I've Met Korah
Parashat Korach, Numbers 16:1–18:32
Barri Cae Seif, Sar Shalom/Prince of Peace, Arlington, TX
Leadership can be brutal. Many may be initially intoxicated with the idea of leading others, but give it a few weeks, months, or years, and one will encounter challenges. One of the most difficult aspects of leadership is when a friend, partner, or associate comes against you, and you experience betrayal. Betrayal can occur within a marriage, within a business partnership, within the corporate environment, and within ministry.
Not only is betrayal painful, it also severs relationships. Some relationships may have been fostered for years or decades, and yet they can be destroyed within a short while. Jealousy within an organization can truly bring havoc. I’ve walked through this experience of betrayal myself. Rather than address the issues head on, I chose to ignore and overlook indiscretions until it was too late. It really doesn’t matter if you are Moses, Abraham, or Yeshua, betrayal is going to occur, and jealousy will raise its ugly head against you.
As we look at the opening of Numbers 16, we see that Korah had been scheming behind the scenes against Moses and Aaron. Korah had one question for Moses: “Who do you think you are?! Who made you God, why do you exalt yourself above the assembly of the Lord?” Moses was from the tribe of Levi, and he was chosen by God to lead. Every leader needs to be sure that God has called them into that place of leadership. I always saw myself as an excellent follower. I never wanted leadership. However, when God called me into a leadership role years ago, I knew that it was his call upon my life and not my own. Followership is important in any realm of life, and the most important followership that any of us can have is to follow Yeshua, our Messiah.
Korah, however, had his own ideas about how things should be run. He assembled 250 council appointees who were in one accord with him. This was a conspiracy to accuse Moses of exalting himself above God.
They assembled against Moses and Aaron. They said to them, “You’ve gone too far! All the community is holy—all of them—and Adonai is with them! Then why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of Adonai?” (Num 16:3 TLV)
As I continue to read through Numbers 16, I can say that I’ve met Korah.
When I read this passage, I still get riled up. I’ve been in this position. Moses fell on his face after these accusations (16:4). Although I did not fall on my face when I was falsely accused, I could feel overwhelming sorrow grow in my heart. I still get sad. As I tried to support my answers with documentation, my critics had already made up their own minds. They knew better than I, and they wanted control.
Pride can take over an organization. Pride can motivate individuals to do things that they normally would not do. Pride can draw people together, especially if they desire to conspire against a leader. I have been there. I’ve experienced it first-hand. After a few days of prayer, along with ten days of fasting from social media, etc., I knew that I needed to walk away from the organization that I’d birthed. One of the valuable helps in walking through this crisis was a book by Anne Graham Lotz, Wounded by God’s People. Lotz writes:
Rejection, disapproval, or abuse by God’s people can be devastating because if you and I are not careful, we may confuse God’s people with God. And God’s people don’t always act like God’s people should. The way you and I handle being rejected and wounded is critical. Our response can lead to healing . . . or to even more hurt. (Kindle ed., loc. 259)
There is a cost to leadership. We learn about Moses’ humility as he walks through this trial. It’s one thing to endure pain that is physical, but it’s another thing when those who were your friends turn on you. Moses did not decide this issue within his own ability. He turned the test over to God.
Then he said to Korah and all his following saying, “In the morning Adonai will reveal who is His and who is holy. The one whom He will let come near to Him will be the one He chooses to come near to Him. Do this, Korah and your whole following! Take for yourselves censers. Put fire and incense into them in the presence of Adonai. Tomorrow the man that Adonai chooses will be the holy one! You sons of Levi are the ones who have gone too far!” (Num 16:5–7)
We then read about the showdown. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram brought firepans before the Lord, and Moses “warned the assembly saying, ‘Move away from the tents of these wicked men! Don’t touch anything that is theirs, or you will be swept away because of all their sins!’”
So they moved away from near the dwelling of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram came outside and were standing at the entrance of their tents with their wives, their children, and their little ones.
Moses said, “By this you will know that Adonai has sent me to do all these works, that they are not from my own heart. If every one of these men die a common death and experience what happens to all people, then Adonai has not sent me. But if Adonai brings about a new thing, and the earth opens her mouth and swallows them and everything that is theirs, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have despised Adonai.” (Num 16:26–30)
My guess is that Korah, Dathan and Abiram had no idea that they would soon suddenly perish, but as soon as Moses finished saying these things, the ground split under them.
The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with all their households, all of Korah’s people and all their possessions. They went down alive into Sheol, they and everything that was theirs. The earth closed over them, and they were gone from among the community.
All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they shouted, “Perhaps the earth will swallow us!”
Fire also came out from Adonai and consumed the 250 men offering the incense. (Num 16:32–35)
There is a point in ministry leadership when we realize have to turn it all over to God. As we approach our battles, we can acknowledge our weakness. “I have been crucified with Messiah! It is no longer I who live but Messiah lives in me. And the life I now live in the body, I live by trusting Ben Elohim, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal 2:20). We surrender our finiteness into the hands of Infinite God and wait on Him, to bring forth His perfect results.
We believers in Yeshua are so blessed because we can turn to God’s word and receive comfort. The Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, will lead us into all truth. What great encouragement we receive from Hebrews 12:3: “Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and lose heart.”
When we go through these challenging times, we can rest assured that the Lord is in control. What a comfort! What joy! We can trust Him to give just enough light for the next step. He is our Rock of Refuge, and we can trust Him.
All Scripture references are from the Tree of Life Version (TLV).