim made. So it said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from all the trees of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “Of the fruit of the trees, we may eat. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat of it and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” The serpent said to the woman, “You most assuredly won’t die!

Notice how the enemy works…? He loves to contort the truth just enough to make it still sound palatable, but in reality he has contorted the truth, so it is really just trash. This is what we see here in Genesis 3 as the serpent tempts Eve with the fruit, and it is exactly what is happening with Korach and his band merry dimwits…

“What are you doing Moses and Aaron? You think you’re so special, don’t you? But, don’t you remember the whole nation of Israel is holy too?”

Is this false? No, not at all… The nation is holy, that’s the promise of Exodus 19, the Lord will make Israel a holy people. The problem isn’t whether or not the nation is holy, it’s the intent of the statement. Korach is rebelling against Moses and Aaron because he isn’t satisfied with his own role as a Levite, particularly a Kohathite who maintains and cares for the holy furnishings. He wants Moses’ and Aaron’s jobs as leader and priest. He wants more...

And this is what Moses points out next, after he falls on his face in prayer.

Numbers 16:5–11 TLV

Then he said to Korah and all his following saying, “In the morning Adonai will reveal who is His and who is holy. The one whom He will let come near to Him will be the one He chooses to come near to Him. Do this, Korah and your whole following! Take for yourselves censers. Put fire and incense into them in the presence of Adonai. Tomorrow the man that Adonai chooses will be the holy one! You sons of Levi are the ones who have gone too far!” Moses also said to Korah, “Listen now, sons of Levi! Isn’t it enough that the God of Israel has set you apart from the community of Israel to bring you near to Him to do the work of the Tabernacle of Adonai and to stand before the community to minister to them? So He brought you close, along with all your fellow sons of Levi. But you are seeking the priesthood, too! Therefore you and all your following are banding together against Adonai! Who then is Aaron—that you are grumbling against him?”

Moses calls Korah out for his rebellion… Moses knows what’s really going on and what’s really at stake. Korach isn’t just saying he isn’t satisfied with his role and function, he isn’t just saying he isn’t satisfied with what God has called him to do… What he is really doing, and this is what’s so important to understand, what he’s really doing is causing division and disunity in the camps of Israel. Think about it, he’s got not just Kohathites, but also Reubenites (Dotan and Aviram), and 250 other leaders of Israel in his rebellion also.

And don’t think for a moment that none of these 253 + people are not going around running their mouths off to anyone and everyone who will listen… And these guys are all about to learn a very valuable lesson, just a little too late to do them any good...

In the body of Messiah, it is important to stay in our lane or we may cause a deadly detour.

So, what is it that Adonai does to prove who His anointed is? Moses tells Korach and his rebellion to grab their incense pans and to put fire and incense on them and then in the Presence of the Lord, which will be revealed, the Lord will select who is His anointed, whether Moses and Aaron or Korach and his merry band of dimwits…

Does this remind you of anything? The Lord is about to use the exact same act that Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Avihu, did as a lesson before all Israel. Nadab and Avihu rushed into the Shechinah of Adonai with Aish Zara, strange fire, in Leviticus 10 and they were consumed by fire because of it. Here we see the Lord commanding Korach and his boys to do the same thing. At this point, you’d think some red flags would be going off, but no… The go with it.

Ultimately, they show up with their incense pans and Aish Zara and the ground opens up and swallows Korach, Datan and Aviram and all of their possessions and families, then fire comes out from Adonai and consumes the 250 men who were in rebellion with them.

See, here’s the thing… Korach had a very important calling in Israel. He and his family of Levites were single-handedly responsible for caring for and carrying all the furnishings of the Tabernacle. They may not have been the ones performing the sacrifices and entering the Presence, but they were very important. But Korach wanted more… He wasn’t satisfied with the “measly” calling he was given. He wanted to be “the guy” in charge...

What’s really interesting is that historically we find out that not all of Korach’s descendents died in this account in Numbers 16. There is a remnant of Korach’s lineage that lived on and in fact did become something more in Israel. They become very key worship leaders at the Tabernacle and Temple in David and Solomon’s days. In fact, they author some very significant Psalms as well… Maybe you’re familiar with them? Psalm 42, Psalms 44-49, Psalm 84, 85, 87, 88...

Psalm 42:1–3 TLV

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day: “Where is your God?”

