THE LORD REIGNS

Psalm 93:1-5 / Keywords 93:1

The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

93:1 The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;

the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;

indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.

2 Your throne was established long ago;

you are from all eternity.


3 The seas have lifted up, Lord,

the seas have lifted up their voice;

the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.

4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,

mightier than the breakers of the sea—

the Lord on high is mighty.


5 Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;

holiness adorns your house

for endless days.

1. The LORD is the sovereign ruler of all things. His majesty is incomparable, for he rules as the Creator of this world. He sustains all things. He is eternal. He was in the beginning, and his rule will never end. All creation testifies to the LORD. The seas testify that the LORD is almighty. Their pounding waves are the testimony and revelation of the LORD’s character—his eternal power and divine nature (Ro 1:20). The LORD did not leave himself without a witness to his glory. In fact, all creation testifies to his reign. He rules with omnipotent strength, and he makes himself known in all creation.

 

2. The LORD also invites us to be ruled by his statutes. He gave his word to reveal his holiness in the world. His word is unfailing and unchangeable. The LORD reveals himself to those who live under the reign of his word. When we listen and obey his word, we experience his holiness and see his glory.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for revealing yourself as the ruler of all things. Bless me to listen to your word and live under your rule today. Bless me to know your glory.

One Word The LORD reigns

SPEAK TO THE ROCK

Numbers 20:1-29 / Keywords 20:8

"Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

 Water From the Rock

20 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! 4 Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

13 These were the waters of Meribah,[a] where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.

Edom Denies Israel Passage

14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying:

“This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come on us. 15 Our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors, 16 but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.

“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”

18 But Edom answered:

“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.”

19 The Israelites replied:

“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”

20 Again they answered:

“You may not pass through.”

Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army. 21 Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.

The Death of Aaron

22 The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 23 At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 24 “Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. 26 Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.”

27 Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. 28 Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, 29 and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, all the Israelites mourned for him thirty days.

a. Numbers 20:13 Meribah means quarreling.

1. The people neared their destination. They were again quarrelling with Moses due to having no water (2-5). Moses and Aaron cried out to God, who responded with grace: “Speak to the rock… and it will pour out its water (8).” God provided manna and water in the desert by his grace! Yet all who drank would die in the wilderness because of their rebellion. We have spiritual food and drink from Christ; let’s take warning from their example not to set our hearts on evil (1Co 10:4-6).

 

2. Moses grew impatient and angry with the people, calling them rebels, and struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it as God had told him (9-11). This lack of trust displeased God. God proved himself holy among the people: Moses would not enter the Promised Land (12). He too would die in the wilderness with the complaining people.

 

3. Edom refused them passage at first, causing them to take the long way around (Dt 2:2), but would later be afraid and let them pass (Dt 2:8). God had his own timetable for their entry into the Promised Land. Aaron was not permitted to enter and died on Mount Hor, succeeded by Eleazer (22-26). In spite of human failures, God would keep his promises to the next generation.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for spiritual water from Jesus. Help me not to set my heart on evil, but to trust you fully, whatever you say.

One Word Honor God as holy

THE WATER OF CLEANSING

Numbers 19:1-22 / Keywords 19:9

"A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin.

 The Water of Cleansing

19 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2 “This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke. 3 Give it to Eleazar the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. 4 Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. 5 While he watches, the heifer is to be burned—its hide, flesh, blood and intestines. 6 The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer. 7 After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water. He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. 8 The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening.

9 “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin. 10 The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them.

11 “Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days. 12 They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on the third and seventh days, they will not be clean. 13 If they fail to purify themselves after touching a human corpse, they defile the Lord’s tabernacle. They must be cut off from Israel. Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, they are unclean; their uncleanness remains on them.

14 “This is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who enters the tent and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days, 15 and every open container without a lid fastened on it will be unclean.

16 “Anyone out in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a sword or someone who has died a natural death, or anyone who touches a human bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days.

17 “For the unclean person, put some ashes from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water over them. 18 Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave or anyone who has been killed or anyone who has died a natural death. 19 The man who is clean is to sprinkle those who are unclean on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to purify them. Those who are being cleansed must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and that evening they will be clean. 20 But if those who are unclean do not purify themselves, they must be cut off from the community, because they have defiled the sanctuary of the Lord. The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, and they are unclean. 21 This is a lasting ordinance for them.

“The man who sprinkles the water of cleansing must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of cleansing will be unclean till evening. 22 Anything that an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening.”

