May the mumbling commence!
And Moses and Aaron fell facedown. What humble servant leadership! Numbers chapters sixteen and seventeen chronicle the rebellion of some of the Israelite people to the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram led a group of people in challenging the set-apart nature of Aaron and his sons as priests of the Lord. They believed that the whole community was holy, that the Lord was with them all. So they questioned why Aaron’s family set themselves above everyone else.
Did Moses dismiss their claim? Did Moses ignore them as insignificant? No. Moses fell facedown. Moses likely remembered the fate of Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu. Fire from the Lord consumed them when they attempted to offer unauthorized fire to the Lord. Perhaps, that is why Moses suggested the censer test. Indeed, who was authorized to bring fire unto the Lord?
It is highly unlikely that Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their followers did not remember what happened to Nadab and Abihu. Maybe they thought that the Lord had rejected Aaron's family's sole priestly leadership in that incident. They thought that Aaron and his family had gone too far - perhaps because of this judgment of the Lord. And Moses thought these men had gone too far in criticizing Aaron.
They were at a standoff. Moses suggested that they allow the Lord to decide, for it was the Lord who had chosen Moses and Aaron and their family to serve God as priests. They did not choose this leadership of their own will. In fact, Moses, in many ways, was a reluctant leader.
Korah and his followers countered with accusations of deception and bad leadership. “Where is the land flowing with milk and honey that you promised us?” they asked. “You are leading us out into the desert to die. You did not lead us; you deceived us. No, longer!” Talk about selective memory! Who was it that chose not to go into the Promised Land? Who was it that asked to die in the desert? It was not Moses and Aaron.
So, on the next day, Korah and 249 of his followers brought their censers. Moses, Aaron, and their family brought theirs as well. Each group brought their censers to the Tent of Meeting. The glory of the Lord appeared, and told Moses and Aaron to remove themselves from the other group so that He could put an end to them at once.
Did Moses and Aaron glory in their vindication? Did they walk triumphantly away from Korah? No. They fell facedown. They pleaded for the lives of the people that Korah had deceived. They asked God to punish only the one man who led. They were not jealous for their leadership positions. Even in this conflict, they looked to intercede for a vast majority of these 250 men. What servant leadership!
So, the Lord called everyone to leave the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Each man stood outside his tent with his family. Then, all witnessed the power of the speech of a man of God. In Hebrew, it is the power of DABAR. Moses asked God to prove that He had chosen Moses and Aaron – that they had not chosen the roles for themselves. Moses asked that Korah and company would not die a natural death – that they would be swallowed alive by the earth.
As soon as Moses finished uttering these words, the ground opened up and swallowed these men, their families, and their property. The power of DABAR! Then, the power of the Lord’s DABAR was shown. Fire, once again, came out from the Lord and consumed all 250 censer carriers. And God told Aaron’s son Eleazar to collect the bronze censers and hammer them to fit over the altar. Though the censers were made holy, the people were judged as unworthy. This bronze covering for the altar would be a continual reminder that Aaron’s family is the one chosen by God to serve as priests.
Then, Israel accused Moses and Aaron of killing the Lord’s people. Death in the desert – that they had asked for – was becoming real to them. Would they really die without entering the Promised Land? God, once again, asked Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the assembly. God was going to send a plague and kill these people.
Did they separate themselves and watch the destruction with vindictive eyes? No. They fell facedown. Moses asked Aaron to put incense in his censer and light it at the altar. Moses asked Aaron to intercede for the people. Aaron walked among the people, and he was a barrier between the living and the dead.
Moses’ and Aaron’s leadership was tested in this cauldron, and they passed this test. Aaron’s budding staff (even produced almonds) underscored this in Numbers chapter seventeen. Indeed, chapter eighteen confirmed the Levites as the Lord’s. The Levites’ portion would be the Lord and the offerings presented to the Lord by Israel.
May all the leaders in the church fall facedown in humble servant leadership. May I give thanks for the Lord’s chosen servants among me.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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