Tag: korah

From Sinkholes to Satisfaction

©Photo by Arpan Sharma on Unsplash

Remember Korah? Not content with serving God, he wanted to become somebody in his own eyes. He grumbled and complained against Moses and Aaron. Worse still, he stood his ground against the warnings of God. And the ground opened, taking him to the depths. He and all that belonged to him was condemned to the judgement of God. This is a truly sobering story, and it warns us about the dangers of jealousy, pride and self-pity in Christian ministry.

But there is a puzzle. When we arrive at the Book of Psalms we discover a number written by none other than the sons of Korah. What’s going on? Didn’t they all get destroyed? Are the sons of Korah a kind of ancient tribute band, like the Beatnix to the Beatles? Why on earth would they even do that? Or is there something we’ve missed?

“The Sons of Korah Did Not Die

A few chapters after the judgement of God on Korah, we read of a census of the new generation of God’s people.

The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, and they became a warning.  But the sons of Korah did not die.  (Numbers 26:9–11. My emphasis.)

The sons of Korah somehow remained. The line of Korah continued. How could this be? The only answer is that they heeded God’s warning, given through Moses, when he said,

Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins. (Number 16:26)

The sons of Korah chose not to dwell in the tents of their wicked father. They turned aside from evil and escaped God’s judgement.

The Ministry of Music

The sons of Korah continued their family ministry as doorkeepers at God’s tabernacle and later, under King David, they were also entrusted with the ministry of music. David put them

in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord after the ark rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting until Solomon built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they performed their service according to their order. (1 Chronicles 6:31–32)

The sons of Korah are a testament to the faithful love and mercy of the LORD. The LORD preserved their family and their ministries for generation after generation. Even more wonderfully, God by his Holy Spirit has spoken to us through these sons of Korah. These ancient musicians, inspired by God, continue to instruct God’s people and incline our hearts to worship. They point us to find fulfilment in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

People Content in God Himself

One of the most beloved of their songs is Psalm 84, where we are reminded that

a day in God’s courts
  is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
  than dwell in the tents of wickedness. (Psalm 84:10)

Can you hear these words with a new gravitas? There’s a deep thread weaving back to the days of their ancestor, Korah. His sons would rather continue in humble service to their Redeemer than have anything to do with the pride, envy, or self-pity of their father. They chose and continued to choose a different path to Korah.

Psalm 84 reveals God’s people content in God himself. They come before him in humility, with no sense of entitlement. They know that true blessing is to be found in the presence of God, and that we journey to him in his strength by trusting always and only in him. God alone is our sun and shield. He protects us, guides us, enlightens us, and satisfies us.

Our world with all its attractions ends up nothing more than a graveyard. True life is only to be found in the house of God. And we can only come into his house because God chooses to “look on the face of your anointed” (Ps 84:9) Jesus, our anointed Messiah, is our shield, our protector. It is only as God looks on his incarnate Son our Saviour that we who trust in him can be counted among the righteous.

When we are tempted to discontent and when feelings of personal entitlement raise their ugly heads, let’s turn to Psalm 84. We won’t find blessing by chasing the things of this world. Nor will we find blessing by envying the ministries of others. Satisfaction is found in trusting God and God alone. Father in heaven, satisfy our souls, by reminding us of your truly amazing grace. Fill us with the longing to be with you all our days. Keep us from giving into temptation. Strengthen us to persevere until that day we gather in your house forever more.

(This post originally appeared on TGCA website)

Sinkholes and servant hearts

The green-eyed monster lurks in every human heart: If only I had what she has… If I was more like him, then I’d be satisfied… Why am I continually overlooked? … Why do they get the glory? Jealousy, envy, and coveting—we push them away and they keep finding their way back. They spoil everything.

Christian lives are corrupted by our dissatisfied desires. Ministries are damaged, relationships are ruined, and churches are compromised by people feeling entitled. And it’s not just them—it’s you, it’s me, it’s every one of us. We find it so natural to compare and complain. We think we deserve better and others should know better.

A man at church is asked to join the set up/pack up team, but he only wants to preach. A woman leaves the music ministry because she can’t be the song leader. A pastor moves to another church where he can do what he wants to do. Small group leaders doing their own thing because they don’t like the direction of the minister. Jealousy that your colleague gets the invitations to speak. Annoyance that another church is encroaching on your patch. Bothered that others get more praise than you do. Frustrated that I don’t get the opportunities or the recognition I deserve. Do you see glimpses of the green-eyed monster in your heart?

Korah

In Numbers 16 we see pride, envy, and self-pity at work in the heart of Korah. Korah’s responsibilities aren’t central. They’re on the edges. Moses and Aaron entered the most holy place to offer sacrifices, whereas Korah remained outside on the threshold. Moses and Aaron covered the ark and tabernacle furnishings when they moved camp, whereas Korah was not allowed to look at them, let alone handle them. What’s more, Korah had to carry them (without peeking at or touching the items) to the next camp. Korah has had enough. His pride takes control. He gathers 250 influential men and makes his case against Moses and Aaron:

You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord? (Numbers 16:3)

Moses is gutted and the LORD is grieved. Moses says to Korah:

Hear now, you sons of Levi: is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them, and that he has brought you near him, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also? (verses 8–10)

The LORD had called Korah to minister to his people. The Almighty Creator and Redeemer had given Korah the privilege of serving him, by placing him in a special position with important responsibilities. This wasn’t earned by effort or merit, but was granted entirely by God’s grace. But that’s not enough for Korah. His wicked heart is revealed. This isn’t just petty jealousy, this is dissatisfaction with and dissent against God.

Sinkholes

The LORD God promises to bring judgement on Korah and his colleagues for their rebellion. Moses warns God’s people not to participate in Korah’s corruption. They are to flee from the tents of the wicked lest the ground swallow them up. This is their final call to repentance. Many do, but not Korah:

And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. (Numbers 16:31–33)

The LORD creates a sinkhole and it swallows all who rebelled against him. God will not be mocked. There is no place for grumbling, jealousy, pride, or discord among God’s people. He is the Holiest of Holies and it is only by his grace that anyone may stand in his presence. Being among God’s people is not a right, but a gift. Serving God is not an achievement, but a privilege. God owes us nothing. We owe him all.

Servant Hearts

There is another who, like Korah, goes down into Sheol, into the depths. One who (like Jonah, rather than Korah) spends three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matt 12:40). Unlike Korah, he is not guilty. He committed no sin. He knew no pride, no jealousy, no conceit, no rebellious dissatisfaction. Though he was entitled to all, he did not grab hold of it. He made no complaints. There was no earthly glory to be gained by his ministry—only the joy of serving and glorifying his Father. Jesus is the opposite of Korah. He succeeded where Korah failed. Jesus is pure where we are corrupted.

Jesus is the personification of humility, he is the antithesis of pride. He washed the dust and dung off his disciples’ feet (Jn 13:1–17). For the joy set before him Jesus endured the cross and despised its shame (Heb 12:2). Jesus gave his life for ours, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God (1Pet 3:18). And he set us the example of serving as he served. We are called not to seek our own vain glory, to be willingly overlooked, to do menial tasks, to not give in to pride or self-pity.

What about you? Are you satisfied in Jesus Christ? Do you shun rivalry and competition? Do you show humility by counting others more significant than yourself? Are you often worried about your own interests, or do you know deep down that Jesus has that covered, freeing you to focus on the interests of others (Phil 2:1–5)?

(This post originally appeared on TGCA website)