Tag: Abiram

God Doesn’t Hate You

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

Dale Pollard

“Who does he think he is?”

It’s easy to imagine how the grumbling began among Korah and other religious leaders of the Israelites. Eventually 250 joined and as the grumbling grew so did Korah’s confidence. It all came to a head as the mob approached Moses and the heated accusations start. Korah cries out, “We’re all just as righteous as you are! Why do you stand before us and bark orders?” 

Moses does something unexpected and falls face down. He tells them, “In the morning the Lord will show you all who is holy.” How did those wicked Levites sleep that night? Were they confident that God would deliver them from their “tyrannical” ruler? Maybe they tossed and turned as all sleep escaped them. The following day we read in Numbers 16.32-35, 

“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. At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!” And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.”

This wasn’t the end of the line for all of Korah’s family though. We read in Numbers 26.9-11, 

“…Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the Lord and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured the 250 men, and they became a warning. But the sons of Korah did not die.”

Some of Korah’s family live on. Now, how would many people feel about God if they had watched their family and possessions swallowed up by the earth? A horrific event like that might make them bitter, angry, and traumatized. What a cruel and selfish God. 

Interestingly enough, the sons of Korah are responsible for writing a few of the Psalms. They aren’t laments reflecting back on how God had treated them unfairly. In fact, it seems as though they had their eyes opened to the character of God. He is holy and they are in awe of their awesome Father. 

Here are a few segments taken from Psalm 84, written by the sons of Korah. 

Verses 1-2 

“How lovely is your dwelling place,
    Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.”

Verse 4 

“Blessed are those who dwell in your house; 
    they are ever praising you.”

Really? Blessed? Ever praising Him? 

Verse 10 

“Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

The language does not reflect a family who has witnessed tragedy brought on by the hand of God. It seems they were spared because the Lord saw something inside them that wasn’t found in the hearts of the others. A heart willing to repent and live differently. God knew they could handle rebuke and had a sincere desire to live righteously. It’s been speculated that perhaps they were too young to understand why their father and the other Levitical leaders were outraged. Maybe they thought they were a part of a just cause? After all, these evil men were in a position of authority. They were their teachers. How could 250 religious rulers be wrong? Whatever the reasons, God proved to be right again. 

There are people in this world who don’t understand the righteousness of the Lord. This lack of knowledge leads to terrible—often costly, decisions, and lifestyles. 

If you ever find yourself questioning God and His Law we should look in rather than up for who’s to blame. History proves time and again that God is never the issue— we are. Sin, injustice, unfairness, and evil are human inventions. God has given us His son as the solution and in Him we find answers. Those answers bring us satisfaction and peace every time. 

Water well dating back to the early 1800s. Location, Valhermoso Springs hotel. 
Lacey’s Spring, Alabama 

Korah’s Rebellion 

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

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Dale Pollard

For the next few weeks we will look at some of the lesser known Biblical accounts, and the lessons we can learn from them. 

In Numbers sixteen there is a strange and terrifying event that unfolds. It has all the ingredients of a great movie. There’s rebellion, jealousy, vengeance, and drama but it’s so much more than a story. It’s history, and it’s been divinely recorded for our learning.

Korah seems to be the individual that starts a rebellion against God’s chosen leader, Moses. He hops up on his high horse and rallies together two hundred and fifty other leaders among the people. This group, no doubt, gave him the confidence to directly confront Moses face to face. He says, “You’ve overstepped yourself, Moses! Take a look around at the people you’re trying to lead. They are just as righteous as you, and God is in their midst!” Moses falls on his face, then says, “Tomorrow, God will make His stand with who He chooses.”

When morning comes, Korah and his fellow rebels bring incense to the Tent of Meeting to offer up to God. In the meantime, an intense conversation between God and Moses takes place. God, filled with righteous anger, is about to demolish every one of them in their tents, but Moses pleads with God to give them a chance. So, a warning is given to the people, “stay away from the tents of these evil men!” No sooner had the warning been given, the earth opens up and Korah and all those belonging to him are swallowed up by the earth. Fear spreads among the people as they were afraid for their lives, and who could blame them? God then strikes down the two hundred and fifty leaders with fire— the worship offerings still in their hands. What an account! Of course there are several applicable lessons for us, but here are just three.

Mind your Maker.

God chose for His people who He wanted to be in the leadership positions. When Korah felt that he knew better, the consequences were fatal. May we never fall victim to the mindset that tells us that we know better than God. Our Lord wants us to live a certain way, and worship a certain way. When we make changes to His divine commands, just like Korah, we have overstepped our bounds.

Mind your mingling.

How did so many band together with Korah? They were all mingling in the wrong crowd. Every one of those men made a choice. They chose to grumble and complain together, then they died together. It doesn’t matter how many people think the same way we do if that thinking isn’t Patterned after God’s thinking.

Mind your motives.

What drove these men to take such a stance? They were motivated by pride, discontentment, anger, greed, and self-righteousness. All of these attitudes are toxic for the church today, and all of them still lead to destruction.

While this account is a humbling reminder of God’s reaction to disobedience, there’s more to the story. Although Korah was out of line, his descendants would prove to be more upright (Numbers 26:11). They even go on to write some of the Psalms in the years to come, including Psalm 42. Your upbringing and roots do not have to dictate your eternity. Like Korah, we all have a choice. My prayer is that as these historical events are read we learn from them and press forward, more determined to be faithful children to a perfect Father.

“As the dear thirsts for water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” 

Psalm 42:1-2

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