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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4a
As the children of Israel heard the cry of the perishing ones, they
fled at a great distance from them. They knew that they were in a
measure guilty, for they had received the accusations against Moses
and Aaron, and they were afraid that they should also perish with
them. The judgment of God was not yet finished. A fire came from
the cloud of glory and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that
offered incense. They were princes; that is, men generally of good
judgment, and of influence in the congregation, men of renown. They
were highly esteemed, and their judgment had often been sought in
difficult matters. But they were affected by a wrong influence, and
became envious, jealous and rebellious. They perished not with Korah,
Dathan, and Abiram, because they were not the first in rebellion. They
were to see their end first, and have an opportunity of repenting of
their crime. But they were not reconciled to the destruction of those
wicked men, and the wrath of God came upon them, and destroyed
them also.
[33]
“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Eleazar, the
son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning,
and scatter thou the fire yonder, for they are hallowed. The censers
of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad
plates for a covering of the altar; for they offered them before the
Lord, therefore they are hallowed; and they shall be a sign unto the
children of Israel.” After this exhibition of God’s judgment, the people
returned to their tents, but not humbled. They were terrified. They
had been deeply influenced by the spirit of rebellion, and had been
flattered by Korah and his company to believe that they were a very
good people, and that they had been wronged and abused by Moses.
They had their mind so thoroughly imbued with the spirit of those who
had perished, it was difficult to free themselves of their blind prejudice.
If they should admit that Korah and his company were all wicked, and
Moses righteous, then they would be compelled to receive as the word
of God, that which they were unwilling to believe, that they should
certainly all die in the wilderness. They were not willing to submit to
this, and tried to believe that it was all imposture, and that Moses had
deceived them. The men who had perished had spoken pleasant words
to them, and manifested especial interest and love for them, and they
thought Moses a designing man. They decided that they could not be