patriarchs and prophets-第102章

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renown　in　the　congregation。　With　these　strong　and　influential　supporters
they　felt　confident　of　making　a　radical　change　in　the　government　and　greatly
improving　upon　the　administration　of　Moses　and　Aaron。

Jealousy　had　given　rise　to　envy；　and　envy　to　rebellion。　They　had　discussed
the　question　of　the　right　of　Moses　to　so　great　authority　and　honor；　until
they　had　come　to　regard　him　as　occupying　a　very　enviable　position；　which　any
of　them　could　fill　as　well　as　he。　And　they　deceived　themselves　and　one
another　into　thinking　that　Moses　and　Aaron　had　themselves　assumed　the
positions　they　held。　The　discontented　ones　said　that　these　leaders　had
exalted　themselves　above　the　congregation　of　the　Lord；　in　taking　upon　them
the　priesthood　and　government；　but　their　house　was　not　entitled　to
distinction　above　others　in　Israel；　they　were　no　more　holy　than　the　people；
and　it　should　be　enough　for　them　to　be　on　a　level　with　their　brethren；　who
were　equally　favored　with　God's　special　presence　and　protection。

The　next　work　of　the　conspirators　was　with　the　people。　To　those　who　are　in
the　wrong；　and　deserving　of　reproof；　there　is　nothing　more　pleasing　than　to
receive　sympathy　and　praise。　And　thus　Korah　and　his　associates　gained　the
attention　and　enlisted　the　support　of　the　congregation。　The　charge　that　the
murmurings　of　the　people　had　brought　upon　them　the　wrath　of　God　was　declared
to　be　a　mistake。　They　said　that　the　congregation　were　not　at　fault；　since
they　desired　nothing　more　than　their　rights；　but　that　Moses　was　an
overbearing　ruler；　that　he　had　reproved　the　people　as　sinners；　when　they
were　a　holy　people；　and　the　Lord　was　among　them。

Korah　reviewed　the　history　of　their　travels　through　the　wilderness；　where
they　had　been　brought　into　strait　places；　and　many　had　perished　because　of
their　murmuring　and　disobedience。　His　hearers　thought　they　saw　clearly　that
their　troubles　might　have　been　prevented　if　Moses　had　pursued　a　different
course。　They　decided　that　all　their　disasters　were　chargeable　to　him；　and
that　their　exclusion　from　Canaan　was　in　consequence　of　the　mismanagement　of
Moses　and　Aaron；　that　if　Korah　would　be　their　leader；　and　would　encourage
them　by　dwelling　upon　their　good

398

deeds；　instead　of　reproving　their　sins；　they　would　have　a　very　peaceful；
prosperous　journey；　instead　of　wandering　to　and　fro　in　the　wilderness；　they
would　proceed　directly　to　the　Promised　Land。

In　this　work　of　disaffection　there　was　greater　union　and　harmony　among　the
discordant　elements　of　the　congregation　than　had　ever　before　existed。
Korah's　success　with　the　people　increased　his　confidence　and　confirmed　him
in　his　belief　that　the　usurpation　of　authority　by　Moses；　if　unchecked；　would
be　fatal　to　the　liberties　of　Israel；　he　also　claimed　that　God　had　opened　the
matter　to　him；　and　had　authorized　him　to　make　a　change　in　the　government
before　it　should　be　too　late。　But　many　were　not　ready　to　accept　Korah's
accusations　against　Moses。　The　memory　of　his　patient；　self…sacrificing
labors　came　up　before　them；　and　conscience　was　disturbed。　It　was　therefore
necessary　to　assign　some　selfish　motive　for　his　deep　interest　for　Israel；
and　the　old　charge　was　reiterated；　that　he　had　led　them　out　to　perish　in　the
wilderness；　that　he　might　seize　upon　their　possessions。

For　a　time　this　work　was　carried　on　secretly。　As　soon；　however；　as　the
movement　had　gained　sufficient　strength　to　warrant　an　open　rupture；　Korah
appeared　at　the　head　of　the　faction；　and　publicly　accused　Moses　and　Aaron　of
usurping　authority　which　Korah　and　his　associates　were　equally　entitled　to
share。　It　was　charged；　further；　that　the　people　had　been　deprived　of　their
liberty　and　independence。　〃Ye　take　too　much　upon　you；〃　said　the
conspirators；　〃seeing　all　the　congregation　are　holy；　every　one　of　them；　and
the　Lord　is　among　them：　wherefore　then　lift　ye　up　yourselves　above　the
congregation　of　the　Lord？〃

