Tim Johnson June 28, 2025
This week’s portion is Korach. This is not a pleasant Bible story, but it is a significant story, and one that is important for us to understand as believers. That’s why God made sure it was written and included in the Torah.
We know what happened: Korach, along with a bunch of others rose up against the leadership of Moses, and tried to take over the camp of the Children of Israel. What they are doing here is an act of rebellion against not only Moses, but against the leadership of God in their midst. Other English words for rebellion are: Coup (or coup d’etat), dissent, insurrection, uprising, revolution, defiance, disobedience, insubordination, insurgence, overthrow, plot, and schism.
These words are good at describing different aspects of what is going on. These words are also the opposite of what we are supposed to be like as believers… Obedient, followers, submitted, in harmony, at peace.
You’re not going to have a rebellion without first having dissent, defiance, insubordination, and uprising. This is also a conspiracy, because Korach and his cohorts got together first to plot and plan this against their leadership.
These men got it in their hearts that they could do a far better job of leading this multitude of people than this Moses fellow.
The problem is, like I said, that this is not only a rebellion against Moses, but it is a rebellion against God. Who was it that called Moses out from Midian where he was living, and sent him to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt? It was God who called Moses at the burning bush. Who was it that was crying to God in Egypt, asking to be delivered from the bondage of slavery? It was the Children of Israel.
Like it says in the Haftarah portion for this week:
I Samuel 12
6 And Samuel said to the people, “It is YHVH who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before YHVH concerning all the righteous acts of YHVH, which he did to you and to your fathers, 8 When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to YHVH, then YHVH sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.
14 If you will fear YHVH, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the command of YHVH, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of YHVH your God. 15 But if you will not listen to the voice of YHVH, but rebel against the commandment of YHVH, then the hand of YHVH will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
Korach and his cohort are rebelling against Moshe and against YHVH. We see by the end of the story that the hand of YHVH is indeed against Korach and this insurrection.
But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let’s just read the story…
Numbers 16
1 Now Korah, 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 some men. 2 They rose up before Moses, (this is an uprising) with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown. (Anasim shem, or Men of name in the Hebrew) 3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much on yourself, since all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and YHVH is among them! Why do you lift yourselves up above the assembly of YHVH? (They are accusing Moses and Aaron of lifting up themselves above the assembly? Do they not recognize that God has sent them? …I guess not.)
4 When Moses heard it, he fell on his face. (This is the response of Moshe.) 5 And he said to Korah and to all his company, “In the morning, YHVH will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him. Even him whom he shall choose, he will cause to come near to him. 6 Do this: have Korah and all his company take censers, 7 put fire in them, and put incense on them before YHVH tomorrow. It shall be that the man whom YHVH chooses, he shall be holy. You have gone too far, you sons of Levi!”
(In the Hebrew, when Korah came to Moses, he said “rav l’cha” it is too much for you… Here, Moses replies “rav lachem” it is too much for y’all, you sons of Levi!)
When Moses falls on his face, how does he then suddenly know what to say? When Moses gets up, he already knows what to do. He already knows what is going to happen. How does he know this? Obviously, because God told him. How does God tell him? God tells him by way of manifestations of the spirit that is on Moses.
First Corinthians 12 tells us what the manifestations of the Spirit are. These are manifestations, not gifts, and if you read it carefully, you will see that this is true. Go back to the Greek or the Aramaic. I’m not making this up, it’s how the word of God reads. The manifestations of the spirit are:
The word of wisdom: What to do about something, or how to understand something by the wisdom of God.
The word of knowledge: What is going on, or what is going to happen.
Faith (Manifestation of faith as opposed to regular faith. It will probably take the manifestation of faith to accomplish the next two manifestations.)
Gifts of healing
Workings of miracles: We know what these are, Yeshua did them a lot.
Prophecy: Bringing forth words of God about the present or the future.
Discerning of Spirits: Knowing spiritually about the presence or non presence of Holy or unclean spirits.
This is how the Holy Spirit of God works in the real world. This is what Paul is teaching us in I Corinthians 12.
The manifestations of the spirit that are at work here in Moses are:
Word of knowledge: God shows Moses by the spirit that is on him what is going on, as well as what will happen concerning this situation.
Word of wisdom: God shows Moses by the spirit on him what to do, as well as what to say.
Possibly discerning of spirits: Perhaps God shows Moses the presence of evil spirits at work here. We don’t know, but maybe.
It would be simpler to just say that God told Moses, and that is the truth. But once we have the list of the manifestations of the spirit that Paul lists in Corinthians, now we can go back and look and see how this actually played out in the men of God in the Bible. It’s the same God, and the same spirit. When you and I walk by the spirit, we don’t normally think about what manifestation is being used. We just walk with God. But knowing what the manifestations are is helpful, because that means we also know what they are not. God is simple, direct, helpful and loving. He will help us through all of life’s situations if we let him.
