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that　their　exclusion　from　Canaan　was　in　consequence　of　the　mismanagement　of
Moses　and　Aaron；　that　if　Korah　would　be　their　leader；　and　would　encourage
them　by　dwelling　upon　their　good

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deeds；　instead　of　reproving　their　sins；　they　would　have　a　very　peaceful；
prosperous　journey；　instead　of　wandering　to　and　fro　in　the　wilderness；　they
would　proceed　directly　to　the　Promised　Land。

In　this　work　of　disaffection　there　was　greater　union　and　harmony　among　the
discordant　elements　of　the　congregation　than　had　ever　before　existed。
Korah's　success　with　the　people　increased　his　confidence　and　confirmed　him
in　his　belief　that　the　usurpation　of　authority　by　Moses；　if　unchecked；　would
be　fatal　to　the　liberties　of　Israel；　he　also　claimed　that　God　had　opened　the
matter　to　him；　and　had　authorized　him　to　make　a　change　in　the　government
before　it　should　be　too　late。　But　many　were　not　ready　to　accept　Korah's
accusations　against　Moses。　The　memory　of　his　patient；　self…sacrificing
labors　came　up　before　them；　and　conscience　was　disturbed。　It　was　therefore
necessary　to　assign　some　selfish　motive　for　his　deep　interest　for　Israel；
and　the　old　charge　was　reiterated；　that　he　had　led　them　out　to　perish　in　the
wilderness；　that　he　might　seize　upon　their　possessions。

For　a　time　this　work　was　carried　on　secretly。　As　soon；　however；　as　the
movement　had　gained　sufficient　strength　to　warrant　an　open　rupture；　Korah
appeared　at　the　head　of　the　faction；　and　publicly　accused　Moses　and　Aaron　of
usurping　authority　which　Korah　and　his　associates　were　equally　entitled　to
share。　It　was　charged；　further；　that　the　people　had　been　deprived　of　their
liberty　and　independence。　〃Ye　take　too　much　upon　you；〃　said　the
conspirators；　〃seeing　all　the　congregation　are　holy；　every　one　of　them；　and
the　Lord　is　among　them：　wherefore　then　lift　ye　up　yourselves　above　the
congregation　of　the　Lord？〃

Moses　had　not　suspected　this　deep…laid　plot；　and　when　its　terrible
significance　burst　upon　him；　he　fell　upon　his　face　in　silent　appeal　to　God。
He　arose　sorrowful　indeed；　but　calm　and　strong。　Divine　guidance　had　been
granted　him。　〃Even　tomorrow；〃　he　said；　〃the　Lord　will　show　who　are　His；　and
who　is　holy；　and　will　cause　him　to　come　near　unto　Him：　even　him　whom　He　hath
chosen　will　He　cause　to　come　near　unto　Him。〃　The　test　was　to　be　deferred
until　the　morrow；　that　all　might　have　time　for　reflection。　Then　those　who
aspired　to　the　priesthood　were　to　come　each　with　a　censer；　and　offer　incense
at　the　tabernacle　in　the　presence　of　the　congregation。　The　law　was　very
explicit　that　only　those　who　had　been　ordained　to　the　sacred　office　should
minister　in　the　sanctuary。　And　even　the　priests；　Nadab　and　Abihu；　had

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been　destroyed　for　venturing　to　offer　〃strange　fire；〃　in　disregard　of　a
divine　command。　Yet　Moses　challenged　his　accusers；　if　they　dared　enter　upon
so　perilous　an　appeal；　to　refer　the　matter　to　God。

Singling　out　Korah　and　his　fellow　Levites；　Moses　said；　〃Seemeth　it　but　a
small　thing　unto　you；　that　the　God　of　Israel　hath　separated　you　from　the
congregation　of　Israel；　to　bring　you　near　to　Himself　to　do　the　service　of
the　tabernacle　of　the　Lord；　and　to　stand　before　the　congregation　to　minister
unto　them？　And　He　hath　brought　thee　near　to　Him；　and　all　thy　brethren　the
sons　of　Levi　with　thee：　and　seek　ye　the　priesthood　also？　for　which　cause
both　thou　and　all　thy　company　are　gathered　together　against　the　Lord。　And
what　is　Aaron；　that　ye　murmur　against　him？〃

Dathan　and　Abiram　had　not　taken　so　bold　a　stand　as　had　Korah；　and　Moses；
hoping　that　they　might　have　been　drawn　into　the　conspiracy　without　having
become　wholly　corrupted；　summoned　them　to　appear　before　him；　that　he　might
hear　their　charges　against　him。　But　they　would　not　come；　and　they　insolently
refused　to　acknowledge　his　authority。　Their　reply；　uttered　in　the　hearing　of
the　congregation；　was；　〃Is　it　a　small　thing　that　thou　hast　brought　us　up　out
of　a　land　that　floweth　with　milk　and　honey；　to　kill　us　in　the　wilderness；
except　thou　make　thyself　altogether　a　prince　over　us？　Moreover　thou　hast　not
brought　us　into　a　land　that　floweth　with　milk　and　honey；　or　given　us
inheritance　of　fields　and　vineyards：　wilt　thou　put　out　the　eyes　of　these
men？　We　will　not　come　up。〃

