Korah party betrayal

Korah party betrayal

I. Preface

I was writing about the mysteries of heaven, and I mentioned Revelation chapter 22: “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” (NIV, Revelation 22:15) This group of people were tortured by the fire of Hades, resurrected and released. After the Great White Throne Judgment, they remained outside the four holy cities in heaven, which is the lowest heaven (the first heaven).

The reason why they did not go into the lake of fire was the promise of God’s grace and mercy:

1. Israel – God’s chosen people

I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.(NIV, Malachi 3:6)

2. Christians – people who believe in Jesus

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (NIV, Mark 16:16)

The Bible says: “If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." (NIV, 1 Corinthians 3:15)

II. The reason for Korah’s betrayal

I found on the Internet that a brother Zhou provided an "Analysis of the Mental Journey of Korah's Rebellion" www.luke54.org/view/...; the Korah Party attacked Moses and Aaron. 250 people were severely punished and sent to the underworld. These evildoers, after the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the world, are consistent with the fact that the Sons of Jacob will not perish. They will be in the first heaven (the lowest heaven) outside the city.

There is no detailed analysis of the rebellion of the Korahites in Chapter 16 of Numbers. Information can only be found in the Midrash of Jewish rabbis. The author specially excerpts and organizes the most essential parts for the readers and as a reference for us.

According to the analysis of Jewish rabbis, the reason why Korah betrayed Moses and Aaron was at least due to the following factors:

 1. Obsessed with one’s own family background

Korah was the second son of Kohath from the tribe of Levi and the eldest son of Izhar (Exodus 6:21). Therefore, he was of the same generation as Moses and Aaron. When he thought that he was not being used by Moses, he was very angry. In particular, his younger counterpart, Elzaphan, the second son of Uzziel (Exodus 6:22), was appointed head of the Kohathite family (Numbers 3:30), while he was older, he was ignored and felt humiliated.

2. Coveting the Priesthood

 Korah's younger descendants - Aaron's four sons, including Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar - were anointed priests and were consecrated to serve as priests (Num. 3 : 3), and he, as an elder, was not granted the priesthood, so he was naturally indignant.

He secretly complained, "Why can these younger generations become priests, but I can't?" He didn't understand that this was God's choice!

3. Disobeying the leaders appointed by God – Moses and Aaron

Because of the dissatisfaction that had accumulated in their hearts for a long time, they naturally felt resentment toward the leaders appointed by God, thinking that the two of them exalted themselves above the congregation of the LORD and acted according to their own will. (For example, Aaron's four sons all received the priesthood; Korah believed that this was because Aaron was Moses' elder brother, so Moses made this arrangement.)

Korah did not see that the LORD was sovereign and had the absolute right to decide who would be the leader. He thought that Moses and Aaron were acting arbitrarily! I don’t know that this is entirely God’s choice, because He has mercy on whomever He wants to have mercy, and He has favor on whomever He wants to show kindness.

4.With a sinful, unbelieving heart

Because they were dissatisfied with the leaders appointed by God, they naturally began to doubt the laws promulgated by God through Moses. He actually saw with his own eyes the coming of the Lord, with thunder and lightning, the sound of a trumpet, and the mountain smoking, and the people trembled and stood far away. God promulgated the Ten Commandments before millions of Israelites; this announcement shook heaven and earth, and the entire congregation heard it!

As for the rest of the statutes, laws, and regulations, no one had ever heard God say this; he thought that they were all invented by Moses himself in order to control them through them.

5. Korah believed that Moses often acted on his own will

On the day when the tabernacle was set up and the altar was anointed, each tribe came to offer their offering, and the leaders presented their gifts before the altar. The LORD said to Moses: “The leaders of the altar must present their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar. The one who presented the offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah (Num. 7:10-12).

At this moment, Korah immediately became suspicious:

Reuben was the firstborn of Israel, so why was it the leader of the tribe of Judah who offered the offering on the first day instead of the leader of the tribe of Reuben? Korah immediately thought: It must be because Moses’ brother Aaron married the daughter of Amminadab (Elisheba, Nahshon’s sister) (Exodus 6:23).

Korah may not know:

Although Reuben was the eldest son of Israel, he lost his birthright because of his adultery, while Judah was the strongest of his brothers, so the one who brought his offering on the first day was the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 5:1-2); and this matter also This became an excuse for Korah to incite the descendants of Reuben to rebel against Moses and Aaron.

6. Being rich due to greed and arrogance

Unlike the other members of the tribe of Levi, who lived in poverty, Korah was very wealthy.

