מִדְבָּר

The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and rebellion. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generation.

Numbers 14:18 CSB

Numbers 15: Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them,

‘When you enter the land where you are to live, which I am giving you, then make an offering by fire to the Lord..

32 Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath day… 35 Then the Lord said to Moses,

“The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.”

complaint of bread from heaven

Do you recall their disobedience during the days of Manna In The Wilderness?

IF you have been following ALL of the disobedience of this people you know this is NOT the first death in the wilderness for disobedience. We can easily look back upon violation after violation of the Commandment and instructions by THE LORD our GOD!

Then Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field..” Yet it came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions?”

Exodus 16:25,27-28 NASB20

Korah’s Rebellion

Now Korah .. the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, .. sons of Reuben, took action, and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown.

A coup of 250 leaders of the nation sought to appoint their own Levite Priest (Korah) to lead the Nation whatever way they wanted.

3 They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst..

Moses, Israel’s leader anointed by the LORD & Aaron, Israel’s anointed Priest of the Tabernacle now confronted by 250 men of an opposing party. They oppose the LORD and have an agenda of their own.

Do you remember when?

3000 Deaths – Punishment by the LORD!

‘The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about three thousand men fell dead that day among the people.’

Exodus 32:28

REMEMBER the VOTE about entering the ‘Promised Land?”‘

MOSES lost that vote:

• 10 Leaders AGAINST;
• only Joshua & Caleb FOR.

They had feared the LORD briefly, so they sent Moses to Sinai to Represent them before the Lord God! Then they appointed 120 Elders from the twelve parties (tribes) representing a remnant rabble of redeemed slaves through the wilderness.

Now the MAJORITY brings a force of 250 against just Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Caleb, and unnamed loyal followers of the LORD!

WE remember so easily miracles and blessings by the LORD of us, yet how easily we forget our promises to Him and punishments for breaking Commandment, instruction or promise.

Roger @ talk of Jesus {dot}.com

In the Wilderness 16: continued

4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: and he spoke to Korah and all his group, saying,

“Tomorrow morning the Lord will make known who is His, and who is holy, and will bring that one near to Himself;

indeed, the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself..

.. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!”

.. He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? But are you seeking the priesthood as well?

12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:

Insolence against the LORD!

The answer of Dathan and Abiram to Moses points back to Egypt and their former life in slavery to Pharaoh!

13 Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey.. to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also appoint yourself as master over us?

Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey..

Recall that these were among the 10 who voted against Moses and Joshua and Caleb for continuing into the promised land of the LORD.

.. nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you gouge out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”

The LORD instructs Moses to send for them. After receiving their reply, as Korah and the others had gathered before the LORD as instructed by Moses, he replies to the conspirators.

15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord,

“Pay no attention to their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.”

16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your group be present before the Lord tomorrow, you and they along with Aaron. And each of you take his censer and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, 250 censers; also you and Aaron shall each bring his censer.”

The Glory of the LORD consumes His enemies!

Death penalty!

31 Just as he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split open. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, all Korah’s people, and all their possessions.

They went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.

Numbers 16:33 CSB

34 At their cries, all the people of Israel who were around them fled because they thought, “The earth may swallow us too!”

And yet another reminder

38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel..

40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses.

They murmured against the LORD’s punishment

41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron..

DO YOU MURMUR AGAINST THE LORD OR LEADERSHIP OF YOUR CHURCH?

Strong’s Definitions H3885
לוּן lûwn, loon; or לִין lîyn; a primitive root;

• to stop (usually over night);
• by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad sense)
  • to be obstinate (especially in words, to complain):—abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure, grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night, in, -ing, this night),
  • (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all night, that night).

Don’t WE tend to look back on what the Lord or our pastor did to us?

• Exo 15:24 So the people grumbled H3885 at Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
• Exo 16:2 But the whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled H3885 against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
• Exo 17:3 But the people were thirsty for water there; and they grumbled H3885 against Moses and said, “Why is it that you have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

“And it will come about that the staff of the man whom I choose will sprout. So I will relieve Myself of the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling H3885 against you.”

Numbers 17:5

Who will survive the Wilderness?

Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment.

Numbers 16:45a KJV

For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?

Deuteronomy 5:26 KJV

Some would not be led into the promised land. We who have known the great blessings of the Lord our God have seldom recalled the warnings to those who did not obey Almighty God.

NEXT: In the conclusion of this series we will look to the example of Joshua in the wilderness and upon entry into the promised land.

To be continued...