1. God told the Israelite community how to purify themselves. The priest oversaw the slaughter of the heifer, then sprinkled the blood seven times (4), calling to mind sin offerings (Lev 4:5-7). The heifer was burned together with other red symbols (cedar, hyssop, scarlet wool) to emphasize the shedding of blood for forgiveness (Lev 17:11). The ashes would be used by the community to sanctify them so they may be outwardly clean. How much more will the blood of Jesus cleanse our consciences so we may serve the living God (Heb 9:13-14)!

 

2. Death, as a wage of sin (Ro 6:23), caused uncleanness (11-16), in terms of approaching the holy God. The whole community should help each other to be clean through observing a unique ceremony (17-22). A clean member would go outside the camp to get the ashes and prepare the water for sprinkling (17), and then “wash” their unclean neighbor. This ceremony calls to mind God’s desire to make us clean, with a new heart (Ex 36:25-26). It reminds us of how Jesus commanded us to wash one another’s feet (Jn 13:13-14). Such community life is counter-cultural. But as Jesus suffered outside the gate to make us holy, let’s go to him, bearing this disgrace (Heb 13:12-14), looking forward to his reward.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for the blood of Jesus that cleanses us. Help us cleanse one another so we may dwell with you.

One Word Are you washed in the blood?

I AM YOUR SHARE AND YOUR INHERITANCE

Numbers 18:1-32 / Keywords 18:20

The LORD said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.

 Duties of Priests and Levites

18 The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons and your family are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the priesthood. 2 Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister before the tent of the covenant law. 3 They are to be responsible to you and are to perform all the duties of the tent, but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar. Otherwise both they and you will die. 4 They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting—all the work at the tent—and no one else may come near where you are.

5 “You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar, so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelites again. 6 I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the Lord to do the work at the tent of meeting. 7 But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift. Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.”

Offerings for Priests and Levites

8 Then the Lord said to Aaron, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion, your perpetual share. 9 You are to have the part of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain or sin[a] or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons. 10 Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it. You must regard it as holy.

11 “This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.

12 “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain they give the Lord as the firstfruits of their harvest. 13 All the land’s firstfruits that they bring to the Lord will be yours. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.

14 “Everything in Israel that is devoted[b] to the Lord is yours. 15 The first offspring of every womb, both human and animal, that is offered to the Lord is yours. But you must redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals. 16 When they are a month old, you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels[c] of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.

17 “But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow, a sheep or a goat; they are holy. Splash their blood against the altar and burn their fat as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 18 Their meat is to be yours, just as the breast of the wave offering and the right thigh are yours. 19 Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord for both you and your offspring.”

20 The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.

21 “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting. 22 From now on the Israelites must not go near the tent of meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die. 23 It is the Levites who are to do the work at the tent of meeting and bear the responsibility for any offenses they commit against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord. That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.’”

25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “Speak to the Levites and say to them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering. 27 Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest. 29 You must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.’

30 “Say to the Levites: ‘When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress. 31 You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the tent of meeting. 32 By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die.’”

a. Numbers 18:9 Or purification

b. Numbers 18:14 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord.

c. Numbers 18:16 That is, about 2 ounces or about 58 grams

1. In the aftermath of the Levite rebellion led by Korah, God renewed the roles and responsibilities of the priesthood and the Levites (1-4). All things related to the sanctuary (the holy and most holy places) and the altar are for the descendants of Aaron, while the Levites are to assist with the work of the tent of meeting overall. They were to view this service as a gift from God (7). As a royal priesthood, we too have unique responsibilities and privileges in our tasks, given by God as a gift.

 

2. The compensation of the priesthood were the holy offerings presented by the Israelites (8-18). The people offered to God through the priests, and God gave the priests their share. This everlasting covenant of salt bound their service and God’s reward. God is our inheritance (20; 1Pe 1:3-4).

 

3. The Levites would also receive compensation for all their work from tithes as their inheritance (21). They would present a tenth back as offering to the LORD (26), maintaining a thankful heart. Behind all this is God’s desire to dwell with his people in a way that they may not die (22, 32). Our tithes today help us recognize God himself is our share and our inheritance, who provides all we need.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for redeeming me and appointing me as your royal priesthood – a great gift. Help me carry out my priestly duty, always recognizing you as my share and inheritance.

One Word Everything comes from the LORD

AARON’S STAFF: A SIGN TO THE REBELLIOUS

Numbers 17:1-13 / Keywords 17:10

The LORD said to Moses, "Put back Aaron's staff in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die."

 The Budding of Aaron’s Staff

17 [a]The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. 3 On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. 4 Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. 5 The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.”

6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. 7 Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.

8 The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.

10 The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” 11 Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! 13 Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?”

a. Numbers 17:1 In Hebrew texts 17:1-13 is numbered 17:16-28.

