B’midbar (Numbers) 16:1 – 18:32 Shemu’el Alef (I Samuel) 11:14 – 12:22 Romans 13:1-7
Last Shabbat we learned that rebellion is defined by the Scriptures as unbelief that says “God can’t. God won’t.” What is at the root of rebellion in this Torah portion?
Why do Torah-keeping leaders brace themselves every time of the year that this portion comes around? I’ve witnessed this myself. How can we be proactive to keep rebellion from dividing us and bringing a plague to the camp? What unbelief do we guard against?
Korah's Rebellion
The name ‘Korach’ simply means “bald.” In paleo-Hebrew pictographs, it looks like the back of (qoof) an exalted head (resh) as bald and as exposed as a bare wall (chet).
Korah was certainly exposed for having the audacity to try and exalt himself as the head of the assembly over Israel. Korah and his cohorts refused the covering of the authority of YHWH Elohim over their proud heads.
Rebellion against the authority of Moses continues to be a serious problem in our world to this day. Anti-Torah sentiment is rearing its ugly head in all sectors of society.
Every kind of righteous authority is more frequently challenged and rebelled against than ever. Trumped-up, made-up charges, promoted by fake news, out of rebellious spirits are on the rise in America. Even judges wield their authority like they’re above the law.
Unless Americans and our authorities repent, broken and contrite at the foot of the cross, unless rebels give their hearts to Adonai Yeshua, judgment is sure to fall on America.
Good News for the Rebels!
The good news is that the mercy of YHWH triumphs over judgment for the proud who humble themselves before Him, like the descendants of Korah. One notable descendant was the prophet Samuel. Others wrote eleven of the Psalms. Today the descendants of Korah are worship leaders and prophets emerging in the Kingdom of God. For uplifting praise and worship music straight from the Book of Psalms, go to sonsofkorah.com
Redeemed from the curse of rebellion, the prophet Samuel, a descendant of Korah, learned the lesson his forefathers missed. Samuel rebuked a rebellious people, who again rejected the authority of YHWH. Israel wanted a man with an exalted head, a man who stood head and shoulders above the rest. They wanted a man named Saul to be their king. But the God of Israel had someone entirely different in mind. Samuel knew that rebellion was the root, for he said:
“For rebellion is as the sin of divination (sorcery); and stubbornness is both iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of YHWH, so He has rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:23
Here we learn that disobedience to the Word of YHWH is called ‘rebellion’.
Abba already had a Man in mind to be the Sovereign King over Israel. He was raising up a man named ‘David’ to replace Saul. David was to become a Messianic type of the Man YHWH had in mind to rule over His people. Many call Him “Messiah Ben David”.
The Son of Man did not become the King of Israel by self-exaltation nor by man’s promotion. He came to us with deep humility, suffering and dying for us in our place. Yeshua came to earth as the humble Lamb of God. Like the red heifer, Yeshua was sacrificed outside the camp where the rebels were outcasts, to redeem the rebel from sin. Because He humbled Himself and gave Himself over to those who willfully opposed the authority of YHWH in their lives, with brokenness and repentance, the outcast and those awaiting the wrath of God can call upon His Name and be saved.
The Ruach Ha’Qodesh (Holy Spirit) raised the Messiah up out of the grave. Abba exalted Him, giving Him all authority in heaven and on earth. Now it’s our turn to offer ourselves as living sacrifices and give Him the authority over our hearts and lives. The message of the Gospel is what truly turns the rebel around to humility and repentance.
Gospel Hardened or Broken and Contrite?
Billy Graham, in one of his most listened-to evangelistic messages, warned Americans against being Gospel-hardened. Some hearts hear the message with broken, softened hearts, others only become harder and more deaf to the saving Word of the Messiah.
Gospel hardening comes from taking for granted our Lord and Savior and His infallible Word. Being so used to having heard the Gospel in America can mean the Message has little relevance in life anymore. Doubt and unbelief creep into the heart. If what He says is just not all that important to me, submission to God relaxes. Leaning on my own understanding, I do what I want more and more, rather than what His Spirit wants for me.
That’s when a rebellious heart can rise up against His rightful place on the throne of my heart. Resistance to His authority leads to challenging His Word and the Gospel, and I end up doing whatever is right in my own eyes. Like many ‘Hebrews,’ I’ve been guilty of this myself, but am turning away from that kind of hard heart that would resist submitting to His Gospel message and to His authority, His Headship, and His Lordship in my life.
