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Korah and His Followers - The Book of Numbers · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face.
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  Speaker 1: Dear Heavenly Father, as I step into this season of
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  Speaker 1: my purpose, I thank you for protecting me against people
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  Speaker 1: who would try to corner me and accuse me with
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  Speaker 1: false stories. Thank you that your protection provides a way
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  Speaker 1: out when others seek to destroy my destiny. When I
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  Speaker 1: am faced with challenging people, I will be like Moses.
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  Speaker 1: I will drop to my knees in prayer and seek
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  Speaker 1: a solution in your presence, because wherever the Spirit of
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  Speaker 1: the Lord is, there's freedom and liberty. Through your power,
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  Speaker 1: I know that even though the attacks seem unrelenting, I
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  Speaker 1: can rest my mind knowing that with each attack, I
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  Speaker 1: will remain untouched, because you surround me with a cloud
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  Speaker 1: of glory and protection. Confirm my calling like you confirmed Moses.
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  Speaker 1: I give you permission to take over my trials and
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  Speaker 1: to silence all opposition. I confess that without you, I'm limited.
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  Speaker 1: But with you on my side, I am a force
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  Speaker 1: to be reckoned with. What God has for me is
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  Speaker 1: for me, and I'm coming after it all. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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  Speaker 1: Listening to these daily prayers strengthens your relationship with God.
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  Speaker 1: Continue hearing from the Lord by listening to today's Bible
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  Speaker 1: in a Year. Brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: Korah and his followers. In our last story, Moses sent
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  Speaker 2: spies to the land of Canaan Ten out of the
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  Speaker 2: twelve spies brought back negative reports and scared the people
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  Speaker 2: into wanting to go back to Egypt. God, fed up
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  Speaker 2: with their constant doubts, denied them access to the promised land.
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  Speaker 2: They were banished to die in the wilderness, and their
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  Speaker 2: children would be the ones to inherit the land. In
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  Speaker 2: this story, we learn about Israel's first organized rebellion. Seeds
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  Speaker 2: of doubt were sown by Korah from the tribe of Levi.
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  Speaker 2: Those who rise up against Moses regret it deeply, as
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  Speaker 2: inspired by the book of Numbers.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
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  Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. But before we begin, I want
• 2:44
  Speaker 3: to let you know about a unique e-book that's yours
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
• 2:55
  Speaker 3: the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that bring stress
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: from Stress today by visiting jackgraham.org slash stress. That's jackgraham.org
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  Speaker 3: slash stress. In our last episode, we discovered that the Israelites'
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  Speaker 3: lack of faith cost them. It cost them God's promised land,
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  Speaker 3: at least for that generation. Because they failed to trust
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  Speaker 3: in God to give them the land and to defeat
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  Speaker 3: every enemy, they listened to ten spies who spoke words
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  Speaker 3: of fear. The entire generation would now die off. They
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  Speaker 3: would never see the promised land. Only Caleb and Joshua
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  Speaker 3: would experience the promise that God has given. We've previously
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  Speaker 3: heard the story of Miriam and Aaron defying Moses, but
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  Speaker 3: in today's reading, we'll learn of the first rebellion of
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  Speaker 3: the people. Led by Korah, a Levite, the people will
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  Speaker 3: turn against Moses, but their actions will have terrible consequences,
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  Speaker 3: and God will use their actions to remind his people
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  Speaker 3: that when they oppose his plans and resist his will,
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  Speaker 3: there is judgment to follow. Let's listen now to today's reading.
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  Speaker 2: The stars lit the skies like sand on the seashore.
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  Speaker 2: The camp was silent, and all of Israel slept in
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  Speaker 2: their tents. All but a few. Korah, a son from
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  Speaker 2: the tribe of Levi, had gathered a few of the
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  Speaker 2: elders around some burning coals. Together they stood in frustration
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  Speaker 2: and jealousy towards Moses. They whispered amongst themselves, conniving and
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  Speaker 2: scheming against Moses and Aaron. A wicked grin could be
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  Speaker 2: seen at the corner of Korah's face as they planned
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  Speaker 2: their coup. The men arose in the morning with intensity. Korah,
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  Speaker 2: with 250 chiefs behind him, marched to the tent of Moses.