1. As with the bronze censers, God gave another illustration to teach God’s holiness and sovereignty: 12 staffs presented before the covenant law. The staff God caused to sprout indicated whom God had chosen as their mediators. They did as Moses instructed, and the next day Aaron’s staff not only budded, but blossomed and produced almonds! Only the Creator God who gives life could resurrect a dead branch like this! Through Jesus, God has chosen us too, and as we remain in Jesus we bear much fruit (Jn 15:5). This is a sign of God’s blessing and grace to us.

 

2. God instructed the branch to be kept with the ark in order to be a sign to the rebellious: when they saw it, they ought to remember it was not Aaron’s line who is sovereign, but God. God doesn’t want them to die, but to stop forgetting God, grumbling against people, and becoming rebellious. That generation was toxically sick with fear and doubt (12-13). But God never gave up hope for them to repent. God looks with hope to the next generation. God gives sign after sign, leading to his greatest sign: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

 

Prayer Father, you are holy and sovereign; you give life to the dead. Thank you that in Jesus, I – a dead branch – have been made alive and fruitful. May this sign and grace keep me from fear, grumbling and rebellion, and point others to you, my Creator.

One Word A sign so we may not die

BETWEEN THE LIVING AND THE DEAD

Numbers 16:36-50 / Keywords 16:48

He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.

 16:36 The Lord said to Moses, 37 “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy— 38 the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites.”

39 So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the Lord, or he would become like Korah and his followers.

41 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.

42 But when the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord said to Moses, 45 “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” And they fell facedown.

46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.” 47 So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.[c]

c. Numbers 16:50 In Hebrew texts 16:36-50 is numbered 17:1-15.

1. God dealt with the rebels and spared the whole assembly after Moses’ and Aaron’s intercession (22). God used the cleansed censers as an object lesson with two points: First, God’s holiness. The holy God provided a way to dwell with them through sacrifices on the altar. The layered bronze pointed to it. Second, God is sovereign. God chose Aaron’s family for the priesthood on the basis of God’s sovereignty alone; not popular opinion, human ability, or other criteria. By these God provided both the means and method to dwell with his people in covenant relationship.

 

2. But the people still did not pay attention to God. The next day, focusing only on Moses and Aaron, the people grumbled and accused them of murder. God appeared again at the tent of meeting. His holy presence brought a plague among the rebellious people. Moses instructed Aaron to carry out his priestly duty and make atonement for the people. As he did so, standing between the living and the dead, the plague stopped. Aaron’s priesthood was limited by his own weakness and eventual death. Jesus, our great high priest and mediator, always lives to intercede for us (Heb 7:25). Jesus became the once-for-all atoning sacrifice for us (Heb 10:14).

 

Prayer Father, you are holy and sovereign, and we are sinful rebels. Thank you for making a way for us to live with you through our high priest Jesus. Help me come to him humbly today.

One Word Jesus is our great high priest forever

MOVE AWAY FROM THE TENTS OF THESE WICKED MEN

Numbers 16:15-35 / Keywords 16:26

He warned the assembly, "Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins."

16:15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, nor have I wronged any of them.”

16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you and they and Aaron. 17 Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before the Lord. You and Aaron are to present your censers also.” 18 So each of them took his censer, put burning coals and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 19 When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord appeared to the entire assembly. 20 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”

22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?”

23 Then the Lord said to Moses, 24 “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.” 27 So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their tents.

28 Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: 29 If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”

31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33 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. 34 At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

35 And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.

1. Praying, Moses proposed a solution that would make it clear whom God had selected as priests and leaders of the assembly. This was not a conflict between Moses and Korah; the opposition had rebelled against God. God decided to destroy the entire assembly, saving only Moses and Aaron (20-21).

 

2. Moses and Aaron interceded for the assembly and God heard their prayer (22). God himself dealt with each of the rebels who treated him with contempt: swallowing the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram as a warning sign (26:10), and consuming the 250 community leaders with fire (35). The rest of the assembly was spared, if they distanced themselves from the wicked men, not being caught up in their sin (26). We too are tasked with discernment with whom we ally (1Ti 5:22).

 

3. There is a story of grace in the midst of judgment. Although Korah rebelled, his sons did not follow his example (26:11). The sons of Korah wrote Psalm 42 – “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God...”. God wants to love a thousand generations (Ex 20:5-6). Each one has this chance to choose to hate or to love God.

 

Prayer Father, you are holy, and call us to be holy. Grant us humble hearts and a clear decision to love you, and be separate.

One Word Love God and don’t share in others’ sin