Every pastor hears from people who profess to be afraid to come to church lest lightning strike or the building collapse. Perhaps a dim memory of hearing about the bloody events of Numbers 16 prompts those fears!
Things are not going well for the Israelites. Following their disastrous decision to doubt the Lord's leadership after the spies returned from Canaan, the reality of their generational sojourn in the wilderness is starting to sink in. They are going to die out here without ever inheriting the Promised Land! They are suffering a bitter fate indeed as a result of their rebellion. And they blame Moses and Aaron.
As a result, protests start breaking out among the people. (Read the hot words in this chapter that come through loud and clear even translated out of another language three thousand years later!) Among the Levites, a man named Korah accuses Moses and Aaron of doing a terrible job of leading the people. What is more, he asserts that there is nothing special about Aaron and his family; everyone in the Israel camp is holy, he says, and any of them can serve as priests (vs. 3).
Moses' idea is to challenge Korah and his 250 co-conspirators to a worship contest. Let them all hold up censers to the Lord, Moses suggests, and see how God answers (vs. 6). With some Reubenite accomplices named Dathan and Abiram backing Korah up, God threatens to wipe out the whole congregation right then and there. But Moses, once again, intercedes for the people (vs. 22). God then proclaims that everyone in the community who wishes to live should separate themselves from Korah and company.
A slaughter results. In a classic scene of divine judgment, the earth literally opens up and swallows Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and their families and possessions. In dramatic fashion, the Lord shows that He supports Moses. Then fire comes out from the Lord and consumes the 250 false priests, thus showing His support of Aaron.
Moses and Aaron's victory lasts one night. The next day, complaining about these developments breaks out against them. Once again, God is ready to judge the whole community. It takes Moses spurring Aaron into action with his censer to stop a plague and save the nation (vs. 46-47). Over 14,950 people died during those two days as a result of this dalliance with rebellion against the Lord's anointed.
Once again, we see how serious sin and rebellion are taken by God as He is at work establishing the nation of Israel. Want to fight against the Lord's plan? God will take care of you.
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