patriarchs and prophets-第75章

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except　thou　make　thyself　altogether　a　prince　over　us？　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。〃

Thus　they　applied　to　the　scene　of　their　bondage　the　very　language　in　which
the　Lord　had　described　the　promised　inheritance。　They　accused　Moses　of
pretending　to　act　under　divine　guidance；　as　a　means　of　establishing　his
authority；　and　they　declared　that　they　would　no　longer　submit　to　be　led
about　like　blind　men；　now　toward　Canaan；　and　now　toward　the　wilderness；　as
best　suited　his　ambitious　designs。　Thus　he　who　had　been　as　a　tender　father；
a　patient　shepherd；　was　represented　in　the　blackest　character　of　a　tyrant
and　usurper。　The　exclusion　from　Canaan；　in　punishment　of　their　own　sins；　was
charged　upon　him。

It　was　evident　that　the　sympathies　of　the　people　were　with　the　disaffected
party；　but　Moses　made　no　effort　at　self…vindication。　He　solemnly　appealed　to
God；　in　the　presence　of　the　congregation；　as　a　witness　to　the　purity　of　his
motives　and　the　uprightness　of　his　conduct；　and　implored　Him　to　be　his
judge。

400


On　the　morrow；　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　princes；　with　Korah　at　their　head；
presented　themselves；　with　their　censers。　They　were　brought　into　the　court
of　the　tabernacle；　while　the　people　gathered　without；　to　await　the　result。
It　was　not　Moses　who　assembled　the　congregation　to　behold　the　defeat　of
Korah　and　his　company；　but　the　rebels；　in　their　blind　presumption；　had
called　them　together　to　witness　their　victory。　A　large　part　of　the
congregation　openly　sided　with　Korah；　whose　hopes　were　high　of　carrying　his
point　against　Aaron。

As　they　were　thus　assembled　before　God；　〃the　glory　of　the　Lord　appeared　unto
all　the　congregation。〃　The　divine　warning　was　communicated　to　Moses　and
Aaron；　〃Separate　yourselves　from　among　this　congregation；　that　I　may　consume
them　in　a　moment。〃　But　they　fell　upon　their　faces；　with　the　prayer；　〃O　God；
the　God　of　the　spirits　of　all　flesh；　shall　one　man　sin；　and　wilt　Thou　be
wroth　with　all　the　congregation？〃

Korah　had　withdrawn　from　the　assembly　to　join　Dathan　and　Abiram　when　Moses；
accompanied　by　the　seventy　elders；　went　down　with　a　last　warning　to　the　men
who　had　refused　to　come　to　him。　The　multitudes　followed；　and　before
delivering　his　message；　Moses；　by　divine　direction；　bade　the　people；
〃Depart；　I　pray　you；　from　the　tents　of　these　wicked　men；　and　touch　nothing
of　theirs；　lest　ye　be　consumed　in　all　their　sins。〃　The　warning　was　obeyed；
for　an　apprehension　of　impending　judgment　rested　upon　all。　The　chief　rebels
saw　themselves　abandoned　by　those　whom　they　had　deceived；　but　their
hardihood　was　unshaken。　They　stood　with　their　families　in　the　door　of　their
tents；　as　if　in　defiance　of　the　divine　warning。

In　the　name　of　the　God　of　Israel；　Moses　now　declared；　in　the　hearing　of　the
congregation：　〃Hereby　ye　shall　know　that　the　Lord　hath　sent　me　to　do　all
these　works；　for　I　have　not　done　them　of　mine　own　mind。　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。　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。〃

The　eyes　of　all　Israel　were　fixed　upon　Moses　as　they　stood；　in　terror　and
expectation；　awaiting　the　event。　As　he　ceased　speaking；　the　solid　earth
parted；　and　the　rebels　went　down　alive　into

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the　pit；　with　all　that　pertained　to　them；　and　〃they　perished　from　among　the
congregation。〃　The　people　fled；　self…condemned　as　partakers　in　the　sin。

But　the　judgments　were　not　ended。　Fire　flashing　from　the　cloud　consumed　the
two　hundred　and　fifty　princes　who　had　offered　incense。　These　men；　not　being
the　first　in　rebellion；　were　not　destroyed　with　the　chief　conspirators。　They
were　permitted　to　see　their　end；　and　to　have　an　opportunity　for　repentance；
but　their　sympathies　were　with　the　rebels；　and　they　shared　their　fate。