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  Speaker 2: They assembled together against Moses and Aaron. They brought him
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  Speaker 2: out in front of the congregation as if on trial.
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  Speaker 2: The Israelites took notice of what was happening and began
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  Speaker 2: to gather around Korah and Moses. Korah smiled at the
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  Speaker 2: attention and raised his voice for all the people to hear.
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  Speaker 2: He pointed to Moses. How dare you, Korah shouted. Everyone
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  Speaker 2: here is holy, Moses. You are not the only one
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  Speaker 2: among us anointed by God. So why do you choose
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  Speaker 2: to exalt yourself? Are you better than all of us?
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  Speaker 2: He spoke with a frightening charisma. Moses refused to play
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  Speaker 2: Korah's game. The people watched Moses anticipating a clash of
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  Speaker 2: alphas fighting for the right to lead. Moses looked at Korah.
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  Speaker 2: no doubt remembering the time he once strangled an Egyptian
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  Speaker 2: soldier in the sand. Yet instead of fighting or speaking,
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  Speaker 2: he fell on his face. The crowd watched as Moses
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  Speaker 2: took the position of bowing. While Korah exalted himself in
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  Speaker 2: front of the people and puffed his chest, Moses laid
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  Speaker 2: there silently in the dirt, mumbling prayers to God. Moments passed,
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  Speaker 2: and the people held their breath waiting for Moses to
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  Speaker 2: answer Korah. He looked up and rose to his feet.
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  Speaker 2: When Moses lifted his head, an intensity could be seen
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  Speaker 2: shooting from his eyes. His gaze locked on to Korah,
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  Speaker 2: the look of a warrior king, a posture strengthened by
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  Speaker 2: the Spirit of God. Moses spoke plainly and directly. He said,
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  Speaker 2: In the morning, the Lord will show who is his.
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  Speaker 2: We will both bring offerings to him, and he will
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  Speaker 2: choose among us. And Moses turned to leave. Before departing,
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  Speaker 2: he looked to all 250 men and said, You have
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  Speaker 2: gone too far, sons of Levi. I know why you
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  Speaker 2: rise up against me. The leadership God has given you
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  Speaker 2: was not enough. And he turned back towards his tent.
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  Speaker 2: Later that day, Moses sent for two elders of the congregation,
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  Speaker 2: Dathan and Abiram. He needed support from people with influence,
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  Speaker 2: yet they denied him, saying, We will not join you.
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  Speaker 2: You have denied us the land flowing with milk and honey.
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  Speaker 2: You have banished us to die in the wilderness, and
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  Speaker 2: now you act as king over us. At that instant, Moses'
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  Speaker 2: anger ignited within him. If they had only known the
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  Speaker 2: hours he had spent begging God to spare them. Countless
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  Speaker 2: times Moses had beat his chest before God, asking him
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  Speaker 2: to take his own life instead of theirs. If they
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  Speaker 2: had only known the sacrifice it took for him to
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  Speaker 2: watch the Egyptians, the people he was raised with, to
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  Speaker 2: drown in the Red Sea. And now they question his integrity,
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  Speaker 2: his humility, and his devotion to them. Moses' eyes burned
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  Speaker 2: with rage, and his fists clenched. With furrowed brow, he
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  Speaker 2: beat his chest once again and looked to God. Not
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  Speaker 2: even a donkey I have taken from them. I have
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  Speaker 2: given them everything. Do not respect their offering tomorrow. The
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  Speaker 2: next morning, Moses rose up to meet with Korah and
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  Speaker 2: his men. The entire congregation surrounded them as they would
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  Speaker 2: a coliseum. Moses and Korah stood opposite of one another.
