Immerse: Beginnings Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 244
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IMMERSE
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BEGINNINGS
16:4-22
and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are
greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?”
When Moses heard what they were saying, he fell face down on the
ground. Then he said to Korah and his followers, “Tomorrow morning
the Lord will show us who belongs to him and who is holy. The Lord
will allow only those whom he selects to enter his own presence. Korah,
you and all your followers must prepare your incense burners. Light fires
in them tomorrow, and burn incense before the Lord. Then we will see
whom the Lord chooses as his holy one. You Levites are the ones who
have gone too far!”
Then Moses spoke again to Korah: “Now listen, you Levites! Does
it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from
among all the community of Israel to be near him so you can serve in
the Lord’s Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them?
Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow
Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? The Lord is the
one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron
that you are complaining about him?”
Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they
replied, “We refuse to come before you! Isn’t it enough that you brought
us out of Egypt, a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us here in this
wilderness, and that you now treat us like your subjects? What’s more, you
haven’t brought us into another land flowing with milk and honey. You
haven’t given us a new homeland with fields and vineyards. Are you trying
to fool these men? We will not come.”
Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not accept
their grain offerings! I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, and
I have never hurt a single one of them.” And Moses said to Korah, “You
and all your followers must come here tomorrow and present yourselves
before the Lord. Aaron will also be here. You and each of your 250 followers must prepare an incense burner and put incense on it, so you can all
present them before the Lord. Aaron will also bring his incense burner.”
So each of these men prepared an incense burner, lit the fire, and placed
incense on it. Then they all stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle with
Moses and Aaron. Meanwhile, Korah had stirred up the entire community
against Moses and Aaron, and they all gathered at the Tabernacle entrance.
Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to the whole community, and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Get away from all these
people so that I may instantly destroy them!”
But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God,” they
pleaded, “you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Must you be
angry with all the people when only one man sins?”
