Korah and the 250 leaders didn’t just revolt against Moses and Aaron; they ultimately rejected God’s plan. To settle the matter of authority, Moses introduced something entirely new—a phenomenon unmistakably from God.
And Moses said, “This is how you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works; it has not been of my own accord:
If these people die a natural death or if a natural fate comes on them, then the Lord has not sent me.
But if the Lord creates something new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord” (Numbers 16:28-30).
The judgment on Korah was swift.
As soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them was split apart.
The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households—everyone who belonged to Korah and all their goods (Numbers 16:31-32).
A modern-day reader of Numbers may wonder why God reacted to the rebellion with such ferocity. The history of rebels and rebellions gives us a clue to God’s action.
Throughout history, rebels have promised their followers a better life than the one offered by the governments they sought to overthrow. However, these rebels often end up becoming just like the oppressive regimes they replaced.
No modern reader of the Bible would consider Korah a better leader than Moses. It’s clear that neither he nor his 250 rebels, having rejected God’s promise, could have led the people into the Promised Land.
This episode with the Israelites should prompt us to carefully consider who we’re following in 2025.
Let’s take John’s counsel to heart: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
While John specifically addresses false teachers within the church, we should broaden this principle to include all leaders—whether in business, government, or religious settings. We must always question the underlying motivations of these leaders and those who encourage us to follow them.
Fire from the Lord
The 250 rebels, each holding censers filled with incense, met a different end than Korah. Fire from the Lord came forth and consumed them.
Eleazar had the grim duty of walking among the fallen rebels and removing the censers from their charred hands. He was then instructed to transform these censers into a memorial, serving as a stark reminder to the Israelites of God’s commandments and the importance of adhering to His explicit directions.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to take the censers out of the blaze, then scatter the fire far and wide.
For the censers of these sinners have become holy at the cost of their lives. Make them into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they presented them before the Lord and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the Israelites” (Numbers 16:35-38).
Ronald Allen, in his commentary on Numbers, provides an insightful observation about the memorial placed on the altar.
He notes that “even after the death of the false priests, the holy objects still had to be treated with reverence. This is remarkable. The men were wicked and deserved their fate, but the sacred implements needed to be preserved.
“From that moment on, the bronze sheet over the altar served as a lasting reminder of the utter foolishness of those self-proclaimed priests of the Most Holy God. Their families would know, their neighbors would remember.
“Each time they saw or thought about the altar, they would be confronted with the folly of those who defied God’s holiness.”
Reflections
I am grateful that despite my many rebellions against the Lord, I have received forgiveness instead of destruction. I’m thankful there are no visible memorials to my folly for myself or others to see. I appreciate God’s grace, the cross, and His mercy.
Yet, this story serves as a reminder to be cautious: first, not to become a false teacher, and second, not to follow one.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 