Numbers 16 "GAINSAYING" There are times in life when things happen which are very hard to understand. The motives behind divisive acts are usually hidden at first from human understanding, but God knows. When the discontent of Korah, a first cousin of Moses and Aaron, became obvious, it had already spread to many others. One person's discontent and/or jealousy has the terrible ability to affect all of God's people if allowed to go unchecked. The "gainsaying of Core" was an act of apostasy from which there was no recovery. That disaffection, unsanctified influence and deception ultimately led to thousands losing their lives. How careful we must be when we verbalize our criticisms of others. The end of such a matter may be far more serious than we could ever imagine.
God calls His servants and, by His sovereign will, gifts and fits them for service under His guidance and control. Gifts and appointments from God given to His people are like members in a body. Each physical member of a body has a role to fill and when the body is coordinated by the Head, it is well able to do exactly what God wants. Assemblies of God's people work in that same way. Each person has their work to do for God. The divine appointment of each part working with each other part, brings blessing to those outside the body as well as to the assembly itself. When there is discontent and division, the work of God is hindered. We should never abandon the work that God has revealed to us to do for His glory.
Korah, a Levite who had service in the Tabernacle, was not content with that. He wanted the priesthood. He wanted the leadership. He wanted control. Moses and Aaron did their service for God and were leaders of God's people because God had given them that work to do and the responsibility to do it under His guidance. Some contrasts that affect a person's life and work are: do we want to control others or serve God? Is our motivation to be a servant or to claim the power of "the priesthood?" When a person exaggerates the problems, usually they look in the wrong place for answers. In Korah's case, he found a similar attitude in Dathan, Abiram and On who were from the tribe of Reuben. They probably were disaffected because they thought, as descendants from the firstborn son of Jacob, they should be in the place of leadership. From that group of men there were another two hundred and fifty men who joined in the rebellion against Moses' and Aaron's leadership. The influence of one can bring about the ruin of many.
The difficulties in life do not give us the direction for life. It is not uncommon for those who think promises made but not fulfilled in the way they want, to find someone else to blame for their own sins. Complaining quickly erodes faith. Lack of faith leads to dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction leads to skepticism. Skepticism leads to grumbling. Grumbling leads to bitterness and resentment. Rebellion follows that and then hostility, rebellion, separation and death. God is not the one who causes division and disobedience. Blessing comes from God, not discouragement and doubt. But when people become disaffected with the way things are and what God has done, it is useless to argue or try to persuade such people to change. Some things only God can do. Moses knew this. He knew this was a problem God had to deal with Himself. His supplication was to refer the whole matter to God. That principle still applies today in matters such as rebellion against divinely given authority or a designated and established work. Korah wanted the priesthood, not to continue to serve God in the Tabernacle.
We should never abandon what God has revealed to us as His will for us. To offer incense was a priestly work. Today that has been turned into a perversion of the divine intent by people who claim a man-given priesthood and offer incense from a man-formed religion. The appointment of Moses and Aaron came from God, as was the gift to do what God said. When Moses replied from his humbled place on the ground, he turned the whole matter over to the Lord. "The Lord will show... He hath chosen... before the Lord... the man the Lord doth choose." The divine presence is the only way to get the right conclusion to such a matter. Contentment with God's sovereign choice is a principle of Christian service. He designates the ministry to be carried out, and by whom. By Korah wanting the position of high priest is the same challenge as one who wants to be our High Priest. We have our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to set a man up to take that position is apostasy.
Dathan and Abiram had their own agenda and refused Moses' instruction and repudiated his leadership when they refused to come to the Tabernacle. They complained about his leadership by sarcastically challenging him of wanting to be a "prince" over them as he had been a prince previously in Egypt. Their view of Egypt was not what they had experienced as slaves. But in their dissent, they defied Moses' leadership. It is always wise to stay away as far as possible from dissenters. Defiance against God and His appointed servants has serious consequences. Pride and destruction go together. Divine judgment came in the trial by fire and the opening up of the earth beneath those who challenged God's anointed ones. Man, by nature is an enemy of God and is incurable. And man will always lose when he challenges God.
The very next day judgment fell on the congregation who sympathized with those who rebelled against God. The residual effect of that rebellious apostate group was felt by "all the congregation." Fire from the Lord had consumed two hundred and fifty leaders the day before who had been influenced by Korah, Dathan, Abriam and On. But the people had not learned a thing from that. In sentimental attachment to the apostasy committed right before their eyes, they identified themselves with the evil sinners and opposed the ones chosen of God. If it hadn't been that Moses knew his God, they all would have died that day. Moses knew the role of the priest was to stand was to stand between God and the people, so he quickly told Aaron what to do to stop the plague God had sent as judgment upon the ungrateful people. By standing between the living and the dead with the incense that spoke of the fragrance of Christ, Aaron was used by God to stop the death of the nation. Justice would have killed them all. Grace was shown again even though 14,700 more died because of that resistance against God and His servants. We should never think for a moment that sin does not have serious consequences. The role God has given me to fill should be done heartily and consistently. When we as brothers and sisters in Christ, each do what God has given us to do, we will live in harmonious fellowship.
""Holy God, my Father: I know what I have been called by Thee to do. Give me the sense to do that heartily and skillfully, and leave my brothers and sisters to fulfill their calling. May we all live in peace and fellowship knowing that we need each other to fulfill the purposes for which we have been placed here. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."