Numbers 16:47–48: “Then Aaron took [a censer with fire from the altar and incence] as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped.”

January 26th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

God had been appearing daily to the people in the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. In addition to that, He was continually sending manna 6 days a week, giving them the main ingredient for their daily bread. They certainly had tangible, physical evidence of God’s provision, care, and involvement in their lives each and every day. Yet, in spite of His goodness towards them, serious opposition was building in the camp. Resentment was directed toward Moses, and a small but vocal group of people expressed their doubt in his ability to lead. This resentment finally grew into full-fledged, open rebellion and mutiny against the man of God.

Moses called for a showdown; both sides were to come and burn incense before the Lord as a test. They wanted God to choose between them who was to lead His people. But no one expected the 250 people offering incense to be instantly struck dead by lightening. You would certainly think that sort of response from God would have settled the matter once and for all, but never underestimate the arrogant and rebellious attitude that walking in sin provides people. The next day a large group came against Moses again, complaining and blaming him for the 250 dead. God responded by sending a plague that killed almost 15,000 people. The Lord was making it abundantly clear just whom He had chosen to lead the people through the wilderness—Moses.

Obedience to God was the clear lesson for them that day and for us today. Our Father still expects us to follow Him wherever He leads. How we need the mercy, grace, and forgiveness of God every day. We must strive to stay humble before Him, meaning we must never allow rebellion to take over our hearts again. We never want to go back to our old lives, where we challenged every thing and everyone who crossed our will.

“LORD, we never want to challenge You. Keep us from that temptation today.”

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Numbers 16 KJV

¹ Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: ² And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: ³ And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?  ⁴ And when Moses heard it , he fell upon his face: ⁵ And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow 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. ⁶ This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; ⁷ And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. ⁸ And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: ⁹ 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? ¹⁰ And he hath brought thee near to him , and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? ¹¹ For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? ¹² And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: ¹³ Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? ¹⁴ Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.  ¹⁵ And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. ¹⁶ And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow: ¹⁷And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer. ¹⁸ And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron. ¹⁹ And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation. ²⁰ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ²¹ Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. ²² And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? ²³ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ²⁴ Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. ²⁵ And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶ And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. ²⁷ So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. ²⁸ And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done themof mine own mind. ²⁹ If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.  ³⁰ But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.  ³¹ And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: ³² And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. ³³ They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. ³⁴ And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also . ³⁵ And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. ³⁶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ³⁷ Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed. ³⁸ The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. ³⁹ And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar: ⁴⁰ To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses. ⁴¹ But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD. ⁴²And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. ⁴³ And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. ⁴⁴ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ⁴⁵ Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. ⁴⁶ And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. ⁴⁷ And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. ⁴⁸ And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. ⁴⁹ Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. ⁵⁰And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.