"So that they became a warning" (Numbers 26:10). These sober words are written about Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their associates. These men "contended against the LORD" (v. 9). Not happy with God's chosen leadership, they opposed Moses and Aaron. As a result of their rebellion, God sent judgment in which 250 men perished when "the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up" (v. 10).
Similar to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, from that day forward, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram became the well-known warning regarding the consequences of rebelling against God. The reputation those men left behind was that of caution and admonition. Children were warned not to be like them; parents didn't want their children to face the same fate.
This is not God's only warning. Psalm 78 was written as a warning; it recounts the failures of previous generations. Asaph introduces his psalm, "Listen, O my people, to my instruction. ... I will utter dark sayings of old. ... We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD" (Psalm 78:1, 2, 4). Even though the stories of the past were dark, filled with failure and resulting judgment, it was important to retell those stories as warnings for future generations.
Asaph tells story after story, cycle after cycle, of Israel's failures. He tells how Israel forgot God's works, didn't keep His covenant, refused to walk in His law, rebelled against God, didn't believe in Him, didn't trust His salvation, grieved Him, tempted Him, turned back from Him, and provoked Him. The psalm reveals increasing levels of judgment, all with the intention that the coming generations would heed the warning and refrain from making the same mistakes.
Even the New Testament continues telling these stories, applying the warning not just to Israel but also to New Testament Christians. Paul recalls the story found in Numbers 21. The Israelites grumbled about the wilderness experience. They complained about the lack of food and water. They despised the very provision of God. This grumbling brought the judgment of God, as many were destroyed by fiery serpents.
Paul also tells the story found in Numbers 25. The people of that day performed immoral actions with the daughters of Moab. Furthermore, they joined in the worship of their heathen gods. God responded by sending a plague, in which 23,000 people died in a single day.
Paul specifically reveals that these Bible stories were recorded, first in the Old Testament and again in the New, as warnings for those who would read. "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction" (I Corinthians 10:11).
Before his death, Moses challenged Israel to be faithful. He warned that if they turned against God, they would face judgment. He foresaw the future, as he described "the plagues of the land and the diseases with which the LORD has afflicted it" (Deuteronomy 29:22). Judgment would surely follow rebellion.
The caution of Moses contains a sobering revelation. While the Israelites would suffer the consequences of their rebellion, other peoples would also observe and evaluate. "All the nations will say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to the land? Why this great outburst of anger?' Then men will say, 'Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt'" (vs. 24-25).
The sad commentary is that sometimes the answer for the question "Why is all of this happening to me?" is so obvious that even non-Christians understand. Even the world knows there is something powerful about a relationship with God. It is not something to be taken lightly. God can't be followed sporadically or half-heartedly, only when one feels like it. God can't be abandoned or forgotten with no consequences. Those who live in such a fashion end up as warnings and bywords.
Perhaps the most sobering aspect of these stories of warning lies in the intensity of the various situations. Some of the situations of rebellion were pretty major - immorality with heathen women and worshipping of false gods. Other situations were still serious but seem not to be on the same level - being dissatisfied with the leader God had established. Still other situations seem relatively minor - not liking the food and living conditions God had provided.
Whether major or minor, rebellion is an issue of the heart. Any level of rebellion reveals a heart that is un-submissive to God. Lack of submission is a poison that quickly grows. What starts as not liking the food can rapidly escalate into worshipping false gods, because the heart attitude, not the specific target, is the key. What a tragedy for any Christian to walk down such a dangerous path, one that could set him up as a warning for those of his generation.
Thankfully, the Bible reveals a completely different and much more refreshing option. Rather than being a negative warning of what not to do, Christians have the opportunity of being a positive example of what to do. Paul told Timothy, "In speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe" (I Timothy 4:12).
This challenge ought to grip the heart of every believer. No one wants to look back at the end of his life, realizing the best thing he can say is, "Don't do what I did." What a much better thing to be able to say, "While I wasn't perfect, I left you an example to follow." The capacity to be an example rather than a warning is dependent upon squelching any level of rebellion quickly and choosing rather to submit to God in all things.
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