When　Moses　was　entreating　Israel　to　flee　from　the　coming　destruction；　the
divine　judgment　might　even　then　have　been　stayed；　if　Korah　and　his　company
had　repented　and　sought　forgiveness。　But　their　stubborn　persistence　sealed
their　doom。　The　entire　congregation　were　sharers　in　their　guilt；　for　all
had；　to　a　greater　or　less　degree；　sympathized　with　them。　Yet　God　in　His
great　mercy　made　a　distinction　between　the　leaders　in　rebellion　and　those
whom　they　had　led。　The　people　who　had　permitted　themselves　to　be　deceived
were　still　granted　space　for　repentance。　Overwhelming　evidence　had　been
given　that　they　were　wrong；　and　that　Moses　was　right。　The　signal
manifestation　of　God's　power　had　removed　all　uncertainty。

Jesus；　the　Angel　who　went　before　the　Hebrews；　sought　to　save　them　from
destruction。　Forgiveness　was　lingering　for　them。　The　judgment　of　God　had
come　very　near；　and　appealed　to　them　to　repent。　A　special；　irresistible
interference　from　heaven　had　arrested　their　rebellion。　Now；　if　they　would
respond　to　the　interposition　of　God's　providence；　they　might　be　saved。　But
while　they　fled　from　the　judgments；　through　fear　of　destruction；　their
rebellion　was　not　cured。　They　returned　to　their　tents　that　night　terrified；
but　not　repentant。

They　had　been　flattered　by　korah　and　his　company　until　they　really　believed
themselves　to　be　very　good　people；　and　that　they　had　been　wronged　and　abused
by　Moses。　Should　they　admit　that　Korah　and　his　company　were　wrong；　and　Moses
right；　then　they　would　be　compelled　to　receive　as　the　word　of　God　the
sentence　that　they　must　die　in　the　wilderness。　They　were　not　willing　to
submit　to　this；　and　they　tried　to　believe　that　Moses　had　deceived　them。　They
had　fondly　cherished　the　hope　that　a　new　order　of　things　was　about　to　be
established；　in　which　praise　would　be　substituted　for　reproof；　and　ease　for
anxiety　and　conflict。

402

The　men　who　had　perished　had　spoken　flattering　words　and　had　professed　great
interest　and　love　for　them；　and　the　people　concluded　that　Korah　and　his
companions　must　have　been　good　men；　and　that　Moses　had　by　some　means　been
the　cause　of　their　destruction。

It　is　hardly　possible　for　men　to　offer　greater　insult　to　God　than　to　despise
and　reject　the　instrumentalities　He　would　use　for　their　salvation。　The
Israelites　had　not　only　done　this；　but　had　purposed　to　put　both　Moses　and
Aaron　to　death。　Yet　they　did　not　realize　the　necessity　of　seeking　pardon　of
God　for　their　grievous　sin。　That　night　of　probation　was　not　passed　in
repentance　and　confession；　but　in　devising　some　way　to　resist　the　evidences
which　showed　them　to　be　the　greatest　of　sinners。　They　still　cherished　hatred
of　the　men　of　God's　appointment；　and　braced　themselves　to　resist　their
authority。　Satan　was　at　hand　to　pervert　their　judgment　and　lead　them
blindfold　to　destruction。

All　Israel　had　fled　in　alarm　at　the　cry　of　the　doomed　sinners　who　went　down
into　the　pit；　for　they　said；　〃Lest　the　earth　swallow　us　up　also。〃　〃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。〃　And
they　were　about　to　proceed　to　violence　against　their　faithful；
self…sacrificing　leaders。

A　manifestation　of　the　divine　glory　was　seen　in　the　cloud　above　the
tabernacle；　and　a　voice　from　the　cloud　spoke　to　Moses　and　Aaron；　〃Get　you　up
from　among　this　congregation；　that　I　may　consume　them　as　in　a　moment。〃

