LivingCenser

                                                        A priest with his censer of incense

     The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Korach, meaning "Bald." This title is found in the wording of the verse that opens this reading portion: "Now Korah (qorah/qarah - "bald"/make bald, make a baldness, to make oneself bald, make smooth) the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, 'You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" (Num. 16:1-3).

      So the Sabbath title refers to a man's name, Korah, who was a Levite, the tribe of dedicated servants and priests who ministered in the tabernacle. Moses and Aaron were Levites also. We see that Korah and two hundred fifty renown leaders whom he had persuaded were challenging Moses' and Aaron's spiritual positions and leadership of God's people. The Hebrew letters of the name "Korah,", each having their own meaning are qoph, reysh and heh. When these letters and their meanings are put together, they could form the meaning "Behold, the highest and most important head who is first, has been made the back of the head, the last and the least." We will see that this describes well what is happening here.

     Korah was not challenging Moses and Aaron on behalf of the people, but because of his own ambition, as Moses discerned. He said to Korah: "Hear now you sons of Levi: Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-work of the tabernacle of the LORD...Are you seeking the priesthood also? Therefore you and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-all-your-company are gathered together against the LORD." (Num. 16:8-11, excerpt). Notice that all of the rebels involved have the written *aleph-tav preceding them. They were identified in some way with the Messiah/Christ (see *note at the end of the entry). Is this surprising? We will read of this kind of attitude again in the New Testament later.

     As we see above, the challenge against Moses and Aaron was really a challenge against the LORD. The LORD will meet this challenge. Like a head that has been made bald, challenging the LORD's position removes a "covering." The LORD will demonstrate this. Once Moses and Aaron had received the challenge to their positions of authority over the people, a position which they had never sought, these were the instructions from the LORD to the rebels: "Do this: Take censers (mahta/mehita/hata - firepans, censer, fire holder, for live coals, removing live coals/destruction, terror, ruin, dismaying, a breaking, dissolution/seize, take away, snatch up coals, destroy) Korah and all your company; put fire in them and put incense (qetoret/qatar - incense, perfume, odor of sacrifice, smoke, fumigation that causes to flee) in them before the LORD tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the LORD chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi." (Num. 16:6-7).

     This is not the first time that the LORD has dealt with people through the use of censers. (see Lev. 10:1-3). As we can see by the Hebrew word meanings for censer and incense, the burning coals have the meaning of a terrifying destruction and breaking. The incense that represents the fragrance of sacrifice (see qetoret/qatar above) placed upon those coals becomes a smoking cloud that covers over that destruction. The cloud of incense also acts as a fumigating smoke that causes (spiritual) undesirables or pests to either leave or be destroyed. Regarding the incense to be used, the LORD said in an earlier place: "You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure and holy...It shall be most holy to you. But as for the incense which you shall make, you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its composition. It shall be to you holy for the LORD." (Ex. 30:35-37, excerpt). Any who used the incense for any private purpose other than in worship of the LORD would lose their lives (see Ex. 30:38). 

     When the LORD commanded Korah and the other rebels to get out their censers, they should have gotten a clue that this was not going to turn out well for them, and it didn't. They were destroyed in a terrifying manner (see mahta/mehita/hata above) - by earthquake and by fire. (Num. 16:31-35). Then the LORD ordered that: (*Aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-The-censers that the rebels "...who sinned against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the LORD, therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel." (v. 38). It is not men who made the censers holy but the LORD who made them part of His holiness because they were in His presence.

     In the hands appointed by the LORD, the power of the holy things of God save and deliver, but in the hands of those who presume but have not been so called, appointed and anointed, those same holy things become a death sentence to them. 

     The very next day, when the whole congregation is condemning Moses and Aaron for the deaths of their brethren, the rebels, the LORD, hearing the accusation, broke out in anger against the Israelites. As Moses and Aaron fell on their faces to intercede for the congregation, Moses told Aaron: "Take (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-a-censer and put (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-fire-in-it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, forgive, merciful, cleansed, pardon, to be covered over, propitiation) for them; for wrath has gone out from the LORD. The plague has begun." (Num. 16:41-46). As we know, Jesus Messiah/Christ is the Atonement covering for our sins that saves us from the death and destruction of sin.

     As Aaron ministered atonement with his censer, he ran to stand between the living and the dead. The plague stopped at that place. Fourteen thousand seven hundred died before the plague was stopped. That's how fast it had swept through the people. (see v. 47-50).