There is a difference between believers today and believers in the times before Yeshua. The difference is that before Yeshua, a holy man of God had the spirit on him provisionally, or conditionally: On the condition that the man of God does not abuse his position before God and man. Before Yeshua came, and before the new birth was available on the day of Pentecost, God was able to remove His Holy Spirit from people. The spirit of God was on the man or woman, not in him as it is with believers today. And sometimes God did remove his spirit from people.
King Saul is a good example to see this. Early in the story of Saul the king, in I Sam. 10:11, he prophesied. The people asked “Is Saul among the prophets?” In chapter 15, God says to him: “Because you have rejected the word of YHVH, He has also rejected you from being king.” Later in his life, the Philistines are camped against Israel, and Saul is seeking help.
In 1 Sam. 28:6 we read: “When Saul inquired of YHVH, YHVH did not answer him by dream, by Urim, or by prophets.” That’s when Saul sought out the woman at Endor with the familiar spirit. So God certainly removed himself from Saul.
It’s different for us now. Now, the spirit is born within us. Now the spirit is incorruptible seed that is eternally born within us. It is forever. That’s what Yeshua accomplished. We are transformed from death into life. From the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love. It’s permanent.
A person can see the manifestations of the spirit all through the Bible, though, if you look and recognize them. We just never had them identified so clearly before Paul wrote of them in Corinthians. God never identified them in the Tanach. But now they are revealed. Now we know, and can go back and see them.
The only new manifestations of the spirit we have today that were not available before the day of Pentecost are: Speaking in tongues, and Interpretation of tongues. Otherwise, you can see all the other manifestations of the spirit being operated by men of God throughout the Tanach.
Back to Korach.
God shows Moses not only what is going on here with Korach, but what do to about it tomorrow, and what will become of this whole situation. It doesn’t take God very long to show this to him.
Numbers 16
8 Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi! 9 Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel to bring you near to himself; to do the service of the tabernacle of YHVH, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10 and that he has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? Are you seeking for the office of kohen also? 11 Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against YHVH. (Not just before Moshe.) What is Aaron that you complain against him?
Korah is of the tribe of Levi. After this uprising, God separates the tribe of Levi to be over the sanctuary of Elohim, and separates them from the rest of the tribes of Israel regarding their inheritance. Levi is special.
By the way, this story is also a good example of the difference between walking in the flesh versus walking by the spirit. Korah and the people with him are obviously walking in the flesh. You can see the pride. You can see the way they are self-serving. They are not listening for the word of God at all. They are rising up in their own sense of self worth. They just want to be in charge. They are also totally misunderstanding the situation. It’s not Moses who has exalted himself, but they can’t see that because they want to exalt themselves. Moses on the other hand, goes to God immediately, and God shows him everything. Moses is humble. Korah and those with him are not.
Numbers 16
12 Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; and they said, “We will not come up! 13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, (Egypt!) to kill us in the wilderness, but you must also make yourself a prince over us? 14 Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.”
15 Moses was very angry, and said to YHVH, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them.” 16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company go before YHVH, you, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow. 17 Each man take his censer and put incense on it, and each man bring before YHVH his censer, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each with his censer.” 18 They each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the Tent of Meeting with Moses and Aaron. 19 Then Korah assembled all the congregation opposite them to the door of the Tent of Meeting. And the glory of YHVH appeared to all the congregation.
20 YHVH spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 21 “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment!” 22 They fell on their faces, and said, “God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?”
23 YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from around the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram!”
25 Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins!” 27 So they went away from the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side. Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents with their wives, their sons, and their little ones. 28 Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that YHVH has sent me to do all these works; for they are not from my own mind. 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they experience what all men experience, then YHVH has not sent me. 30 But if YHVH makes a new thing, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up with all that belong to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall understand that these men have despised YHVH.”
31 And it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the earth split apart under them. 32 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all of Korah’s men, and all their goods. 33 So they, and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol. And the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 All Israel that were around them fled at their cry; for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” 35 Fire came out from YHVH and devoured the two hundred fifty men who offered incense.
This is an extreme case of rebellion. It’s the Children of Israel rebelling against the men God has sent: Moses and Aaron. This is also a pivotal point in the history of Israel. God wants to make sure that everyone understands that he sent Moses and Aaron. He does show that to the people, but they seem to forget in about two minutes… oh well. We’re all human. There are multiple situations in the future where God does not send people into Sheol to be covered by dirt for the sin of their insurrection. But he does here, and it is for an example to all who follow, including us. It encourages me that God showed the people the importance of Moses. But as we know, the true rebellion they showed was against God himself.
Sheol is translated pit in other translations. In the NIV they call it “realm of the dead”. In Hebrew, the word here is “sheolah” which means going to sheol. In my lexicon, sheol is described as the underworld, abode of the dead. These people obviously went directly to the abode of the dead.
