Two Kinds of Created Beings Rejecting God’s Authority vs. The Two Rebellions in Numbers Chapter 16

 

Two Kinds of Created Beings Rejecting God’s Authority vs. The Two Rebellions in Numbers Chapter 16

Isaiah 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, bright star, son of the morning! How you have been cast down to the earth, you who have destroyed the nations!

Genesis 11:4 They said, “Come, let us build a city and a tower with its top in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Romans 5:18 So then, by one sin all were condemned, so by one righteous act all were justified and had life.

Romans 5:19 Just as by one man’s disobedience many constitute sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will constitute righteousness.

Numbers 16:19 Korah gathered the whole congregation before the entrance to the tent of meeting to attack Moses and Aaron, and the glory of the Lord was revealed to them.

Jude 1:11 Woe to them! Because he followed Cain's path, and for the sake of wages he went straight into Balaam's error, and perished in Korah's betrayal.

Item	Two Kinds of Created Beings Rejecting God’s Authority  (Fall of Angels & Fall of Man)	Two Rebellions in Numbers 16  (Leaders & Whole Congregation)
Meaning	The fundamental controversy in the universe: Who deserves authority	The practical and historical manifestation of rebellion among God’s people
Cause	Refusal to accept God as the supreme Ruler and throne	Failure to recognize God’s delegated authority
Metaphor	Kicking against the goads (human strength opposing divine authority)	Seeing only men, not God’s authority
Way	Self-exaltation, independence, self-rule	Questioning, accusation, shifting blame
Lesson	God’s authority cannot be overthrown—only acknowledged	Only those who see authority can truly submit
Explanation	Both angels and man rejected authority, yet God never withdrew His throne	The spirit of rebellion is contagious and does not cease automatically through judgment
Result	Fall, principle of death, delayed manifestation of the kingdom	The earth opened, fire from God, plague among the people
Relationship	Universal rebellion → historical and corporate rebellion	Rebellion is Satan’s principle expressed among men
Examples	Satan’s rebellion; Adam’s disobedience	Korah, 250 leaders; the whole congregation accusing Moses
Application	Willingly submit to God and uphold His authority	Submit not to men, but to God’s authority upon them
Burden	God maintains His authority while establishing His kingdom	The church manifests God’s authority through submission
Prophesying Guidance	Affirm that authority belongs to God; reject Satan’s principle	See authority, not persons
Conclusion	Rebellion is the principle of death; submission is the principle of the kingdom	Ignorance of authority is more dangerous than other sins
Related Scriptures	Rev. 4:2; Matt. 11:25; Rom. 5:19	Num. 16; Acts 9:5–17

 

Spiritual Integrative Explanation:

• The central issue in the universe is not right or wrong, but authority.
• Rebellion is not merely against man, but against God’s throne.
• One who has not met authority on the road to Damascus cannot submit in the city of Damascus.
• God may tolerate many sins, but never rebellion.
• The testimony of the church lies not in power, but in submission.

One Prophesying Summary Sentence:

Submission is not bowing to man, but yielding to the throne; whoever sees authority lives in the reality of God’s kingdom.

 

*Please refer to the 2025 Thanksgiving International Symposium on Christ, the All-Inclusive Christ Revealed in the Gospel of Matthew, Part Six: Christ as One Who Has All Authority in Heaven and on Earth.