Friday 8th September
Read Numbers 16:41-50
“The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. ‘You have killed the Lord’s people,’ they said. 42 But when the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned towards the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord said to Moses, 45 ‘Get away from this assembly so that I can put an end to them at once.’ And they fell face down.
46 Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.’ 47 So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.” (NIVUK)
Just in case we haven’t yet grasped the main point of the story, we read another summary. Grumbling and false accusations against the leaders of God’s people (v41), the Lord defends them (v42) and Moses and Aaron intercede (v43-47). Obedience to God’s word, as spoken through Moses, is at the heart of holiness. It is the difference, literally, between life and death (v48).
When Jesus died on the cross, interceding for a rebellious people, asking they be forgiven for what they were doing He was walking in the steps of Aaron and Moses. His intercession cost Him His life – and upon His death, those who were holy came back to life (Matthew 27:51-53). Those who were saved by Aaron and his sprint into the plague of the death, whilst not holy, were certainly separated from God’s wrath and spared death.
It is a message worth reflecting on in earnest. Holiness leads to life – how diligently do you pursue it? How diligently do you seek God in His word, by His Spirit and through His Son?
