They were guilty of na'ats.(1)Na'ats is the Hebrew word used to describe the insolence ofKorah and the 250 leaders of God's people in spurning theLORD. The story of their demise is anintriguing one for two reasons. First, it is amazing that theirself-deception appears to be so thorough and complete. Here werecommunity leaders who apparently thought they were pursuing thehigher road of noble goals when actually an insidious methodology hadled them to blatantly show contempt for God. Second, Korah's playbookis still with us. The game plan he followed is as attractive andenticing today as it was several millennia ago.
To appreciate the forces that led Korah to revolt,we must go back beyond Numbers 16. Genealogy had created the playingfield in some religious matters. One of Levi's three sons was namedKohath. We learn that Korah, Moses and Aaron were all descended fromKohath.(2) In other words, Korah and Moses were closerelatives from the same family clan.
Using the analogy of a football game, Moses hadtold the people that God had determined the rules for how the gamewas to be played. On the one hand, the whole nation of Israel was tobe a kingdom of priests and they were God's holy people.(3)Yet, on the other hand, Moses announced that God had determined basedupon genealogy who would play what position. It was Moses'tribe, the Levites, whom God had chosen to serve Him as priests.Furthermore, the work of ministering before the Lord had been dividedup between the three sons of Levi. It was Moses' clan ofKohath whom God had chosen to care for the most holythings.(4) And of course, it was Moses' brother Aaron andhis sons who were to serve as priests before God.
To an ambitious Korah this genealogicalarrangement appeared just a bit too convenient and hence suspicious.Often people can become insolent and show contempt when they thinkthey know better. God had taken all of Israel to be a nation of holypriests, yet only Aaron could play quarterback? In the name of God,was not Moses holding God's true message captive to serve His owninterests? Would it not be right for Korah to point out that God'sways were more gracious and equalitarian than Moses' proposal? Wouldnot those council members who held those positions of leadershipbecause they had demonstrated consummate leadership skills be just asequally capable of serving as priests? Korah was not even permittedto look on the holy objects!(5) What made his cousins sospecial? And so the accusation spilled forth against Moses and Aaron,"This time you have gone too far! Everyone in the whole community isholy and the LORD is with them. Why do you set yourselves above theLord's assembly?"
Korah's words reveal the confidence with which hisheart pulsated. He just knew he was right. He was confident that hewas following the higher more holy calling of faithfulness. As far ashe was concerned, Moses was suppressing others in the name of God andthe time had come for this to stop!
The next day God indicated what he thought aboutall of this commotion. On the one hand the ground swallowed up someof the rebels while fire consumed the remainder of those agentssupporting change. God corrected the false perceptions of Korah andthe community leaders. God had indeed spoken through Moses.(6)Although Korah's words reveal he was convinced he was doingright, God revealed he had shown contempt toward thedivine.
Korah's rebellion erupted from a heart thatnullified part of God's word by appealing to other aspects of God'smessage. It also appears that Korah was driven by sophisticatedand skeptical shrewdness rather than a desire for obedience. Thefrightening truth is that these very same dynamics can occur today.
Here are some precautions for preventing aninstant replay from Korah's playbook.
1) Accept all of God's word given to us asbeing authoritative.(7)
Korah could not have arrived at his conclusion ifhe would have accepted all of Moses' message asactually being from God. There are many reasons why people mightdiscredit a portion of God's message which has been given to them.Some might be tempted to deny a particular teaching because in theirown opinion, "I don't think this matters" or perhaps it does notconform to what they think is best (e.g. "i don't think this isloving," "I don't think this is fair," etc.) Skepticism might leadsomeone to deny the factualness or truthfulness because in his or heropinion, "this is too incredible to believe." Still others mightunknowingly dismiss part of God's message to them by infusingbiblical terminology with false definitions or using that biblicallanguage in a way it was not intended. It appears that Korah got hungup on the word "holy" and then drew some false conclusions.Similarly, if a person has a false understanding of grace, it ispossible today to march out under the banner of "grace" wielding therubber stamp of "that's legalistic" and run rough shod over faithfulobedience to God's message. In the name of grace (although notbiblical grace), it is possible for a person to think they are doingright while nullifying God's clear teachings in scripture.
2) Know what the right goal is, namely tofaithfully serve God.
