Numbers 16 - 18

Korah - From Bad To Worse
Things go from bad to worse.  Yesterday's portion dealt with the evil report of the explorers and the curse of 40 years of wandering, and the promise that none of those who believed the evil report would ever go into the Promise Land.  In chapter 14, the curse of death begins immediately with the 10 men who brought the evil report falling dead from the plague.

Then a group of people decide to flaunt the curse of God and attempt to enter Canaan only to be forced back by the inhabitants.  In chapter 15, verses 32-26, a story is recounted where a man gathering on the Sabbath is stoned to death.  Chapter 16 starts off with more misery.

A Levite, Korah, gathers his friends to mount a rebellion against Moses and Aaron.  He convinces 250 men to follow him in the uprising.  Moses puts them to the test and accuses them in verse 11, "The Lord is the one you and your followers are revolting against!"  They all (the 250) bring their incense burners before the Lord for a showdown with Moses. Of course, the battle was over before it began.  Moses is the chosen one and the Lord will not abide any rebellion.  Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and their families, are swallowed up by the Earth. The 250 are slain by fire.  Those who continue to murmur are slain - 14,700 souls (16:49)!

This, all because they chose not to believe the Lord and take what He was giving them.  To settle the matter in the people's mind that Moses and Aaron are the chosen leaders, the Lord has each tribe present a staff (a wooden pole) along with Aaron's staff, and place it in the Holy of Holies.  The presence of God was so powerful that a stick (a dead, dried up piece of wood) blossoms and produces fruit (almonds) overnight! In 17:10 the Lord declares, "[...]This should put an end to their complaints against me and prevent any further deaths."

We shall see if the people learned this lesson.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.