Blindness. Imitators and usurpers are characterized by blindness.

Moses and Aaron had been chosen of God, called by name. They had stood before Pharaoh and worked miracles. God Himself had spoken to them on numerous occasions and directed their roles and activities. All Moses and Aaron did was obey the Lord (as is the case with each individual who truly has been called by the Lord).

Why couldn't Korah see this?

One of the major problems of the Christian churches has been the desire of people to excel in religious activities. Ambition in spiritual matters is not discouraged in our day, it is encouraged as though it were a good thing. "Do great things for God!" "Step out in faith!"

One will look through the Scriptures in vain to find any such exhortation. The Kingdom of God advances only when God speaks to chosen people and they obey Him. Faith is not a case of people deciding what needs to be done and then attempting to force God to do it. Faith is obedience to what God has specifically commanded.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (Hebrews 1:1)

It is not enough to say the Scriptures have commanded it. We indeed must obey the Scriptures; but obedience to the Scriptures is possible only as we look to the Spirit of God for wisdom and strength to obey. In the realm of morality we are to do the best we can, meanwhile seeking the Lord's help continually. In the realm of service we are to be particularly careful that we are not running ahead of God as well as not lagging behind.

It appears that much of the work performed in the Christian religion is done in the blindness of the flesh. The blind are leading the blind.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were leaders in Israel, men of renown. They were ambitious, self-seeking, and blind!

Why didn't they stop and realize they had seen no burning bush, they had not been called out by name, they had not been many days on Mount Sinai with neither food nor water, miracles had not been performed at their hands? How could they be so blind as to suppose they could imitate and usurp the roles of Moses and Aaron?

They were blind and leaders of the blind. They were mountains of Bashan. They were leaping in envy, seeking to take the Kingdom by violence. They sought the Divine Glory given to Moses and Aaron, the honor, the authority, the power, the reverence of the people.

Satan was in them with his demons, seeking to ascend into heaven, to exalt his throne above the stars of God, to sit on the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north, to ascend above the heights of the clouds, to be like the most High.

And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. (Numbers 16:32)

What were these usurpers planning to do after they had persuaded Moses and Aaron to turn over their God-given authority to them? Did they suppose God would change His mind about the leadership of Israel and bless the ambitious in their hatred and rebellion?

They were blind and all who followed them were blind. They came to the end common to all the mountains of Bashan.

To be continued.