     Before we assume that the rebellion of Korah is limited to the Old Testament, let's look at some instances where people have made themselves "bald" or uncovered in the same manner as Korah:

Personal ambition: Luke 22:24 says: "Now there was also a dispute among them (referring to the disciples of Jesus), as to which of them should be considered the greatest." Jesus said that the ways of the Kingdom of God were completely different from those of the world. The idea of "greatness" comes in the form as one who serves rather than one who insists upon being served. He Himself came as a servant among them. (v. 25-27).

     The idea of "greatness" in the kingdom arose again as His disciples asked Jesus, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (Mt. 18:1). How can anyone sit before the Greatest, the Son of God, and ask, "Who is the greatest?!" Perhaps they were expecting Jesus to say, Abraham, or Moses, or David. However, Jesus called a little child before Him, and He said, "Unless you are converted (strepho - turn oneself, turn back again, reverse, turn from one's course of conduct) and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me." (v. 2-5). We carry this kind of mindset of being "great" from the world. We have to turn away from it. Again, the qualifications of the Kingdom of God are not like those of the world. However, worldly standards and goals often still have rule over our minds, whether we admit it or not.

     Paul addressed this issue of personal ambition in the Church saying: "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." (Phil. 2:3). Paul doesn't say to consider others equal to oneself but better than oneself! Korah the Bald wouldn't like that one. We might have a difficult time with that one also.

Financial Gain: Many warnings appear in scripture about those who preach Messiah/Christ for financial gain. See 2 Pet. 2:3, Titus 1:11, 2 Cor. 2:17, 1 Tim. 6:9-11. I say sincerely, God bless those who humbly and obediently serve the Lord for no other reason than because they love Him and love His people. I thank you for your sincerity and selflessness.

Works Denying the Father: Jesus said: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord', shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness/iniquity." (Mt. 7:21-23). Korah disregarded the leadership of God the Father over Israel and decided that he was more qualified to lead the people than the ones appointed by God. The two Hundred and fifty leaders of renown agreed with him. He and they were wrong. The Father has not ceded His throne to any man and never will.

     We who believe in Messiah/Christ, both Jew and Gentile, have been called by the LORD God to carry the Living (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Censer, Jesus, whose atonement covering, like the incense of the odor of sacrifice, covers and appeases the fiery coals of wrath and destruction.

     If you would like to know more about the Censer of the LORD, you can pray with me: "Most High Father, as priests in Your Kingdom (1 Pet. 2:9-10), You have given us the great privilege of carrying and ministering the Living Censer that is Your Son, Jesus. Lord, let me put aside all selfish and worldly thoughts and ways, and serve and love You with all my heart, mind, and strength. Turn me, Lord, away from the corruption of Korah and his followers, and cause me to embrace Your Kingship, Lordship and reign over my life. Let me be as a little child before You and let me esteem others more than myself. Keep me from challenging You as my Shepherd and King by seeking my own ways instead of Yours. I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior. AMEN."

 *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

Honor

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Korach, meaning "Bald." The reading portion found in Numbers 16 centers around an attempted mutiny, a rebellion, an overthrow. The protagonists of the rebellion are led by a Levite named Korah, which is where this Sabbath's title comes from. Korah, with a small group of fellow rebels, convinced two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation of the Israelites, who were men of renown, to challenge the authority of Moses and Aaron, who had been appointed by God to lead His people. God had shown His appointment of Moses through signs, wonders and miracles, including the judgments against Egypt that led to the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. There was just no doubt that Moses walked in the authority that he had not taken upon himself but was appointed to Him by God. Moses warned the rebels that "the LORD will show (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him." (Num. 16:4-5). In this rebellion, the LORD did show that Moses was His appointed servant, and the rebels were destroyed by God using consuming fire and earthquake, as the earth opened her (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) mouth and swallowed the rebels alive. (v. 31-35).

     The meaning of Korah's name is related to baldness. The spiritual baldness of Korah was in his removal of the covering of God, through His servant Moses, from off of himself and off of the people of Israel. Korah had declared that he and the people of Israel were just as holy as Moses, so why should Moses have the leadership? (v. 3). It is the LORD, however, who makes one holy, and it is the LORD who decides who He will allow to come near to Him, as we read in the above verse. (see also Ezek. 44:15-16). It is not dependent upon man's opinion, nor a popular vote.

