Topical Bible: Ambition: Korah

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Topical Encyclopedia

Korah, a prominent figure in the Old Testament, is often associated with the theme of misguided ambition. He was a Levite, the son of Izhar, and a cousin of Moses and Aaron. His account is primarily found in the Book of Numbers, where his ambition leads to a significant rebellion against the divinely appointed leadership of Moses and Aaron.

The Rebellion of Korah

Korah's ambition is most clearly demonstrated in Numbers 16. Along with Dathan, Abiram, and On, the sons of Reuben, Korah led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. He gathered 250 well-known community leaders and confronted Moses and Aaron, challenging their leadership and questioning their authority. Korah's argument was that the entire congregation was holy, and he accused Moses and Aaron of exalting themselves above the assembly of the LORD (Numbers 16:3).

Korah's ambition was not merely a desire for leadership but a direct challenge to God's established order. His actions reflected a deeper discontent and a desire for power and recognition. This rebellion was not just against human leaders but against God's chosen representatives, and by extension, against God Himself.

Divine Judgment

The LORD's response to Korah's rebellion was swift and severe. Moses, under God's direction, proposed a test to determine whom God had chosen. Each man was to take his censer and present incense before the LORD. The next day, the LORD instructed Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the assembly, as He intended to consume the rebels in an instant (Numbers 16:20-21).

Moses interceded, and God instructed the congregation to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. As a sign of divine judgment, the earth opened up and swallowed them, along with their households and all their possessions. Fire also came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men offering incense (Numbers 16:31-35).

Legacy and Lessons

Korah's ambition serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride and the desire for power. His account is a reminder of the importance of respecting God's established order and the consequences of challenging divine authority. The New Testament also references Korah's rebellion as a warning against false teachers and those who reject authority (Jude 1:11).

The descendants of Korah, however, were not entirely cut off. Some of his descendants became notable figures in Israel's history, serving as temple musicians and authors of several Psalms (e.g., Psalms 42, 44-49, 84-85, 87-88). This indicates that while Korah's personal ambition led to his downfall, God's grace allowed his lineage to continue and contribute positively to Israel's worship and spiritual heritage.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Numbers 16:3
And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, You take too much on you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: why then lift you up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Third Sunday Before Lent
... On the contrary, they even do many things to strengthen their ambition and
self-will, and ... 11, 27), and all the other great men aside from the faction of Korah. ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol ii/third sunday before lent.htm

The Epistle of Judas
... of Judas; ambition and haughtiness are his characteristics in the Pirke Aboth
(v.29), and this recurs below in ver.16 (their talk is arrogant). Korah is not ...
/.../moffat/the general epistles james peter and judas/the epistle of judas.htm

Epistle Lxiii. Limenius, Bishop of Vercell??, Having Died, the See ...
... of other things, when they hold forth honour to entice us to ambition, riches to ...
did not the earthquake swallow up Dathan, Abiron, and Korah because of their ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/epistle lxiii limenius bishop of.htm

Jeremy Taylor -- Christ's Advent to Judgment
... Did not God strike Korah and his company with fire from heaven ... persecutions of the
saints, and the cares of covetousness, and the troubles of ambition, and the ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons vol 2/jeremy taylor christs advent.htm

Ephesians iv. 7-Apr
... Know ye not what was the fate of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram? (Numbers 16:1-35.) Of
them only did I say? ... And there is an ambition among them, and hypocrisy. ...
/.../homily xi ephesians iv 7-apr.htm

On Reconciling Religious Dissensions among Christians
... from us." (Psalm 2:3.) From this baneful source arose the sedition of Korah, Dathan,
and ... by such a desire of power as partook at once of ambition and avarice ...
/.../the works of james arminius vol 1/oration v on reconciling religious.htm

The First Book
... Religious men are lowly"they wish to be so; poor"they delight in poverty; without
ambition"they spurn it; unesteemed ... Korah taunted him: he was overwhelmed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the first book.htm

Humbly Inscribed to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, one of his ...
... Come, my Prometheus, [56] from thy pointed rock. Of false ambition; if unchain'd,
we'll mount; ... Wrath, Pride, Ambition, and impure Desire. Lorenzo! ...
/.../young/youngs night thoughts/humbly inscribed to his grace.htm

Treatise i. On the Unity of the Church.
... Thus Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who endeavoured to claim to themselves the power
of sacrificing in ... 3098] Describing in few words the ambition and dissimulation ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise i on the unity.htm

The Barren Fig-Tree;
... let go the reins of their inordinate affections after pride, ambition, gluttony;
pampering ... Thus he cut down Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, when he made the earth ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the barren fig-tree.htm