It's encouraging to know that, you know, as
a pastor, that's the greatest.
It's that joy isn't preaching, beloved, at all.
The joy is finding a shadow, putting my
head down, and weeping because the good great
shepherd is tending to his flock.
That's the chief joy.
Now I did all this reading and studying
here, and I never wrote down any of
the scriptures.
Somewhere in the book of Numbers, I think
it's number 23.
I don't want to get into this in
depth, because I only want to go as
far as the Holy Ghost took it, tonight.
But the Holy Ghost gave us an illumination.
I just want to write down, it's Korah's
Rebellion.
Korah's Rebellion in Numbers.
I believe it's maybe 23 or in that
area.
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers.
That's the fourth.
That can't be there.
It's not 23.
Korah's Rebellion, Numbers chapter 16.
Now I just want to write down some
characters here.
Aaron, Levi, Korah.
Yes, I just was testing you, Norman.
I'm glad you're paying attention.
Korah, and Aaron's rod.
Praise the Lord.
Now, just bear with me for a few
minutes, and then we're going to read some
scriptures, okay?
It's only 8 o'clock, so we have
some time.
Now this is a story in the Old
Testament, Brethren, that has an incredible spiritual application
to what God is doing today.
And as God opens up our hearts and
gives us understanding, this can be an incredible
encouragement to us, to help us understand what
the Lord is doing for us.
God had a tabernacle in the wilderness where
he promised to meet his people.
And I'm just going to make it as
simple as pie.
Very unscholarly.
And he needed people to take care of
his tabernacle.
You know, real simple, right?
I want him to build me a tabernacle,
and I need someone to take care of
it.
So God chose the house of Levi.
Now Levi was one of the sons of
who?
Israel.
Jacob had 12 sons, and Levi was one
of them.
And it was his descendants that God chose
to take care of the tabernacle.
But now here's something.
Let's just make a picture of the tabernacle
here.
Okay?
Now, God chose the Levites to take care
of the tabernacle.
And then from the Levites, he chose the
house of Aaron, A-A-R-O-N,
to be priests.
Now, listen closely.
All the priests were Levites.
But not all the Levites were priests.
Only those who were from the house of
Aaron.
They were the priests.
Now, what's the difference between the priests who
were of the seed of Aaron and the
Levites, who were the general children of Levi?
The difference was their participation and responsibilities within
the temple of God.
There were two basic responsibilities within the temple
of God.
Like I said, we're making it very simple.
There was that which pertained to the holy,
and that which pertained to the common.
Now, the sons of Aaron, the priests, they
were divinely called by God to deal with
the holy things.
The set-apart things, the sacred things in
the temple of God.
And the Levites were called to deal with
the common things.
Now, it was an absolute sin if anybody
other than a priest would try and take
on the responsibility or be involved in the
participation with a priest in the things that
he was called to do.
They couldn't do it.
Now, the priests had responsibilities that the Levites
couldn't partake in.
One responsibility was the preparing of the showbread
within the temple.
The lighting of the incense.
The lighting of the candles.
These were things that only the sons of
Aaron could do.
Now, the Levites could assist the sons of
Aaron in their responsibilities, but they couldn't do
it.
Now, this story that we're about to read
is a story about Korah.
Now, Korah was of the house of Levi,
but he wasn't of the house of Aaron.
And you know what Korah did?
Korah looked at the sons of Aaron and
said, Hey, we're gonna do what you're doing.
Because we're just as called as you are.
And you know what?
Korah was right.
The sons of Levi were just as called
as the priests.
They were just as chosen, just as called,
just as set aside.
But, they couldn't do what the priests were
doing.
Now, there's an incredible analogy in this lesson
that brings us to a New Testament understanding.
Now, let's read through the story, and then
we're gonna go in to Aaron, Levi, Korah,
and Aaron's rod and show how in the
present church, the called out people, there's the
same conflict occurring as there was in this
day.
A spiritual meaning to this lesson, the same
thing.
The Levites are still, the sons of Korah
are still trying to do what only Aaron's
seed can do.
You say, well, who's Aaron's seed?
Well, we'll see that.
It's very, very exciting.
Numbers chapter 16.
