Articles
What Kind of Example Would You Leave?
“Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted” (1 Corinthians 10:6).
Examples leave a negative or a positive stamp upon the individual affected by them: the Lord indicates as much in 1st Corinthians 10:10, saying, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.”
One such occasion, that brought Jehovah’s retribution was with Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath. There were three sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. Of these three, Moses and Aaron were of the lineage of Kohath, as were Korah and his family. Albeit there were others involved in this uprising against Moses and Aaron, it is Korah that became the example.
Korah and his cohorts said to Moses, “Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and Jehovah is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the assembly of Jehovah?” (Numbers 16:3). Although Korah attempted to bring in “all the congregation are holy” as a tool against Moses’ authority, it was Korah that was dissatisfied with his place in God’s order of thing: “Moses said unto Korah, Hear now, ye sons of Levi: seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them; and that he hath brought thee near, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee? and seek ye the priesthood also?” (Numbers 16:8-10). Korah wanted more!
When Korah rose up against Moses, and “Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: and he spake unto Korah and unto his company, saying, In the morning Jehovah will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near unto him. This do: take you censers, Korah, and all his company: and put fire in them, and put incense upon them before Jehovah to-morrow; and it shall be that the man whom Jehovah doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi” (Number 16:4-7).
The end results. “And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that Jehovah hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then Jehovah hath not sent me. But if Jehovah make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then ye shall understand that these men have despised Jehovah. And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them; and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly (Numbers
Now, here’s where the example manifested itself: “And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, which they that were burnt had offered; and they beat them out for a covering of the altar, to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger, that is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to burn incense before Jehovah; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as Jehovah spake unto him by Moses” (Numbers 16:39-40).
Remember the words of Jehovah, spoken to Miriam and Aaron, saying, “Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known unto him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house: with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Jehovah shall he behold: therefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?” (Numbers 12:6-8). ret
- What_Kind_of_Example_Would_You_Leave.pdf (40.33 kB)