The　guilt　of　sin　did　not　rest　upon　Moses；　and　hence　he　did　not　fear　and　did
not　hasten　away　and　leave　the　congregation　to　perish。　Moses　lingered；　in
this　fearful　crisis　manifesting　the　true　shepherd's　interest　for　the　flock
of　his　care。　He　pleaded　that　the　wrath　of　God　might　not　utterly　destroy　the
people　of　His　choice。　By　his　intercession　he　stayed　the　arm　of　vengeance；
that　a　full　end　might　not　be　made　of　disobedient；　rebellious　Israel。

But　the　minister　of　wrath　had　gone　forth；　the　plague　was　doing　its　work　of
death。　By　his　brother's　direction；　Aaron　took　a　censer　and　hastened　into　the
midst　of　the　congregation　to　〃make　an　atonement　for　them。〃　〃And　he　stood
between　the　dead　and　the　living。〃　As　the　smoke　of　the　incense　ascended；　the
prayers　of　Moses　in　the　tabernacle　went　up　to　God；　and　the　plague　was

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stayed；　but　not　until　fourteen　thousand　of　Israel　lay　dead；　an　evidence　of
the　guilt　of　murmuring　and　rebellion。

But　further　evidence　was　given　that　the　priesthood　had　been　established　in
the　family　of　Aaron。　By　divine　direction　each　tribe　prepared　a　rod　and　wrote
upon　it　the　name　of　the　tribe。　The　name　of　Aaron　was　upon　that　of　Levi。　The
rods　were　laid　up　in　the　tabernacle；　〃before　the　testimony。〃　The　blossoming
of　any　rod　was　to　be　a　token　that　the　Lord　had　chosen　that　tribe　for　the
priesthood。　On　the　morrow；　〃behold；　the　rod　of　Aaron　for　the　house　of　Levi
was　budded；　and　brought　forth　buds；　and　bloomed　blossoms；　and　yielded
almonds。〃　It　was　shown　to　the　people；　and　afterward　laid　up　in　the
tabernacle　as　a　witness　to　succeeding　generations。　This　miracle　effectually
settled　the　question　of　the　priesthood。

It　was　now　fully　established　that　Moses　and　Aaron　had　spoken　by　divine
authority；　and　the　people　were　compelled　to　believe　the　unwelcome　truth　that
they　were　to　die　in　the　wilderness。　〃Behold；〃　they　exclaimed；　〃we　die；　we
perish；　we　all　perish。〃　They　confessed　that　they　had　sinned　in　rebelling
against　their　leaders；　and　that　Korah　and　his　company　had　suffered　from　the
just　judgment　of　God。

In　the　rebellion　of　Korah　is　seen　the　working　out；　upon　a　narrower　stage；　of
the　same　spirit　that　led　to　the　rebellion　of　Satan　in　heaven。　It　was　pride
and　ambition　that　prompted　Lucifer　to　complain　of　the　government　of　God；　and
to　seek　the　overthrow　of　the　order　which　had　been　established　in　heaven。
Since　his　fall　it　has　been　his　object　to　infuse　the　same　spirit　of　envy　and
discontent；　the　same　ambition　for　position　and　honor；　into　the　minds　of　men。
He　thus　worked　upon　the　minds　of　Korah；　Dathan；　and　Abiram；　to　arouse　the
desire　for　self…exaltation　and　excite　envy；　distrust；　and　rebellion。　Satan
caused　them　to　reject　God　as　their　leader；　by　rejecting　the　men　of　God's
appointment。　Yet　while　in　their　murmuring　against　Moses　and　Aaron　they
blasphemed　God；　they　were　so　deluded　as　to　think　themselves　righteous；　and
to　regard　those　who　had　faithfully　reproved　their　sins　as　actuated　by　Satan。

Do　not　the　same　evils　still　exist　that　lay　at　the　foundation　of　Korah's
ruin？　Pride　and　ambition　are　widespread；　and　when　these　are　cherished；　they
open　the　door　to　envy；　and　a　striving　for　supremacy；　the　soul　is　alienated
from　God；　and　unconsciously

404

drawn　into　the　ranks　of　Satan。　Like　Korah　and　his　companions；　many；　even　of
the　professed　followers　of　Christ；　are　thinking；　planning；　and　working　so
eagerly　for　self…exaltation　that　in　order　to　gain　the　sympathy　and　support
of　the　people　they　are　ready　to　pervert　the　truth；　falsifying　and
misrepresenting