“Now Korah… rose up before Moses, with a number of… well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and Aaron and said to them, ‘You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?’ When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and said.., ‘In the morning the Lord will show who is his, and who is holy… The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him… You have gone too far, sons of Levi!.. Is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you… to do service in the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them..? Would you seek the priesthood also? It is against the Lord that you have gathered together…’
“And Moses said to Korah, ‘Be present… before the Lord tomorrow… Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord…’
“As soon as he had finished speaking, the ground under them split apart. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.” Numbers 16:1-5,7,9,11,16,28,31-33
“The Lord, the Most High, is to be feared,
a great king over all the earth.”
“Man in his pomp will not remain;
he is like the beasts that perish…
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me.” Psalm 47:2; 49:12,15
Korah deserved the judgment meted out against him. Dire and horrible as it was, God clearly would not stand for this rebellion among His spiritual leaders. By both destruction and the plague’s cessation, He gave vivid visual lessons of His fury and His atoning mercy to invite reverence and faith in His people. The remnant of the condemned would not forget they had been spared, and would live to sing of His salvation. (Numbers 16:36-50)
Like Korah, we fuss and fidget with the places God assigns us. We envy and compare with others and complain about circumstances. Consumed with self-assigned rights and feelings, we fail to see our chafing is against God, who loves us enough not to stand for immature faith. He condescends to save and inspire that we might live above circumstances in joyous victory. (Romans 3:23; 6:23)
Have we considered our rebel hearts? In what areas do we insist on our own way: my pleasures, my drive, my timing? Where does resentment rebel against grace? Vengeance against forgiveness? Rash temper against gentleness? Impatience against rest? Are we willing to expose these tendencies to God’s consuming fire, and live free of them under His atonement? (Deuteronomy 4:24)
What can we do to never forget our Savior’s grace? Would we implement a regular time of praise? Participate in regular fellowship? Set aside times for thanksgiving, and proclaiming His salvation to the next generation? Whom will we tell today of His love and mercy?
My Savior, may I never forget Your worth and grace, and ever sing to benefit others and exalt Your glory.
As the rain and snow 