Thus　they　applied　to　the　scene　of　their　bondage　the　very　language　in　which
the　Lord　had　described　the　promised　inheritance。　They　accused　Moses　of
pretending　to　act　under　divine　guidance；　as　a　means　of　establishing　his
authority；　and　they　declared　that　they　would　no　longer　submit　to　be　led
about　like　blind　men；　now　toward　Canaan；　and　now　toward　the　wilderness；　as
best　suited　his　ambitious　designs。　Thus　he　who　had　been　as　a　tender　father；
a　patient　shepherd；　was　represented　in　the　blackest　character　of　a　tyrant
and　usurper。　The　exclusion　from　Canaan；　in　punishment　of　their　own　sins；　was
charged　upon　him。

It　was　evident　that　the　sympathies　of　the　people　were　with　the　disaffected
party；　but　Moses　made　no　effort　at　self…vindication。　He　solemnly　appealed　to
God；　in　the　presence　of　the　congregation；　as　a　witness　to　the　purity　of　his
motives　and　the　uprightness　of　his　conduct；　and　implored　Him　to　be　his
judge。

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On　the　morrow；　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　princes；　with　Korah　at　their　head；
presented　themselves；　with　their　censers。　They　were　brought　into　the　court
of　the　tabernacle；　while　the　people　gathered　without；　to　await　the　result。
It　was　not　Moses　who　assembled　the　congregation　to　behold　the　defeat　of
Korah　and　his　company；　but　the　rebels；　in　their　blind　presumption；　had
called　them　together　to　witness　their　victory。　A　large　part　of　the
congregation　openly　sided　with　Korah；　whose　hopes　were　high　of　carrying　his
point　against　Aaron。

As　they　were　thus　assembled　before　God；　〃the　glory　of　the　Lord　appeared　unto
all　the　congregation。〃　The　divine　warning　was　communicated　to　Moses　and
Aaron；　〃Separate　yourselves　from　among　this　congregation；　that　I　may　consume
them　in　a　moment。〃　But　they　fell　upon　their　faces；　with　the　prayer；　〃O　God；
the　God　of　the　spirits　of　all　flesh；　shall　one　man　sin；　and　wilt　Thou　be
wroth　with　all　the　congregation？〃

Korah　had　withdrawn　from　the　assembly　to　join　Dathan　and　Abiram　when　Moses；
accompanied　by　the　seventy　elders；　went　down　with　a　last　warning　to　the　men
who　had　refused　to　come　to　him。　The　multitudes　followed；　and　before
delivering　his　message；　Moses；　by　divine　direction；　bade　the　people；
〃Depart；　I　pray　you；　from　the　tents　of　these　wicked　men；　and　touch　nothing
of　theirs；　lest　ye　be　consumed　in　all　their　sins。〃　The　warning　was　obeyed；
for　an　apprehension　of　impending　judgment　rested　upon　all。　The　chief　rebels
saw　themselves　abandoned　by　those　whom　they　had　deceived；　but　their
hardihood　was　unshaken。　They　stood　with　their　families　in　the　door　of　their
tents；　as　if　in　defiance　of　the　divine　warning。

In　the　name　of　the　God　of　Israel；　Moses　now　declared；　in　the　hearing　of　the
congregation：　〃Hereby　ye　shall　know　that　the　Lord　hath　sent　me　to　do　all
these　works；　for　I　have　not　done　them　of　mine　own　mind。　If　these　men　die　the
common　death　of　all　men；　or　if　they　be　visited　after　the　visitation　of　all
men；　then　the　Lord　hath　not　sent　me。　But　if　the　Lord　make　a　new　thing；　and
the　earth　open　her　mouth；　and　swallow　them　up；　with　all　that　appertain　unto
them；　and　they　go　down　quick　into　the　pit；　then　ye　shall　understand　that
these　men　have　provoked　the　Lord。〃

The　eyes　of　all　Israel　were　fixed　upon　Moses　as　they　stood；　in　terror　and
expectation；　awaiting　the　event。　As　he　ceased　speaking；　the　solid　earth
parted；　and　the　rebels　went　down　alive　into

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the　pit；　with　all　that　pertained　to　them；　and　〃they　perished　from　among　the
congregation。〃　The　people　fled；　self…condemned　as　partakers　in　the　sin。

But　the　judgments　were　not　ended。　Fire　flashing　from　the　cloud　consumed　the
two　hundred　and　fifty　princes　who　had　offered　incense。　These　men；　not　being
the　first　in　rebellion；　were　not　destroyed　with　the　chief　conspirators。　They
were　permitted　to　see　their　end；　and　to　have　an　opportunity　for　repentance；
but　their　sympathies　were　with　the　rebels；　and　they　shared　their　fate。

When　Moses　was　entreating　Israel　to　flee　from　the　coming　destruction；　the
divine　judgment　might　even　then　have　been　stayed；　if　Korah　and　his　company
had　repented　and　sought　forgiveness。　But　their　stubborn　persistence　sealed
their　doom。　The　entire　congregation　were　sharers　in　their　guilt；　for　all
had；　to　a　greater　or　less　degree；　sympathized　with　them。　Yet　God　in　His
great　mercy　made　a　distinction　between　the　leaders　in　rebellion　and　those
whom　they　had　led。　The　people　who　had　permitted　themselves　to　be　deceived
were　still　granted　space　for　repentance。　Overwhelming　evidence　had　been
given　that　they　were　wrong；　and　that　Moses　was　right。　The　signal
manifestation　of　God's　power　had　removed　all　uncertainty。

Jesus；　the　Angel　who　went　before　the　Hebrews；　sought　to　save　them　from
destruction。　Forgiveness　was　lingering　for　them。　The　judgment　of　God　had
come　very　near；　and　appealed　to　them　to　repent。　A　special；　irresistible
interferenc