While in Egypt, he served as Pharaoh's treasurer and accidentally discovered some of the treasures that Joseph had hidden in the royal silver chest when he ruled Egypt. This discovery made him rich and he became the richest man in the world. One of them (the Jewish rabbinic commentary book states: Korah was very wealthy, and the incense burners held by the 250 leaders were also provided by him).

The rich man spoke loudly and with an arrogant tone (Prov. 18:2); he and all his followers gathered together to attack Moses and Aaron, and spoke without restraint (Num. 16:3). He did not know that by insisting on his own way and refusing to obey the leader appointed by God, he was betraying the LORD, and therefore God would have to step in to judge him!

7. Korah’s wife fanned the flames

If it weren't for his wife's instigation, Korah would at most have been dissatisfied and complained, and would not have embarked on the path of destruction. Here are two examples to illustrate this (from the Jewish rabbinic commentary on Numbers, the Midrash):

⑴. Cleansing Ceremony

Once, during the Levitical purification ceremony (Num. 8:5-14), Moses asked Korah to shave his whole body with a razor. When Korah’s wife saw this, she pretended to be shocked and said, “I have shaved my whole body with a razor.” I can't recognize you! Who made you so ugly?"

Korah answered, “Moses did it, and Aaron lifted me up and waved me up and down; they said, ‘Offer me as a wave offering before the LORD, for the Israelites, that I may do the service of the LORD.’” But I personally think that doing so is an insult to me!

⑵、Clothes

Another time, when Korah returned home, his wife asked, "What did Moses teach you today?" Korah answered, "He taught the people how to dress, to make tassels on the edges of their garments and to put tassels on the tassels. A blue cord, so that when the Israelites saw it, they would remember all the Lord’s commandments and do them…” (Numbers 15:38-40)

But Korah's wife replied, "Look, what a foolish teaching! Why only sew one blue ribbon? I will make you a coat full of blue ribbons someday!"

III. Waiting for the right time

1. Ten spies reported bad news.

Based on the above factors, although Korah was eager to betray, he did not take any action for the time being because the time was not yet ripe. Until Moses sent out spies to explore the land of Canaan, and ten of the twelve returned with a bad report, saying, “We cannot go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are, and this is a land that devours its inhabitants.”

Then the whole congregation cried out in a loud voice, and the people wept that night. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole community said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! If only we had died in this wilderness!” They said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”

Joshua and Caleb, two of the men who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said, “The land we passed through to explore it is a very good land. If the Lord is pleased with us, He will bring us into the land and conquer it.” gave it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey."

2. The LORD is angry!

The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?” (NIV, Numbers 14:11)

The Lord is angry! He will strike the congregation with pestilence, so that they will not inherit the land. Moses asked for forgiveness for the people and asked God not to destroy them. So God forgave the sins of the people, just as Moses had requested. But the Lord told Moses to tell the people, “Anyone twenty years old or older who complains will die in the wilderness.”

3. Korah saw that the time was ripe

At this time, the entire congregation of Israel gradually became dissatisfied with Moses and Aaron. Seeing that the time was right, Korah began to incite. Eventually he gained enough followers, including Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On, son of Peleth, from the descendants of Reuben, as well as 250 leaders of the congregation of Israel. These people planned to come together and attack Moses and Aaron.

4. Korah’s plan the day before the betrayal

The day before Korah launched his rebellion, he prepared a grand feast for all his followers. During the feast, Korah wove an elaborate story in public:

⑴. There was a poor widow with two daughters who made a living by farming. As she was about to plow the field, Moses warned her not to plow with both an ox and a donkey (Deut. 22:10).

⑵. When she was about to sow seeds, Moses told her: You cannot sow two kinds of seeds in your field.

⑶. When the harvest season came, Moses appeared again and reminded her: When you harvest the crops of the field, you must not reap the corners of the field, nor should you pick up the gleanings left during the harvest (Leviticus 19:9, 23:22). If a sheaf is forgotten and left in the field, he may not go back to glean it (Deut 24:19).

⑷ When she gathered the grain into her storehouse, Moses came and commanded her to give her the heave offering (Num. 18:26-28, Deut. 12:17), the first tenth (Deut. 12:17, Lev. 27:30), and the second tithe (Deut. 14:28).

The widow thought: Since farming for a living is so harsh, I might as well sell the land. She used the money from selling the field to buy two sheep. She planned to use the wool to make clothes to keep herself warm and eat the lambs' meat to fill her stomach. unexpectedly:

⑴. When the ewe gave birth, Aaron commanded that the firstborn be given to him. This was God's ordinance.

