Message Notes

YOUTH WORSHIP SERVICE 26 April 2025

Text: Numbers 16:1-40

Message: “The sons of Levi”

GOD’S PLAN

1. For Moses

a. To be leader of Israel

b. To be God’s spokesman Numbers 12:7-8

2. For Aaron and his sons

a. To minister to God as priest Exodus 28:1

b. To bear the names of the children of Israel before God Exodus 28:12, 29

3. For the sons of Levi

a. Attend to the needs of the priests Numbers 3:7a

b. Attend to the needs of the congregation Numbers 3:7b

c. Do the work of the tabernacle Numbers 3:7c

THE CHALLENGE AGAINST GOD’S PLAN

1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; 2 and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. 3 They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”

Numbers 16:1-3

1. Korah’s challenge against Moses and Aaron

a. Korah was a Levite Numbers 16:1

b. He had the support of

i. The sons of Reuben Numbers 16:1

ii. 250 leaders of the congregation Numbers 16:2

c. His accusation Numbers 16:3

i. Moses and Aaron were taking too much upon themselves

ii. They had exalted themselves above the assembly of the LORD

d. His reasoning Numbers 16:3

i. All the congregation was holy

ii. The LORD was among them

2. The problem with Korah’s challenge

a. He mixed truth and error

i. While it is true that the children of God are holy to Him

ii. It is not true that all of them have the right to be priests

b. He rejected God’s plan

i. That God had specially chosen Aaron and his sons to be priests

ii. That God had given the sons of Levi the privilege to serve in the work of the tabernacle

iii. He wanted his own way instead of following God’s plan

c. Behind it is the problem of sin

i. Intentional sin

ii. Presumptuous sin cf. Numbers 15:30-31

THE WARNING GIVEN

8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: 9 Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; 10 and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? 11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?”

Numbers 16:8-11

1. God had given Korah the privilege of being a Levite Numbers 16:8-9

a. Separated him from the congregation of Israel

b. To bring him near to Himself

c. To do the work of the tabernacle of the LORD

d. To stand before the congregation to serve them

2. Korah’s sin

a. He was seeking the priesthood, which was not meant for him Numbers 16:10

b. In rebelling against Moses, he was in fact going against God Numbers 16:11

i. God’s plan for the priests and Levites

ii. God’s word given through Moses

GOD’S PUNISHMENT

23 So the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ”
25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” 27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.
28 And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. 29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. 30 But if the LORD creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the LORD.”
31 Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. 33 So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!”
35 And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

Numbers 16:23-35

1. Korah, Dathan and Abiram Numbers 16:31-34

a. The ground split apart under them

b. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up

c. With their households and all the men with Korah

d. They and all those with them went down alive into the pit

e. The earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly

2. The 250 leaders offering the incense Numbers 16:35

Fire came out from the LORD and consumed them

LESSONS FOR US TO LEARN

1. The plan of God

a. God always has a plan

b. His plan can be found in the Scriptures

c. We must learn to appreciate God’s plan

2. The problem of sin

a. Sin is when we

i. Reject God’s plan

ii. Choose our way over God’s way

b. This is to be understood as a presumptuous sin

3. The consequence of sin

a. When we don’t deal with our sin, it would lead to disastrous consequences

b. God reserves the right to punish us

c. This is God’s principle of recompense

4. The challenge for us

a. Appreciate the plan of God

b. Beware of the danger of rejecting God’s plan

c. Deal with the problem of presumptuous sin within us