Numbers 16: Buried Alive!

The Levites were out of control. They were given a special role in the building and maintaining of the tabernacle (which is an honor), and they simply wanted more power.

It is incredible –not in a good way- that they would not be satisfied and the Israelites constantly were complaining about everything. They have already complained about food, fire, guidance and even the leaders despite the fact that God provided every time. Will the Israelites ever be content?

This passage is good to reread and see that if we aren’t content with what God has given us and we choose not to focus on the many blessing God has given us, there are often consequences.

Numbers 16:28-33 - "Then 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: If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the LORD has not sent me. But 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 grave, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.'

As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah's men and all their possessions. They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community."

Maybe reading about the consequences of the Levite leaders who went against Moses will help us remember that God knows what he is doing – even if it doesn’t make since to us. We simply need to trust him and choose to be content in each circumstance.

Are there any circumstances that you have chosen to be content – even though it wasn’t easy?