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Those Who Rebelled Against Moses and Aaron

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[Numbers 16:32]

and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them,
with their households and all Korah's men and all their possessions.

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God made Moses and Aaron the leaders of Israel. God commanded Moses to build the tabernacle to meet with the Israelites.
The Israelites set up tents around the tabernacle and lived in the wilderness.

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God specially set apart the family of Aaron, Moses' brother, to serve as priests.
Also, the tribe of Levi was specially set apart to serve God in the tabernacle.
It is God's special grace that the Levites can serve in the tabernacle.

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However, among the Levites, there was a person who was dissatisfied with what God had done.
His name was Korah. Korah was displeased that God had only allowed Aaron and his children to serve as priests. He thought that any person belonging to the tribe of Levi could do the work of a priest.

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He soon formed a party with like-minded people against Moses and Aaron.
Korah the Levite, Dathan the Reubenite, Abiram, and On.
These four men did not accept God's laws and were greedy to get what they wanted.
They began to agitate people that it was unfair that only Aaron's house should be a priest.

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They gathered people who agreed with their ideas and continued to summon power.
Astonishingly, the number of leaders involved in their rebellion reached 250.
Their rebellion was a challenge to what God had done.

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They formed a group and went to Moses and Aaron. They told Moses and Aaron their thoughts in harsh language. “All the people of Israel are holy. There is not a single unholy people.
God is with all the people of Israel. But why do you exalt yourselves to be above all the people?” They spoke as if Moses and Aaron had exalted themselves and were there.

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When Moses heard what they said, he fell on his face to the ground and prayed to God. Moses received God's answer and told them God's will.
“Tomorrow the Lord God will show you who the Lord is. God will show who can draw near to Jehovah God. Put fire in your censer, each of you, and let them gather here again.”

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And Moses said to Korah, who was instigating this incident.
“You Levites go too far. God has given you great grace to serve in the holy tabernacle, but you are not satisfied with it and are trying to become priests.
You have rebelled against the LORD God. You and your followers must stand before the Lord tomorrow. Then Aaron will also stand with you.”

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The next day, as Moses said, 250 people stood at the entrance of the tabernacle, each burning incense in their censer. Only the descendants of Aaron were allowed by God to burn incense before God. The 250 leaders holding incense today are people who are greedy for breaking God's law and wanting to burn incense on their own.
Aaron also burned incense in his censer and stood at the entrance to the tabernacle.

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When they stood at the entrance of the tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared to all who were there. Jehovah rebelled against God and wanted to wipe out all those gathered there in an instant. But Moses and Aaron fell on their faces and cried out to Jehovah God.
“God, you are the God who rules over the spirits of all people. Don't be angry with this crowd.
Only one person has sinned.”

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God heard the prayers of Moses and Aaron and spoke again.
“Tell all the crowd to stay away from Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” Moses warned the people. “Stand away from these bad people.
Do not touch anything of theirs. Anyone who touches them will perish together because of their sins.” After Moses spoke, the people withdrew from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

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After the people had safely retreated, Moses spoke in front of the people.
“Everything I do from now on is because God told me to do it,” he said. If these wicked men go down alive to death, and the earth splits open and devours them and all their possessions,
it will be a proof that God has sent me.”
As Moses said, if the earth splits open and swallows these people, it is proof that Moses was sent by God.

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As soon as Moses finished speaking, the land on which the rebels stood was divided and devoured them and their property.
The earth devoured its rebellious leaders and all their possessions with its mouth open.
And the earth was covered, and all that was buried in the earth.

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And the fire that God sent came down to the earth.
The fire burned and killed 250 leaders with censers.
The fire showed that the only people God allowed to burn incense were the descendants of Aaron.

Those who did not recognize God's laws and were greedy were also judged by fire that day.

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All those who disregarded God's will and rebelled against God according to their greed on that day were judged by God and died. God grants the best to each person.
Those who participated in the rebellion today were severely punished for being greedy for things that God did not allow.
We must always be careful not to be greedy for things that God does not allow.
Even when you ask for something, you must do it in a way that pleases God.
We need to be able to appreciate all that has already been given to us.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)