Daily Thought

The most critical event in Israel’s wilderness years was the rebellion of Korah and his company against Moses and Aaron. Korah, three Reubenites and two hundred and fifty nobles stirred up sedition and challenged God’s leaders in their divinely appointed positions. The challenge was really against God. Moses made this very clear when he said, ‘thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord’, v.11.

The Challenge. Korah and his band charged Moses and Aaron with retaining their top positions when there was no need of their leadership. They accused the leaders of taking too much upon them. Their argument, based on a pious sounding logic said, ‘all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them’. They reasoned that the two leaders were redundant. Korah did not wish to dissolve the offices of these two, but to replace them. This is a strategy applied still where carnal individuals want position. It is not spiritual leadership they want, but a mistaken idea of power over the people.

Moses’ Response. Moses recognized the situation called for wisdom. He would let God reveal His mind in the matter. ‘The Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy’, v. 5. The time had come for a public demonstration. God would identify whom He would have to serve Him. Jehovah would show who were His holy servants.

Moses revealed that the real root of Korah’s trouble was he wanted the priesthood. They disregarded their service as Levites. They did not consider their position a high calling, or a ministry to God’s people. Dathan and Abiram foolishly charged Moses with failure. They said he had taken the people away from Egypt, but he had not fulfilled his promise to bring them into Canaan. They also accused him of making himself a ruler over everybody. This false charge made Moses very wroth. In his righteous anger he prayed to the Lord, ‘Respect not thou their offering’, v. 15.

Prayer in this instance took on a different character. It was the prayer of righteous anger caused through the jealousy and envy of some of God’s servants, who despised the service for which He had called and equipped them.