Numbers
chapter 16 presents a familiar story; rebellion against God-ordained
authority. Even as God is showing His mercy to the nation of Israel,
there are those that mistake His lack of judgment for tolerance and
even weakness. NEVER confuse God’s mercy with His acceptance of sin.
Korah (one of the Levites) and a small band of Reubanites “became
insolent and rose up against Moses“.
They accuse Moses and Aaron of being power hungry. “‘Why
do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?’ When Moses heard
this he fell face down“.
What an amazing reaction! Parents, please note, Moses doesn’t
lecture, yell, or get defensive; he prays. Remember the Levites had
a position of prominence; they ministered as helpers to the priests.
Apparently they began to think of themselves as deserving more honor.
Moses warns, “You
Levites have gone too far“.
He reminds them that they have been given a position of ministry as
a privilege, that they can bless others. “Then
Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram (the
leaders of the Reubanite rebels),
but
they said, ‘We will not come! Isn’t it enough that you brought us
out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert?‘”
They are in complete rebellion, even exalting their life of slavery
over God’s promise. Then Moses became angry and said to the Lord,
“Do
not accept their offering“.
Again, it seems there may be a point when it is too late to repent.
Moses
set up a showdown between the rebels and God. “You
and all your followers appear before the Lord tomorrow. Each man is
to take his censer and put incense in it– 250 censers in all– and
present them to the Lord“.
The Lord told Moses and Aaron, “Separate
yourselves from the assembly so I can put an end to this at once.”
Moses once again intercedes for the Nation, “O
God… will you be angry with the entire assembly when one man sins?”
Listen to God’s command, “Move
back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything
belonging to them or you will be swept away because of their sins.”
There is a point when God will judge those that rebel. We need to
instruct our teens (and maybe some of us post-teens!), there may be a
time when they need to steer clear of the bad influences, or they may
get swept up in the nonsense too. It appears that God will allow
some to pursue every manner of evil. Romans chapter 1 describes it
this way, “Although
they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave Him
thanks… Therefore God gave them over to the sinful desires of their
hearts… they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.”
But we are told that this is a reminder to us to recognize the mercy
God shows us; “God’s
kindness leads you toward repentance“.
“The
ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and
swallowed them and their households and all Korah’s men and their
possessions… Then fire came down from the Lord and consumed the 250
men who were offering incense“.
Interestingly, Eleazar the priest is instructed to gather up the
bronze censers from among those who had been burned up. God
instructs him to “hammer
them out to overlay the altar“.
Remember the altar was where the sacrifices were made and sin was
judged. What a fitting use for these sanctified items. Every time
the people brought their animal sacrifices before God, they would be
reminded that they deserve God’s judgment, but by the blood of the
lamb, their sin was covered. As believers in Christ our altar is at
the foot of the cross. It is there we receive complete forgiveness.
“Although
you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil
deeds, yet He has reconciled you in His fleshly body through death to
present you holy and blameless and beyond reproach.”
(Colossians 1:21-22). Are you honoring the authority God has placed
over you?