B’midbar (Num) 16:1 – 18:32
I Samuel 11:14 – 12:22
Romans 13:1-7a
Ever feel like your world was giving way under you, where everything you depended upon was collapsing? If not, do you believe a time like that is coming to a proud America? How do we ride out sudden destruction and calamity when it comes our way?
Riding Out a Landslide
My wife and I were exploring the second story of a huge old house when the rotten floor gave way under our feet and down we went! The west wing of the house collapsed under us into a landslide down the side of a large hill overlooking the countryside.
Because the hand of Yah was upon us and God was our Refuge, Leslie and I had no fear and suffered no harm. We went for the ride of our life on a raft of cushioned woody debris sliding down the landslide.
No, I’m not making this up, this happened to me in a vivid dream that I had starting this week, as I begin to read and study the Torah portion – Korah.
Leslie and I landed safely at the bottom of the long slope as friends of ours ended their slide on rafts of woody debris as well. One guy rode out a huge root wad, a stump that stopped just below us. Rising from the dust, our group walked a path through a meadow where we pointed out wild edibles, like wild einkorn wheat, growing along the way.
The path ended at the sheltered front door of a huge boarding house. There, sister Staci greeted us and welcomed us in to bless us with whatever we needed. We were there for a short time to be prepared to move on to the journey. As we departed, I woke up.
It just goes to show … Your old men will dream dreams. Joel 2:28
Seeking the Father for what the dream meant, I realized that the huge old house represented the systems of America. Standing on a proud hill, the house’s western orientation represents Western civilization in this proud and exalted, good old USA.
Though we may experience the fall of this nation, we have nothing to fear. By trusting in our Elohim, we can abide in perfect peace with Him as our Refuge, our very present help in trouble. Along the way, brothers and sisters will join us in our journey where we will find provisions and places to stay. The dream may have been a picture of our greater exodus once proud Babylon falls.
Though The Mountains Fall
The Torah portion Korah and my landslide dream share a common thread with a psalm:
A Psalm of the sons of Korah set to Alamoth. A Song.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. Psalm 46:1b-3
Although the sons of Korah did not join in their father’s rebellion against Moses and Aaron, they saw the earth open and swallow up the company of rebels they had known very well. Another one of their psalms declares that the descendants of Korah tasted of that experience, and learned the lesson that our loving Abba has for His children:
For our soul has sunk into the dust; our body cleaves to the earth. Rise up, be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness. Psalm 44:25-26
When a soul sinks low and hits bottom, crying out to a loving Abba is the first thing to do.
What Brings a Soul Into the Dust
What can sink us down into the dust in the first place? Why do we fall? Let’s go back to Psalm 44:
If we had forgotten the Name of our God or extended our hands to a strange god, would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. Psalm 44:20-21
Let’s never forget the Name of Salvation, Yeshua; nor reach out to strange powers of this world for provision or help. For if we do, we’ll end up hitting the dust. There is no hiding the thoughts and intents of my heart from Elohim, Who tries the reins (Jeremiah 17:10).
But how great is His lovingkindness and grace, that He would remember that we are but dust! (Psalm 103:14) That He would help us, raise us up when we fall, wash us clean us, and send us on the journey of a new life of love depending on Him and abiding in Him! The power of His love lifts us up out of the dust of humility. Our Good Shepherd leads His flock through the valley of the shadow of death to green pastures and still waters.
Pride focuses the heart on self, and not on Elohim – the Mighty Authority Who is far greater and higher than any of us could ever be. To forget His character as our righteous and exalted Head to be honored and obeyed is to forget His Name.
Isn’t that what Korah and his band had done? They fell for the same sin with which the serpent tricked Adam and Eve in the garden. They were puffed up in their heads with great knowledge of good – but evil, they were deceived to think that they could be like Elohim.
Maybe Korah and his bunch thought they were as smart as Moses and Aaron and could do just as good of a job as they could. After all, all of Israel was holy, so they said.
Who Was This Guy Korah? Who Did He Think He Was?
The name ‘Korach’ means ‘bald.’ In paleo-Hebrew, it means – the back of (qoof) an exalted head (resh) is as bald and exposed as a bare wall (chet). YHWH certainly exposed the bald-faced attempt of Korach to exalt himself as the head of the assembly of Israel. The paleo-Hebrew pictures his head to have been swollen with brazen pride.
We know what the Word says about what happens with self-exaltation:
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling. Proverbs 16:18
But why would Korah challenge the leadership of Moses in the first place? Why do certain individuals attempt to take down a leader and take over their position?
Moses exposed what was in the challenger’s heart when –
Moses also said to Korah, “Listen now, sons of Levi! Isn’t it enough that the God of Israel has set you apart from the community of Israel to bring you near to Him to do the work of the Tabernacle of YHWH and to stand before the community to minister to them? So He brought you close, along with all your fellow sons of Levi. But you are seeking the priesthood, too!” Numbers 16:8-11
So Korah and his gang weren’t satisfied enough with the prestigious position of priesthood that YHWH had already given them. Jealousy and envy over Moses and Aaron’s positions had crept into their hearts. Pride lifted their hearts to want to be on top, to be heads of the congregation. They weren’t content with ‘staying in their lane’ in life.
Reuben's Bunch
Why did the descendants of Reuben join Korah’s bunch? Remember, although Reuben was the firstborn of Israel, he lost his birthright over defiling his father’s bed.
The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel – he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, son of Israel – so he is not reckoned as the firstborn in the genealogical record. 1 Chronicles 5:1 TLV
Well, that must have hurt! Losing out to the eleventh-born son of Israel? Ouch! Maybe Reuben was still nursing his grievance and wanted his position back, even after his father Jacob had given the firstborn blessing to his son Joseph. (Genesis 49:3-4, 22-26)
So then hurts over the failures of our fathers can bring about rebellion and big mistakes. That may lead to trying to be somebody Abba said we cannot be to prove them all wrong.
If that’s our history, there’s good news for us. Learn from the Torah, repent, and renounce our sins and the sins of our forefathers. Bring the generational curse to the foot of the cross. See our Savior Yeshua for redemption from such a curse. (Galatians 3:13)
Our Exalted King and Head
Our Elohim had a Man in mind to be the Sovereign King and the great High Priest over all of Israel. The Son of Man and Son of God did not become the King of Israel by self-exaltation or by promoting Himself but by way of deep humility. Yeshua was exalted as King by the way of suffering and dying as the humble Lamb of Elohim in our place. Like the red heifer, He was sacrificed outside the camp where the rebels were outcasts. Yeshua humbled Himself and gave Himself over to even those who willfully and proudly opposed the authority of YHWH. Carnal man cannot stand for Yeshua to reign.
Because He did not exalt Himself, but willingly humbled Himself to a cruel death on a cross that He did not deserve, the Holy Spirit raised the Messiah up out of the grave. Abba highly exalted Him to the Throne of Grace, giving Him all authority in Heaven and on Earth. He is the Way from the dust of the curse to the blessed Kingdom of Heaven.
With brokenness and repentance, outcast rebels who fall and hit bottom, those awaiting the wrath of Elohim, can with repentance call upon His Name, believe the Gospel, and arise from the dust to be redeemed by His amazing grace! May His lovingkindness lift us all!
Baruch HaShem Yeshua Melek Yisra’el
Bless the Name of Yeshua, the King of Israel!
David Klug
For uplifting songs from the Psalms, check out sonsofkorah.com
