“And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them; and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them; and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, ‘Lest the earth swallow us up also.’” (Ver. 31-34.) Truly, “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of His saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about Him.” “Our God is a consuming fire.” How much better it would have been for Korah had he rested content with his Levite service, which was of the very highest order. His work, as a Kohathite, was to carry some of the most precious vessels of the sanctuary; but he aimed at the priesthood, and fell into the pit. Nor was this all. Hardly had the ground closed over the rebels when “there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.” It was a most terrific scene altogether—a signal and soul-subduing exhibition of divine judgment upon human pride and pretension. It is vain for a man to exalt himself against God, for He resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. What consummate folly for worms of the dust to lift themselves up against the almighty God! Poor man! he is more silly, by far, than the moth that rushes against the blaze that consumes it.