Numbers 16:1-50

Interesting little passage, isn't it?  I guess it's no surprise that someone would come along who thinks they can do it better, and is willing to try to prove it.  After all, isn't that similar to how our country started?  (Similar, but not exact.)  What gets me is that after God's awesome display of power, the Israelites are ready to rebel again.  I mean, would you really think it's wise to cross the God who can open the earth to swallow you whole and live for ongoing, impertinent, rebellious sin?  Forget the fact that He has proven over and over and over and over (can I put in one more over?) how much He cared for Israel, His provision, His grace, by not zapping every time they tested His patience.

Now, honestly, I do try to give them some credit.  After all, I'm not perfect.  I still have my times of doubt, even when God has more than amply proved His love and provision for myself.  Perhaps it's an innate human failing.  It's so easy for us to pass judgment on them in hindsight, and especially when all of these stories are told in succession, when we don't know all the circumstances and time lines, nor are we really in any position to judge.  But I admit, I read this one and say, "Oh, come on, people!"  The contest between Korah, Dathan, Abiram and Moses and Aaron was to prove who was righteous and chosen by God; it obviously came out in Moses' favor.  Yet the people rebelled.  I would like to say, "How dense can they get?"  But I really don't think we are too different.  When things don't go quite as expected, don't we get upset and ask why?  When things don't go our way, don't we demand explanations?  Truth is, I think the rest of Numbers is filled with similar incidents where people come up against the Lord, thinking they've got it figured out; and they don't.  I can't say I've got a great deal of wisdom in this area or that I've got it all figured out.  I can say that I am trying harder every day to follow my Lord more closely.  It's still a struggle, though, to live for what He wants more than I want.  I still need His help with that one.

Tomorrow's Reading: Numbers 17:1-18:32