13it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? And now you also want to lord it over us!
14Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Do you want to treat these men like slaves? No, we will not come!"
15Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, "Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, nor have I wronged any of them."
16Moses said to Korah, "You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.
- P148
20The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
21"Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once."
22But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, "O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?"
- P149
30But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt."
31As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart
32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions.
33They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community.
- P151
34At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, "The earth is going to swallow us too!"
35And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
- P151
Moses gives Korah and his followers what they demand; they are to appear before the Lord with censers and incense, along with Aaron. What happens next is an example of godly leadership. When God tells Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the assembly so that He might destroy them, they fall on their faces, pleading for the lives of the very people who opposed them. - P152
The humility and love for God’s people demonstrated by Moses and Aaron are in stark contrast to the quarrelsome and rebellious attitude of Korah and his followers. - P152
Those who are truly following the Lord are set apart from those who do not by their actions and attitude. - P152
God’s judgment often appears harsh to us. Swallowing up whole families and sending fire to consume others may seem callous. However, it shows the gravity of the people’s rebellion and it sends the message that God is serious about protecting His people. Like a spreading cancer, rebellion against God and those He chooses can destroy an entire community. - P152
In His teachings, Jesus warns of careless hired hands and wolves among the sheep of God’s pasture. They are a hindrance to the plans and purposes of God as He seeks to lead His flock to green pastures and quiet waters. - P152
When we pray as Jesus taught us, asking for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done, we are acknowledging that God knows and will do what is best for His people’s future. - P152
"Fear, anger, frustration, impatience, resentment, revenge, and hatred for theenemy are only a few of the temptations that can easily make us lose ground andbe destroyed by the cares of life." - Henry Nouwen - P152
Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to live by faith and to enjoy the peace that trust in You brings. - P153
Strengthen me to reject all forms of rebellion against those You placed in positions of leadership over me. May I submit to them for Your sake. In Your name, amen. - P153
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