numbers 16
Summary
Recounts the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. The chapter describes God's judgment on the rebels and the subsequent atonement for the people.
Key Points
Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and 250 leaders of the congregation challenge the authority of Moses and Aaron, accusing them of exalting themselves above the assembly (Numbers 16:1-3).
Moses responds by proposing a test to determine whom God has chosen, instructing Korah and his followers to bring censers with incense before the Lord (Numbers 16:4-7).
Dathan and Abiram refuse to come before Moses, accusing him of failing to bring them into the Promised Land (Numbers 16:12-14).
God instructs Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the congregation so He can destroy the rebels, but Moses intercedes for the people (Numbers 16:20-22).
The ground opens up and swallows Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their households, while fire from the Lord consumes the 250 men offering incense (Numbers 16:23-35).
God commands Eleazar, the son of Aaron, to collect the censers of the rebels and hammer them into a covering for the altar as a reminder of the consequences of rebellion (Numbers 16:36-40).
The next day, the congregation grumbles against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for the deaths of the rebels, and a plague breaks out among the people (Numbers 16:41-45).
Moses instructs Aaron to take a censer with incense and make atonement for the people, stopping the plague, but 14,700 people die from the plague (Numbers 16:46-50).
New Covenant Reflections
Rebellion and Authority: Korah and his followers challenge the authority of Moses and Aaron, questioning their leadership (Numbers 16:1-3). In the New Covenant, Jesus establishes His authority as the head of the Church, and believers are called to respect and submit to God-given leadership (Ephesians 1:22-23; Hebrews 13:17).
God's Judgment and Mercy: God judges the rebels by causing the earth to swallow them and sending fire to consume others (Numbers 16:31-35). In the New Covenant, while God's judgment is real, His mercy is extended through Jesus Christ, who offers forgiveness and reconciliation to those who repent (John 3:16-17).
Intercession and Atonement: Moses and Aaron intercede for the people to stop a plague that breaks out as a result of the rebellion (Numbers 16:46-50). In the New Covenant, Jesus is our ultimate intercessor, continually mediating on behalf of believers before God (Hebrews 7:25).
Holiness and Separation: The rebellion highlights the importance of holiness and being set apart for God's purposes. In the New Covenant, believers are called to live holy lives, set apart for God, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:15-16).