Does The Judgment of Korah Loom Over All Of Protestantism?
The Judgment of Korah
No passage of Scripture has ever so arrested my thought.
No passage of Scripture has ever quite so arrested my thought and made me want to throw everything I thought and believed.
One thing's for certain: I shall henceforth submit to Church authority. Authority that itself submits upward, finally, to the Pope.
Why?
Because there is such a thing as Church hierarchy.
[And it is frightening]
Especially because in one fell swoop, it places all of Protestantism in jeopardy. Under the shadow of the judgment of Korah. The Judgment of Korah!
The story of Korah—where “fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense”—is found in the Book of Numbers, chapter 16.
This question is unavoidable: What was their offence?
Here's what they did to offend God.....
1. They Usurped a Holy Office
Incense was not a generic act of worship.
In Israel, it was a priestly function, reserved exclusively for Aaron and his sons
(see Exodus 30; Leviticus 16).
Korah’s faction declared:
“All the congregation is holy.”
But they acted as though holiness erased calling.
The holiness of a people ≠ the authorization of roles.
2. They Treated Holiness as Entitlement
Their so-called “test”—each man bringing a censer—was not humility.
It was presumption.
They did not ask God whether they were called.
They assumed it—and dared God to contradict them.
3. Incense Magnifies Judgment
Incense symbolizes approach—drawing near to God.
To approach God without being sent
is more dangerous than staying away.
What sanctifies the obedient
consumes the rebellious.
The same fire that accepts sacrifice
also rejects presumption.
4. They Challenged God’s Order—Not Just Moses
God makes this explicit:
“You and all your company are gathered together against the LORD”
(Numbers 16:11)
This was not a political revolt.
It was a theological rebellion—
a rejection of God’s chosen mediation.
5. A Warning to Future Generations
The censers were later hammered into plating for the altar
(Numbers 16:38–40).
They became a permanent memorial: zeal without obedience is lethal.
In Short
They were not punished for worshipping.
They were punished for worshipping on their own terms.
Why Fire Fell
1. Calling Was Ignored
Meaning:
The divine calling already placed on God’s chosen leaders was treated as irrelevant.
Korah’s group claimed that everyone was called in the same way.
That single move erased:
distinction of office
divine appointment
mediated authority
Once God’s specific calling is flattened into general holiness,
no calling remains at all—only ambition dressed as equality.
2. Authority Was Despised
Meaning:
They rejected the divinely established priesthood as illegitimate and unnecessary.
3. Holiness Was Treated Casually
Meaning:
They mistook personal piety and group sanctity for authorization to handle holy things.
4. God Was Approached Without Permission
Meaning:
They drew near to God in a way He had not commanded,
invoking presence without mandate.
The Lesson
The lesson is stark—and timeless:
Not everyone who wants to minister is sent.
And not everyone who feels holy is authorized.
Terrifying.
Questions
Are you ignoring the divine calling already placed on God’s chosen leaders—treating it as irrelevant?
Do you reject the divinely established priesthood as illegitimate and unnecessary?
Do you mistake personal piety and group sanctity for authorization to handle holy things?
Do you approach God without permission—drawing near in a way He has not commanded?
The lesson remains:
Not everyone who wants to minister is sent.
And not everyone who feels holy is authorized.
Terrifying.
Lord, help us.
posted by #Dk @ 7:44 AM
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