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The Torah portion for this Shabbat is called Korach, named after the leader of an infamous rebellion against Moses and Aaron; one which ended catastrophically. This parasha covers Numbers 16-18. It is the third challenge to Moses’ leadership in a row; the first having come from his own siblings, Aaron and Miriam (on the pretext of his marrying an Ethiopian woman). The second was the evil report of the ten spies and their accusation that Moses had brought them into the desert to die. The consequence of each rebellion was dire.
Korah and three of his associates, Datan, Aviram and On assembled 250 leading men, and challenged Moses and Aaron for leadership over Israel. They alleged that Moses was exalting himself and insisted that all Israelis were holy and should be allowed to be priests. Concerning the first false allegation, we should remember that back in Midian Moses tried as hard as he could to get out of the assignment, and telling God that He should send somebody else. Remember, too, that at this point Moses is over 80 years old! At that point it would probably be a whole lot more fun to rent a Winnebago and go on vacation than accept the responsibility of leading an entire nation of kvetchers.
The pretext for the rebellion was that in chapter 15 a man had been sentenced to death for violating the Sabbath. So now Korah says to Moses, “You have gone far enough!” and would have everyone believe that he is indignant over the execution of the Sabbath-breaker, and that he is merely seeking equal spiritual opportunity for all Israelis. It’s possible that Korah had been building up resentment about the exclusive appointment of the Cohaneem, the priests (he not being one of them). What is more certain is that he rejected Moses’ leadership, which was tantamount to rebellion against God who called and commissioned Moses. But Korah presented his challenge in such a way as to appear to be a real “man of the people”.
But do you really suppose he and his buddies assembled 250 of the most highly-esteemed men of the nation that quickly? I seriously doubt it. In my experience it takes considerable time and effort to build alliances and coalitions. More likely, he had been secretly rallying others behind him all along, ‘working the phones’ as it were, getting his supporters ready to act on his signal, whenever that might be. Maybe he even made some ‘campaign promises’? I cannot prove it, but it seems to me that Korah had his eyes set on usurping Moses’ leadership for some time, and had been gathering sympathizers. I believe he had been lying in wait to seize power, and that he used the aforementioned event as justification. I suggest this was raw personal ambition masquerading as spirituality. Jude 11-16 seems to confirm Korah’s wicked intentions. In essence, Korah was mimicking Satan who, in eternity past, gathered his own following to launch a coup.
Moses tells Korah and Co., “Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His and who is holy and who He chooses to bring near to Himself” (16:5) instructing them to come with firepans, censers and incense to the Tent of Meeting the next day. Moses’ challenge to Korah was a live-or-die proposition. You see, under pain of death, only cohaneem – priests, were permitted to offer incense before the LORD. Korah was of the tribe of Levi, but not from the Aaronic line. So in essence, Moses was saying to Korah, “This thesis of yours, that any Israeli can offer incense to the Lord – let’s put it to the test. Are you ready to stake your life on it?
The next morning, Korah and his crew showed up with their censers, but Datan and Aviram refused the summons. Korah and the 250 leading men lit their censers and put incense on it. What happened next was terrifying. God sent forth fire and slew those 250 men. And what of Korah, Datan and Aviram? At God’s directive, Moses warned the entire congregation to step back and move away from their tents. Moses told the people, “If these men and their families die a natural death, then you’ll know that God didn’t send me. But if the LORD brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens… and swallows them up… and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the LORD.” No sooner did Moses finish speaking, than the earth split open right where their respective tents were, and these men and their families and their belongings plunged into the earth and it immediately closed back up.
The people were terrified! But their fear quickly turned to resentment. The very next day the congregation rose up and assembled against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for the death of these leaders. Adonai suddenly appeared, and warned Moses and Aaron to move away from the people, but instead Moses interceded for Israel, instructing Aaron to light incense and make atonement for the people. Meanwhile, 14,700 people (presumably the size of that mob) were struck with a plague and died. But Moses’ and Aaron’s intercession averted God’s wrath and Israel was spared.
In chapter 17, God commanded that a leader from each of the other eleven tribes bring a rod with their name etched on it, and come to the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s name was etched on the rod belonging to Levi. The rods were subsequently deposited in the Tent, and God said, “The rod of the man whom I choose will sprout.” The very next day, when the rods were brought back out, Aaron’s rod had sprouted – and not just leaves, but buds, blossoms and ripe almonds! By this divine act we were to never again question that Aaron and his descendants were God’s choice as priests to draw near to Him. That rod eventually was placed in the Ark of the Covenant as a perpetual reminder to the nation.
In chapter 18 Adonai reiterates the areas of responsibility for Levites and for Cohaneem, as well as their portions from Israel’s offerings.
Lessons from Korach:
1. Holiness (separation) is God-ordained. He chose who would be in office and who would mediate, who would lead, and who the Messiah would be, and He didn’t feel the need to do it in committee. Adonai doesn’t need our consultation. Our part is to honor His choices and so honor Him. Conversely, there is a terrible price to pay for disdaining God’s chosen mediator. And the ultimate Mediator whom God sent was Messiah Yeshua. So just imagine how much more severe the consequences are for rebelling against Him!
2. If you know someone with an authority problem, who resents the leadership in their congregation, who impugns motives and attempts to create suspicion and ill-will against the pastor or leader, you should steer clear of that person. It is one form of what is called “Lashon Hora” – wicked speech. Like Korah and like Absalom, they are plotting rebellion, and you if you don’t back away from their ‘tent’, you’ll suffer in the fallout.
3. Just as rebels in Israel defied the word of Moses, there are rebels within what is today called ‘The Church’ who defy the words of Moses, Yeshua, Paul and the Apostles. They exalt their own feelings and views above the word of God, and in that sense are just as rebellious as Korah. This past week, the Presbyterian Church USA voted to approve two abominations: first to legitimize homosexual ‘marriage’ and second, to divest from companies that do business in Israel – a form of economic punishment for alleged Israeli ‘atrocities’ against the Palestinians. ‘Social Justice’ in this case is merely an attempt to spiritualize anti-Semitism. I believe anyone in the PCUSA who is a true believer should step away from that tent.
4. If the judgment on Korach seems harsh, bear in mind that this was the same generation that witnessed God’s miracles as they were delivered from Egypt. Remember, too, that we have an even greater revelation! To whom much is given, much is required. Judgment will be even stricter to us, as we now have the full counsel of God!
5. Parasha Korach not only teaches us what rebellion looks like, but teaches us the characteristics of good and godly leaders. Good leaders are often reluctant leaders. They recognize a need, but would just as soon someone else rose to the occasion, yet what makes them a good leader is their willingness to step up to the need. But a good leader must also be patient, prepared to endure resentment and false accusation, for nothing has changed – human beings are sinful and prone to resentment, gossip and rebellion. Another trait of godly leaders is that, whereas they don’t seek conflict, they also don’t run from it, but face it squarely.
6. Perhaps the author of the Letter to the Messianic Jews was thinking about all the grief that Moses had to endure, when he wrote: Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you (Hebrews 13:17).
May the Lord give each of us a heart to serve and to obey.