The real-life story of one of the most prominent rebellions in human and leadership history is recorded in Numbers 16. It is a story that has been discussed for centuries, and many spiritual and physical lessons have been drawn from it, including the destruction that followed instantaneously.
Truly, every Bible student has read, heard, and discussed it, and I make bold to say that many who currently aren’t believers have read, heard, and discussed it as well. It speaks about the rebellion and destruction of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and other 250 renowned princes of Israel.
However, my goal in this article is to highlight an essential part of this story which deserves our attention and reflection. Kindly read on.
WHO WAS KORAH?
A glance at the genealogy of Korah in Numbers 16 reveals that he was not a mean man. He was a Levite of the branch of Kohath, the same branch as Amram, who was the father of Moses and Aaron. So, as a Levite, just as Aaron and Moses, Korah had a specific work to do in the house of God. In another write-up, I shall return to the three branches of the tribe of Levi and their specific functions as detailed in Numbers 3.
To still give more understanding, Samuel, the great prophet and king-maker, who took over from Prophet Eli, was from the line of the Kohathites.
Kohath had four sons, namely: Amram, Izehar, Hebron and Uzziel. When Moses and Aaron, the sons of Amram, were chosen by God and elevated to such enviable positions of leader and high priest among the congregation, Korah, the son of Izehar, desired that he should also have some authority to exercise as a son of Levi.
He was a wealthy man and well respected by the people of Israel. Instead of the headship of the family of the Kohathites going to him, it fell on the head of Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel. That felt like a spite on Korah. How can the children of Amram and Uzziel have such rare spiritual power and political influence over the governance of Israel, and his family is left out?
WHY KORAH’S PLOT CATALYSED SUCH ATTENTION AND WHAT HE TRULY WANTED
So, when you heard Korah speak, drawing Dathan and Abiram and other 250 renowned princes who were famous, you knew he was a man who was well respected by many.
Korah knew the right people to meet to share his demon-inspired grievances. His first port of call was a visit to the unstable tribe of Reuben. He went to the vulnerable sons of Reuben. He shared boundaries with them and so one day allowed himself to become the serpent to tempt Dathan and Abiram like the serpent tempted Eve.
As sons of Reuben, Dathan and Abiram had probably been feeling bad for their predicaments as a result of the sins of their father Reuben. They were suffering the spiritual and physical consequences of Reuben’s sins now late. Their father lost the firstborn position and blessings to Judah, lost the firstborn portion of the inheritance to Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh), and lost the firstborn priesthood to Levi. So, seeing themselves sidelined, as it were, from these juicy positions and privileges could have created wounds in untreated hearts.
Korah, an influential and cunning serpent, knew what to say and how to say it. It wasn’t difficult to get them to his side and recruit other prominent princes before they all began an open campaign for regime change in the wilderness.
Recall that the tribe of Reuben is one that Moses had to passionately make a prayer for to break the curse that Jacob, the patriarch, had placed on them because of Reuben’s instability and immorality. See how his good deed is rewarded by men who should know better. Truly, the bug of instability in the mind that bit the father has also bitten his sons.
By muscling 250 chief princes, a number sufficient to raise a tumult in the entire camp, what Korah planned was a coup through civil unrest. Though under the guise of “everyone in the congregation is holy, and this is the great congregation of the Lord,” what he really meant was that he was holier and more deserving than Moses and Aaron for the priestly office. He wanted to be the one speaking to, hearing from God, and giving direction to others. He acted like Lucifer, his master; he wanted to rule.
KORAH’S CHILDREN DID NOT DIE WITH HIM
The swift destruction that followed that rebellion doesn’t need my essay, except God leads me to do so in a future piece. However, a valuable piece of information caught my attention.
I had always thought that all the members of the families that participated in that rebellion were utterly destroyed. I had never imagined that any of them escaped the caving in of the ground nor the fire from God until I read a verse of the scriptures that enlightened my understanding.