     Korah and the rebels who stood with him couched their own envy and covetousness of power and leadership by misapplying and misstating before the people the intentions of the LORD in calling an individual to come near to Him. And the leader of the rebels, Korah, was a Levite, who was graciously allowed by the LORD to minister in the tabernacle and claim God as his inheritance. Moses asked Korah the Levite if this honor wasn't enough for him? (Num. 16: 8-11).

     Look at these terrible words from Proverbs about never being enough: "There is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation - oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and whose fangs are like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. The (horse)leech (aluqa - leech, vampire-like demon, monster or specter that is an insatiable sucker of blood) has two daughters - Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, four never say, Enough!": The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water - and the fire never says, "Enough!" (Prov. 30:11-16).

     Moses asked Korah if being a Levite in service to God was not enough for him. As Proverbs tells us above, no, it was not enough for someone like Korah. The comparison to a leech above also has a demonic or monstrous connection in Hebrew to the demand of not having or being "enough."

     Korah and his rebels had a contempt for the leadership or spiritual covering of Moses. The "leech" spoken of in Proverbs despises the covering of mother and father. The apostle Paul warned that those who "did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting...". Some of those things include unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, being full of envy, covetousness, murder, strife, backbiters, haters of God, violent, disobedient to parents, unforgiving, unmerciful, etc. (Rom. 1:28-32, excerpt). The disobedience towards parents is included in the same group as murder! This gives us much food for thought.

     God's command to honor our parents is found in the center of The Ten Commandments. Placing this command in the center of the commandments is as if the LORD is making a connection or bridge between the honor that we are to give Him as God, expressed in the first half of the Commandments, and the honor which we are to give our fellow man, expressed in the second half of the Commandments. The word "honor" used is the Hebrew word kabad, which is the root of the word kabod, referring to the glory of God. The word kabad includes a duality of meaning. While kabad, honor, means "honored, be glorious, glorify, be rich, abounding, prevail, show oneself great, numerous," it also means "burdensome, severe, dull, heavy, unresponsive, make insensible, grievously afflict, harden the heart or mind, enormity of wickedness." There is both a blessing of glory and a curse of wickedness attached to the word kabad honor. It pays to be on the good side of God's glory.

     There are many mentions in scripture warning against being disrespectful and disobedient to parents. (see Ex. 20:12/Deut. 5:16, Lev. 20:9, Deut. 21:18-21). Jesus warned against this also in Mt. 15:3-6/Mk. 7:9-13. Jesus, Himself, was noted as being obedient to His parents. (Lk. 2:51-52). Paul later wrote for children to obey their parents in the Lord and to honor them. (Eph. 6:1-2). The principle of honoring (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) parents was so important to God that He attached a blessing and a promise for those who followed this commandment: "...that your days may be long upon the land (adama - land, country, earth, ground, sustenance and substance yielded by the whole inhabited earth) which the LORD your God is giving you." (Ex. 20:12, link above). Deuteronomy 21:21 (link above) describes the person who rebels against his parents as committing a ra evil, a misery or wickedness that breaks something into pieces and is worthy of death. As Paul wrote in Romans 1 (see above), it is an evil that comes from men's hatred and rejection of God.

     The disrespect for parents is so widespread today that we almost take it for granted and accept it as a "normal" occurrence. Because of this, the death sentence that Gods assigns to this issue seems very harsh to us. However, The LORD understood that this kind of rebellion was a kind that spreads with consequences to a whole nation. All of the people of Israel would be in danger and should be in fear of the LORD because of it as noted in Deut. 21:21 (link above). The LORD treats it as a malevolence that has a spiritual or demonic root, as we saw in connection to the "leeches" mentioned in Proverbs 30 above. While we as a society would never execute someone for despising his/her parents, we should examine it as a spiritual evil that requires repentance and spiritual warfare in prayer. Our warfare is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places - the spiritual "leeches." (Eph. 6:12-13).