⑵. When she was shearing the sheep, Aaron came and told her: The first portion of wool sheared belongs to me.

⑶ The widow thought: "You are so greedy, just kill the sheep and eat it!"

4. After slaughtering the lamb, Aaron declared, “The shoulder, the jaw, and the belly of the lamb shall be mine.”

5. The widow could no longer bear it: "I would rather give the sheep as a perpetual offering, holy to the Lord!" (Leviticus 27:28)

Aaron cried out in joy, "That's great! Now they are all mine, for the things holy to the Lord shall be the inheritance of the priests (Leviticus 27:21)!" Just like that, Aaron took everything away. Leaving the poor widow and her two daughters crying there!

Finally, Korah concluded that what Moses and Aaron preached was entirely for the benefit of their own family. They took away everything from you and still insisted: This is what God wanted them to do!

IV. God’s Laws of Action

1. Attacking Moses and Aaron is opposing God

They mistakenly thought that this was only against Moses and Aaron, and not against God at all; they believed that they had not betrayed God, but continued to serve God. But in terms of truth, attacking Moses and Aaron is opposing the leaders chosen by God, and is opposing God.

According to God’s law of doing things, people cannot reject those chosen by God on the one hand and accept God’s will on the other hand. They had to submit to the authority of Moses and Aaron; this was submission to God. Many brothers and sisters in the church today do not know that in order to obey God, they must obey the leaders appointed by God.

2. Attacking the leaders chosen by God is a sin of rebellion that God cannot tolerate.

Korah's party rebelled and attacked the leader chosen and appointed by God. In an instant, the earth split open and swallowed up Korah, Dathan, Abiram, their families, and their property, causing them to fall alive into Hades. When a mortal commits the sin of rebellion, he is attacking the leader chosen by God, which God cannot tolerate!

God could tolerate the people complaining ten times in the wilderness, but He could not tolerate anyone contradicting the leader He had chosen. There are many sins that God can tolerate and are forgivable; however, any sin of rebellion or attack on the leaders chosen by God is something God cannot tolerate. Generally speaking, in all countries around the world, attacking the leader of a country (head of state) is considered treason, and the penalty is death penalty. Attacking the leaders chosen and established by God is a crime of rebellion against the Kingdom of God, and will be punished more severely than any other crime.

In this light, it is so serious that someone attacks a leader chosen by God! On the contrary, only by obeying the leaders chosen by God can the gates of Hades be closed and life be released. Jesus said, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (NIV, John 6:29)

V. Notes

In the incident of Korah's rebellion, the Jewish rabbis raised the following questions for us to reflect on:

1. Korah's party attacked Moses and Aaron collectively, and no one in the congregation stood up to defend them

When Korah's party gathered to attack Moses and Aaron, no one in the congregation stood up to defend Moses and Aaron. Therefore, God believed that the whole congregation was on the same side as Korah's party. Provoking God's anger, he would destroy them all in an instant.

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” But 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?” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”(NIV, Num. 16:20-24).

When the Lord was angry and wanted to destroy the entire congregation, fortunately Moses and Aaron interceded for them, so God did not do so. (This shows that even God Himself is willing to show mercy and love because of the intercession of those He has appointed.)

2.  The whole Israelite community grumbled, and the plague broke out

The LORD made the earth open its mouth and swallowed them  and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said. and the Lord said to Moses, “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.” So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped (NIV, Num. 16:46-48).

3. Korah’s party fell into a trap and served as a warning to future generations

Because when these people fell into Hades alive, they realized their mistakes at the moment of falling, and they confessed their crimes loudly (according to the Jewish rabbis, when these people fell, they shouted: We are wrong, our master Moses, please save us! But it was too late, Moses could not save them.

The tragic end of Korah's group is the most effective warning and reminder to the entire congregation: the consequences and end of not submitting to the authority of leaders established by God are so terrible and sad.

4. Aaron’s rod sprouted, proving God’s choice of him

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. (NIV, Numbers 17:1-3)

Moses placed the rods before the ark of the testimony and announced to the people,  The staff belonging to the man the LORD choose will sprout,.”  The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! (NIV, Numbers 17:12) The LORD did this to rid Himself of this constant grumbling against Him by the Israelites.”