Now, Korah, the son of Ishar, the son
of Kohath, the son of Levi, and 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 certain
of the children of Israel, 250 princes of
the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of
renown.
And they gathered themselves together against Moses and
against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take
too much upon you, seeing all the congregation
are holy, every one of them, and the
Lord is among them.
Wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the
congregation of the Lord.
And when Moses heard it, he fell upon
his face.
I love to read about how Moses handled
problems with the church.
I love it.
He fell upon his face and prayed out
to God.
Boy, no wonder he was so loved by
God.
Verse number five.
And he spoke unto Korah and unto all
his company, saying, Even tomorrow the Lord will
show who are his and who is holy,
and will cause him to come near unto
him, even him who he hath chosen will
he cause to come near unto him.
This do.
Take you censors, Korah and all his company,
and put fire therein, and put incense in
them before the Lord tomorrow.
Now mind you, this was only something that
the sons of Aaron could do, but he
told them to do it anyway, and see
what the Lord did.
Verse number seven.
And put fire therein, and put incense in
them before the Lord tomorrow.
And it shall be that the man whom
the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy.
Ye take too much upon you, ye sons
of Levi.
And Moses said unto Korah, Here I pray
you, ye sons of Levi.
Seemeth it but a small thing unto you
that the God of Israel hath separated you
from the congregation of Israel to bring you
near to himself to do the service of
the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand
before the congregation to minister unto them.
In other words, he's saying, don't you see
that you should be satisfied with what God
has called you to do?
Now this is just an Old Testament example,
but when we get in the New Testament,
we'll see God's called us all to be
priests, but not everyone is functioning as a
priest.
Verse number 10.
And he hath brought thee near to him,
and all thy brethren, the sons of Levi,
with thee, and seek ye the priesthood also?
For which cause both thou and all thy
company are gathered together against the Lord?
And what is Aaron that ye murmur against
him?
And Moses sent to call Gathan and Abiram,
the sons of Eliab, which said, We will
not come up.
Is it a small thing that thou hast
brought us up out of a land that
flowing with milk and honey to kill us
in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether
a prince over us?
Moreover, thou hast not brought us into a
land that floweth with milk and honey, or
given us inheritance of fields and vineyards.
Wilt thou put out the eyes of these
men?
We will not come up.
And Moses was very wroth and said unto
the Lord, Respect not thou their offering.
I have not taken one ass from them,
neither have I hurt one of them.
And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and
all thy company before the Lord, thou and
they and Aaron tomorrow.
And take every man his censer, and put
incense in them, and bring ye before the
Lord every man his censer, two hundred and
fifty censers, thou also and Aaron, each of
you, his censer.
And they took every man his censer, and
put fire in them, and laid incense thereon,
and stood in the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
And Korah gathered all the congregation against them
unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and the glory of the Lord appeared
unto all the congregation.
And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto
Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation,
that I may consume them in a moment.
And they fell upon their faces and said,
O God, the God of the spirits of
all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt
thou be wroth with all the congregation?
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from
about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan
and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed
him.
And he spoke unto the congregation, saying, Depart,
I pray you, from the tents of these
wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest
you be consumed in all their sins.
So they got up from the tabernacle of
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, one every side.
And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood
in the door of their tents, and their
wives, and their sons, and their little children.
And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that
the Lord hath sent me to do all
these things, for I have not done them
of my own mind.
If these men die, the common death of
all men, or if they be visited after
the visitation of all men, then the Lord
hath not sent me.
But if the Lord make a new thing,
and the earth open her mouth and swallow
them up, with all that appertain unto them,
and they go down quick into the pit,
then ye shall understand that these men have
provoked the Lord.
Boy, it almost seems like it's another Mount
Carmel experience.
Elijah's standing on the Mount Carmel.
They're ready to bring fire down from heaven.
Why is this so serious?
Oh, beloved, there's a reason why God was
so strict about this.
We'll see it in a moment.
And it came to pass, as he had
made an end, of speaking all these words,
that the ground clave asunder that was under
them.
And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed
them up, and their houses and all the
men that appeared unto Korah and all their
goods.