     From another reading portion of this Korach, "Bald", Sabbath, the people of Israel decided to reject the leadership of Samuel, the great prophet and judge of Israel, in order to demand a king instead. They wanted to be like the nations around them: "Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, 'No, but we will have a king over us, that we may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) our battles." (1 Sam. 8:19-20). The LORD had told Samuel to do as the people demanded: "...for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected (ma'as - reject, despise, destroy, refuse, become loathsome, [treat as an] utterly vile person) Me, that I should not reign over them." (v. 6-9, excerpt). When the faithful servant of God is rejected, it is really the rejection of God. The people even desired to place their protection and defense, not in God's hands, but in the hands of a man, an earthly king. Samuel reminded Israel that God had raised up Moses and Aaron to bring them out of Egypt and into the land. He reminded them that God also had raised up judges to deliver them from oppressors, yet the people said they wanted a king instead. (1 Sam. 12:6-15).

     Generations of God's people were impacted by good godly kings and terrible kings. Their nation even became divided into two kingdoms for about five hundred years as men struggled for thrones. Some kings even led Israel into the worship of demonic gods that demanded the sacrifice of children and other degenerate and depraved practices. However, Israel still clung to its kings until they were taken away into captivity to Babylon (babel/balal - confusion by mixing, confusion of speech/to mix oneself, to go from being poured over with oil [anointed] to being poured together in a confusing mixture, to be given as food for animals).

     Later in time, when Jesus, the anointed and appointed King and Lord, came to the earth, people still chose the earthly kings Caesar and his puppet Herod to rule over them instead of Him. As the time approaches for Messiah/Christ's return as King of kings and Lord of lords, the people of earth will again have chosen Babylon and its beast instead of God. Those people will also find themselves on the wrong side of God's kabad honor and glory as the Lord tears those spiritual and natural strongholds down.

     We are used to the idea of expressing opinions, choosing for ourselves, voting for men and women to represent us in government, which are the rights of a free society. However, there are some things so important to our welfare that the LORD, who is all seeing and all-knowing, has appointed them, rather than ask for our opinion and vote.

     When we ma'as reject those who have been appointed by God to be our spiritual covering and exchange them for those who listen to and answer to men and not God, we leave ourselves "bald."  

     When we decide that the servants of God whom He appointed to cover us are imperfect, while we ourselves are also imperfect, or when we consider them to be not "enough", we leave ourselves "bald."

     In these perilous times, we do not want to find ourselves on the wrong side of the kabad honor and glory of God. I see the message of this Sabbath's Korach reading portion to be a timely flashing light of warning and reminder.

     If you would like to learn more about the covering of God, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, I treasure Your covering over my life. I thank You for caring enough for me to set Your covering over me and my household. I want the words out of my mouth to always be "not my will but Yours, Lord, be done." Let the voice of Your Holy Spirit, and not my own voice or the voices of others, determine my steps and my future. Your plans for me are for good and not for evil, and to bring me a hope and a future. Let my soul never say that it is not "enough", but let my spirit say, "Your grace, Lord, is sufficient for me." Father, You see the end from the beginning, and of all of my days and of all that concerns me, You have written in Your Book. I trust in You, Lord, for myself and my household, for the Church and for the nation and unto the ends of the earth. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

Sent

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Korach, which means "Bald". This title comes from the beginning of the reading portion in Numbers 16: "Now Korah (qorah/qarah - bald/to be bald, to make bald, make oneself bald because of anyone's death) the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; and they rose up (qum - rise up, stood up, arise, raise, to raise oneself, to stand, to establish) before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown." (Num. 16:1-2). Korah, spoken of in these verses, was the great-grandson of Levi and was one of the Levites who served in the tabernacle.

     These last few weeks we have seen the element of "rising, lifting up, exalting" being an important theme in the Sabbath readings. The Hebrew words nasa and ala were used to express this. We see this "rising, lifting up" theme again this week, but in a rebellious act against God: "They (those named above) gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, 'You take too much (rab/rabab - many, great, captain, greatly increase, officer, prince, much, a master, magnitude/be or become much, become great, increase, multiplied) upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt (nasa - to lift up, bear up, to sustain, forgive, exalt, to increase) yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" (v. 3).

     This is called "Korah's Rebellion", although Korah made sure to enlist the support of 250 of the leaders (nasi/nasa - prince, captain, chief, ruler, one lifted up, exalted one, vapor or mist which ascends) of Israel. This rebellion, however, was founded in a lie. The rebels accused Moses and Aaron of having taken the role of leadership upon themselves, exalting themselves above the other Israelites. We know that the LORD called a reluctant Moses to this office of leadership, and He appointed Aaron also (Ex. 3:9-11, Ex. 4:10-17). Neither Moses nor Aaron appointed themselves, nor considered their roles to be something to be desired. We also know that privately, Moses cried to the LORD as he felt overwhelmed by the position to which the LORD had appointed him (Num. 11:11-14). During a previous painful rebellion against Moses' leadership from within his own family, the scriptures noted: "Now the man Moses was very (meod - exceedingly, greatly, very, utterly) humble (anav/ana - very meek, humble, poor, lowly/be bowed down, humble, to stoop, humble oneself, looking down, chasten self, submit oneself), more than all men who were on the face of the earth." (Num. 12:3).

