Korah Leads a Rebellion
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Moses’ Love for Erring Israel
Divine glory was seen in the cloud above the tabernacle and a voice
spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Get you up from among this congregation,
that I may consume them as in a moment.”
Moses lingered, in this fearful crisis manifesting the true shep-
herd’s interest for the flock of his care. He pleaded that God might not
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utterly destroy the people of His choice.
But the minister of wrath had gone forth; the plague was doing its
work of death. By his brother’s direction, Aaron took a censer and
hastened into the midst of the congregation to “make an atonement for
them.” “And he stood between the dead and the living.” The plague
was stayed, but not until fourteen thousand of Israel lay dead.
Now the people were compelled to believe the unwelcome truth
that they were to die in the wilderness. “Behold,” they exclaimed, “we
die, we perish, we all perish.” They confessed that they had sinned in
rebelling against their leaders and that Korah and his company had
suffered the just judgment of God.
Do not the same evils still exist that lay at the foundation of Ko-
rah’s ruin? Pride and ambition are widespread and open the door to
envy and striving for supremacy. The soul is alienated from God and
unconsciously drawn into the ranks of Satan. Like Korah and his
companions, many are thinking, planning, and working so eagerly
for self-exaltation that they are ready to pervert the truth, falsifying
and misrepresenting the Lord’s servants. By persistently reiterating
falsehood, they at last come to believe it to be truth.
The Hebrews were not willing to submit to the directions and
restrictions of the Lord. They were unwilling to receive reproof. This
was the secret of their murmuring against Moses. All through the
history of the church, God’s servants have had the same spirit to meet.
Rejection of light darkens the mind and hardens the heart, so that
it is easier to take the next step in sin, to reject still clearer light, until
at last habits of wrongdoing become fixed. He who faithfully preaches
God’s word, condemning sin, too often incurs hatred. Soothing their
consciences with deception, the jealous and disaffected sow discord in
the church and weaken the hands of those who would build it up.
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Every advance made by those whom God has called to lead His
work has been misrepresented by the jealous and faultfinding. Thus it