My Thoughts on the Rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram

I decided to think about the Rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16. I remembered hearing this lesson from a pastor while I was starting to question God's sovereignty. It was that time I was really mad with God and I just didn't want to believe in Him anymore because of all the problems that kept piling up. I was thinking about the very high price of rebellion and the nightmarish reality that Korah's rebellion fell into Hell while they were alive.

The beginning of the rebellion starts when Korah (a cousin of Moses since he was born of the Tribe of Levi) and two members of the Tribe of Reuben (namely the brothers Dathan and Abiram) decided to rebel against Moses. The record says that there was an assembly of 250 princes (or better translated in modern English as captains or leaders) who were well-known. This was an affront to God's authority when they started to rebel against Moses.

Korah would be a type of Antichrist if Moses was a a type of Christ. How can Korah be a type of Antichrist? Korah was in rebellion against God. Moses prefigured Christ as he interceded for the people. Korah led the people into rebellion. Both Dathan and Abiram soon started to even raise that Moses brought them out of Egypt (which they considered as a land of milk and honey) and challenge Moses' authority. It was obviously God-given authority yet Korah, Dathan and Abiram would dare to rebel against God. I can't imagine how brazen these degenerate men were.

Moses already warned about the possible judgment of the earth opening but what did Korah, Dathan and Abiram do? They insisted in their rebellion by challenging the very priesthood God had ordained during the Old Testament. God soon made a strict command - it was to separate from the very company of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. What was more interesting was that Numbers 26:11 gives us an account that the children of Korah didn't join in their father's rebellion. It was a very trial of loving God above all else. Korah's children separated themselves from their wicked father.

The very next scene was indeed nightmarish beyond nightmarish. I couldn't imagine being faced with the Earth opening its mouth and swallowing people into Hell which included Korah, Dathan and Abiram. The 250 men that offered incense were destroyed by fire for their rebellion. The censers were soon beaten into broad plates as a warning that rebellion against God is not a joke. Not soon enough there were at least 14,700 people that were dead for siding and sympathizing with Korah. This is proof that God means business and He means it.