What Jesus' Brother Jude Wanted Us to Know | Verse 11, Part 5 | The Rebellion of Korah
The third and final illustration that Jude gives to demonstrate the timelessness of unbelief as well as reveal a type of forerunner for all modern day false teachers is that of the infamous rebel of Moses’ day, Korah, of whom we read about in Numbers 16.
Korah is a blatant example of one who rejects God-given authority and consequently rebels against that God-given authority. As Jude has already established leading up to this point, it is “these people” who “reject authority, and blaspheme” nearly everyone and everything but themselves. This is exactly what we see in the account of Korah’s rebellion.
In Numbers, the fourth book of the Pentateuch, or Torah, we have a well-documented history of the Israelites as they continue to trek through the wilderness. Many details pertaining to the organization of the clans along with their duties and responsibilities are listed here.
A number of censuses are recorded—hence contributing to the name of the book—as well as details surrounding God’s expectations of confession, restitution, vows, sacrifices and even priesthood retirement policies are outlined. Ultimately, the holiness of God continues to be drawn out along with the ramifications of living according to, or not according to, God’s holy standard—meant to glorify God and protect Israel.
Starting in Numbers 11, we start to see the breaking down of Israel’s character and integrity. The problem? They start complaining. God becomes angry with their extremely ungrateful and selfish complaints and kills many by sending fire down from heaven.
Amazingly, the people complain even more, but this time for the food that they had back in Egypt, bemoaning their wilderness travel. They despised the manna that God had supernaturally and graciously provided the first time they complained about food in Exodus 16. At this point, more people die for their bitter spirits by way of a plague.
Unfortunately, it just gets worse. This time the issue hits close to home for Moses. The closest and most trusted people he had in his life were undoubtedly his own brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam, who had such an integral part of God’s sovereign orchestration in his life. One can recall, for instance, how God had used Miriam to act as the liaison between Pharaoh’s daughter, who found Moses floating down the Nile in a waterproof basket, and Moses’ mother, who placed him there to avoid being killed by Pharaoh’s genocidal edict, in Exodus 2.
Both Aaron and Miriam knew God’s work, here. They both remember how Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s court, but eventually gave it up for the sake of Yahweh and His people. They both knew that God called him back to lead the Hebrew’s out of Egypt after performing miracle after miracle—Aaron was his right hand man, doing some of the miracles himself! They both knew God used Moses to lead them across the Red Sea after God supernaturally parted the waters.
In fact, Miriam is so enthralled by God’s work at this point that she leads the other young women to sing the first praise song ever recorded in Scripture, written by Moses himself.
And yet . . . what happens here in Numbers 12?
Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses and his leadership, no doubt influenced by—whether realizing it or not—the ongoing criticisms of the people.
Oh, how popular opinion can so effectively sway our better judgement! Take heed, here, church!
Due to their sinful reproach of Moses, evidently instigated by Miriam, she is given leprosy by God, resulting in her needing to be quarantined outside of the camp for seven days as the law prescribed.
As we continue through the historical narrative, keep in mind that the judgement of God is an act of justice at every point against the disobedient people. We are touching on all of these events because it ultimately comes to a head with Korah.
After the incident with Aaron and Miriam, we come to the point in their journey where the spies are sent into Canaan to get a lay of the land, in Numbers 13–14. The spies convince the congregation that they have no chance against the inhabitants of Canaan, directly contradicting what God had said, thus stirring up the people to rage against Moses (and Aaron, ironically) with the intent to stone them and establish a new leader to take them back to Egypt.
Only Joshua—whom the sixth book of the Bible is named after—and Caleb, side with Moses and affirm God’s promise of conquering Canaan.
This unbelief results in that entire generation of Israelites over the age of 19 to lose out on the inheritance. They get sent back into the desert to wander around until that entire generation dies. For them, the whole point of the exodus from Egypt has now vanished from right before their eyes as a result of their sin—trusting men rather than God.
Finally, we will note that next in the text is Numbers 15, which records an incident of a Sabbath breaker being killed for his direct disobedience against God. Sin continued to be punished.
It is at this point in Israel’s history that the character, Korah, is brought to light. Though he has technically already been introduced in the genealogies of Exodus, it is here in Numbers that we see Korah in action and it is based on this account that Korah will forever be remembered.
Korah is no insignificant or unimportant individual.
In chapter 16, he is introduced as a descendant of Levi, through Kohath. As a Levite, he was in the one clan that was set apart by God for the priestly Temple service. All Levites had specific duties and responsibilities based on the families they were born into. Korah was born into the Kohathite family.
The Kohathites’ blessed responsibility was to carry all of the holy things of the Temple after Aaron and his sons—the priests—had properly wrapped them up and covered them. These items were of utmost importance to the Temple service and worship of Yahweh. Numbers 4 tells us that they included the Ark of the Covenant itself, the Table of the Bread of Presence, the lampstand, tongs, trays and all the vessels used for oils, etc.
Although Korah was well trained in the proper handling and care of the items that God had established as most holy for His worship, Korah did not care that Moses was also established by God to be set apart from the rest of the people. Here we have a man who is consecrated by God to speak to Israel on His behalf—the same God that all of the Temple items of worship and service were crafted for.
Yet, we are told that Korah, along with three other point men, gathered 250 “well known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council” (16:2) to confront Moses and Aaron. This was a planned and strongly represented mutiny.
With all of the recent divine judgements against the people, the text now says that “they came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, ‘You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?’” (vs. 3).
Moses is devastated at the rebellion, yet unphased as to what the right thing to do is. He will let Yahweh make His will known, but he rebuffs them sharply, first:
“In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him. You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers and tomorrow put burning coals and incense in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!” (vv. 5–7) (emphasis mine).
Moses continued, saying to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too. It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?” (vv. 8–11).
To heap sin upon sin, when Moses summoned for Korah’s point men, they refused to come and further denounced Moses’ leadership and their lot to suffer the wilderness until they die. Their deliberate disrespect and rebellious denigration of God’s prophet and priest was inexcusable.
To make a longer story shorter, God revealed his judgement the next morning by having Korah and his point men stand apart from the congregation and we read that “the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community” (vv. 31–33).
Furthermore, “fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men” who had followed them. This was God’s way of draining the swamp.
Amazingly, the congregation immediately started complaining that Moses and Aaron had “killed the Lord’s people” (vs. 41). This resulted in another plague that killed 14,700 more people.
What is to be learned from this account of Korah and his massive mutiny?
Here’s the main point: unrepentant rebellion against the authority of God will ultimately be judged in Hell. Jude does not stop reminding us of this reality.
There is more we can take away from this text, though.
Korah was no schmuck. He had an important role in an important family in a prestigious tribe of Israel that served Yahweh. With this clout, he used his position to gain a following among the disillusioned and disenfranchised Israelites and by asserting his own authority he led hundreds of people to rebel against God’s authority—at the expense of his life and thousands upon thousands of others.
No one, dear friends, in a church position will ever have any authority apart from what they faithfully deliver from the Word of God itself. It alone is our authority and with it we are taught by preachers and teachers and with it we must test all preachers and teachers.
In so many words, Jude is pointing right into our eyes and reminding us of the two words that have forever protected the people of God:
Sola Scriptura!
In Christ Alone,
Ben
