Commentary on "Power Struggle"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 2: Sunday, November 8, 2009

 

Overview

The story of this confrontation continues with one overriding question; what was real cause of this rebellion? Who were they really rebelling against? Moses response;

“he fell on his face” and laid the matter before God. (Num. 16:4,5)

 

Observations

Moses’ reaction was to put the whole matter before God and look beyond the obvious “power struggle” revealed by Korah. We shall do the same by turning to Scriptures.

The lesson begins with an excerpt from the pen of Ellen which includes the following statement; “Professing great interest in the prosperity of the people, they first whispered their discontent to one another and then to leading men of Israel”.

This quotation illustrates the danger of adding to what God has revealed in Scripture and then presenting it as ‘inspiration’. The issue is compounded by the fact that much of Ellen’s writings was taken from non-inspired modern day authors and sidetracks us from the real Biblical message. What are we to believe if we must filter her writings before we can determine what God’s truth is?

While Korah, Dathan and Abiram may very well have “whispered their discontent”, this is not what is stated in the Biblical account. It simply says that they, along with another 250 leaders, went before Moses and Aaron. To learn the real truth surrounding this incident and see how it applies to our lives, we need to search Scripture and keep each verse or passage we are reading centered within its own context.

The rebellion didn’t begin or end with Korah. As sinful as he was certainly was this rebellion didn’t develop through a whispering campaign initiated by him. All, with the notable exception of Joshua and Caleb, died in the wilderness because of their own ongoing rebellion. All those who followed Korah, died along with him, because of the rebellion that preexisted in their own hearts.

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.' As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'" (Heb. 3:7-11 ESV)

The real rebellion lasted for at least all of the forty years they were in the wilderness. Only Joshua and Caleb displayed faith in God’s promise of true rest and entered the Promised Land.

 

Summary

1. There is great danger of not understanding the Word of God when you add to the inspired words of Scripture. We need to let the Bible be our true commentary.
2. We learn that the Hebrew people who fled slavery in Egypt, out of the hardness of their hearts, did not understand what it meant to enter God’s true rest. Those who wish to have this true rest should prayerfully and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit turn to the book of Hebrews. From a study of God’s word you will learn how to enter God’s rest.

 

GO TO DAY 3

 

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