Korah would not have rebelled and then tragicallydied if his goal would have been to obediently serve God. But itappears other motivations were at work in Korah's heart. Moses'response to Korah suggests that Korah wanted to be a part of thepriesthood.(8) This smacks of a hint of jealousy, if not alsoself-centered ambition. Furthermore, when he accused Moses of settinghimself up above the community, this suggests that he did not believeGod had exclusively chosen Aaron and his descendants for thepriesthood. If Korah had just kept his eyes focused upon what Godwanted him to do, he would not have pursued other agendas resultingin his undoing.
3) Know where your value comes from, namelyyour relationship with God
Why did Korah or why does any person seek visibleleadership positions? There are many answers. Some are noble whileothers are egotistical. Unfortunately, there can be a very darkmotivation, for why some people might seek leadership roles. Ifanyone believes the lie that "what I do" and "what I have" determineshow important I am, temptation will be near. Such a belief can ignitea powerful drive to seize upon visible leadership positions because"I want to be somebody." It is this sort of greedy thinking whichleads to boasting about what I have and what I havedone.(9)
Interestingly, the Hebrews writer informs us thatGod has resolved the problem of human arrogance claiming the positionof priesthood. God calls people to this service.(10) It is notbased upon their desire or ability! Not even Christ took upon himselfthe role of being a priest, God called him to be a highpriest!
1 Numbers 16:30,31-32,35
2 Exodus 6:16, 18, 20; Num. 16:1
3 Exodus 19:6
4 Numbers 4:4
5 Numbers 4:20
6 Numbers 16:28-33,35
7 There are two principleswhich might at first seem at odds with each other, but which need tobe dealt with clearly and biblically. The first is that allscripture, including the Old Testament, is authoritative forteaching.( 2Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians10:1-6; Romans 9:25-29; 12:20; 15:9-12; Acts 2:16) The secondprinciple is that Christians have been freed from the regulations ofthe Mosaical covenant contained in the OldTestament.(Galatians 4:21-5:1; Romans 7:6) Thisapparent discrepancy is resolved by understanding how Christians areto properly use the Old Testament.
If we allow scripture to present to us its own framework, we discover that God's word has been delivered to two different covenant communities. Each covenant community is governed by the covenant through which God has called it to be His people.Beginning with Moses' writings up through the time of the prophets, the Old Testament is the history, wisdom and prophetic messages of and for the covenant community formed at Mt. Sinai. That covenant provided its own stipulations for divine worship.(Hebrews 9:1) For Korah to have rebelled, he had to disregard part of God's message given to his covenant community.
Today, God's people are under a new covenant made possible by Jesus.(Hebrws 8:6; 9:15; 12:22-24) This new covenant describes the basis for the Christian's salvation, ethic, hope and worship. Christians must not lightly dismiss God's message which has been given to them. It is also important to remember that this new covenant community has been freed from the regulations (Law) of the old covenant.(Galatians 4:21-5:1; Romans 7:6)
While Jesus was born under the Law and lived faithfully under the old covenant, with his death Jesus inaugurated the basis for a new relationship with God redeeming people for God.(Galatians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; 1:18-19) This relationship with God is not based upon our obedience to the Law of the old covenant, but based upon himself and being included in the covenant community which he created with his death. Accordingly, Jesus has freed Christians from the necessity of observing the Law of the old covenant.
Although those who enter this new covenant are freed from the stipulations of the old covenant, nevertheless the former covenant continues to be a valuable teaching source.(2Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6; Romans 9:25-29; 12:20; 15:9-12; Acts 2:16) For example, this very article is built upon recognizing the authoritative nature of the Old Testament to teach us about such principles as the danger of rebelling against God's message and what can lead people to treat God with contempt. At the same time, this article does not promote the Aaronic priestly system (which served as the backdrop for Korah's rebellion) since Jesus has replaced the Aaronic priests.(Hebrews 7:11-22; 8:3-6)
The point I am trying to make is that while allof scripture is authoritative for teaching about righteousness, wemust also remember that through Christ we have been freed from thestipulations (Law) of the covenant given to ancientIsrael.
8 Numbers 16:10
9 1John 2:16; Luke 12:15
10 Hebrews 5:4-6
Copyright © 2002 BarryNewton
Other articles which might be ofinterest:
The Lion in the Path on theWay Home (An Old Testament story about theneed for obedience)
Something More Than JustCharacteristics - The Source (Issuesreleated to covenant)
The Role of Women in theWorship Assembly
The Invisible MagicStamp ("That's Legalistic!")
Who AreYou? (Non-worldly foundations for ouridentity)