In Numbers 26:11, we learn that the children of Korah did not die with him. This would imply that they did not support their father’s evil and so were saved. The salvation probably took place when Moses commanded the congregation to separate from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. At this point, all those, including their children, who loved God, Moses and Aaron and despised Korah’s unruly behaviour, vacated the tent. So, when God sent destruction, the children of Korah were not swallowed up with him.
To further buttress this, Heman, a singer and choir leader in 1 Chronicles 6:33-38, was from the genealogy of Korah, from the branch of Levi called the Kohathites, which served in the tabernacle led by Eleazar the son of Aaron and had the duty of carrying specific parts of the tabernacle as Israel journeyed to Canaan. Heman did not walk in the footsteps of Korah but distinguished himself in the office he was assigned to by God. They were not to serve as priests, as that was for Aaron and his sons.
Furthermore, the sons of Heman were specially selected by David to become part of the king’s seer in the words of God who prophesied with harps, to give thanks and praise to God – 1 Chronicles 25:1,5. That is, what Korah had desired but went about it in the wrong way was what Heman was enjoying because he went about it the right way. He didn’t bother about becoming the king or priest. He stayed in the singing office and had access to God to the point that his songs were prophetic and divine instructions to the king. And the children of Heman joined in the temple choir with their musical instruments.
From Psalms 42 to 49 and 84 to 88, we see the ten psalms made for the sons of Korah; that is, they are credited to the children of Korah.
LESSONS FROM KORAH’S REBELLION
1. Korah desired power and would employ even open rebellion against God’s chosen servants to make his point. He cared not about becoming a nuisance in the peaceful camp of God’s people. Moreover, Israel had gone through multiple attacks from the enemies; the least Moses and the Israelites needed was an internal squabble for power. Such are the ways of godless men and women who desire nothing but to rule over the ruins of the populace.
2. He drew his family and other chief princes into the disobedience. Korah was well aware of what he was getting into. He could have, for the fear of God and the sake of sound judgment, left his children out of his rash decision. But he chose to remain in his tent and allow God’s anger to descend upon them. Such men are not fit for leadership who lack sound judgment. Evil men don’t die alone; they always pull others with them. Stay clear.
3. God is a righteous Judge and would stop at nothing to defend His true servants. The sort of justice God meted out to the rebellious families is scary. Unlike other times, Moses asked for a decisive judgment from God, and God answered spectacularly by opening the ground to swallow up these rebellious families. It is unheard of that people were swallowed up alive by the earth caving in through an invisible hand. But when God’s anointed are touched, or harm is planned against his prophets, He shows that the earth cannot contain his anger.
4. Korah and his coup plotters accused Moses and Aaron of being proud, haughty, and overbearing. Recall that Moses had a testimony from God as the meekest man on earth. How Korah could see pride in meekness can only be through the lying lens of an evil heart. The assessment of men can differ starkly from that of God, and the voice of men is not always the voice of God. Choose God’s assessment of you.
5. Satan hates unity and is always in search of crevices in the body to cause destabilisation and destruction. And once he finds any inordinate ambition, he insinuates his ideas and strategies until the tiny slit becomes an unbridgeable gutter. If he can’t get Moses and Aaron to fall, he would get Korah, Dathan, and Abiram to die. Beware of Satan’s devices.
6. Don’t join anyone to sin against God, even if he is your father. Jonathan, the son of David, is a glaring example of this point. Despite his father’s deep-seated hatred for David, Jonathan loved him and desired that David should be the king. He never supported the evil plots of his father, King Saul, but rather exposed them and saved David betimes. Evil is evil no matter who does it.
7. Korah made a bad name for his family. Heman made a good name for the same family. Korah chose to go to hell with his family, but Heman chose to serve God with his sons and daughters. You can choose to be faithful in the little things that God has committed into your hands or choose envy, jealousy, anger, and pride. I counsel you to choose the former.
Make sure to read other inspiring articles on this website. God bless and keep you.
