February 23 Daily Devotional

Numbers 16

Korah, a Levite, with Dathan and Abiram, of the tribe of Reuben, got together and decided not to obey Moses any longer. They envied Moses and Aaron and considered themselves just as good as they were. They gathered two hundred and fifty outstanding men and started a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. They approached their leaders, complaining that they took too much upon themselves, for they were no better than anyone else. These men did not remember that the Lord himself had chosen Aaron and his sons to be priests, and Moses to be their leader and their prophet. Korah and his followers did not see that they were fighting against God. A little later, Moses sent to call Korah, Dathan and Abiram to come to him. But they were very rebellious toward him because they had to turn back into the wilderness. They replied, “We will not come up: is it a small thing that thou killest us in the wilderness? But thou must needs make thyself a prince also? Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.”

And the glory of the Lord appeared. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I consume them in a moment.” They fell on their faces and said, “O God … shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?” And the Lord said to Moses, “Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” And Moses rose up and spoke to the congregation, “Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their’s, lest ye be consumed in all their sins … Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works. If these men die the common death of all men … then the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them … then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.” And when “he had made an end of speaking these words, the ground clave asunder that was under them: and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained to Korah, and all their goods … and the earth closed upon them.” And fire came out of the tabernacle and burnt up the others. The people round about fled at the cry of them: for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also.”