5. The descendants of Jacob are not destroyed

 “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (NIV, Malachi 3:6)

The following description is based on the Jewish rabbinic commentary book and is provided for reference only. Rabbi Bar Chana once narrated an event:

 During one of my journeys, I met an Arab (who was the prophet Elijah in disguise), who asked me if I wanted to see the opening in the ground where Korah and his companions had fallen into Hades. He then led me to a cave, Smoke was rising from the opening. Then he inserted a ball of wet cotton onto the tip of a spear and inserted the spear into the opening of the cave. When he took out the spear, the cotton ball on it made a murmuring humming sound.

The Arab said, "Listen carefully!" The cotton ball seemed to confess from deep within: "Moses and his Torah are true!" The Arab told me, "Every Every 30 days, the group would be brought up to repeat their confessions.

The Korah group that betrayed and attacked Moses and Aaron must continue to repent with deep sorrow until the day when all the dead on earth are resurrected (the day of the great white throne judgment); because only then can they fully pay the price for their sins. My own fault! "

6. Descendants of Korah

1. Samuel was a descendant of Korah

According to the "Oral Law" circulated among the Jews (the Old Testament is the "Written Law" for the Jews; the anecdotes not recorded in the Bible can be found in the "Oral Law" for reference), It is recorded that “Korah had a vision in which he was revealed to have a great prophet and Nazarite priest among his descendants, and this man was Samuel.”

Samuel was a descendant of Korah, and was more aware than most people of the fact that his ancestor fell into Hades due to his disobedience! He used his family experience to write down a Bible quote as a warning to future generations: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. (NIV, 1 Samuel 15:22-23)

2. The sons of Korah did not participate in the rebellion

When Korah led his people to attack the leaders (Moses and Aaron), he was fully confident that he would not perish, otherwise how could his descendants produce a great prophet, priest, and leader in the future? However, he overlooked the fact that his sons did not participate in the rebellion. Samuel was one of his sons (1 Chronicles 6:33-37)

3. Hannah often prayed for Korah and his followers

After learning the whole story, Samuel's mother Hannah often prayed for Korah and his followers, asking God to have mercy and forgiveness so that they could have a share in the "world to come (new heaven and new earth: the kingdom of God)." These evildoers, after being resurrected at the end of the Millennium and judged at the Great White Throne, will not perish as the sons of Jacob and will serve in the first heaven (the lowest heaven) outside the holy city in the heaven.

The Party of Korah in the Church

1. Attacking the shepherd and slandering whatever they do not understand

 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them. Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. (NIV, Jude 1: 10-11)

Shepherds in God's house are appointed by the Lord to distribute food at the right time, to watch over the sheep at all times, to fast and pray, like those who will have to give an account in the future. A small number of church elders and deacons privately criticized the pastor's preaching, gathered together to rebel against the shepherd, and slandered what they knew nothing about. This was the party of Korah.

Don't be deceived by Korah and blindly follow him to attack the shepherds! In his letters, Paul reminded people to be cautious when bringing charges against elders. The Bible says, “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:19). If this is the case with accusing elders, then shouldn’t we be even more careful when accusing shepherds?

If you do not have the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, or if you are not at peace in your spirit, and if you do not have solid evidence, do not be instigated by anyone to write a letter to accuse the shepherd. You must know that Satan is very cunning! I am afraid that you will become an accomplice of Korah and unknowingly follow the path of destruction of Korah's party and fall into the judgment of the fire of Hades.

2. Characteristics of the leaders of the Korah Party

⑴. You do not submit to the shepherds God has appointed in the church, and you want to be the head, not knowing that the head of the church is Christ.

⑵. You complain about the pastor privately, criticize his preaching, and find fault with his shortcomings.

⑶. You will make up stories, attack shepherds with lies, and confuse people to obey you.

⑷. You do not communicate directly with the shepherd about the problems in the church, but judge them privately, stirring up dissatisfaction among the people towards the shepherd.

⑸. Your family has a large number of members in the church, like Korah, and occupies a large number of seats.

⑹. You do not accept the accusations of others, you are good at making arguments and you always blame others for their mistakes. You are not willing to be humble and repent.

⑺. In your heart, you are dissatisfied with the shepherd, so you deliberately magnify his shortcomings and make inappropriate accusations.

⑻. You are good at winning people over, inviting them to dinner, giving them small favors, and creating disputes and factions.

⑼. You fabricate false testimony on various platforms, vilify the shepherd, and slander the teachings he preaches.

⑽. Without knowing it, you have been used by Satan and become the leader of Korah’s party, gathering people to attack shepherds.

 The above ten characteristics are the conditions for becoming the leader of the Korah gang and are for reference only! If you find that some of these items are very similar to your own, you need to examine them even more carefully, lest you perish in Korah’s rebellion!

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