5# Korach (Num. 16:1-18:32) (English Translation: ‘Korah’) (6-12-21)

(CHILDISH REBELLION AGAINST GOD’S CHOSEN LEADERS: ‘YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!’)

(HE WHO PARTAKES ONLY OF ‘MILK’ IS UNSKILLED IN THE ‘WORD’ OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, for he is a ‘BABE’(THE BIBLICAL TERM USED FOR ‘BABE’, REFERS TO SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND ‘TORAH’).

(Numbers 16:1-3)

‘Now Korach the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with 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 some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. 3 They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them,"You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?".

(Ancient Commentary on Parsha ‘Korach’):

‘What can be taught from The Rebellion of Korach? Contention against leadership is contagious, and contentious people work hard to convince their companions to join their cause like Dathan, Abiram, On and the 250 heads of the Tribes. Congregational rebellions often start in small yeshiva (Study) groups, special project committees, or volunteer crews where a single, discontent laymen can publish his gripe against the leadership and raise sympathizers to his agenda, leading to controlling divisions, jealousy, envy and strife, as found among childish play.’

A few months after Moses had announced that they would not be entering the Promised Land after all, there was Rebellion. Korach, Dathan and Abiram and some 250 influential men rose up against Moses. It is not really surprising. Moses' plan of wandering around in the wilderness until everyone was dead was probably not too popular.

Furthermore, Korach and his rebels had begun to question the legitimacy of Moses' Prophetic Office.Moses claimed He heard directly from God, but who was to say that it was so? How were they to know he was really sent from God? Furthermore, it seemed a little suspicious that, out of all the people in Israel, the person chosen to be the high priest just happened to be Moses' big brother.

Doubt and discontent turned to contempt and rebellion. They challenged the authority of Moses and the choice of Aaron as the priest by declaring, "You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in theirmidst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?" (Numbers 16:3) The accusation is that Moses and Aaron were monopolizing the Tabernacle priesthood and hence the access to God. Korach and his followers distrusted Moses. They wanted access to approach God themselves.

" YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!" That's what we used to say when we were kids. And it was probably true. Your older brother or the bully on the playground wasn't the boss of you, even if he thought he was. Korach and his followers rose up against Moses and said, " YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF US!"

If That Sounds Familiar, That’s The Same Thing That The Apostle Paul Said To The Church ’Because Of Their Immaturity Of Their Understanding Of The Torah, Calling Them ‘BABES’!

(1 Corinthians 3:1-4)

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to ‘Spiritual People But As To Carnal’, as to ‘BABES’ in Christ. 2 I fed you with ‘Milk And Not With Solid Food’; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

(What Did Paul Mean By Saying Being ‘FED WITH MILK AND NOT SOLID FOOD’?)

(The Book Of Hebrews Defines The Difference Between ‘MILK and SOLID FOOD’):

(Hebrews 5:12-14)

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need ‘MILK and NOT SOLIDFOOD’. 13 For everyone who ‘PARTAKES ONLY OF MILK IS UNSKILLED IN THE WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, For He Is a ‘BABE’ (A BABE DOES NOT KNOW TORAH). 14 But ‘SOLID FOOD (THE TORAH)’ Belongs To Those Who Are of FULL AGE (MATURE), that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both ‘good’ and‘evil’.

(KORACH’S REBELLION AGAINST GOD’S CHOSEN LEADERS: ‘YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!’)