Nu. 16: Korah Pwned

Numbers chapter 16 is probably best remembered as "that chapter where God makes the ground open up and swallow a buncha people." Secondly, it is probably remembered as "that chapter where God sends a plague and kills 14,700 people." Thirdly, it is probably remembered as "that chapter where God burns up 250 priests." Horrible. Death. Lots of charred bodies. Sick.

So what could possibly bring this much rage and killing out of God? What kind of horrible crime must have been committed to strike 14,700 people with a plague, incinerate 250 priests, and bury alive three entire families?

Well, Moses and Aaron's privileged position wasn't sitting well with some of the Israelites. Korah, in particular. Even though he was a Levite, and was given a high place of service in the priesthood, he felt that Moses and Aaron believed they were better than he. Who is this Korah, guy anyway? Exodus 6 mentions him among the chiefs of the clans of Israel. That's already a high honor.

With high position comes high claims in Nu. 16:3. The first is that Moses and Aaron have "gone too far." Whether this refers to the fact that the Israelites were counting down 40 years until they could enter the promised land, or this Sabbath breaker was stoned, it wasn't actually Moses' judgment. Moses actually had to go ask the LORD, as he usually did. The second claim Korah makes is that "the whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them." So, Moses and Aaron were no better than the community. And Moses and Aaron would probably agree with that statement. Where the wheels come off is when Korah asks why Moses and Aaron "set themselves above the LORD's assembly." Which...I have no recollection of them doing that, deliberately or otherwise. What it comes down to is Korah's mighty jealous.

Moses, crestfallen, decides to have a showdown. He has the followers of Korah go ahead and prepare the censers, and make an offering before God, and God will choose who will be holy. God will choose whoe heart is in the right place. Moses, despite the opposition of these people, still was willing to pray for them. He wanted only to have them come to their senses. He knew exactly what awaited those who "brought strange fire." He summoned Dathan and Abiram, two of Korah's cohorts, to come to the Tabernacle to try and reason with them. So blinded were these two that they refused to come, thinking Moses was going to try to fool them.

That's it for Moses. He tells God not to accept their offering. God says "Stand back, I'm ending them." God wanted to take out everyone associated with them, but Moses still cries out for their salvation. What a gesture. But still, God causes the ground to open up and swallow all three guys and their families and possessions. By this time, I imagine the guys with the censors have to be a little stunned, but still they go forward with their censers for some reason I'll never comprehend, and then the LORD's fire came out and consumed them.

How'd you like to be Eleazar, to have go among all those charred corpses, pry the censers from the blackened bones, and then hammer them all down into a covering for the altar?

Even then, the people grumbled against Moses, saying that he killed the LORD's people. You read that right....see Nu. 16:41. They still opposed Moses. Amazing.

So then God wants to kill them again. Moses has Aaron run among the people as the plague is spreading to make atonement for them with the censer and fire. As he made the atonement for the people who hated him and grumbled against him, the plague ceased. 14,700 bodies littered the landscape.

So, why be jealous of what God does with other people?