13. Against what does 1 Corinthians 10:10 warn, and what rebellion did Paul have in mind?

¹³ Citing his final example involving the Israelites in the wilderness, Paul writes: “Neither be murmurers, just as some of them murmured, only to perish by the destroyer.” (1 Corinthians 10:10) Rebellion erupted when Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their associates acted untheocratically and challenged the authority of Moses and Aaron. (Numbers 16:1-3) After the destruction of the rebels, the Israelites started to murmur. This was because they began to reason that the destruction of the rebels was unjust. Numbers 16:41 states: “Directly the next day the whole assembly of the sons of Israel began to murmur against Moses and Aaron, saying: ‘You men, you have put Jehovah’s people to death.’” As a result of their finding fault with the way justice was administered on that occasion, 14,700 Israelites perished from a divinely sent scourge.—Numbers 16:49.

¹⁵ It is proper to ask sincere questions about a Scriptural subject. But what if we were to develop a negative attitude that manifested itself in critical discussions among an intimate circle of friends? We would do well to ask ourselves, ‘Where is this likely to end? Would it not be far better to stop murmuring and pray humbly for wisdom?’ (James 1:5-8; Jude 17-21) Korah and his supporters, who rebelled against the authority of Moses and Aaron, may have been so convinced that their perspective was valid that they did not examine their motives. Nonetheless, they were completely wrong. So were the Israelites who murmured about the destruction of Korah and the other rebels. How wise it is to let such examples move us to examine our motives, dispel murmuring or complaining, and allow Jehovah to refine us!—Psalm 17:1-3.