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  Speaker 2: With their offerings prepared before God, the Lord whispered in
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  Speaker 2: the ear of Moses, Tell the people to separate themselves
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  Speaker 2: from Korah and his men. Moses raised his voice for
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  Speaker 2: all to hear. Depart from these men immediately, lest you
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  Speaker 2: be swept away. Stay back. So the crowd stepped back
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  Speaker 2: from Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and their families. The three
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  Speaker 2: men stood by watching Moses with their offerings in front
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  Speaker 2: of them. Moses rose his staff to Korah. Moses, once
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  Speaker 2: slow to speak and stuttering, spoke clearly and powerfully. His
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  Speaker 2: voice boomed and the people trembled. This day you shall
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  Speaker 2: know it is the Lord who has sent me. Nothing
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  Speaker 2: I have done has been from my own power. Moses
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  Speaker 2: pointed to the men and shouted, If these men die
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  Speaker 2: a natural death, then I am made a liar and
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  Speaker 2: God has not sent me. But if the Lord comes
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  Speaker 2: now and swallows them up into the fiery shadows of Sheol,
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  Speaker 2: then you shall know whom God has chosen. In an instant,
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  Speaker 2: as Moses spoke, the land trembled and shook. A roar
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  Speaker 2: could be heard from the mountains, and the ground began
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  Speaker 2: to split. The earth opened up before Korah and his
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  Speaker 2: men like the mouth of a beast, and they were
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  Speaker 2: swallowed up into the jaws of Sheol. The screams of
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  Speaker 2: the three men stabbed the ears of all who were present,
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  Speaker 2: and fire ascended from the depths and consumed all 250 men.
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  Speaker 2: The congregation fled, fearing they were also be consumed by
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  Speaker 2: the earth. The next day, the camp still smelled of
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  Speaker 2: burnt flesh and brimstone. The place where the earth had
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  Speaker 2: torn in two was within sight and acted as a
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  Speaker 2: haunting reminder of God's power. The panic of that day
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  Speaker 2: had subsided and was replaced by grumblings You have killed
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  Speaker 2: God's people, they said to Aaron and Moses. Then they
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  Speaker 2: sought to harm Moses and Aaron, and in that instant
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  Speaker 2: the presence of God surrounded the tent of meeting. Israel
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  Speaker 2: had learned nothing from the day before. Moses and Aaron
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  Speaker 2: ran to the tent, knowing full well the fury of
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  Speaker 2: God was going to unleash once again. Get away from
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  Speaker 2: the people, God said to them, for my wrath is
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  Speaker 2: coming again. Moses turned to Aaron and gave him incense
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  Speaker 2: to spread among camp, to intercede and plead for God
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  Speaker 2: to have mercy. Aaron ran like the wind, wanting to
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  Speaker 2: save the people from the wrath of God. But he
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  Speaker 2: was too late. A plague had descended upon them like
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  Speaker 2: a tempest. Moses and Aaron made atonements as fast as
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  Speaker 2: they could, but not before the Lord had taken 14,700 lives.
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  Speaker 2: The next day, God had Moses gather the elders from
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  Speaker 2: the tribe of Levi to take shepherd's staffs and lay
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  Speaker 2: them at the altar. The one whose staff would bud
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  Speaker 2: with flowers would be the one appointed by God as
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  Speaker 2: priest over Israel. God would make it undeniably clear through
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  Speaker 2: a miraculous sign who would be in charge of the
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  Speaker 2: Levites now that Korah was gone. The next day, Aaron's
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  Speaker 2: staff had budded flowers and almonds, and no one questioned
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  Speaker 2: who God had chosen. Fear and trembling marked that season
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  Speaker 2: for Israel. They lived in constant dread of what God
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  Speaker 2: might do to them if they complained again. From this posture,
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  Speaker 2: they would begin to discern wisdom, truth, and justice. Israel's
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  Speaker 2: wrestling match with God was not over, nor was God's
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  Speaker 2: desire to bless them completely.
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  Speaker 3: Today's story begins with an early morning meeting led by
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  Speaker 3: Korah from the tribe of Levi. He, along with 250 leaders,
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  Speaker 3: were gunning for Moses and Aaron. They were envious of Moses'
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  Speaker 3: very special place in the community and wanted equality with him.
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  Speaker 3: Worse than that, they sought to discredit his leadership. So
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  Speaker 3: they went to Moses and Aaron and laid it all
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  Speaker 3: out in front of the entire community for everyone to hear.
