"Bald"
Numbers 16:1-18:32; 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22; Romans 13:1-7
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In this week's parsha we find the Korach episode. This rebellion against Moshe and Adonai is recorded as follows:
Numbers 16:1: Now Korach the son of Yitz'har, the son of K'hat, the son of Levi, along with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, descendants of Re'uven, took men and 2 rebelled against Moshe. Siding with them were 250 men of Isra'el, leaders of the community, key members of the council, men of reputation. 3 They assembled themselves against Moshe and Aharon and said to them, "You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them, and ADONAI is among them. So why do you lift yourselves up above ADONAI's assembly?"
Notice in these verses Korach isn't standing alone in this uprising. He has 250 leaders of the community, men of reputation. These men were not outsiders or the dregs of society. These were men who were considered equal in standing to any of the leaders within Israel, including in many peoples' minds Moshe and Aharon. Korach and the other men have risen up and used a reasoned statement to come against Moshe and Aharon. They told Moshe that they were taking to much upon themselves and they thought that instead of Moshe and Aharon doing everything they should divide the work among the other leaders of Israel. After all they said, "isn't the whole community holy"... Why shouldn't they all participate in leadership? They finish their presentation with the words "So why do you lift yourselves up above Adonai's assembly?"
We look at these words and could easily see a group of people concerned for the well-being of Moshe and Aharon and the entire community of Israel. All of us have seen someone who we felt was doing too much and needed some assistance to meet all of their obligations. What is the harm in wanting to help a leader to better serve his followers? The problem isn't in the desire to help but can be found in the closing statement. These men believed that Moshe and Aharon had lifted themselves up as leaders among Israel. This is not the truth; the truth is that G-D had lifted them up. The desire to help a leader in his work for G-D is a great desire to have. I know as a rabbi there are many times I would love to have help to accomplish the many tasks that I am involved in. However, helping to serve is not to be equal to helping to lead. Everyone should feel compelled to serve our congregations. Being a servant is not an option but a command of G-D. However ,each of us must serve in the role G-D has called us to within the body of Messiah. In the case of Korach, he didn't just want to help Moshe and Aharon serve, he wanted to take upon himself some leadership of Israel and maybe even complete control of leadership.
It has always amazed me how many times through the Scriptures and in ministry people have risen up "to help" a leader. Saying things like you are "doing too much" or "you should focus on...and let us handle this". They might even go to other members of the congregation and say things like, "Rabbi is such a blessing but he is so overworked maybe we should help him with some of what he is doing" or "Rabbi is such a good speaker, too bad he is so busy with day to day leadership issues. Maybe we could help him with these." These statements on the surface seem caring and helpful and sometimes they really are. However many times they are just methods for people to try to raise themselves up into positions they have not been called to by G-D. I know at our synagogue the leadership prayerfully considers individual's giftings and talents and truly look for people to help in roles that will make things flow smoothly. The key is that we don't lift people up to leadership and people don't lift themselves up to leadership. G-D must be the one who lifts us up. If He doesn't we are in rebellion against what H-G is doing and rebellion cannot prosper G-D's Kingdom.
Verse four has a great lesson in it for all of us. Moshe and Aharon saw this rebellion for what it was. It was not a rebellion against them but rather, a rebellion against G-D. Moshe doesn't respond by attacking back, he doesn't stand up and defend his position. The first thing he does is fall on his face before G-D. He doesn't rise up; instead he lowers himself. Then when he does speak he still doesn't defend, himself he says Ad-nai will show who the leader is. You see as G-D raises people up to positions of leadership those leaders don't have to prove their position or calling. The fruit of G-D's blessing will demonstrate the calling. In other words we don't have to proclaim our positions, G-D's presence will proclaim them for us.
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This weeks Parsha is named after a man named Korach. Korach led a rebellion against Moses during the nation of Israel�s journey through the wilderness. He rose up against not only Moses but also against G-D. He did this by doubting G-D choice for leadership and priesthood of Israel. As we read through the chapter we find the result of rebellion against G-D and those whom he raises up as leadership. Most years rabbis while teaching this Parsha spend much time talking about Korach. This year I would rather focus upon Aaron and specifically Aaron as spoken of in Numbers 17 verse 13. The Torah says that at this moment in time Aaron stood between the dead and the living. He had just made an atonement offering on behalf of the Children of Israel. Remember just before verse 13 we have just read of the rebellion of Korach which involved 250 men and their families. This rebellion was stopped by the overwhelming judgment of G-D. The result of G-D�s Judgment upon these men was a complaint not against G-D who was the judge but instead a complaint against Moses and Aaron. The text tells us that the whole Nation of Israel complained that Moses and Aaron killed the people of G-D. After these complaints G-D spoke and told Moses and Aaron to move away from the people and that He would destroy them. Instead of this just judgment, Moses charged Aaron to make an offering of incense, to bring atonement for the people. This is where my thought for this week begins. With the making of this offering the divine judgment against the Children of Israel was stopped. Aaron stood between life and death. Between judgment and mercy, between what was deserved and grace that was not earned nor deserved. Aaron as the High Priest of Israel stood in the gap and acted as an advocate crying out for mercy. Mercy was given. For those of us who believe that Yeshua was our High Priest and Messiah. We also know that because of our rebellion against G-D�s word we deserve no less then the people in this weeks Parsha. Yet because of the offering Yeshua made for us. We have been made free from death, the righteous and deserved judgment of G-D. Just as Aaron stood between death and life for them Yeshua is standing between death and life for you and I.
