Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

This Torah Portion goes from Numbers 16:1-18:32

Bemidbar

The Israelites who escaped from Egypt, witnessed the Sinaitic revelation, erected the Tabernacle, and were instructed in the operation of it (as described in Exodus and Leviticus) now prepare themselves militarily and spiritually for their march (walk) through the wilderness.

They are organized as a war camp centered about the Tabernacle (1:1–10:10), but they become progressively demoralized by complaints, rebellions, and finally by apostasy, leading to their death in the wilderness (10:11–25:19).

Jacob Milgrom, Numbers, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1990), 1–3.

Last Torah Portion we left it at:

Don’t want to leave what is comfortable

Don’t want to learn what seems so foreign

Fear of the unknown

No understanding of how God works

Family dynamics

Different structure

Different culture

Different worship style

Other nations around

Different language

Different authority

Different Norms

Unfamiliar

Israel had to be educated

Mindset

Fixed mindset- cannot do it, I cannot learn- so that change does not happen

Mental and emotional barriers - keep you from risk of challenge

As we enter our Torah portion we see that both Moses and Aaron face some resistance:

The Issue:

DRAMATIS PERSONAE: THE LEADERS OF THE REBELLION (vv.

1–2)

1. Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath According to the rabbis, Korah maintains that since the sons of Amram, the eldest of Kohath, assumed the leadership of the people (Moses) and the priesthood (Aaron), the position of the head of the family should have gone to himself, the eldest of the second son of Kohath.

Instead, it was given to Elizaphan son of Uzziel, the youngest son of Kohath, as demonstrated by the following genealogical chart (cf.

Exod.

6:16–22):

Jacob Milgrom, Numbers, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1990), 129.

Generations of Levi

Four Rebellions:

1- Levites against Aaron

2- Dathan and Abiram against Moses

3- Elders of the congregation against Aaron

4- The entire community against Moses and Aaron

Four separate rebellions are herewith recorded and fused: (1) the Levites against Aaron; (2) Dathan and Abiram against Moses; (3) the (elders) tribal chieftains against Aaron; and (4) the entire community against Moses and Aaron.

The archconspirator, however, is the Levite Korah, who instigates or is associated with all four rebellious groups

Jacob Milgrom, Numbers, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1990), 129.

Numbers 16:1–3 (NKJV)

Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi (1), with Dathan and Abiram (2) the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men;

and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation (3), representatives of the congregation, men of renown.

They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them.

Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly (4) of the Lord?”

Numbers 16:13 (NKJV)

Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us?

Exodus 2:13–14 (NKJV)

And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”

Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us?

Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”

So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!”

Rebellion

Numbers 16:2 (NKJV)

and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.

Ezra, rabbinical commentary, says they raised up “in his face.”

קוּם qum (877c); a prim.

root; to arise, stand up, stand:—accomplished(1), accuses(1), arise(103), arise and let us go(1), arisen(1), arises(6), arose(136), assailants(1)

Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).

Presentation

What is the big deal about Rebellion?

To explain this, let us take a moment to look at Saul, the king of Israel, who God gave them because they (Israel) wanted to have a king like the other nations:

God asked Saul to take over Amalek and completely destroy him and his people

Saul disobeyed:

1 Samuel 15:22–23 (NKJV)

So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

Rise up against or Rebellion: that same word is found in:

Genesis 4:8 (NKJV)

Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

Numbers 14:9 (NKJV)

Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us.

Do not fear them.”

Isaiah 1:2 (NKJV)

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!

For the Lord has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;

How did Israel rebel?

The way Israel is not exclusive to them.

This is common in human beings:

1-Sense of entitlement

Definition

The fact of having a right to something

The amount to which a person has a right

the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges of special treatment

Deserving

About me

Rashi:

“You take too much upon yourself” - much more than is proper have you taken for yourselves in the way of the High Office.

“for all the congregation is holy”

they all heard the utterances on Sinai from the mouth of the Almighty

This is an issue against God because He is the one who chooses the Leader that He wants

2- Ambition - trying to prove “good enough”

Ambition

Measure up

Numbers 16:8–10 (NKJV)

Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi:

Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them;

and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you?