NUMBERS LESSON 22
In the last lesson, 250 of the princes spoke out against Moses
and Aaron. Their leader was Korah. God came against Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram, and all of their families. The earth opened up and swallowed
their families, and everything that belonged to them. We will, now,
resume this study in Numbers 16:32 "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."
We see in this, that anything, or anyone, closely associated with
Korah, Dathan and Abiram, was destroyed right along with them. This
was instant punishment from God against them, because they came
against Moses and Aaron, God's anointed.
Numbers 16:33 "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."
They did not go the way of the grave. The earth swallowed them
alive. This was a tremendous number of people, into the tens of
thousands, who perished.
Numbers 16:34 "And all Israel that [were] round about them fled
at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up
[also]."
Fear gripped the heart of all the Israelites. They ran for safety
so that the earth would not engulf them, too.
Numbers 16:35 "And there came out a fire from the LORD, and
consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense."
This fire from the LORD is separate from the opening of the
earth. This is divine judgement from the LORD, Himself. This is very
similar to the fire that earlier came from the Holy of holies, and
killed Aaron's two eldest sons. They had committed a sin similar to
the strange fire of Aaron's son. This judgement was directly from God.
They were still in the tabernacle with their incense, when God killed
them.
Numbers 16:36 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
This is a break in the message, with a new message from the LORD
for Moses.
Numbers 16:37 "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."
When the princes died, that left 250 censers burning in the
tabernacle. Even though the burning of these censers was not approved
of God, the censers and the fire in them was holy. They were holy and
could not be taken back into their homes. They had to be disposed of
in a holy manner. Eleazar was next in line to be high priest, so God
had him to take care of this.
Numbers 16:38 "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."
The censers were used to broaden the altar. They were a constant
reminder of the sin of these 250 princes.
Numbers 16:39 "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:"
This just means they were melted, and made into a wide plate to
cover the altar. Remember, brass and bronze speak of judgement.
Numbers 16:40 "[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."
This was a sign to the people, that only those chosen of God for
the purpose should serve at the altar. The priesthood was from
generation to generation of Aaron's descendents. By the time of Jesus
on the earth, the priesthood had been greatly degraded. Some were even
buying their position as priests.
Numbers 16:41 "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."
This is truly an evil generation, that cannot see that God killed
them. They seem to never learn, and the congregation begins to blame
Moses and Aaron for the death of those God killed. The sinners
actually brought death upon themselves, because of their sins.
Numbers 16:42 "And 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."
It appears, they were near the tabernacle, when they began
accusing Moses and Aaron. The presence of the LORD had hovered over
the tabernacle. Now, this presence comes closer down to the
tabernacle. The glory of the LORD appeared to the congregation.
Numbers 16:43 "And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of
the congregation."
Moses and Aaron came near to the presence, to see what God would
say.
Numbers 16:44 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
Even though the congregation was there, the Lord spoke
specifically to Moses.
Numbers 16:45 "Get you up from among this congregation, that I
may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces."
God tells Moses to move away from the congregation, so that He
can kill them all. Moses and Aaron fall upon their faces before the
LORD. They are horrified, because they have already lost so many, and
now God wants to kill them all.
Numbers 16:46 "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."
This censer is the censer used by the high priest on the day of
atonement. Moses tells Aaron to get fire of the altar and incense, and
go among the people to get atonement for them, lest they all die. The
wrath is shown in a plague that goes among the people killing them.
The smoke from this censer of incense is like the prayers of the
saints. There is a plague sweeping through our land today. It is
A.I.D.S. Unless the ministers in this land go through the people
praying and causing them to repent, the people will be killed.
Numbers 16:47 "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."
Notice, Aaron ran to get the censer. He knew every second he
delayed meant lives lost. He made atonement for the people. A.I.D.S.
is a disease that only prayer to God can stop. Our people will be
destroyed, unless they receive forgiveness and atonement in the blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Numbers 16:48 "And he stood between the dead and the living; and
the plague was stayed."
The atonement stayed the plague. The atoning blood of Jesus
Christ is the only thing that can stop A.I.D.S from spreading further.
Those who have already been infected with the disease will, probably,
die. The prayers will stop others from contacting the disease. We must
have a national return to God. Only God can stop the plague.
Numbers 16:49 "Now they that died in the plague were fourteen
thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of
Korah."
This 14,700 are in addition to the tens of thousands that died
with Korah. They are, also, in addition to the 250 princes God killed
with the fire. What must happen before they will believe God, and stop
rebelling against Him? I might ask, what has to happen in our land,
before we realize what we are doing, and return to God? II Chronicles
7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked
ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and
will heal their land."
Numbers 16:50 "And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed."
The main lesson in these last few verses, is the fact that the
high priest went in among the people praying. This means, to me, that
ministers must first see the problem, and get out with the people to
change it. The problems in our land today are not drugs, alcohol, wife
beating, incest, homosexuality, lesbianism, cheating, stealing, lying,
and all the other things we see the problems in. The problem with our
land is the fact we are out of fellowship with God. The true cancer in
our society is sin. If we had a national revival, we would be rid of
all the sins I just mentioned above. They are not the true problem,
they are what we see the problem causes. Sin causes the problem.
Numbers 22 Questions
1. How many princes spoke out against Moses and Aaron?
2. What happened to the family of Korah?
3. What happened to their belongings?
4. What were the names of the other two, whose families were
destroyed?
5. What did it mean when it said, they "went down alive into the
pit"?
6. How many died?
7. What did the rest of the Israelites do, when they saw the earth
swallow them up?
8. What killed the 250 princes?
9. What is this judgement on the 250 similar to?
10. Who was to take up the censers from the 250 princes who died?
11. Why were the censers and the fire in them to be handled in the
tabernacle?
12. What was done with the censers?
13. Brass, or bronze, speaks of ____________.
14. Who are the only people who should minister?
15. What happened to the priesthood, by the time Jesus came to the
earth?
16. Who murmured against Moses and Aaron?
17. What were they accusing them of?
18. What happened, when the congregation gathered at the tabernacle,
to accuse Moses and Aaron?
19. Who drew near to the presence of God?
20. What did the LORD tell Moses to do, and why?
21. What do Moses and Aaron do, horrified of what might happen?
22. What did Moses tell Aaron to do with the censer?
23. Why was there such a hurry?
24. What is the smoke of that censer like?
25. What is a plague sweeping across our land?
26. How do we know Aaron hurried?
27. What is the only thing that can stop the disease A.I.D.S.?
28. What is needed in our land today?
29. Where did Aaron stand, and the plague was stopped?
30. How many died of the plague?
31. Quote 2 Chronicles chapter 7 verse 14.
32. What is the main lesson, in this, for us?
33. What is the real problem in our land today?
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