But wait, there’s more! Rather than re-telling the story, I’ll just continue to read it here. The details are great, and God is not overly wordy when he describes these things.
(By the way, the verse numberings are sometimes different in normal English Bibles. Numbers 17:1 in the Tanach is Numbers 16:36 in English Bibles, and we’re using the Tanach numberings here in the New Jerusalem Version that I’m reading from.)
Numbers 17
1 Then YHVH spoke to Moses saying, 2 “Speak to Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter the fire away from the camp; for they are holy, 3 even the censers of those who sinned against their own lives. Let them be beaten into plates for a covering of the altar, for they offered them before YHVH. Therefore they are holy. They shall be a sign to the sons of Israel.” 4 So Eleazar the kohen took the bronze censers which those who were burned had offered; and they beat them out for a covering of the altar, 5 to be a memorial to the sons of Israel, to the end that no stranger who is not of the offspring of Aaron, would come near to burn incense before YHVH, that he not be as Korah, and as his company; as YHVH spoke to him by Moses.
Just a side note: I consider that the work I do in worship music for the congregation (like so many others in the current body of Messiah), is very similar to the offering of incense before Yah here in this passage. I am not of the tribe of Levi. I am not a physical son of Aaron, but God has called me to this work, and I continue to function in this way. I believe that this standard of being a son of Aaron has been somewhat changed after the life and death of our Messiah. It probably has something to do with Yeshua being a priest after the order of Melchizedek, and I belong to him. I don’t know all the tech stuff. The Bible says, though, that I have been brought in to the family of Israel. I am no longer a stranger or a foreigner to the covenants of Israel like I was before I was born again. Now, God has allowed me, and many others like me, Gentiles, to offer the sacrifice of praise publicly within the body of Messiah. This is significant. Together, we all are truly the dwelling place of the Almighty. And he has made provision for us to function in this way. I am truly thankful.
Numbers 17
6 But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel complained against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of YHVH.” (Do they not understand at all? Apparently not.) 7 It came to pass when the congregation was assembled against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the Tent of Meeting. Behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of YHVH appeared. 8 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the Tent of Meeting, 9 and YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment!” (This is God’s answer to the people’s complaint.) They (Moses and Aaron) fell on their faces. 11 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, put fire from the altar in it, lay incense on it, carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from YHVH. The plague has begun.” (How does Moses know this? Word of knowledge, and word of wisdom from Elohim. In other words, God told him.) 12 Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the middle of the assembly. And the plague had already begun among the people; so he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 13 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. (Again, how did he know to do this?) 14 Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, in addition to those who died about the matter of Korah. 15 And Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and the plague was stopped.
(Twelve rods)
16 Then YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and take rods from them, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod. 18 You shall write Aaron’s name on Levi’s rod. There shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ house. 19 You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the covenant, where I meet with you. 20 It shall happen that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud. I will make the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they murmur against you cease from me.” (This is the purpose of the budding rod.) 21 Moses spoke to the sons of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod was among their rods. 22 Moses laid up the rods before YHVH in the Tent of the Testimony.
23 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony; and behold, Aaron’s rod for the house of Levi had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. (It did not just bud…) 24 Then Moses brought out all the rods from before YHVH to all the sons of Israel. They looked, and each man took his rod. (It’s obvious with different sticks that each one is unique and identifiable… especially with their names written on them.) 25 But YHVH said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion, that you may make an end of their complaining against me, that they not die.” 26 Thus Moses did so; just as YHVH commanded him, so he did. (This is how God finally solves the problem of the rebellion. Moses did not do it, God did it, and it was a process.)
27 Then the sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish! We are dying, we are all dying!. Everyone who comes near the tabernacle of YHVH will die. Will we all perish?”
That’s the end of the chapter. The next chapter goes in to God separating the tribe of Levi from the rest of Israel, and saying that they will not inherit land, but instead receive the tithes and offerings of the Children of Israel. I guess that this is God’s answer to their fear. They sure seem slow to understand what is going on. But to be fair, it’s way easier for us when we read the story, because we see all the facts laid out from the beginning.
God wants us to understand, even today.
And even today, we can be hearing from God by way of the spirit. Word of Knowledge, and Word of Wisdom are still available to all of us today, along with all the other manifestations. God wants us to “see” spiritually, and without the manifestations of the spirit, this is not going to happen.
When Keith was going up the highway a week or two ago, and had the distinct notion to stop at that church he saw, that was not just his physical mind operating. I suspect that was God pointing it out to him, and by word of wisdom, suggesting that he stop by. That’s how this works. We don’t have to be all weird about it, just let God lead us. He wants to do it, and he will.
Shabbat Shalom
Scripture quotations are from the NJV Bible (New Jerusalem Version).
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