NUMBERS

Vindication of Moses' Leadership

Numbers 16-17

INTRODUCTION

At the end of the previous section, we saw God ordering Moses to lead the Israelites back into the wilderness where for the next 39 years He will destroy the generation 20 years of age and older. You would think that the rest of Numbers would be devoted to this period of 39 years; however, the incident before us is the only incident during that period which Moses relates to us. Basically, the 39 years consist of nothing more than aimless wandering in the wilderness while the Israelites drop one by one. How much despair filled Moses during those 39 years can probably be detected in Ps. 90 in which Moses depicts the futility of human existence.

That the episode before us happened should not surprise us; in fact, knowing human nature, it was inevitable. For over 1 year, Moses had led the Israelites out of Egypt in order to bring them into the Promised Land. The Israelites had followed him because of the hope of the promise of the new land. After the events, though, at Kadesh-Barnea, reality begins to sink in, and the people begin to realize that they are not going to enter the Promised Land. Moreover, like most people, they refuse to take responsibility for what had happened. The truth was that if the people had followed God's leadership through Moses, they would have entered Canaan and begun the successful conquest of the Promised Land. The people, though, chose to live in denial and decided to shift the blame to someone else. Who better than to shift the blame to Moses, since ultimately he was the one who "got them into this mess." In their view, he had failed at the highest level of leadership since "he had failed" to bring them into Canaan.

These 2 chapters describe the severest challenge to Moses' and Aaron’s leadership that the Israelites launched against them during their 40-year sojourn in the wilderness. These events actually form a watershed or climax in the movement against their leadership. Whereas there had been attacks before, none of them rivaled the attacks related in these chapters. Moreover, after these attacks, you hear about some more attacks against Moses and Aaron but nothing on this scale. God wants to put to rest once and for all the issue of whom He had chosen to be the spiritual leaders of His people.

KORAH'S REBELLION (16:1-40)

Although others were involved in this conflict, the main leader of the attack was Korah, a Levite, who was a cousin of Moses and Aaron (their fathers being brothers). Korah, along with Dathan, Abiram, and On (members of the tribe of Reuben) stir up 250 of the leading princes of Israel to rise up in rebellion against Moses and Aaron. These 250 were probably from the other 12 tribes. We're not talking about a motley crew here. This would be comparable to the 55 Senators and 215 Representatives who rose up to impeach Clinton. This is a serious challenge to Moses' leadership.

What was driving this rebellion? Probably jealousy. Korah was probably jealous because, although he was a Levite, his family could not serve as priests since they were not descended from Aaron. Sure his family served the tabernacle; however, they would never be able to serve in the lofty position of priest. The Reubenites, on the other hand, were probably jealous that God had completed passed over their tribe in favor of the Levites to serve the tabernacle and to serve as priests. This offended them because their ancestor Reuben had been the eldest of Jacob's sons; normally the highest honors would have gone to Reuben and his descendants. Due to Reuben's illicit sexual union with one of his father's concubines, Jacob had disciplined him by taking preeminence away from him and his family and giving it to Judah and Levi (Gen. 49:4). Whatever the motive, these groups were angry because they were not the leaders of the Israelite nation.

Note that they are not angry that there are spiritual leaders over the nation but rather note that they are angry because they are not the spiritual leaders. People want leaders; otherwise, they would be opting for anarchy which few if any really desire. It never fails, though, that when somebody is wanting to replace a leader, to their amazement they discover that the best possible candidate to replace that leader is none other than they themselves. Amazing coincidence! They may either take the position outright or else put somebody in that position who will simply be their own puppet, but they are still maneuvering to ensure they will be in control. Well, the same is operating here. The 2 are wanting to remove Moses and Aaron, and most likely replacing Moses and Aaron with themselves.

