Korah

Yesterday, my Bible reading was from Numbers 16. I felt compelled to read it today and go beyond simply reading to studying. It is the story of Korah who got together a group of men and challenged the rule  of Moses and Aaron. Now, it's not like Korah did not have an important job to do—his clan (the Kohath clan) was responsible for carrying the ark, the table, the lampstand, the alters, the utensils of the sanctuary, and the screen (Numbers 3:27-32). But he wanted more. Sound familiar? He thought he was more than capable of leading the people—a job God had called Moses and Aaron to do. And he may have been. He might have made an awesome leader. But that is not what God wanted from him.

 I am the first one to raise my hand and say guilty when it comes to impatience and wanting more.  I find dissatisfaction in the house, the yard, my clothes, my husband, and myself. I want to be tall and thin. I want my husband to find me imminently desirable and adore me all the time. I want to get a bigger deer than my husband (yes, I hunt). I want the house to be clean all the time and for my husband to help me clean out the clutter.I want the flowers in the yard to weed themselves and be gorgeous all the time. I want, I want, I want. And I want it right now!! Then I read about Korah in Numbers and it hits me square in the head. What does God want from me? What does He want to see in me? What does He want me to do? It's supposed to be about Him, not me. Ugh! What a light bulb moment!!!

So, I then read on and see what happened to Korah and his fellow power/position seekers. They were swallowed up by the earth. Literally, the earth opened and swallowed the up—with their families and livestock and possessions (all except Korah, in Numbers 26:10-11 it says the children of Korah died not). In Numbers 16: 26 Moses says "Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's, lest ye be consumed in all their sins." Can I get a moment of silence here to reflect on that thought? Wow! That goes along with the whole birds of a feather flock together saying my grandmother used to use on me when she did not approve of my friends. The theory being, you are the people you hang out with. If you hang out with good people, you will be good. If you hang out with bad people, you will be bad. The morals and ethics of your friends influence you, whether you want to admit it or not. Just something to think about.

Upon more study I found this in my Life Application Study Bible—4 things to take away from the story of Korah:

1. Don't let desire for what someone else has make you discontented with what you already have.

2. Don't try to raise your own self-esteem by attacking someone else's.

3. Don't use part of God's word to support what you want, rather than allowing its entirety to shape your wants

4. Don't expect to find satisfaction in power and position; God may want to work through you in the position you are now in.