Their end was so very dreadful that I can hardly tell it to you. God would not let them rise up against His servant Moses; and when they would not listen nor repent He made the earth open under their feet, and they went down alive, and were swallowed up in the pit before the eyes of all the other Israelites; and so they died the most terrible death anyone ever died. It was because they set themselves up against Moses, whom God had placed over them, that He was so angry with them.
Remember God has set people over us: there are our fathers and mothers, and our clergymen and teachers; and it is our duty to obey them, as He tells us in the Fifth Commandment. If we are proud and saucy it is very wrong of us. It is not likely that we should be so dreadfully punished in this life as Dathan and Abiram were; but their horrible death should make us remember that God is very angry with those that will not try to obey those that have the rule over them, and set themselves up to be bold and proud, and to say they do not care.
[Illustration: AARON AND HUR HOLDING UP THE HANDS OF MOSES.--Ex. 17:11.]
1. What is the Fifth Commandment? 2. What is the explanation of it in the Duty to our Neighbor? 3. Who was set over the Israelites by God? 4. Where had he brought them from? 5. Where was he leading them to? 6. How should they have behaved to him? 7. What bad men were there among them? 8. Whom did they not care for? 9. What did they say? 10. Why was it very wicked of Dathan and Abiram not to obey Moses? 11. What terrible end did they come to? 12. Why was God angry with Dathan and Abiram? 13. What makes Him angry? 14. Whom did you say He had set over you? 15. Then how must you behave to your parents and clergymen and teachers?
"And seek ye the priesthood also?"--_Numbers 16:10._
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.