Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 16:9-10

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 16:9-10
"Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?

Three men, Korah, Dathan and Abriam rise up and with them bring 250 princes, "famous in the congregation and renown". They rebel against Moses and Aaron, announce themselves holy and seek the priesthood. Moses turns to the Lord. He then tells these men "Even tomorrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him."

These men are instructed to take a censer and put fire and incense in them and come before the Lord. As they stood before the tabernacle the glory of the Lord appeared to the congregation.

The Lord warns Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from this congregation for he will consume them in a moment. Moses is concerned that all the congregation will be consumed, so the Lord instructs him to warn the congregation to depart from "the tents of these wicked men, touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins".

The Moses warns them that what happens is not of his own mind. The Lord has sent him these works and will give them a sign. If these men die a common death then the Lord did not send him. If instead the earth opens her mouth and swallow these men up into the pit. Then they would know they provoked the Lord.

Then after saying this the earth opened up under these men, with their wives and children, and their houses and swallowed them alive into a pit and then the earth closed upon them.

First the congregation runs for their lives afraid they will get swallowed up. Then they come back and murmur against Moses and Aaron for killing these men. With that the Lord answers with a plague and 14,700 of them die.

I didn't recall this story before. I sat and pondered on how it fits my day. It made me think of the women that rebel and are fighting against the prophet, wanting to be given the priesthood. I will take this as a warning and stand very far from them. I know starting to side or have sympathy for their cause would cause apostasy in me. Would that God would swallow me alive into a pit if I were to begin to apostatize. It would be merciful indeed.


Day 708