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  Speaker 3: They essentially said, what makes you think you are so special?
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  Speaker 3: God has made us all holy. You're no different than
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  Speaker 3: anyone else. Get off your high horse. But Moses would
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  Speaker 3: not engage in an argument with them. He and Aaron
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  Speaker 3: fall on their faces, humbling themselves before God. When he
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  Speaker 3: answers Korah, he proposes a test. Both groups would bring
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  Speaker 3: an incense offering to God and they would see who
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  Speaker 3: God would choose. But then he spoke boldly with the
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  Speaker 3: conviction of a real leader and called out Korah and
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  Speaker 3: the others for their actions. Had not they already been
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  Speaker 3: set apart as leaders? Was that not enough? Moses lets
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  Speaker 3: them know in no uncertain terms that the one they
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  Speaker 3: were really opposing is the Lord. Moses calls on other
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  Speaker 3: leaders like Dathan and Abraham, and they are also bitter
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  Speaker 3: about the loss of the promised land, and they're blaming Moses,
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  Speaker 3: and so they side with Korah. Filled with anger, Moses
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  Speaker 3: goes before God to urge him not to accept their offering.
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  Speaker 3: The next morning, as Moses, Aaron, and Korah and the
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  Speaker 3: 250 leaders gathered themselves with their offerings, the congregation stands
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  Speaker 3: with Korah, which is an affront to God himself. God
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  Speaker 3: tells Moses to stand back so he could consume the
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  Speaker 3: entire congregation. But Moses and Aaron demonstrated true leadership and
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  Speaker 3: prayed for the lives of the people and pointed the
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  Speaker 3: rebellious towards repentance. When we come up against those who
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  Speaker 3: oppose us, even those who oppose God, do we leave
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  Speaker 3: them alone to their own destruction? Do we relish their punishment?
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  Speaker 3: Or do we step in and try to rescue them
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  Speaker 3: by pointing them to God? Christ himself faced rejection and
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  Speaker 3: opposition that we cannot imagine, yet he interceded on our
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  Speaker 3: behalf just as Moses does here for the people. God
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  Speaker 3: tells Moses to have the people get away from Korah.
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  Speaker 3: They obeyed. As Moses is speaking to Korah and the others,
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  Speaker 3: the ground opens up and swallows all 250 men, their homes,
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  Speaker 3: and their families. The people blame Moses and Aaron, saying
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  Speaker 3: they killed the men. So God says he will wipe
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  Speaker 3: them away with the plague. Again, Moses and Aaron seek
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  Speaker 3: to make atonement for the people's sin with burnt offerings.
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  Speaker 3: They succeed in stopping the plague, but not before 14,700
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  Speaker 3: people perish. God sends a sign the very next day,
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  Speaker 3: flowers budding from Aaron's staff to show everyone whom he
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  Speaker 3: had chosen to lead the Levites. The people were now
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  Speaker 3: living in fear of God's judgment, but this would not
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  Speaker 3: be the end of God's struggles with his stubborn, wayward people.
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  Speaker 3: And yet his blessing and promise remained upon them. Dear God,
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  Speaker 3: thank you for Moses' example of humility and servant leadership.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for how this story, points us to Jesus
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  Speaker 3: himself who took our wrath and our sin and intervened
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  Speaker 3: on our behalf before you. We are so thankful for
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  Speaker 3: your salvation. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for listening
• 15:40
  Speaker 3: to today's Bible in a Year podcast. Before we go,
• 15:44
  Speaker 3: I want to let you know about a unique e-book
• 15:47
  Speaker 3: that's yours to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking
• 15:51
  Speaker 3: Free from Stress. And my prayer is that it will
• 15:55
  Speaker 3: help you conquer the daily tasks and pressures and burdens
• 15:58
  Speaker 3: that bring stress into your life. Download your free copy
• 16:02
  Speaker 3: of Breaking Free from Stress today by visiting jackgram.org slash stress.
• 16:08
  Speaker 3: That's jackgram.org slash stress.