28Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: 29If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. 30But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”
31As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart 32and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. 34At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!” 35And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.–Numbers 16
- KORAH AND HIS CREW OFFICIALLY CHALLENGED THE LEADERSHIP OF MOSES AND THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON.
- BOTH GROUPS WOULD PRESENT INCENSE BEFORE GOD LIKE A PRIEST AND GOD WOULD MAKE HIS CHOICE.
- GOD DRAMATICALLY AND EMPHATICALLY DID CHOOSE.
- KORAH WASN’T JUST REJECTING MOSES AND AARON, BUT GOD.
- IRONICALLY, KORAH WANTED TO STAND OUT AND BE RECOGINZED. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
- WE NEED TO CONSIDER WHAT OUR ATTITUDES, WORDS, AND ACTIONS REALLY COMMUNICATE.
- HUMILITY–NOT PRIDE–IS THE BASIS FOR CHANGE.–JMB
Joel M Bradshaw 
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