Numbers 16:20-35 - Divine Judgment Upon The Rebels
It was wise of Moses not to attempt to vindicate himself, but to leave God to maintain His cause. He is not slow to undertake the vindication of those who entrust their reputation with Him. To take the sword is to perish by the sword. "Wait on the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt thee to inherit the land."
The doom of Korah and his fellow-conspirators was very terrible; but if they had been spared, the whole camp would have been infected, and God's purposes frustrated. Those who suffer from the bubonic plague must be instantly separated from their fellows, for the sake of society! Remember, as Jude says, that the pit still devours, Judges 1:11. In these last days of the present age, and in view of the terrible records of this chapter, we may well ponder the summons of Revelation 18:4. The congregation was spared, because of the divine compassion of which Moses had a true conception. His prayer only reflected the divine thought, Numbers 16:22. [source]
Chapter Summary: Numbers 16
1The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram 23Moses separates the people from the rebels' tents 31The earth swallows up Korah, and a fire consumes others 36The censers are reserved to holy use 4114,700 are slain by a plague, for murmuring against Moses and Aaron 46Aaron by incense stays the plague
What do the individual words in Numbers 16:20 mean?