Moses　had　not　suspected　this　deep…laid　plot；　and　when　its　terrible
significance　burst　upon　him；　he　fell　upon　his　face　in　silent　appeal　to　God。
He　arose　sorrowful　indeed；　but　calm　and　strong。　Divine　guidance　had　been
granted　him。　〃Even　tomorrow；〃　he　said；　〃the　Lord　will　show　who　are　His；　and
who　is　holy；　and　will　cause　him　to　come　near　unto　Him：　even　him　whom　He　hath
chosen　will　He　cause　to　come　near　unto　Him。〃　The　test　was　to　be　deferred
until　the　morrow；　that　all　might　have　time　for　reflection。　Then　those　who
aspired　to　the　priesthood　were　to　come　each　with　a　censer；　and　offer　incense
at　the　tabernacle　in　the　presence　of　the　congregation。　The　law　was　very
explicit　that　only　those　who　had　been　ordained　to　the　sacred　office　should
minister　in　the　sanctuary。　And　even　the　priests；　Nadab　and　Abihu；　had

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　399

been　destroyed　for　venturing　to　offer　〃strange　fire；〃　in　disregard　of　a
divine　command。　Yet　Moses　challenged　his　accusers；　if　they　dared　enter　upon
so　perilous　an　appeal；　to　refer　the　matter　to　God。

Singling　out　Korah　and　his　fellow　Levites；　Moses　said；　〃Seemeth　it　but　a
small　thing　unto　you；　that　the　God　of　Israel　hath　separated　you　from　the
congregation　of　Israel；　to　bring　you　near　to　Himself　to　do　the　service　of
the　tabernacle　of　the　Lord；　and　to　stand　before　the　congregation　to　minister
unto　them？　And　He　hath　brought　thee　near　to　Him；　and　all　thy　brethren　the
sons　of　Levi　with　thee：　and　seek　ye　the　priesthood　also？　for　which　cause
both　thou　and　all　thy　company　are　gathered　together　against　the　Lord。　And
what　is　Aaron；　that　ye　murmur　against　him？〃

Dathan　and　Abiram　had　not　taken　so　bold　a　stand　as　had　Korah；　and　Moses；
hoping　that　they　might　have　been　drawn　into　the　conspiracy　without　having
become　wholly　corrupted；　summoned　them　to　appear　before　him；　that　he　might
hear　their　charges　against　him。　But　they　would　not　come；　and　they　insolently
refused　to　acknowledge　his　authority。　Their　reply；　uttered　in　the　hearing　of
the　congregation；　was；　〃Is　it　a　small　thing　that　thou　hast　brought　us　up　out
of　a　land　that　floweth　with　milk　and　honey；　to　kill　us　in　the　wilderness；
except　thou　make　thyself　altogether　a　prince　over　us？　Moreover　thou　hast　not
brought　us　into　a　land　that　floweth　with　milk　and　honey；　or　given　us
inheritance　of　fields　and　vineyards：　wilt　thou　put　out　the　eyes　of　these
men？　We　will　not　come　up。〃

Thus　they　applied　to　the　scene　of　their　bondage　the　very　language　in　which
the　Lord　had　described　the　promised　inheritance。　They　accused　Moses　of
pretending　to　act　under　divine　guidance；　as　a　means　of　establishing　his
authority；　and　they　declared　that　they　would　no　longer　submit　to　be　led
about　like　blind　men；　now　toward　Canaan；　and　now　toward　the　wilderness；　as
best　suited　his　ambitious　designs。　Thus　he　who　had　been　as　a　tender　father；
a　patient　shepherd；　was　represented　in　the　blackest　character　of　a　tyrant
and　usurper。　The　exclusion　from　Canaan；　in　punishment　of　their　own　sins；　was
charged　upon　him。

It　was　evident　that　the　sympathies　of　the　people　were　with　the　disaffected
party；　but　Moses　made　no　effort　at　self…vindication。　He　solemnly　appealed　to
God；　in　the　presence　of　the　congregation；　as　a　witness　to　the　purity　of　his
motives　and　the　uprightness　of　his　conduct；　and　implored　Him　to　be　his
judge。

400


On　the　morrow；　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　princes；　with　Korah　at　their　head；
presented　themselves；　with　their　censers。　They　were　brought　into　the　court
of　the　tabernacle；　while　the　people　gathered　without；　to　await　the　result。
It　was　not　Moses　who　assembled　the　congregation　to　behold　the　defeat　of
Korah　and　his　company；　but　the　rebels；　in　their　blind　presumption；　had
called　them　together　to　witness　their　victory。　A　large　part　of　the
congregation　openly　sided　with　Korah；　whose　hopes　were　high　of　carrying　his
point　against　Aaron。

As　they　were　thus　assembled　before　God；　〃the　glory　of　the　Lord　appeared　unto
all　the　congregation。〃　The　divine　warning　was　communicated　to　Moses　and
Aaron；　〃Separate　yourselves　from　among　this　congregation；　that　I　may　consume
them　in　a　moment。〃　But　they　fell　upon　their　faces；　with　the　prayer；　〃O　God；
the　God　of　the　spirits　of　all　flesh；　shall　one　man　sin；　and　wilt　Thou　be
wroth　with　all