Korah was a man of Levite lineage, from the clan of Kohath. The Kohatites had a pretty important role when the Israelites moved; they carried the Most Holy Things (See Numbers 4).
But that wasn’t enough for Korah. He talked it out with a few pals (Dathan, Abiram & On), and they solicited other men, about 250 Chiefs of the congregation. This group went to have a talk with Moses (16:1-2). They had a bone to pick with Moses & Aaron. They said, “You have gone to far! For all the congregation is Holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves about the assembly of the LORD?”
Let’s pause here for a second with a question….
Did Moses & Aaron exalt themselves, or did God? (See Hebrews 5:4; For Aaron, see (Ex 28 & Numbers 18); For Moses, Remember the burning bush? What did Moses say about himself in Numbers 12:3? So neither Moses or Aaron sought the positions they were in. It was all God. So Korah’s acquisitions are based on his desire, not truth.
Korah’s statement held a partial truth. God was continually calling the Children of Israel to holiness, and he called them, “A kingdom of priests and a holy nation” in Ex 19:5-6. But in his pride he desired more and accused Moses & Aaron of what he himself was doing. Moses heard it and fell on his face and said to them, “In the Morning the LORD will show who is his”.
In verses 8-11, Moses calls out Korah and the sons of Levi, basically saying God has given you a great responsibility. He set you apart to minister to Israel, but you are not satisfied with that, you want the priesthood too.
Again let’s pause…
We all have God given rolls in this life as followers of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12:1-7 it talks of spiritual gifts for the “common good”. What we all tend to do, as Korah & his band of merry men did is desire more. We covet what others have, not recognizing that it is God who decides the gifts and jobs each of us are to do for him. I mean seriously, the Levites had a special roll, (See Numbers 1:47-54). They were given no inheritance because of this roll and were to be taken care of (see Numbers 18:23-24; Deuteronomy 12:15, 14:27). That I would say is pretty special!
Moses tells them it is the LORD you are grumbling against, why grumble against Aaron? Their disregard of God and lack of reverence is astounding, but we shouldn’t be surprised, we do the same. {Even as I type this out I am convicted at how I tend to grumble over my lot in life, my situations, my struggles. It hit me square in the face. I stopped typing and repented.} Korah did not trust God, nor does he have any gratitude towards God for all he had done for him, and the blessings He had bestowed on him and his family. His selfish desires clouded his view of his blessings, in the LORD.
Korah’s compadres Dathan & Abiram, from the tribe of Rueben had a different beef. They blamed Moses for failing to lead them into the Promised Land. They refused to come to the Tent of Meeting. Their memory is so short, for just back in chapter 14 we know who is responsible for not going into the Promised Land (14:20-38). Moses defends himself before God alone, who is his judge.
Moses tells Korah and his company to take their censers, light them and come before the LORD.
This is important. Go back to Leviticus 10:1-3. There it talks about unauthorized fire and what happens when done.
They were all to eager to comply. The LORD says to Moses, “separate from the congregation”. God again was going to wipe out the whole tribe of Israelites, and again Moses interceded. Then God told him, “tell the congregation, ‘get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan & Abiram (On must have gotten wise).
Then Moses heads over to handle Dathan & Abiram. He tells the congregation there to make space between them and Dathan & Abiram and their stuff for they are wicked men. “And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.”
I’ll let you read what happens next to Dathan, Abiram Korah and the 250 men with them in 16:31-35.
The LORD had spoken in an amazing way. The censers were pounded into a covering for the ark, as a reminder to the people.
You would think that would be the end, but there’s more…… Stay tuned for Part 2