A Chance to Repent

Once again the leadership of Moses and Aaron was challenged (Numbers 16). This time by Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Their challenge: Everyone one of us is holy, not just Aaron. We should all be able to stand before God.

When Moses heard it, he responded by giving God an opportunity to prove whom He wanted in His presence. Moses told these men, about 250 of them, to appear the next morning with censers and incense. They would stand before the tabernacle and God would make it clear.

Why didn't Moses tell them to come immediately? Why didn't he call out to God to make it clear to them right away?

It appears that Moses was giving them a chance to repent.

After putting out the challenge, Moses asked some questions to get these men to think. "Isn't it enough that Korah and the rest of the Levites had been chosen to minister in the tabernacle? Out of all the other tribes, God chose the tribe of Levi. Isn't that enough? Do you really presume to take the priesthood which belongs to Aaron and his descendants?

He gave them all night to examine themselves. He confronted them with the truth. Then he sent them home to think about it.

Unfortunately, they didn't repent. At first they weren't even going to show up. But when they came back in the morning, the earth swallowed these men, their families and all they owned. It was clear that God had chosen Aaron and not Korah, Dathan and Abiram.

There was no longer time to repent.

So, if you are still alive there is time to repent. To change your mind about your sins and turn from them - that's what repentance is.

You may not have stood up in rebellion like these 250 men. But every prideful attitude, every lustful thought, every second of envy, every sin is rebellion against God.

Anything that you do that is not 100% the way God has commanded is rebellion.

Turn from your sin and turn to Jesus. He paid the penalty completely. He can change you from a rebellious child to a beloved child.

Not by changing your behavior, but by changing your life.