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shall　not　prosper。　Go　not　up；

394

for　the　Lord　is　not　among　you；　that　ye　be　not　smitten　before　your　enemies。
For　the　Amalekites　and　the　Canaanites　are　there　before　you；　and　ye　shall
fall　by　the　sword。〃

The　Canaanites　had　heard　of　the　mysterious　power　that　seemed　to　be　guarding
this　people　and　of　the　wonders　wrought　in　their　behalf；　and　they　now
summoned　a　strong　force　to　repel　the　invaders。　The　attacking　army　had　no
leader。　No　prayer　was　offered　that　God　would　give　them　the　victory。　They　set
forth　with　the　desperate　purpose　to　reverse　their　fate　or　to　die　in　battle。
Though　untrained　in　war；　they　were　a　vast　multitude　of　armed　men；　and　they
hoped　by　a　sudden　and　fierce　assault　to　bear　down　all　opposition。　They
presumptuously　challenged　the　foe　that　had　not　dared　to　attack　them。

The　Canaanites　had　stationed　themselves　upon　a　rocky　tableland　reached　only
by　difficult　passes　and　a　steep　and　dangerous　ascent。　The　immense　numbers　of
the　Hebrews　could　only　render　their　defeat　more　terrible。　They　slowly
threaded　the　mountain　paths；　exposed　to　the　deadly　missiles　of　their　enemies
above。　Massive　rocks　came　thundering　down；　marking　their　path　with　the　blood
of　the　slain。　Those　who　reached　the　summit；　exhausted　with　their　ascent；
were　fiercely　repulsed；　and　driven　back　with　great　loss。　The　field　of
carnage　was　strewn　with　the　bodies　of　the　dead。　The　army　of　Israel　was
utterly　defeated。　Destruction　and　death　was　the　result　of　that　rebellious
experiment。

Forced　to　submission　at　last；　the　survivors　〃returned；　and　wept　before　the
Lord；〃　but　〃the　Lord　would　not　hearken〃　to　their　voice。　Deuteronomy　1：45。　By
their　signal　victory　the　enemies　of　Israel；　who　had　before　awaited　with
trembling　the　approach　of　that　mighty　host；　were　inspired　with　confidence　to
resist　them。　All　the　reports　they　had　heard　concerning　the　marvelous　things
that　God　had　wrought　for　His　people；　they　now　regarded　as　false；　and　they
felt　that　there　was　no　cause　for　fear。　That　first　defeat　of　Israel；　by
inspiring　the　Canaanites　with　courage　and　resolution；　had　greatly　increased
the　difficulties　of　the　conquest。　Nothing　remained　for　Israel　but　to　fall
back　from　the　face　of　their　victorious　foes；　into　the　wilderness；　knowing
that　here　must　be　the　grave　of　a　whole　generation。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（395）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　35

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Rebellion　of　Korah


The　judgments　visited　upon　the　Israelites　served　for　a　time　to　restrain
their　murmuring　and　insubordination；　but　the　spirit　of　rebellion　was　still
in　the　heart　and　eventually　brought　forth　the　bitterest　fruits。　The　former
rebellions　had　been　mere　popular　tumults；　arising　from　the　sudden　impulse　of
the　excited　multitude；　but　now　a　deep…laid　conspiracy　was　formed；　the　result
of　a　determined　purpose　to　overthrow　the　authority　of　the　leaders　appointed
by　God　Himself。

Korah；　the　leading　spirit　in　this　movement；　was　a　Levite；　of　the　family　of
Kohath；　and　a　cousin　of　Moses；　he　was　a　man　of　ability　and　influence。　Though
appointed　to　the　service　of　the　tabernacle；　he　had　become　dissatisfied　with
his　position　and　aspired　to　the　dignity　of　the　priesthood。　The　bestowal　upon
Aaron　and　his　house　of　the　priestly　office；　which　had　formerly　devolved　upon
the　first…born　son　of　every　family；　had　given　rise　to　jealousy　and
dissatisfaction；　and　for　some　time　Korah　had　been　secretly　opposing　the
authority　of　Moses　and　Aaron；　though　he　had　not　ventured　upon　any　open　act
of　rebellion。　He　finally　conceived　the　bold　design　of　overthrowing　both　the
civil　and　the　religious　authority。　He　did　not　fail　to　find　sympathizers。
Close　to　the　tents　of　Korah　and　the　Kohathites；　on　the　south　side　of　the
tabernacle；　was　the　encampment　of　the　tribe　of　Reuben；　the　tents　of　Dathan
and　Abiram；　two　princes　of　this　tribe；　being　near　that　of　Korah。　These
princes　readily　joined　in　his　ambitious　schemes。　Being　descendants　from　the
eldest　son　of　Jacob；　they　claimed　that　the　civil　authority　belonged　to　them；
and　they　determined　to　divide　with　Korah　the　honors　of　the　priesthood。

The　state　of　feeling　among　the　people　favored　the　designs　of　Korah。　In　the
bitterness　of　their　disappointment；　their　former　doubts；　jealousy；　and
hatred　had　returned；　and　again　their　complaints　were　directed　against　their
patient　leader。　The　Israelites

396

were　continually　losing　sight　of　the　fact　that　they　were　under　divine
guidance。　They　forgot　that　the　Angel　of　the　covenant　was　their　invisible
leader；　that；　veiled　by　the　cloudy　pillar；　the　presence　of　Christ　went
before　them；　and　that　from　Him　Moses　received　all　his　directions。