Rebel hearts hearken to the voice, like the serpent in the Garden of Eden, “Did God say?” We question what God literally said and come up with ‘deeper meanings’ that say something else. We question that He said what He meant and meant what He said.
Yet many of us are becoming more and more broken over the wickedness that has been rearing its ugly head in so many ways – such as abortions and other lawless rebellions that are acted out by such hard, evil hearts right here in America. We groan and cry over what’s going on, but we have hope and faith in what our Savior is doing and will do.
For all who have rebelled against YHWH Elohim, but have heard the Gospel with broken and contrite hearts, for all who have repented, praise YHWH for His amazing grace!
The Sons of Korah’s Redemption:
After reading the tragedy of Korah’s rebellion, be blessed by reading the uplifting psalms of redeemed sons of Korah in Palms 42 to 49. The sons of Korah had a very different sort of zeal, this time with humility, teshuvah (repentance), and the fear of the mighty Elohim. They entreated the Mighty One of Israel, that they may respectfully approach Him in His Sanctuary with singing psalms of honor and glory to their King in Heaven.
Your throne, O Elohim (Mighty Authority, Strong Controller), is forever and ever; the scepter of Your Kingdom is a scepter of uprightness. Psalm 45:6
For YHWH most high is to be held in awe; he is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom He loved. Selah. Psalm 47:2-4
Rather than demanding the inheritance of Moses’ and Aaron’s positions of authority, the descendants of Korah acknowledged that only YHWH decides our inheritance for us. Rather than demanding access as a high priest, sons of Korah appeal to His loving-kindness with humility and submissiveness, before approaching Him in His sanctuary.
We have thought on Your loving-kindness, O Elohim, amid Your sanctuary. Psalm 48:9
Then in Psalm 88, the sons of Korah cry out in humility and repentance to YHWH Elohay Yeshuatee (my Yeshua, in verse 1) to save them from the pit of She’ol, the grave that their forefather Korah and his band perished in. In this Psalm, the sons of Korah prophesied of the Son of Man, Yeshua by Name, Who would descend for us into the horrors of the grave we deserve. Our Messiah descended into She’ol for our rebellion. He was resurrected so that we could rise from the grave in Him as born-again creatures.
How great a salvation! Yeshua delivers and saves us from the worst generational curses: rebellion, bitterness, sowing strife and discord, and even from the sin of witchcraft!
Sons of Korah declare that YHWH Elohim will be exalted among the nations and their rebels, not any man. He alone is to be exalted as the God, the Mighty Authority of Israel:
Be still, and know that I Am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. YHWH of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Psalm 46:10-11
Rightly Discerning the Body of the Master:
Signs of rebellion show up in those who envy and covet positions that YHWH never intended for them to hold. The sons of Korah lost a righteous discernment for their position and role in the community (Numbers 16:3). Paul said it like this for us to consider before we join together to break bread and drink of the cup:
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and let him drink of the cup; for he eating and drinking unworthily eats and drinks to his condemnation, not discerning the Body of the Master. 1 Corinthians 11:28-29
Rightly ‘discerning the Body of the Master’ means in part to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to, compared to others in their positions in the Body of Messiah, but humbly realize each one of us was grafted in only by His grace:
For through the grace which is given to me, I say to everyone being among you, not to have high thoughts beyond what is right to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as YHWH divided a measure of faith to each. For even as we have many members in one body, but all members do not have the same function, so we the many are one body in Messiah, and each one members of one another… Romans 12:3-5
Be content with what place in life YHWH has made for you and do the work that He has called you to do. Be in submission to our King Yeshua in all things, as the Bride who submits to the Husband. Wholeheartedly do what you are gifted to do to the best of your ability to glorify and lift up the one Head of the Body – the Master Yeshua.
It’s really all about Him, not about us.
Then whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God. I Corinthians 10:31
Let’s give Him the credit in everything we do right, and give Him the highest praise in everything we do and say.
But when we miss the mark and find ourselves with rebellion in proud hearts, may we remember the Gospel with broken and contrite hearts, turning to the cross in humility, applying the blood of the Lamb, and repenting in loving submission to Adonai Yeshua Ha’Mashiyach!
Blessings to you in the Name of Adonai Yeshua, our Great High Priest and King of Israel,
David Klug