     It is also interesting that the first thing that Moses did on hearing the false accusation that he had lifted himself was to physically lower himself: "So when Moses heard it, he fell (napal - fall down, cast down, lay, overthrow, prostrate oneself before, perish, slay, throw down) on his face..." (v. 4). He then told Korah that it will be the LORD who will choose who is to come near to Him (v. 5-7, see also Ezek. 44:15-16, Num. 17:5). Moses also said, "...you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things, for I have not done them of my own will...these men have rejected the LORD." (v. 28, 30). It is fitting that the LORD chose to deal with those who "rose up" before Moses by sending them downward: "Now it came to pass, as he (Moses) finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them (Korah, Dathan and Abiram and families), and the earth opened its (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down (yarad - go downwards, descend, fell, sink down, be prostrate, lay prostrated, bring down) alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished among the assembly...And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense." (v. 31-33, 35).

     The Levites had been chosen by God to serve in the tabernacle, but Korah coveted a "higher" position, even the positions of Moses and Aaron, who were themselves Levites. As Moses pointed out, these rebellious Levites were not rejecting Moses but the LORD. 

     In another reading portion from this Sabbath, we see the same thing again. The appointed priest, judge and prophet of Israel, Samuel, had been rejected by the people of Israel who wanted a king instead like the nations around them. This choice made perfect sense to the people of Israel. Samuel was old, his sons were corrupt, and there was an enemy king, Nahash (nahas - serpent, dragon, snake, viper, image of a serpent, practice divination, soothsayer, use sorcery) of the Ammonites threatening them. However, in all of their thinking, they forgot that it was through the anointed and appointed office of Samuel as priest, judge, and prophet of Israel that caused the LORD to save them from the attacking Philistines just shortly before this incident. How short people's memories are! Not only that, but the LORD then kept the Philistines from harming Israel for the rest of Samuel's life. Israel also had peace with the Amorites (see 1 Sam. 7:7-14). This is exactly how the LORD miraculously works through His appointed servants in leadership on behalf of His people and their nation. The LORD assured Samuel that it was not he, Samuel, who had been rejected by the people, but they had rejected the LORD from reigning over them in favor of a king. (1 Sam. 8:6-9). 

     After Samuel had anointed Saul as their first king as the LORD had instructed him to do, Samuel began to teach Israel of the wickedness they had truly done by this, and what would befall them as a result of removing the LORD from reigning over them: "It is the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt...your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place." (1 Sam. 12:6, 8). Samuel told the people how the LORD had later heard their cries, even though they had sinned in the worship of false gods. They were being oppressed by enemies and the LORD sent deliverers to rescue them: "And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety. And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD God was your king." (v. 11-12). Because they had been wicked and chosen a king from among themselves rather than the LORD, Samuel said that he would call on the LORD to send thunder and rain upon the wheat crop that was then ready to be harvested, which would damage the crop (v.16-17). The people feared the LORD and Samuel when this sign came to pass, and Samuel said to them, "Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider the great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king." (v. 24-25).

     The LORD had exalted this small nation of people to be the only nation on earth to be supernaturally ruled and prospered directly by Him, but they preferred the rule of a man. The LORD had covered them and heard their cries for help and answered them, but they exchanged that covering for a king who was a man like them.

     There are many nations around the world facing wars, terrors, oppression, famine, drought, economic instability, and violence and crime, including my own nation. All of these conditions are prophesied in scripture and will grow torturously worse (Mt. 24, Lk. 21:5-36). These nations, like Israel in scripture above, prefer to rely upon their kings, presidents, prime ministers, dictators, tyrants, legislatures and courts to provide answers and deliverance. They refuse to turn to the LORD or to call upon His anointed and appointed spiritual leadership whom He has set in every nation on earth. My own nation's founding documents acknowledge the all-powerful and merciful hand of God in the establishing of my country, but this same nation has done all that they can to eliminate God from the hearts and minds of its people, and my nation as a result is in deep trouble. However, this Sabbath reading portion Korach, or "Bald", is a timely reminder that we have a miraculous resource available to us which we can no longer neglect. I will be praying that all leadership in my nation begin to reach out to the truly anointed and appointed spiritual leaders that the LORD has provided for such a time as this.