They　were　unwilling　to　submit　to　the　terrible　sentence　that　they　must　all
die　in　the　wilderness；　and　hence　they　were　ready　to　seize　upon　every　pretext
for　believing　that　it　was　not　God　but　Moses　who　was　leading　them　and　who　had
pronounced　their　doom。　The　best　efforts　of　the　meekest　man　upon　the　earth
could　not　quell　the　insubordination　of　this　people；　and　although　the　marks
of　God's　displeasure　at　their　former　perverseness　were　still　before　them　in
their　broken　ranks　and　missing　numbers；　they　did　not　take　the　lesson　to
heart。　Again　they　were　overcome　by　temptation。

The　humble　shepherd's　life　of　Moses　had　been　far　more　peaceful　and　happy
than　his　present　position　as　leader　of　that　vast　assembly　of　turbulent
spirits。　Yet　Moses　dared　not　choose。　In　place　of　a　shepherd's　crook　a　rod　of
power　had　been　given　him；　which　he　could　not　lay　down　until　God　should
release　him。

He　who　reads　the　secrets　of　all　hearts　had　marked　the　purposes　of　Korah　and
his　companions　and　had　given　His　people　such　warning　and　instruction　as
might　have　enabled　them　to　escape　the　deception　of　these　designing　men。　They
had　seen　the　judgment　of　God　fall　upon　Miriam　because　of　her　jealousy　and
complaints　against　Moses。　The　Lord　had　declared　that　Moses　was　greater　than
a　prophet。　〃With　him　will　I　speak　mouth　to　mouth。〃　〃Wherefore；　then；〃　He
added；　〃were　ye　not　afraid　to　speak　against　My　servant　Moses？〃　Numbers　12：8。
These　instructions　were　not　intended　for　Aaron　and　Miriam　alone；　but　for　all
Israel。

Korah　and　his　fellow　conspirators　were　men　who　had　been　favored　with　special
manifestations　of　God's　power　and　greatness。　They　were　of　the　number　who
went　up　with　Moses　into　the　mount　and　beheld　the　divine　glory。　But　since
that　time　a　change　had　come。　A　temptation；　slight　at　first；　had　been
harbored；　and　had　strengthened　as　it　was　encouraged；　until　their　minds　were
controlled　by　Satan；　and　they　ventured　upon　their　work　of　disaffection。
Professing　great　interest　in　the　prosperity　of　the　people；　they　first
whispered　their　discontent　to　one　another　and　then　to　leading　men　of　Israel。
Their　insinuations　were　so　readily

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　397

received　that　they　ventured　still　further；　and　at　last　they　really　believed
themselves　to　be　actuated　by　zeal　for　God。

They　were　successful　in　alienating　two　hundred　and　fifty　princes；　men　of
renown　in　the　congregation。　With　these　strong　and　influential　supporters
they　felt　confident　of　making　a　radical　change　in　the　government　and　greatly
improving　upon　the　administration　of　Moses　and　Aaron。

Jealousy　had　given　rise　to　envy；　and　envy　to　rebellion。　They　had　discussed
the　question　of　the　right　of　Moses　to　so　great　authority　and　honor；　until
they　had　come　to　regard　him　as　occupying　a　very　enviable　position；　which　any
of　them　could　fill　as　well　as　he。　And　they　deceived　themselves　and　one
another　into　thinking　that　Moses　and　Aaron　had　themselves　assumed　the
positions　they　held。　The　discontented　ones　said　that　these　leaders　had
exalted　themselves　above　the　congregation　of　the　Lord；　in　taking　upon　them
the　priesthood　and　government；　but　their　house　was　not　entitled　to
distinction　above　others　in　Israel；　they　were　no　more　holy　than　the　people；
and　it　should　be　enough　for　them　to　be　on　a　level　with　their　brethren；　who
were　equally　favored　with　God's　special　presence　and　protection。

The　next　work　of　the　conspirators　was　with　the　people。　To　those　who　are　in
the　wrong；　and　deserving　of　reproof；　there　is　nothing　more　pleasing　than　to
receive　sympathy　and　praise。　And　thus　Korah　and　his　associates　gained　the
attention　and　enlisted　the　support　of　the　congregation。　The　charge　that　the
murmurings　of　the　people　had　brought　upon　them　the　wrath　of　God　was　declared
to　be　a　mistake。　They　said　that　the　congregation　were　not　at　fault；　since
they　desired　nothing　more　than　their　rights；　but　that　Moses　was　an
overbearing　ruler；　that　he　had　reproved　the　people　as　sinners；　when　they
were　a　holy　people；　and　the　Lord　was　among　them。

Korah　reviewed　the　history　of　their　travels　through　the　wilderness；　where
they　had　been　brought　into　strait　places；　and　many　had　perished　because　of
their　murmuring　and　disobedience。　His　hearers　thought　they　saw　clearly　that
their　troubles　might　have　been　prevented　if　Moses　had　pursued　a　different
course。　They　decided　that　all　their　disasters　were　chargeable　to　him；　and
that　their　exclusion　from　Canaan　was　in　consequence　of　the　mismanagement　of
Moses　and　Aaron；　that　if　Korah　would　be