Cs – The Rebellion of All the People 16: 41-50

The Rebellion of All the People
16: 41-50

The rebellion of all the people DIG: What further charge was brought against Moses and Aaron? How many times did the Sh’khinah glory appear; how many times did Moses and Aaron intercede on the nations’ behalf? How is Messiah a Priest of the higher order of Melchizedek? How did God validate Aaron as the high priest during the plague?

REFLECT: Aaron “stood between the dead and the living” to save his people. Are there people for whom you need to pray and seek God? Who are they? Take a moment to pray for someone who is currently under the judgment of God. Pray for that person to have “a moment of spiritual clarity,” to see their sin for what it is, and ask for forgiveness.

The rebellion continued to spread: from the Levites, to the lay leaders, to all the people.

The rebellion of the people (16:41-45 and 47b): Sin is contagious. The rebellion began by three men, spread to 250, and then was responsible for contributing to the deaths of 14,700 others. One would think that the people would have had their bellies’ full of rebellion. Nevertheless, they were at it again. Not waiting very long, the next day the people grumbled against Moses and Aaron and said: You have killed ADONAI’s people (16:41). Blinded by their sin, the people did not interpret things correctly and claimed that Moses and Aaron killed God’s people; but it was actually Ha’Shem who did the killing of Korah and his followers (to see link click Cr – The Response of God). The deaths of Korah and his followers should have brought reverent awe into the hearts of the Israelites, but there was no fear of God before their eyes (Romans 3:18). Instead of falling on their knees and crying out to God for forgiveness and mercy the Israelites were rebelling against Moses and Aaron just like Korah had done.³²⁹

When a menacing mob gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the Tabernacle, suddenly the cloud covered it and the Sh’khinah glory of ADONAI appeared (16:42). God came to the rescue. This is the third time that the Sh’khinah glory appeared in Numbers. And each time it spells trouble for those who oppose Him, His purpose, or His chosen ones. When the whole community gathered stones to stone Caleb and Joshua to death, the Sh’khinah glory appeared and protected them (14:10-12); when Korah assembled the leaders of the community, key members of the council, men of reputation to oppose Moses and Aaron, then suddenly the Sh’khinah glory appeared to defend His chosen ones; and here, the third time we see the Sh’khinah glory suddenly appearing to save Moses and Aaron again.³³⁰

Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the Tabernacle (16:43). They did not grovel in fear. They were where they belonged – in the presence of the LORD. Only they were permitted to do so; all others who dared draw near would become burnt offerings. Moses and Aaron approached the Tabernacle and entered into the eerie darkness within the mysterious cloud, with lightning and darkness enveloping – they came to God.

ADONAI’s response was exactly the same as before when He said to Moses, “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” Once again the whole nation is faced with total destruction if not for their intercession. Moses and Aaron fell facedown (16:44-45), just as they had done when Korah and his allies rebelled (16:4), and just as they had done when each of the 250 men took his censor and put fire in it (16:22). Again, as Ha’Shem was about to destroy the nation, Moses and Aaron, under unbelievable personal attack, bowed down to seek His mercy, to turn away His wrath.³³¹ But this time, it was not soon enough to stop the plague that had already begun. Wrath has come out from ADONAI; the plague has started” (16:46). God’s holiness demanded it.

The plague (16:46-47a, and 48-50): As is the case with other disciplinary plagues sent by Ha’Shem, this one, being supernatural, would require a supernatural cure! Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with fiery burning coals from the bronze altar and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them to appease the wrath of YHVH. Moshe told his brother to hurry. This word communicates the rush of grace by two old men to protect the people, who moments before, had shouted their venomous hatred of them. Surely, in the brothers’ actions we find God’s mercy! They could have said, “Let them die!’ But their character mirrored His own. Moses knew the plague had already begun before he had even looked. He could hear the shrieks of the people in the throes of death.

We notice that Aaron was told to take fiery burning coals from the bronze altar. He was not to use strange fire, but holy fire. He only used fire that would produce the results that ADONAI wanted. Earlier there were censers with strange fire used to attack Moses and Aaron, thus provoking the wrath of YHVH. But now, there was a censer of holy fire from the holy altar to protect the people against Ha’Shem’s wrath.³³²

This chapter has turned on the account of holy censers being used by unholy men in mock piety. Notice how one censer in the hands of the real priest was more powerful than 250 censers in the hands of counterfeit priests (16:31-35). And incense, which brought death when offered by counterfeit priests, brought life when offered by the real priest. What poetic justice! The very implement used by their enemies to force God’s hand to act, was then used to show His mercy. 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 (16:47).

Aaron physically stood between the living and the dead, though as high priest he would normally avoid all possible contact with the dead (Leviticus 21:11). But for the sake of the survival of the living, he humbled himself and was willing to sacrifice his ritual purity (see the commentary on Leviticus Bk – Ritually Clean and Unclean Animals) and his own life for the sake of his people. This was proof that he was, indeed, the chosen high priest of God. But there will be another affirmation in the next chapter (see Cu – Aaron’s Staff Budded). And the plague stopped (16:48). This shows the plague was not progressing in a haphazard way, but sweeping along from person to person.³³³

Aaron was a true intercessor. This image of a priestly intercessor has its ultimate expression in the work of Messiah, who as a Priest of the higher order of Melchizedek (see the commentary on Hebrews Bl – Yeshua the Melchizedek Priest), sacrificed His own life to take upon Himself the sin of humanity through His death on the cross, for the sake of gaining eternal life (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer) for a rebellious human race.³³⁴

But 14,700 people died before Aaron was able to stop the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah. What drama! And what a loss! Thousands died needlessly! Victims of their own foolishness. Why did they die? Because they did not obey. But at last the plague was stemmed. Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tabernacle, for the plague had stopped, a vindication of the role ADONAI had given to these two men (16:49-50). Despite the repeated attempts by powerful people to wrestle away from them the special place in the work of YHVH, there they stood, two old men, blessed of the LORD.³³⁵

We learn an important spiritual principle in this story. There are many holy men and would-be holy men in the world. Like the Levites, they have their assigned place and duty. But when it comes to atonement, we had better make sure that we have the true Priest. This is why we must cling to Yeshua Messiah. He is the right man for the job. He is the only one qualified to atone for us in the Heavenly Tabernacle (see Hebrews Bz – The Better Tabernacle Purified with Better Blood). He is the only One to stave off wrath.³³⁶

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for our eternal intercessor, ever living high priest, who came to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself . . . Messiah was offered once to bear the sins of many. (Heb 9:26c, 28a). What marvelous great love that willingly endured shame and great pain (Heb 12:2) so that you could rescue mankind from sin’s curse of death. You were the sinless Lamb of God (Jn 1:29) offering. By His will we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Messiah Yeshua once for all (Heb 10:10). Knowing the great cost He would have to pay, You chose the hard path so that You might offer Him for the sins of the world.  Yeshua Himself declared: I lay down My life, so that I may take it up again.  No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father (John 10:17b-18).

As the High Priest, You presented the sinless offering of Your own body, that Your blood might cleanse the consciences (Hebrews 9:14) of those who love and follow You as their Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10). Earthly High Priests die, creating the need for a new High Priest; but because You live forever and have conquered death by Your rising from the dead on the third day (Matthew 28:1-15, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-10), no more sacrifices for sins need to be made. Your High Priesthood lasts eternally. Indeed, every priest stands day by day serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But on the other hand, when this One offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God – waiting from then on, until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet (Hebrews 10:11-13). Praise and thank you for being our great intercessor, and perfect High Priest. In Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen