Rejecting God’s promise
Twice the rebels mention "the land flowing with milk and honey," thus throwing the words disdainfully into Moses’ teeth. When we reflect upon the history of the expression, we begin to appreciate the gravity of their sin. They would be well aware of the circumstances in which it was first used. Not so long before, while they were groaning under Egyptian bondage, Moses received a message from his God, and this, we can be sure, he would faithfully report to his enslaved people. In the course of the great theophany at the burning bush, Moses was told: God has heard the anguished cries of the people and He promised "to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey" (Ex. 3:8 RSV). The promise was quite explicit and the Lord God is always true to His word.

When, subsequently, the so-called "spies" brought back their report on what they had seen, they echoed God’s own words: "We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit" (Num. l3:27 RSV). There was, accordingly, no question about the fertility of the promised inheritance. What makes the taunts of Dathan and Abiram even more serious is that they transfer the Lord’s description of the land of promise to Egypt itself.

We must remember, however, that while the ten "spies," were glowing in their account, they were also woefully lacking in faith and the behavior of the congregation at large led to their condemnation to a total period of 40 years in the wilderness (see Num. 14:33). Step by step, we can trace the events which led to the situation in which the Israelites found themselves at the time of Korah’s great revolt. The fault lay unquestionably at the door of the people, not Moses. Throughout, the conduct of Moses had been noble and selfless. Now, in Numbers l6, Moses is being held responsible for everything! Such is the perversity of human nature.

Moses deals with the rebellion
We must next turn to consider in detail the way Moses dealt with the rebellion. It was an attack upon two fronts, as we have seen (political against Moses and religious against Aaron, Tidings 12/98. In his first response to Korah, the leader of the rebellion, Moses had proposed a test of their claim to the priesthood: Korah and his supporters were to offer incense, thus affording the Lord the opportunity to respond and show whom He accepted. This was to take place on the morrow, for obvious reasons (see Num. 16:8). The whole operation, which was on a large scale, would take some time to organize.

From verse 16, we learn more about the way the offering of incense was to be conducted. Led by Aaron and Korah, the 250 rebels are also to offer incense on the morrow. There is a very important aspect of this operation which might well escape our attention. Our first impression might understandably be that all 250 were Levites. However, if we examine the record more closely, we must conclude that if there were Levites among the offerers, there must have been some who were not. In our earlier study, we saw that Korah and his associates had been engaged in a program of broad recruitment, with representatives from other tribes. Let us note once more the description of the rebels assembled under the leadership of Korah: "And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men" (Num. 16:2 RSV). Now it must be apparent that among this large company of leaders there were a number who were not Levites but, as prominent figures, were representatives of the various tribes.

We wonder about the reaction of the 250 when they received the challenge to offer incense. If it was a sin for a Levite to usurp the function of the High Priest, what are we to think of a leading figure from the tribe of Judah or Reuben who takes it upon himself to offer incense? It seems that they had been seduced by the honey-tongued chief conspirator: "For all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them" (v. 3 RSV). This effectively removed any distinction between one Israelite and another. If the people had responded to God’s promise, that the nation could be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Ex. 19:6 RSV), then Korah’s words would have been true. Alas, events had demonstrated them to be a hollow claim. Nobody had had more bitter experience of this fact than Moses. Accordingly, he puts Korah’s words to the test, to show who is truly holy in God’s sight (v. 5).

It is evident that the news of the great conspiracy spread through the camp like wildfire. The challenge thrown out by Moses would become known to all. Korah appears to have been full of self-confidence. When he reports to the door of the tabernacle the next day, he is attended by a great company of supporters (v. 19). If justice had been done, many would have perished. Typically, however, Moses intervenes, and not only Moses, but also Aaron (v. 22). In response to their pleas, the Lord instructs Moses to tell the people to remove themselves from Korah, Dathan and Abiram (v. 24). They can thus avoid the fate which will overcome the rebels.

The Lord chooses who are His
The scene is thus set at the door of the tabernacle. Turning from Korah, Moses goes to Dathan and Abiram. We should note that he is followed by the elders of the congregation (v. 25). This must have given Moses much encouragement. Here he finds a crowd and tells them to get away from the rebels’ tents, and to "touch nothing of theirs" (Num. 16:26 RSV). The warning has its effect. Thus, the rebels are isolated: the 250 leaders are gathered at the door of the tabernacle, while Dathan and Abiram are elsewhere, at their tents, "together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones" (v. 27 RSV). What is significant is that this is not stated in the case of Korah: his sons are not with him, a detail to which we will return.

Facing Dathan and Abiram, Moses then utters some highly dramatic words, which are an eloquent evidence of his total faith in the Lord God: he declares that if the rebels die a natural death, he is an impostor, and God has not sent him as the leader of Israel. If, however, the Lord God creates a new phenomenon, and the earth opens to engulf the rebels, then it will be known that the rebels have acted in contempt of God.

The faith of Moses was wholly vindicated. No sooner had he finished speaking, than the earth "split asunder; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men that belonged to Korah and all their goods" (Num. 16:31-32 RSV). Thus, in highly dramatic fashion, the rebels perished. The earth claimed them, and very appropriately: "The first man is of the earth, earthy" (I Corinthians 15:47).

The fate of Korah
But what of Korah himself: did he perish at the door of the tabernacle, or did he die when the earth opened to receive the rebels? His physical presence with the 250 offering incense is indicated in verses 6, and l6-l9. When fire came from the Lord and consumed the 250, however, Korah is not mentioned (see v. 35). That he did not die with them is confirmed by Numbers 26:11, where it expressly declares that Korah perished when the earth opened. What then happened? Did Korah's nerve fail him when he thought of the fate which had overtaken Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus l0:l-2)? This is possible; but if he thought he could take evasive action to escape divine judgment, he made a fearful mistake, for he died at the door of his tent in the company of his fellow conspirators.

Many good lessons
We have been reviewing a grim record of human folly and presumption, yet there are redeeming features. The glory of the Lord revealed itself to indicate His involvement in the events and to show His support of Moses and Aaron (v. 19). Then there is the encouraging fact that Aaron is now appearing in a favorable light, pleading with his brother for the forgiveness of the assembly at large (v. 22). Furthermore, there were elders who wisely supported Moses (v. 22). Finally, and this is important, the sons of Korah did not espouse their father’s cause, and so were preserved to serve the Lord (Numbers 26:11). There are thus lessons for us all; supremely, we must never forget that rebellion is an abomination to the Lord, but humility and submissiveness will receive His blessing.