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This week's parsha is Parsha Korach. It is found beginning in Numbers 16. Now I want to make a point here that is very important. The word Korach means �bald� in Hebrew, but just because Korach means bald and Korach was evil and swallowed by the earth does not mean that all bald men are evil and will be swallowed by the earth. With that said, any bald men can breathe a sigh of relief, remembering that G-D gave some men perfect heads, and the rest He put hair upon them.
This parsha has a lot of meat to it for tonight I on which I would like to focus on Korach�s rebellion and how he did not do things G-Ds way. I have been a rabbi for a while now, and I have seen many Korach�s over the years. If you read the text, Korach begins by saying, "You are a very busy man, Moshe, and it is much too much for you to do all you have to do. Why don�t you let me help you?� Then he says, �Why have you exalted yourself over the congregation?�
I have seen many helpful men come and go from our congregations. They are always helpful as long as you let them run things. They don�t want to submit to anything you might say, and anytime you bring that fault to their attention, they reply, ''Who made you the boss?" This is what Korach�s baldhead was saying to Moshe. G-D chooses those That He places in leadership. That does not make leaders perfect, just chosen. Whenever G-D chooses a leader, He also does something very important. He chooses the leaders' followers. It is just as important for there to be followers as it is for there to be leaders. Both are necessary to bring about whatever purpose G-D is trying to accomplish. Matthew 22:14 says, �Many are called, but few are chosen.� I heard an old preacher say one time, �Some are called; some are sent; and some just got up and went.� In addition, many are cold, but few are frozen. However, that is another sermon for another day.
One of the biggest problems we have in the body of Messiah today is the same problem they had in the early fellowships and synagogues: too many heads. Remember anything that has two heads is a freak or a monster. In Moshe's day, in Shaul's day, or even today, there can only be one leader. Only one leader will work for any group no matter how large or how small.
Moshe spoke with boldness. He told Korach that in the morning everyone would know who was in charge. The result of this mutiny was the earth opened up and swallowed Korach and his followers. Let us look at this in a spiritual context. Anytime that we rebel against G-D's chosen leader we are swallowed by the earth, which is ��the world,'' sin. It can happen so suddenly it takes us by surprise. If you read the text Moshe told them what was going to happen, and then it happened.
When the earth swallowed them, the Scripture says all Israel fled from the area lest they become swallowed. There is a lesson here also. It is not enough for us just to recognize those that are rebellious. It is not enough that we see that their lives swallowed by this world and all that they possess. Nevertheless, we also must flee from them from what they are doing lest we be swallowed. We cannot play games with G-D. We cannot see how close we can get to sin before the ground opens. We must choose to flee once we see the sin. I have seen many people fellowshipping with sinful people or people within congregation that have displayed rebellion saying, I will be able to change them.
G-D did not tell Moshe to preach at these people. He told Moshe to give them a choice. Get on one side or the other. There is no fence line with G-D. If we are on G-D's side, our desire should be to stay as far from the fence as possible not to see how close we can get. We should not be asking, "How much could we do before it becomes sin?" Rather, "How far away from sin can I get?� The Korach�s in congregations always ALWAYS lead people toward sin. They always tell people that the leader is too legalistic, too bossy, and too arrogant. They ask questions like, "Who put him in charge?� He is no better then we are; he is just human.
However, the reality is that a leader is not just like anyone else; each of us is different. G-D chooses leaders, and He chooses followers. A leader cannot be a follower, and a follower cannot be a leader. I have seen both try; it cannot work any more than a foot can be a hand or a heart can be a brain. Korach wanted to be what he was not, and he did become a leader. He just never became a leader for G-D. Those that followed Korach never reached the Promised Land. Within the chief Korach's complaint was that Moshe did not get them into the land. It is almost funny that Korach DID led his followers into the ground but never into the land big difference. That is the same thing that satan does to those that follow him. he never gives what is promised, only a bad imitation of it. Moshe was leading into the Promised Land, and Korach just led into the ground. G-D leads into Olam Habah the world to come, Heaven. Olam Habah means the world to come. satan also will lead to a world to come. However, just as Moshe led to the promise of G-D, and Korach led to G-Ds judgment, Yeshua leads to the Promises of G-D; but satan only leads to G-D�s Judgments.