      Paul wrote this regarding all in authority over us: "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. 2:1-4). Are we praying for those in authority over us? The Lord will move through our prayers for them, to save souls and to provide a blessing for our lives.

     This is an age of lawlessness. Even the Church of believers in Christ often fail to acknowledge the role that anointed and appointed spiritual leadership provides in our lives, and instead, challenge and criticize that leadership at every opportunity. Jesus wept as He prophetically observed the terror that would be coming upon Jerusalem. Jesus wanted to gather them under His protective wings, but they refused (Mt. 23:37-39). The Lord moves miraculously through our anointed and appointed spiritual leaders to guide His people safely through danger. By weakening or removing the covering of the spiritual leadership that Jesus has provided and appointed to those who believe in Him, we become spiritually "bald" like Korah. We think to pull down our spiritual leaders in an effort to "lift up" ourselves into a higher position, but it is the Lord who determines who may come near to Him. Instead, the quickest way to "fall lower" is to disregard those appointed by Him, thereby disregarding Him who is head of all things to the church (Eph. 1:19-23). We believers have also begun to rely upon the political leadership of men as the Israelites did, rather than the rulership of the LORD. Our times are too dangerous for this choice.

     If you would like to know more about the importance of the LORD's appointed covering, you can pray with me: "Dear Father, forgive me for relying upon man instead of You. Forgive me for weakening Your covering over me, my family and my nation because of the rebellion in my heart. By Your Spirit, help me to seek Your face at every turn of events, and to believe Your Word which was given for my benefit. Help me to lift the arms of Your anointed servants, rather than pulling their arms down. I pray also for the heart of my nation, Lord, that we may turn back to You, our only true God, whose arms are always outstretched towards us. Have mercy and forgive our stubbornness, revive us, renew us, visit us, save us. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