Now look at the theological reason Korah promotes in order to remove Moses. Korah claims that since God's Spirit indwells each believer, each believer is spiritual and on equal par with each other. Moreover, since God's Spirit indwelled each believer, no believer should pose himself as "lord" over other believers. Well, there are several flaws with this line of reasoning. First, Moses was not lording it over the rest of the nation. Rather, under God's direction, he was serving as the spiritual leader of the nation. Next, because God's Spirit indwells each believer and each believer is on equal par with every other believer does not mean that there are not spiritual leaders in God's system. Without leaders, anarchy ensues—something which God detests. We all have God's Spirit; however, He gives different functions and places to His people in His kingdom, one of those being spiritual leaders. Finally, simply because God's Spirit indwells each believer does not mean that each believer is spiritual. God's Spirit must indwell a person in order for that person to be spiritual; however, that alone does not guarantee that the person will be spiritual. Only the person who follows God's leadership in his life is truly the spiritual person (Rom. 8:14: "Now all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God").

Moses issues a challenge to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (that Moses does not mention On is probably due to On's withdrawing from the rebellion or his playing such an insignificant role in the rebellion). He tells them and the other 250 to bring along bronze censers filled with fire and incense before the tabernacle tomorrow; at that time God will conclusively prove once and for all whom He has chosen to lead Israel.

Moses continues with a special word to Korah and his followers who were Levites but not of the family of Aaron. He basically accuses them of the sin of ingratitude. God had elevated them to the position of protectors and servants of the tabernacle—the one place in all the earth where God especially dwelt. But no, this was not good enough for them. They had wanted more. They had wanted to bring down Aaron and replace him with themselves. Moses informs them, though, that the bottom line was this—they had not risen up against Moses and Aaron but against the Lord who had placed Moses and Aaron in these positions.

Moses' response to Korah reminds one of Paul's argument in Rom. 9:19-21. According to Paul, our relationship to God is analogous to the relationship between a potter and a lump of clay. The potter has complete authority to determine what he wants to do with the clay. If he wants to make it into a beautiful piece of pottery to adorn a mantle, that is his prerogative. If, however, he chooses to mold it into an ordinary jar to hold flour, that's his prerogative also. The clay has no say in what the potter has in mind for it. This makes Korah's complaint even worse. Although God had not chosen him and his family for the priesthood, He had nevertheless bestowed upon them the great honor of serving the tabernacle. He should have responded in gratitude. If He had chosen him to do nothing with the tabernacle, he still should have been content. God is determining these things, and not we ourselves.

At this point, Moses sends the message about the arranged encounter to Dathan and Abiram who had not met with Moses and Korah. Dathan and Abiram respond by refusing to meet with Moses. They accuse him of failing at the utmost level of not bringing the Israelites into the Promised Land which flowed with milk and honey. Moreover, they accuse him or lording his position over them. When Moses receives this response, he falls before the Lord and asks for the Lord to vindicate him. He does not desire that God wipe out his adversaries, but rather he prays that God vindicate him. He reminds God that he has dealt with his enemies with the utmost integrity and desires that God honor him because of it.

Here we see Moses' true humility shining through. The response has stung him. It hurts to be attacked not only when you are in the wrong but even especially when you are in the right. Here Moses is completely in the right and reminds God of it. Like any sane person would do, he simply asks God to vindicate him. (Whereas this may seem petty on Moses' part, it is not. God cares about His people, and if they are living for Him, then He is committed to vindicating them at the right time. He may not do it when we desire Him to do it or in the way we want Him to do it; however, He will vindicate us at the point in time when the Christian is most vindicated and God is most glorified. For example, look at the story of the 3 children of Israel and Nebuchadnezzar. Most of us would have wanted God to vindicate us before Nebuchadnezzar had thrown us into the fiery furnace; however, because God waited, He was completely glorified and the 3 children were completely vindicated as the people saw the children along with Jesus walk around in the fiery furnace completely unharmed. Many times we short-circuit the wonderful thing that God is going to do in order to vindicate us.)

