Application. Are you inclined to tell lies and to exaggerate? It was on account of a lie that God punished the ten spies with sudden death. Learn from this how much God, who is truth itself, abhors lies. “Putting away lying, speak ye the truth every man with his neighbour” (Eph. 4, 25).
Have you the evil habit of uttering curses or imprecations?
Chapter XLI.
THE REVOLT OF CORE AND HIS ADHERENTS.
[Numb. 16—17.]
ONE day, whilst the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath-day, and they brought him to Moses and Aaron, who put him in prison, to see how he should be punished. But the Lord said to Moses: “Let that man die; let all the multitude stone him without the camp.” So it was done.
Some time after, two hundred and fifty men, belonging partly to the tribe of Reuben, and partly to the tribe of Levi, and having for leaders Core[1], a Levite, and Dathan and Abiron[2], both of the tribe of Reuben — all these rose up against Moses and Aaron. They were envious of the high position of Moses and Aaron, and accused them of tyranny and ambition. They said: “All the people are holy[3]; why do ye raise yourselves above the people of God?” Moses, hearing this, and knowing that it was a revolt against God Himself, was much afflicted, and fell flat on his face.
He afterwards spoke to the rebellious Levites, saying: “Is it because God has chosen you to serve near the Tabernacle, that you wish to usurp the dignity of the priesthood also? To-morrow
- ↑ Core. Core’s father was brother to Moses’ mother. Core , Moses and Aaron were, therefore, first cousins.
- ↑ Dathan and Abiron. As Reuben was Jacob’s eldest son, these men felt themselves aggrieved that the descendants of Levi should have privileges, which they themselves had not.
- ↑ Are holy. They meant to say: “All men are called to the service of the Lord. We want no peculiar priesthood; and you (Moses and Aaron) are no better than we are." It was, in their opinion, presumption on Moses’ part to assume the leadership, and on Aaron’s part to set himself up as High Priest of the people. We have here the first example of schism and heresy introduced into a divinely constituted Church. It was schism to rebel against the lawful authority of Moses and Aaron; and it was heresy to deny that God had given jurisdiction and the priesthood to Moses and Aaron.
