Lessons from Korah’s rebellion

1. No one is immune to the influence of bad company. “Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33). According to rabbinic commentary, the tribes of Reuben and Levi marched side by side in the desert, and this is how they came to plot their joint conspiracy. We must thoughtfully choose the people with whom we closely associate.

2. We need to be aware of what is motivating us to action. “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:2) Dathan and Abiram, who were of the tribe of Reuben, seemed to still carry the sting of having lost the “birthright” of Israel (Genesis 49:3–4) and, perhaps, were striving for recovery of that primary position. Korah, a Levite, was envious of Moses and Aaron’s leadership position. This envy was combined with selfish ambition, resulting in strife and rebellion. “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (James 3:16)

3. Discontentment breeds spiritual unrest, ingratitude, and arrogance. When we fix our eyes on speculations, fears, and fleshly desires instead of Christ, we open ourselves to a spirit of discontentment, which is the opposite of trusting and resting in God (Colossians 3:1-11; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Korah’s greed and pride only served to drive a wedge between the people.

4. Grumbling and complaining are never harmless. They seem harmless, but they always produce the fruit of active rebellion against God and often breed unrest in the hearts of those around us (James 1:14-15). Korah enlisted the help of his friends and incited many who came up against God’s chosen leaders.

5. Pride leads to spiritual blindness and a rejection of truth. Pride can be disguised by seemingly honorable reasons. Korah’s complaint against Moses and Aaron was grounded on his belief that since the entire nation of Israel was considered holy, no one should be seen as more exalted than anyone else. However, Korah’s pretense was soon revealed as selfish ambition. There is no blessing in prideful living. God blesses the humble and rejects the arrogant (James 4:6; Proverbs 3:34).

6. We should seek out and listen to wise counsel. In verse 1, there is a mention of a man named On as one of the rebels, but it is never mentioned again. Rabbinic legend has it that it was On’s wife who rebuked him for taking part in a rebellion and thus saved him from destruction. A godly spouse can often save us from going down the wrong path if we are open to their wise counsel. The Bible says that a good wife is extremely valuable and should be treasured more than precious gems (Proverbs 18:22, 19:14, 31:10).

7. Vengeance should be left for God. Moses did not try to vindicate himself; rather, he let God defend him. Moses’ reaction to both Miriam’s rebellion as well as Korah’s rebellion was one of humility. Likewise, we should also entrust ourselves to the God who sees and hears. He says to leave vengeance to Him (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:9) and warns us not to take revenge against those who injure or malign us.

8. The importance of intercession.“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16) God was going to destroy the entire congregation, but when Moses interceded for them, God gave them a way to be saved, provided they listened to the advice of Moses (Numbers 16:22–23).

It’s so important that we are a people who pray for others and that others are praying and interceding on our behalf.

Application Questions:

1. How susceptible are you to feelings of envy regarding those who have position or authority over you? What can you learn from Christ’s example that could help you overcome this potentially ruinous sentiment?

Quote:

“The cure for the sin of envy and jealousy is to find our contentment in God.” - Jerry Bridges.

Prayer:

Lord, help me not to be deceived by pride, envy, or jealousy in any form. Help me to know and identify my God-ordained role in the Kingdom and to do it faithfully. Amen.