The next day, Korah along with the 250 princes assemble at the tabernacle carrying with them their censers filled with fire and incense. Not only do they assemble against Moses, the whole congregation has assembled with them in opposition to Moses and Aaron. The Lord instructs Moses for him and Aaron to separate themselves from the people because He is going to wipe out the entire congregation. At this, Moses and Aaron fall down before the Lord and pray for the congregation. Moses appeals to 2 truths: (1) God's sense of justice and (2) God as the Giver of Life. He asks God if it is just to destroy the entire nation when only a few have sinned. To be sure, the congregation has allowed Korah et al to influence them; however, they were influenced and were not the instigators of the rebellion. Second, God as the God of all spirits and flesh is the one who has given life to all flesh and spirit. Does the One who consistently gives life contradict Himself by arbitrarily taking away life? God adjusts His plans on the basis of Moses' prayer.

Before leaving this section, we need to see how it applies to us today. Most of this entire passage applies to the way people should respond to spiritual leaders in the church, especially to the ministers; this section, however, applies specifically to the way the minister should respond when he comes under criticism or attack. At times ministers do receive criticism, and at times harsh criticism; however, it should not surprise the minister. Each minister is basically a leader for the congregation God has assigned him to. Because he is going to be "out there," out in full public view, he is going to be criticized at some time or other. He may be criticized for leading "too much" or for leading "too little"; moreover, he may be criticized for leading in the "wrong direction." Since he does lead, though, and since he is a public figure, he is going to face criticism. It doesn't matter if the criticism is justified or not, he is going to receive criticism just like other public officials. That minister is not to respond by being defensive and lashing out. Rather, he is to respond by praying for those who may be hostile towards him. Now I don't mean the minister is to pray that God blast that opponent into oblivion. I meant that minister is to ask God to show him where the minister is wrong in the matter and help him change his ways. Moreover, he is to pray that God bring the opponent to the point of repentance. Finally, he is to pray for God's strength to love that opponent even though that opponent may be acting in an ugly manner. He is to pray God's blessing upon those who hate him.

I've seen and heard of some ministers who were verbally attacked brutally and when they responded in anger, they were lampooned for their behavior, when the truth is that no one in their own strength could have responded properly. Ministers should respond properly and can respond properly only by relying fully upon God's strength which is exactly what God wants in that situation. The result of loving one's opponents is that it heaps coals of fire upon that person's head; hopefully that opponent will become miserable and repent. The purpose of loving one's opponents is to become like Christ. A person is never more like Christ than when he is able to love someone violently hostile to him—either in word or deed. When that minister or any other Christian for that matter responds in love, it gives that hostile person the greatest possibility to repent, but it also allows that Christian to experience Christ on the deepest level.

Moses, at the Lord's instructions, advises the people to step away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. He tells the people that if these 3 men and their households die a natural death, then God has not chosen Moses as the leader of His people; if, however, the earth opens and swallows up the 3 households, then the Israelites are to know for certain that God has chosen Moses to be the spiritual leader and Aaron and his household to be the priests over Israel. After Moses says this and the people pull back, the earth opens and swallows up the 3 households. Moses and Aaron stand fully vindicated. As for the 250 princes standing before the tabernacle, fire shoots forth from the tabernacle and devours them, leaving behind only the charred remains of the 250 plus their censers now purified by the holy fire.

AFTERMATH (16:41-50)

You would think that after this episode the Israelites would have never questioned Moses' and Aaron's authority again. The next day after this incident, though, the people begin to murmur again against Moses and Aaron. They once more gather outside the tabernacle and accuse Moses of killing the Israelites. Look at how preposterous their claim is. They are basically claiming that Moses opened up the earth in his own strength and destroyed the rebels. This shows the true nature of rebellion and evil. It is totally illogical and inconsistent. If I sincerely believed Moses had done this in his own power, I certainly would not have been attacking Moses. He could have done the same to me as well. On the other hand, if I did not think Moses had done this, then it would have meant that only God could have done it to vindicate Moses. In either case, I would not have gone around attacking Moses. Well, God has had enough of the people and sends forth a plague to destroy the people. Moses immediately orders Aaron to take his censer with holy fire and stand between the people who have died and those still left alive. The result is that the plague is checked. The plague, though, was so swift and severe that nearly 1500 still died as a result of it.