Psalm 46:1–4 TLV

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth change, though the mountains topple into the heart of the seas, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at their swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God— the holy dwelling place of Elyon.

Sure, Korach messed up and really big at that… But, the Lord still maintained a remnant of his lineage who learned from Korach’s mistake and recognized their value in their divine calling and ultimately become vital in the history of the worship mindset of Israel.

In the body of Messiah, it is important to stay in our lane or we may cause a deadly detour.

So, why is it so important to stay in our lane? Is this really something we have to consider today? Surely the intentions and actions of Korach and his merry dimwits can’t possibly be an issue in the Body of Messiah, can it? And how can we avoid allowing ourselves to become a Korach?

Well, this is ultimately the whole point of Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:4–13 TLV

Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Ruach. There are various kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are various kinds of working, but the same God who works all things in all people. But to each person is given the manifestation of the Ruach for the benefit of all. For to one is given through the Ruach a word of wisdom, to another a word of knowledge according to the same Ruach, to another faith by the same Ruach, to another gifts of healings by the one Ruach, to another workings of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Ruach activates all these things, distributing to each person individually as He wills. For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of the body—though many—are one body, so also is Messiah. For in one Ruach we were all immersed into one body—whether Jewish or Greek, slave or free—and all were made to drink of one Ruach.

As believers in Messiah filled with the Ruach HaKodesh we each have callings the Lord has given us and spiritual gifts He has empowered us with to fulfill those callings. But it is not uncommon that a person may not be satisfied to just do what God has called them to do, or perhaps they may feel there’s a greater calling at some point in the future (and perhaps there is) and they just are willing and able to be satisfied serving as God has called them now.

But, I have watched as congregations have been ripped to shreds because someone couldn’t learn this one simple principle… I’ve watched congregations be split because someone had a heart like Korach, they had a very important and influential calling, but they just weren’t satisfied with it… They wanted more… They wanted someone else’s calling… And, much like Korach and his merry band of dimwits, they sewed disunity and division into the congregation… They never learned this simple principle...

In the body of Messiah, it is important to stay in our lane or we may cause a deadly detour.

Paul deals with the idea of division and disunity in the Body often… I think it was something he saw developing over and over again and he knew the value of unity. He knew that the Body is stronger together in unity than we are broken and divided...

Ephesians 4:1–6 TLV

Therefore I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you were called— with complete humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Ruach in the bond of shalom. There is one body and one Ruach, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one immersion; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

But, this wasn’t just Paul’s message… Paul is reiterate the cry of Yeshua’s heart for His Bride as we find in John 17, from which Lynn Huey wrote the song “Make us One” which we sing often here at CMC.

John 17:20–23 TLV

“I pray not on behalf of these only, but also for those who believe in Me through their message, that they all may be one. Just as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You, so also may they be one in Us, so the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory that You have given to Me I have given to them, that they may be one just as We are one— I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them as You loved Me.

If in our unity the world sees Messiah in us, then who does the world see in our disunity? This is why it is so important for us to learn, wrestle with, and come to terms with this important principle learned from Parasha Korach.

In the body of Messiah, it is important to stay in our lane or we may cause a deadly detour.

You

If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve all been guilty in this area...

Maybe you’ve found yourself in Korach’s shoes? You weren’t satisfied with where you are and who you’re called to be, and you just want someone else’s calling and role...

Maybe you’ve found yourself being Datan and Aviram, you had a chip on your shoulder already and when the right Korach walked up and started touting his garbage you were in a place where you found yourself able to relate...

Maybe you’ve found yourself in the shoes of the 250 leaders of Israel who listened to the “grievances” of Korach, Datan and Aviram and allowed that division and disunity to fester in you and you took part in spreading the disunity...

Maybe you’ve found yourself like Moses or Aaron who are on the defensive because the enemy is attacking through a Korach, and you need a reminder to just fall on your face before the Lord...

No matter what, the principle is still the same...

In the body of Messiah, it is important to stay in our lane or we may cause a deadly detour.

We

Ultimately, one of the most important realities in the Body of Messiah is unity in Messiah, unity in the Ruach. If we are not united we will crash and burn… The world needs to see Yeshua in us, they need to see us united, they need to see the Kavanah of the heart which desires nothing more than to be used by God as He has called us and gifted us to be used.

(Encourage everyone to linger on these words, to take time to process and pray about the value of unity and being satisfied with who we are called and gifted to be.)