Numbers 16:1-35 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On… I. THE REBELS. 1. Influential. 2. Numerous, 3. Deluded — (1) Concerning Moses, who they asserted, wrongly, was a self-elected leader and an arbitrary prince. (2) Concerning the people, who they assumed (ver. 14) would have willingly followed Moses to the promised land, had he tried to lead them hither. Self-deceived, and deceiving others. II. THEIR SIN. Rebellion against the authority of God which was invested in Moses. 1. Cause in Korah (see Numbers 3:30); whence it appears that for some unexplained cause a younger relative was appointed to the headship of the Kohathites. Korah was descended from the second son of Kohath (Numbers 6:18), whilst the present head was descended from the fourth son. 2. Cause in Dathan and Abiram. The priesthood transferred from the first-born of every family to one particular tribe, and that a branch of the house of Moses. But this was done by command of God, not of Moses alone. 3. Cause in the two hundred and fifty. Their own assumed rights might be interfered with, so they thought. 4. Cause in their followers. General dissatisfaction. They charged upon Moses the effects of their own selfishness. Pride in all of them. III. THEIR PUNISHMENT. 1. Of Divine selection. Left on both sides to Divine arbitration. On the part of the rebels, a defiance; on the side of Moses, humble agreement. 2. Manifest. All should see it, and know thereby the Divine will. 3. Of Divine infliction. God took the matter into His own hands. It was a rebellion against Him, more than Moses. 4. Terrible. 5. Complete.All pertaining to them perished. God could do without men who had thought so much of themselves. Learn: 1. "Our God is a consuming fire." "A fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." 2. Beware of resisting Divine authority. "How shall ye escape," &c. 3. Have we not all rebelled? 4. God was in Christ, making reconciliation, &c. (J. C. Gray.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: |
    |