Numbers 13-16
The Sin of Rebellion

Korah, Dathan, Abiram and On were four Israelites who weren't happy with the God-appointed order of things in the camp of God. They thought Moses and Aaron were placing themselves in a position of too much power. In actuality, they were jealous of the positions of Moses and Aaron. In Numbers 16, they rose up in rebellion to the authority of Moses and his brother. Their accusation seemed genuine. They claimed that the entire congregation was dedicated to the LORD, and they asked, "Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"

Moses, likely with God's understanding, knew the real cause of the rebellion. "Is it too small a thing for you that the God if Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel... to do service to the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them...? And would you seek the priesthood also?"

Moses appealed to Yahweh to show the people who were the appointed leaders were to be, and God did just that. In a powerful display, the LORD caused the earth to open up beneath the true rebels of His authority, swallow them up and then close. Not only did these men loose their lives, but their actions cost the lives to their families as well.

Such a severe penalty gives us some insight as to how God views the sin of rebellion. To rebel against God's rulers is to rebel against God Himself.

Who are God's leaders today? Several quickly come to mind. Parents are leaders of the home. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right" (Ephesians 6:1).

Government official are leaders over our land. "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resist the authorities resists what God has appointed and those who resist will incur judgment" (Romans 13:1-2).

Finally, elders are to be submitted to as the leaders of the local church. "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account" (Hebrews 13:17). To rebel against any of these God appointed leaders is to, as Paul wrote, "incur judgment."

What is rebellion? We may rebel in egregious ways, like Korah and company, and challenge the leadership of those who rule. But, we may also rebel in less obvious ways. We can rebel by refusing to submit to their judgments, refusing to take part in things they have planned to enrich our souls, persistent questioning of them and demanding that they answer to us. We can challenge them, or speak ill of them to others. Such actions of rebellion may seem small, but make no mistake: they are rebellion, just as surely as the actions of Korah, Dathan, Abiram and On were rebellion.

Those who love God submit, even when they don't like the decisions of our leaders.