Too Much for You!

Sermon Notes Rabbi Ken Alpren by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D. Korach was a cousin of Moshe; both descended form Levi. Aviram and Datan were descended from Re’uven, the eldest of the twelve. They were jealous of Moshe regarding the position the L-rd had given him and felt they had been passed over for the prominent position. They accused Moshe and Aharon. Numbers 16:1-3, ‘Now Korach the son of Yitz'har, the son of K'hat, the son of Levi, along with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, descendants of Re'uven, took men and 2 rebelled against Moshe. Siding with them were 250 men of Isra'el, leaders of the community, key members of the council, men of reputation. 3 They assembled themselves against Moshe and Aharon and said to them, "You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them, and ADONAI is among them. So why do you lift yourselves up above ADONAI's assembly?"’ Moshe didn’t lift himself up, but notice his response was that he fell on his face! Numbers 12:3, ‘Now this man Moshe was very humble, more so than anyone on earth.’ Moshe was G-d’s Servant as is Yeshua. The purpose of godly leadership is not status but function. We are to serve G-d and then people through G-d. As His servants we are vehicles of His life and His word; not source of them. Korach and his followers were jealous of something that wasn’t even attainable for them! Yeshua’s spoke to this principle. Mark 10:44-45, ‘“and whoever wants to be first among you must become everyone's slave! 45 For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve -- and to give his life as a ransom for many."’ When Korach accused Moshe and Aharon that it was too much for them, Moshe responded with G-d direction by turning the accusation back toward Korach and saying no, that it was too much for him! Numbers 16:7, ‘’The one whom ADONAI chooses will be the one who is holy! It is you, you sons of Levi, who are taking too much on yourselves!"’ How do we respond to false accusations or arrogant confrontations? What did Moshe do? By falling on his face, he demonstrated that he went to G-d first; he didn’t overreact, but kept quiet at first. As well, we can apply this principle ourselves by shutting our mouths, keeping quiet and going to G-d asking Him to help us not to react with emotion as our first response. G-d is trustworthy to defend or vindicate us if we are falsely accused. Proverbs 26:4-5, ‘Don't answer a fool in terms of his folly, or you will be descending to his level; 5 but answer a fool as his folly deserves, so that he won't think he is wise.’ Go to G-d first and then we are able to deal with people. Be lead by the Spirit rather than the flesh and we can deal with ‘fools’ and foolish accusations wisely. Do we wrongfully accuse people of what we are really guilty of ourselves? Korach and his followers were projecting onto Moshe and Aharon what they were guilty of themselves. Numbers 16:8-9, ‘Then Moshe said to Korach, "Listen here, you sons of Levi! 9 Is it for you a mere trifle that the God of Isra'el has separated you from the community of Isra'el to bring you close to himself, so that you can do the work in the tabernacle of ADONAI and stand before the community serving them?’ Are we not grateful for what G-d has already has done or do we want more like Korach? With what are we dissatisfied? When is it enough? Am I satisfied with what He has given me? Korach wanted the priesthood as well and was ungrateful for what G-d had given him! Isn’t this the same sin of Lucifer as described in Isaiah 14? He wasn’t satisfied with being a beautiful angel but wanted to be like the Most High! 1 Timothy 6:6, ‘Now true religion does bring great riches, but only to those who are content with what they have.’ Psalm 73:25, ‘Whom do I have in heaven but you? And with you, I lack nothing on earth.’ Numbers 16:11, ‘“That's why you and your group have gathered together against ADONAI! After all, what is Aharon that you complain against him?"’ Aharon was a servant. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, ‘After all, what is Apollos? What is Sha'ul? Only servants through whom you came to trust. Indeed, it was the Lord who brought you to trust through one of us or through another. 6 I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 So neither the planter nor the waterer is anything, only God who makes things grow.’ We serve and G-d makes things grow. Further in the passage recorded in Numbers 16, verses 12-14, Korach and his followers demonstrated their skewed perceptions and rebelliousness. And Moshe became angry, rightfully. When G-d wanted to bring judgement upon all the people, Moshe intervened out of concern for the people as well as G-d’s reputation and testimony. So the L-rd brought judgement upon Korach, Avarim and Datan specifically. Numbers 16:20-24, ‘ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon, 21 "Separate yourselves from this assembly; I'm going to destroy them right now!" 22 They fell on their faces and said, "Oh God, God of the spirits of all humankind, if one person sins, are you going to be angry with the entire assembly?" 23 ADONAI answered Moshe, 24 "Tell the assembly to move away from the homes of Korach, Datan and Aviram."’ There are times we need discernment to separate ourselves from those starting discord and unhealthy influence. Romans 16:17, ‘I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put snares alongside the teaching in which you have been trained - keep away from them.’ 2 Thessalonians 3:6, ‘Now, in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we command you, brothers, to stay away from any brother who is leading a life of idleness, a life not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.’ Numbers 16:26, ‘There he said to the assembly, "Leave the tents of these wicked men! Don't touch anything that belongs to them, or you may be swept away in all their sins."” We need to disassociate from those who are poor influences and especially among those who claim to be believers. 2 Corinthians 6:14, ‘Do not yoke yourselves together in a team with unbelievers. For how can righteousness and lawlessness be partners? What fellowship does light have with darkness?’ 1 Corinthians 5:9-11, ‘In my earlier letter I wrote you not to associate with people who engage in sexual immorality. 10 I didn't mean the sexually immoral people outside your community, or the greedy, or the thieves or the idol-worshippers - for then you would have to leave the world altogether! 11 No, what I wrote you was not to associate with anyone who is supposedly a brother but who also engages in sexual immorality, is greedy, worships idols, is abusive, gets drunk or steals. With such a person you shouldn't even eat!’ Numbers 16:28-30, ‘Moshe said, "Here is how you will know that ADONAI has sent me to do all these things and that I haven't done them out of my own ambition: 29 if these men die a natural death like other people, only sharing the fate common to all humanity, then ADONAI has not sent me. 30 But if ADONAI does something new - if the ground opens up and swallows them with everything they own, and they go down alive to Sh'ol - then you will understand that these men have had contempt for ADONAI."’ The earth opened up and the guilty as well as their families went down alive! Fire consumed the 250 who had offered the incense and 14,700 were victims of the plague! Moshe posed the question as to how one would know that indeed the L-rd had sent him or if his leadership was on account of his own will. G-d revealed the answer to everyone that Moshe’s commission was G-d ordained! Likewise, how will people know today that Yeshua is the Messiah? What signs reveal the truth? John 6:38, ‘For I have come down from heaven to do not my own will but the will of the One who sent me.’ John 7:16-17, ‘So Yeshua gave them an answer: "My teaching is not my own, it comes from the One who sent me. 17 If anyone wants to do his will, he will know whether my teaching is from God or I speak on my own.’ Do we want to know the truth? He knows our hearts and He will reveal Himself to those seeking wholeheartedly. Jeremiah 29:13, ‘When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly.’ 2 Corinthians 2:15-16, ‘For to God we are the aroma of the Messiah, both among those being saved and among those being lost; 16 to the latter, we are the smell of death leading only to more death; but to the former, we are the sweet smell of life leading to more life.’ G-d reveals Himself through us! He reveals Himself through His Spirit, His power and His word. How will we know? John 17:23, ‘I united with them and you with me, so that they may be completely one, and the world thus realize that you sent me, and that you have loved them just as you have loved me.’ Oneness in humanity is not natural. When believers from all ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds and former beliefs are united in love for the L-rd, the world will know. Further Reading: Isaiah 14:12-15, 1 Corinthians 3:3-9, 4:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, 3 John 9, Luke 10:19, Revelation 12, Hebrews 13:5, Philippians 3:10, Colossians 3:1, 2 Corinthians 1:24, 1 Timothy 6:5, John 5:19, 5:30, 8:28,14:10, Romans 15:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, Psalm 119