They and all that appertained to them went
down alive into the pit, and the earth
closed upon them, and they perished from among
the congregation.
And all Israel that were round about them
fled at the cry of them, for they
said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
Now go to chapter 17.
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak
unto the children of Israel, and take of
every one of them a rod, according to
the house of their fathers, of all their
princes, according to the house of their fathers,
twelve rods.
Write thou every man's name upon his rod,
and thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the
rod of Levi.
For one rod shall be for the head
of the house of their fathers, and thou
shalt lay them in the tabernacle of the
congregation before the testimony, where I will meet
with you.
And it shall come to pass that the
man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom,
and I will make to cease from me
the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby
they murmur against me.
And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel,
and every one of their princes gave him
a rod apiece, for each prince one, according
to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods.
And the rod of Aaron was among their
rods.
And Moses laid it up, laid up the
rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of
witness.
And it came to pass that on the
morrow, 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.
Wouldn't you like to have eaten an almond
off of that?
Boy, I tell you, I bet they were
good almonds.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Now listen to this.
Verse nine, And Moses brought out all the
rods from before the Lord unto all the
children of Israel.
Listen now.
And they looked, and took every man his
rod.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's
rod before the testimony to be kept for
a token, for a sign against the rebels.
May all the house of Korah once and
for all behold Aaron's rod.
It's God's sign.
See?
And thou shalt quite take away their murmurings
from me that they die not.
And Moses did so as the Lord commanded
him, so did he.
And the children of Israel spoke unto Moses,
saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all
perish.
Whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle of
the Lord shall die.
Shall we be consumed with dying?
Okay.
Now, the Bible says in Revelation chapter 5,
let's just lay this New Testament foundation.
Revelation chapter 5.
Revelation chapter 5, verse 10.
And has made us unto our God kings
and priests, and we shall reign on the
earth.
Now, I would like to just share with
you for a few moments the New Testament
application to this incredible story in the Old
Testament.
And this is what the Holy Spirit is
doing in our midst tonight.
First, I'd like to give you the definition
of some words.
And as we understand the meaning of the
words, and we can understand their spiritual application,
we will greatly be enlightened and encouraged to
seek the Lord for that special touch that
he gives to the seeking heart.
Now, first of all, the word Aaron means
enlightened one.
The word Levi means fitted together.
The word Korah means baldness.
And Aaron's rod, listen closely, is life out
of death.
Now, you know what I see right here?
I see the New Testament.
How many see the New Testament there?
It's incredible.
You see the New Testament?
You say, I don't see the New Testament.
This is an incredible picture.
Of the divine order that God has established
in the Church of Jesus Christ.
God has called the Church.
Now, the Bible says in Ephesians that we're
all fit together and joined together.
The body is not one member, but we're
many members.
Each one of us have been fitted together
as God was pleased.
Some of us are feet, some of us
are hands.
We've all been knitted together and fit.
And we all make up the body of
Christ.
That's a believer saved.
But beloved, not everyone who has been fitted
into the body of Christ has understood or
realized their priesthood, the seed of Aaron, is
a spiritual symbol or a spiritual call to
pray and ask God for the special illumination
and light that can come to you through
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Now, Korah means baldness.
The Bible teaches that as a believer it
is expedient that we recognize that without abiding
in and under the covering of Christ who
is indeed our covering, we are spiritually bald.
Now listen, we are spiritually bald.
Christ alone is our covering.
Listen now, positionally, we've all experienced being brought
into Christ, but experientially it hasn't been brought
in us.
So, we look at Aaron, the enlightened one,
Levi, the fitted, fitted together, Korah, baldness, and
now we've got Aaron's rod, which is life
out of death.
Now, we don't want to make this complicating.
It's very, very simple.
It's a very simple illustration of what God
is trying to teach us.
Korah was a Levi, but he was not
of the seed of Aaron.
He wanted to participate in those things that
God said only Aaron's children can participate in.
Now listen, Number one, the lighting of incense.
Spiritual worship and praise.
I don't want to go into the scriptures
because it would take too long, but the
spiritual incense in the Old Testament was a
shadow of the praise and prayers of the
saints.
The setting out of the show bread.
Jesus said he was the bread of life.
