WHEN God gave the Commandments upon Mount Sinai, He chose that Aaron, Moses' brother, and his sons should be His priests. A priest had to offer up the sacrifices to God, and to burn incense to Him. Incense is made of dried plants and gums that have a sweet smell when they are burnt.
The priests had brazen urns with holes at the top, and chains to hold them by, and when the smoke of the incense went up it was just as our prayers rise up to God in heaven. There were other people called Levites, who had to take care of the holy things that were used in God's service, but only the priests might offer sacrifices or incense.
KORAH AND HIS ASSOCIATES SWALLOWED UP.—Num. 16:31-33.
Now one of these Levites, named Korah, wanted to do more. He was angry, and said everybody was holy, and that Aaron took too much on himself. Now it was not Aaron who made himself priest, but God had made him so. Therefore it was wrong in Korah; but there were two hundred and fifty men whom he persuaded to come and get censers, and offer incense to the Lord as if they had been priests. But because they did it in pride and self-will God was angry with them, and His fire burst out and scorched them all to death! It was only the men themselves that died, not their wives or children; and Korah's family after him were better than he was, and used to sing God's praises in the Psalms.
But they always recollected that no one who was not a priest might offer sacrifice or burn incense before God.
QUESTIONS.
1. What had a priest to do? 2. What was a sacrifice? 3. What was incense? 4. What was it burnt in? 5. Who only might offer sacrifice and incense? 6. Who was the right priest? 7. How came Aaron to be priest? 8. Who wanted to offer incense? 9. What did Korah say? 10. How many came with him? 11. What did they try to do? 12. What happened to the two hundred and fifty? 13. Why were they punished? 14. What became of Korah's children? 15. Who are our priests? 16. How were they made priests? 17. What may they alone do?