Rebelling Against Moses’ Leadership

 It had been over two years since the Israelites had left Egypt with the intention of going to the Promised Land.  While they had seen God’s power demonstrated repeatedly, they still hadn’t arrived.  Some of the people were jealous of Moses authority, and blamed him for their still being in the wilderness.  They were convinced they could do a better job of leading the people.  It was the same attitude Aaron and Miriam had taken in Numbers 12, but in that case it had been a private conflict with Aaron and Miriam opposing Moses and most of the people were not involved.  This time it was a public rebellion against Moses and Aaron causing a serious conflict among the people. 

 

Numbers 16:1-3 describes the rebellion.  “Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?”

 

This rebellion was carefully planned, involving some of the best known leaders among the various tribes.  They accused Moses and Aaron of doing exactly what they were doing themselves, seizing power over the people.  Moses had resisted taking that leadership, but had directed by God to take it,  Hearing their accusations, he prayed first of all.  After praying about it, he asked the rebels to appear before God, prepared to offer sacrifices like Aaron did and let God demonstrate who he had chosen, in Numbers 16:4-7.  “And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.  This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.” 

 

Korah was a Kohath Levite, one of the people charged with transporting and taking care of the Ark of the Covenant and the various items used in worship of God.  It was a vital role in their religion, and as Moses pointed out, the he and the other Levites had been chosen by God for that duty.   Their demanding more implied a disdain for the responsibility God had given them, as he said, in Numbers 16:8-11.  “And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from 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 unto them?  And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?  For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?”

 

There is an old saying that if you are too big and important to do the little jobs, you aren’t qualified to do the bigger jobs.  Quite simply, if you don’t consider the basic jobs worth doing, you’ll never be able to handle the bigger things that depend on them.  If they didn’t think getting the Ark of the Covenant, the table of shew bread, and the altar ready mattered, they clearly wouldn’t worry about offering the sacrifices properly. 

 

When Moses called the other rebels who were not seeking Aaron’s job, they refused to even talk to him, accusing him of lying to them and trying to make a king, in Numbers 16:12-14.  “And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?  Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.”

 

Deeply hurt and angry, Moses asked God to ignore their complaints knowing he was innocent of their charges, in Numbers 16:15.   “And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.” 

 

 

Rather than responding to the charges, Moses instructed Korah and his followers as to what they should do to meet with God so he could show who he had chosen, in Numbers 16:16-17.  “And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow: And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.”

 

Korah and his followers complied with Moses’ instructions, bringing out the entire congregation to watch as they took over, in Numbers 16:18-19.  “And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.  And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.”  They were looking forward to discrediting and embarrassing Moses.    

 

Sometimes people blame God for not making things happen as fast as they expected, but other times they blame the leadership and try to replace them in the belief someone else could do a better job and make things happen.   Such an attitude is the result of a lack of faith in God to do things in the best way at the proper time, and as we have pointed out repeatedly, “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin…,” according to Romans 14:23.