Feasting on the show bread.
The lighting of the candles in the temple,
which is spiritual illumination.
The eyes of the understanding being opened.
Wasn't that a prayer that Paul prayed for
the Ephesians?
That the eyes of their understanding would be
opened and that they could comprehend and see,
not by their natural mind, but that they
would be divinely enlightened so that they can
see and comprehend by supernatural ability.
The riches and the glory that are in
Christ Jesus.
So the picture that we have here is
only the enlightened one can share and participate
in the holy things of the temple.
Now listen, we are the temple.
We are, this isn't the temple, we are
the temple of God.
And God wants his temple to be filled
with praise.
He wants it to be filled with spiritual
prayer.
He wants his temple to be filled with
spiritual illumination.
See Aaron's responsibilities represented or typified the believer's
life empowered by the very divine presence of
the Holy Spirit.
Wherein the incense would be lit, the candles
would be lit, the show bread would be
out.
Spiritual praise and sacrifice to God.
But Korah wanted to do it.
And God said you can't.
See the natural man, the natural unilluminated man
cannot participate in the holy things of God.
It can only come through divine illumination.
Now we can read this in 1st chapter
1 and 2.
There's a host of believers today who are
trying to worship, praise God, pray to God,
and are miserably failing because they're doing it
by their own strength, by their own power,
by their own might.
And God says you just can't do it.
Now remember all believers are called to this
spiritual priesthood.
But we have to do it God's way.
And God's way is to become acquainted with
the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit.
Now Aaron's rod, Aaron's rod was a sign
that God had chosen the seed of Aaron
for the holy things.
And Aaron's rod speaks of life out of
death.
Now listen, as the believer shares in the
glorious gift of salvation, that is only the
beginning of an entrance by faith through the
Holy Spirit that should lead that believer into
participating in the death and sufferings of Christ.
And only as the believer under the leading
of the Holy Spirit begins to experience the
death of Christ can he experience life out
of that death.
And this is a sign that God has
established in the Old Testament which spiritually represents
the way of the cross.
The cross not only as a historical figure,
we believed on Jesus, we believe in Golgotha.
It's a past experience.
I believed in Christ twenty years ago, hallelujah.
No, the cross must not only be a
historical fact, but it must be a present
day in working, in our spirits.
We must be appropriating daily by the power
of the Holy Ghost the death or participating
in the death that was wrought the moment
we believed.
And it's only as we participate in this
death that we experience the budding, the life.
And this signifies God's approval.
Only as a Christian comes to the feet
of Jesus and begins to experience the working
of the Holy Spirit in his or her
life, producing and applying in an experiential way
the death of self, the death to whatever
it is of us, so that in its
place the life of Christ can come forth.
Only in that posture, only as Aaron's rod,
spiritually speaking, continues to bud in our midst
can we find ourselves by God's power entering
into our spiritual priesthood as spiritually the children
of Aaron.
And this is what God is doing in
our midst.
Aren't you glad that God can do the
work of his Spirit without a perfect understanding
in our hearts of what he's really doing?
But see, this is what he's doing.
If you're a Bible student, if you can
get in, you can see that what God's
doing in the Spirit, in the Church, is
all through the entire Bible.
He's making us spiritual people, so that we
can be qualified to be priests in his
temple, offering up spiritual praise and worship and
sacrifice and feasting on the bread from heaven.
He's taking a people and through the cross
and through death, he's bringing forth almonds.
Out of death, he's bringing forth life.
And this life, is the very life of
Christ himself.
And the Savior looks at his church today,
and of course, the analogy isn't foolproof 100%,
but he looks at his church today and
he says, O ye sons of Korah, ye
cannot do the work of a priest unless
you go the way of the cross and
through the power of the Holy Ghost.
So let us forever keep our eyes fixed
on Jesus Christ, and let him continue to
bring an enlightening to our soul, so that
life can continue to flow out of the
death that is working in us, and bless
God, we will enjoy his sweet presence forever.
Amen?
The believers' priesthood and Korah's rebellion are the
work of
the Holy Ghost.
the Holy
Ghost.
Amen?
Korah's of of of of of of of
of of of of of of