Numbers 16:26-50 NKJV
26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” 27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.
28 And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. 29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.”
31 Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. 33 So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!”
35 And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.
36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 37 “Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for they are holy, and scatter the fire some distance away. 38 The censers of these men who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.” 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar, 40 to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.
41 On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” 42 Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.
44 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”
And they fell on their faces.
46 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.” 47 Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. 49 Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident. 50 So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.
Our reading for today brings a conclusion to the people’s rebellion against Moses and Aaron, God’s appointed leaders. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and 250 men rose up to question God’s authority, leading to a deadly confrontation. For their part, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were swallowed by the earth as the ground beneath them split asunder. Verse 35 tells us that fire came forth from the Lord to consume the other 250 men of the rebellion. God commanded Moses to warn the people to distance themselves from the rebels, lest they too suffer the consequences of sin. Yet, the rebellion continued, with the congregation of the people of Israel murmuring against Moses and Aaron and ultimately God prompting an outbreak of a plague which led to the death of 14,700 people. This section of Scripture serves as a grave reminder of the seriousness of rebellion against God’s authority. It’s a sobering picture of God’s holiness and justice.
Yet, amid the judgment, there is also God’s mercy. In verse 50, we see that after Aaron made atonement, the plague was stopped. God provided a way for the Israelites to be saved, even in the face of their disobedience. This foreshadows the ultimate atonement made by Christ, who stood in the gap for us by dying on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. Although we deserve judgment for our rebellion, Christ’s atoning work on the cross brings us peace with God. Through His death and resurrection, we are spared from the eternal consequences of our sin. His grace covers all our failings.
God is holy and just, and He will not tolerate rebellion. But He is also merciful, offering us forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We, like the Israelites, are called to heed His Word, trust in His mercy, and live according to His will.
Let us pray: Almighty God, we confess that we have often rebelled against Your Word, just as the Israelites did. Forgive us for the times we have disregarded Your authority and walked in our own ways. Thank You for sending Jesus, our Savior, who atoned for our sins on the cross. Through His sacrifice, we are reconciled to You, and we have eternal life in His name. Help us to live in obedience to Your Word, trusting in Your justice and Your mercy. Strengthen our faith, and guide us in all things to Your glory, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.