Korach “Korah”
Numbers 16:1–18:32
1 Samuel 11:14–12:22
1Kings 1-3

An Issue of Authority

Each individual had a place of responsibility in the camp of the Hebrews. No job was more important than another, and each person had a specific duty to perform. Though Moses had been placed in charge of these people, he would have been the first to say that his job was not more important than anyone else's – it was simply the job he had been called to. He knew all too well that unless everyone performed his or her assigned task on a daily basis, the camp would simply not work the way it had been called to do.

However some people just could not be content with the job The Almighty had assigned them. They decided they were a bit more important than they really were. They figured Elohim had really made a mistake in calling them to any task of less importance than "Supreme Leader" of the group. The leader of this discontented group was a man named Korah. He had become quite a legend in his own eyes. He just could not see himself in any role other than that of Moses. In the end, we read that this arrogance cost him his very life.

Does this "Spirit of Korah" affect us today in the "Body of Messiah?" I think the answer is yes. While we normally do not see it to the extreme as in the time of Moses, it does happen, in fact, more often than we may desire to admit.

This "Spirit of Korah" comes forth when any of us make an attempt to push ourselves into positions in the family instead of waiting for Him to open these positions and bring forth promotion.

Many years ago I read a scripture which has probably made more of an impact on my own place of ministry than any other scripture I have ever read. It is found in Proverbs 18:16 and reads, "A man's gift will make room for him."

Think about this verse as it would have pertained to Korah. He was obviously a man with a gift of leadership. He had many other qualities which probably over time would have brought forth a natural increase in leadership duties and position in the camp. He was however not content to have his gift make room for him through an humble spirit and life, but rather because of arrogance decided to use his gift to make room for himself. The end of this we see as death.

Through the years I have seen this scenario played out many times. In fact I have seen it in my own life. In our (my) zeal to "Do something great for Him" we begin to think of ourselves as being a bit more important than we are. We can slip into a thought process that causes our actions to lead us to begin to think we are irreplaceable. We take on a "Messiah syndrome" instead of humbly seeing ourselves as one simple but very much needed piece in the puzzle called His family. We must always keep in mind that He has the final decision as to where our piece is placed. If at any time He decides we are to be placed in a more prominent place in the puzzle, then that decision must be left in His hands, not taken into ours.

Korah's actions not only cost him his life, but tragically cost the lives of many others who followed him. If Korah had only seen that the gift of leadership he had been given was not about him, but rather about pointing others to One greater than himself, the account in Torah would have been very different than what we read this week. If Korah would have understood and accepted his gift, when these 250 people came to him, his reaction would have been to point them to the true power and leadership in the camp and not try to assume the role himself. Either way a Torah portion would have been named after him. But he made the choice on that day whether his name would be associated with life or with death.

We should all be asking in this day that the gifts and callings He has placed within us come forth. In fact, not to do so is to hide them as the wicked servant did. However, once He has revealed them, we must make very sure that we allow the gift He has given us to make room for us, and not the other way around.

One final thought on the scripture in Proverbs. If we fail to get the right verse and instead of living Proverbs 18:16 we begin to live Proverbs 16:18 – well, you look it up for yourself. There is really no need for commentary!