Atonement

These past few Sabbaths, the readings have focused on the priesthood. This week's Sabbath reading titled Korach, meaning "baldness", does so also. To me the term "baldness" in this reading refers to a lack of spiritual covering, and we will learn what the priest did in the middle of this dire circumstance. We are also called kings and priests, and a royal priesthood unto the Lord under the new covenant in Christ. This made me think about my role as a believer-priest when the spiritual covering over a people has been removed. Our Sabbath reading begins in Numbers 16 with a terrible rebellion that starts small but eventually encompasses all of the congregation of Israel. The rebellion started with four men, one of whom, Korah, was a Levite from the same tribe as Moses and Aaron, the tribe of the priesthood. The other three rebels were from the tribe of Reuben. Those four men recruited two hundred and fifty tribal leaders of the congregation who were: "representatives of the congregation, men of renown." (Num. 16:1-2). The rebellion began in covetousness, envy and resentment, but was fed by false accusations and lies. These four men and the tribal leaders accused Moses and Aaron of appointing themselves to be the leaders of the Israelites. They said: "You take too much on yourselves, for all the congregation is holy...and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?...Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey (referring to Egypt), to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us? Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards..." (v. 3, 13-14). Moses pointed out to Korah the Levite that he was showing that he despised his own calling of the LORD to serve in the tabernacle, and coveted and envied another's calling instead (v. 9-10). Because of this, they were "gathered together against the LORD" (v. 11). The Levite rebel, Korah, then gathered all of the congregation against Moses and Aaron at the door of the tabernacle. So now all of the people have turned against Moses and Aaron. The glory of the LORD appeared before them all. The LORD not only planned to deal with the rebels, but also to consume the whole congregation in a moment (v. 19-21). Moses and Aaron fell on their faces interceding with God on behalf of the congregation. God allowed the congregation to separate themselves from the rebels, as the earth opened up underneath the four original rebels and the two hundred and fifty tribal leaders who had joined them, and they fell down into the open earth alive, and the earth closed over them (v. 28-33). However: "On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron saying, 'You have killed the people of the LORD.' (v. 41). The glory of the LORD appeared again, and the LORD repeated that He would consume the people. Moses and Aaron again fell on their faces before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, "Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement (kapar - to cover over, to be covered, to overspread, to cover (sins), to make expiation for an offender, reconciliation, forgive, appease, pacify) for them; for wrath has gone out from the LORD. The plague has begun." (v. 45-46). Aaron did as Moses had spoken, "and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident." (v. 45-49). In making atonement for the people, Aaron physically placed himself in the middle of the plague to stand between those who were dead, and those who were yet alive. The fast-moving plague was stopped at that point. Before this incident, atonement was observed as a feast day of the LORD, carried out on an appointed day, in an appointed place, the Holy of Holies, and with a specific sacrifice. In this instance, however, making atonement for the people was accomplished by an act of intercession using a censer and incense. How did God feel about this intercession of atonement that Aaron ministered at the command of Moses? After this incident, in Numbers 17, the LORD lets us know. All of the rods that represented the fathers of the tribes of Israel, with their tribes' names written on them, were brought before the LORD in the tabernacle. Aaron's rod, with his name written on it for the Levites, was included with the other rods (Num. 17:1-7). The LORD said that the rod of the man whom He will choose will blossom. He would settle the complaints of the children of Israel against Moses and Aaron in this way. The next day, Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, "and behold, the rod of Aaron, for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds." (v. 8 KJV). Not only had the rod, a long dead staff, produced blossoms, but it produced almond fruit as if it were a living tree. Not only did it produce almonds, but ripe almonds. Although the wording of this verse in English sounds repetitive, the Hebrew meanings of the words here are not repetitive, and each phrase adds a new and different meaning. The four phrases used here in v. 8 have the following meanings: "budded": parah - bud, blossom, break forth, extend wings and fly. "Brought forth buds": yasa/perah - deliver, lead out, bring out, proceed/flower, blossom. "Bloomed blossoms": sus/sis - flourish, to shine, gleam, twinkle, to be bright, to glance through a lattice/ blossom, wings, feather. "Yielded almonds" - gamal/saqed/saqad - dealt bountifully, bestowed, recompense, do good, wean a child or mature, ripening/almond trees, almonds, the first tree to awaken out of winter sleep/watch, keep watch over, wake, hasten, sleepless. Regarding this budded rod of Aaron's, the LORD instructed Moses: "Bring Aaron's rod back before the Testimony (meaning the ark of the covenant), to be kept as a sign against the rebels (meri - rebellious, bitterness, stubborn refusal to obey; root word mara- "stroke, strike, slash with a whip"), that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die." (v. 10). Not only did Aaron's rod bud as a fruit of his atonement for the people, but it remained before the Testimony of the LORD as a sign against such rebellion, on penalty of death. In this Sabbath reading, we can see the role of the priest as one who stood between the living and the dead in a plague, and made an atonement, even for rebellious people who falsely accused him and resented him. The LORD recognized the power and work of that atonement through the budding of Aaron's staff. His Son, Jesus, as our High Priest, looked upon those who were crucifying Him, who had mocked and whipped Him in their rebellion against God, and said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Lk. 23:34). He is our atonement (Rom. 5:11), and not only for us, but for the whole world (1 Jn. 2:2). Jesus' atonement is a one time offering that extends into eternity: "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting/expecting (ekdechomai - receive, accept, grant access to, embrace, make one's own, to take with the hand) till His enemies (echthros - hostile, hating, opposing) are made (tithemi - lay down, bend down, kneel down, carry no longer, establish) His footstool (hypopodion - among, by, or under foot, a foot on the neck of an enemy, or at the feet as a disciple)." (Heb. 10:10, 12-13). Scripture says also that every knee should bow at the name of Jesus, and every tongue should confess Him (Phil. 2:8-11). Our priestly ministering in intercession of His atonement for the people plays a role in that transforming victory, I'm sure. If you would like to know more about our priesthood in Christ, you can pray with me: "Lord Jesus, You have given us the priestly ministry of reconciliation through Your covering atonement. Fill me with the Holy Spirit who shows me how to pray and intercede effectively in the middle of world-wide rebellion against God, and the resulting deadly plague. You are sitting at the right hand of the Father waiting expectantly to receive those who will come forth from Your atonement, and sit at Your feet as disciples, or bow at Your feet as a subject before You. As the time grows short, Your desire is that none should perish but that all should come to repentance and salvation. Show me how to stand in the gap, and make up the hedge with my censer of incense, or prayers, for those who are uncovered and in danger of perishing. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."