The story of Aaron standing between the dead and the living is recounted in Numbers 16, during the rebellion of Korah. Korah, along with Dathan, Abiram and 250 Israelite leaders, rebelled against the authority of Moses and Aaron. They claimed that Moses and Aaron had exalted themselves above the rest of the congregation. In response, God caused the earth to open up and swallow Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their families alive. Fire also came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 leaders who were offering incense. This display of God’s judgement caused the rest of the Israelites to flee in fear.
However, the next day the whole congregation rebelled against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of killing the people of the Lord. As a sign of God’s displeasure at their rebellion, a plague broke out among the people. Moses instructed Aaron to hurriedly make atonement for the people by offering incense and making sacrifice for their sin. As Aaron stood between the dead and the living with the incense censor, the plague was stopped. 14,700 people died in the plague before Aaron’s intercession.
There are several important things we can learn from this account:
- God takes rebellion against divinely instituted authority very seriously. Korah and his followers were judged immediately.
- Even after God’s clear judgement, the people still rebelled and blamed Moses and Aaron instead of repenting. Sin can blind people to God’s truth.
- Aaron as high priest had a unique mediatory role between God and the people. His offering of incense and sacrifices turned away God’s wrath.
- Aaron foreshadows Christ’s work as our great High Priest and mediator (Hebrews 4:14-16).
- The plague was only stopped by Aaron’s intercession, illustrating the urgency and effectiveness of priestly intercession.
- The story illustrates the deadly and destructive nature of sin and rebellion, countered by God’s mercy through the mediation of the High Priest.
In summary, this dramatic account establishes Aaron’s vital mediatory role between God and the people, foreshadowing Christ’s high priestly ministry of intercession. It underscores God’s displeasure with rebellion against authority He has instituted. And it highlights the urgency and efficacy of priestly intercession in turning away God’s wrath and stopping judgement.
1. God’s judgement on rebellion against His appointed leaders
Numbers 16 gives the account of Korah, Dathan and Abiram’s rebellion against the authority God had placed on Moses and Aaron. Despite Moses’ warning, Korah, Dathan and Abiram persist in their rebellion, denying that Moses and Aaron had any special authority or calling from God (Numbers 16:3, 13-14). As a result, God judged them swiftly and severely:
But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord (Numbers 16:30).
The very next day, the ground opened up and swallowed Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their families, and fire came out from God consuming the 250 men who were burning incense as part of the rebellion. This showed that God will not tolerate rebellion against the authorities He has instituted. Korah and his followers claimed that Moses and Aaron had exalted themselves. But really they were the ones exalting their own status and denying God’s appointment of Moses and Aaron.
2. The stubbornness of sin leading to further rebellion
Even after witnessing God’s dramatic judgement on the rebellion, the Israelites still did not repent. Instead of being in awe of God’s holiness, the very next day the whole congregation rebelled against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of killing the people of the Lord (Numbers 16:41).
This second rebellion illustrates the deceitfulness of sin. Even after God powerfully demonstrates His judgment on rebellion, the people were still blinded to their own sin and kept rebelling. Instead of repenting, their hearts were hardened, and they turned further against God’s appointed servants, Moses and Aaron.
This stubbornness of sin and rebellion required further judgment, leading to the outbreak of the plague and the death of 14,700 people before Aaron’s intercession finally turned away God’s wrath from the people.
3. Aaron as priestly mediator
A key element in this account of judgment and intercession is the priestly mediation of Aaron between God and the people. After the outbreak of the plague, Moses commands Aaron:
Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord; the plague has begun (Numbers 16:46).
Aaron immediately carries out this priestly duty, standing between the dead and the living to make atonement for the people and stop the plague. This demonstrates Aaron’s crucial role as mediator and intercessor between God and the nation.
The incense Aaron offered symbolized the prayers of the people going up to God. His making atonement for the people appeased God’s wrath against their sin. Aaron, as high priest, served as mediator to reconcile the people to God. This intercessory role involved offering the sacrifices and incense on behalf of the people.
In this dramatic scene, Aaron foreshadows Christ’s greater High Priestly ministry. Jesus offered himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins and now intercedes as Mediator between God and His people (Hebrews 7:25).
4. The foreshadowing of Christ’s high priestly ministry
In several ways, Aaron’s ministry as high priest and his mediation between the dead and the living foreshadows the ministry of Christ for New Testament believers:
- Like Aaron, Christ offered Himself as the atoning sacrifice for the peoples’ sin once and for all (Hebrews 9:11-14).
- Christ’s sacrifice turned away God’s wrath against sin, like Aaron’s incense offering stopped the plague (Romans 3:25).
- Christ intercedes for God’s people as High Priest, just as Aaron interceded effectually for Israel (Hebrews 7:25).
- Christ’s priestly ministry reconciles and makes peace between God and believers, just as Aaron stood between the dead and living to make atonement (Hebrews 2:17).
So in the figure of Aaron mediating between God’s judgment and the people, we see a foreshadowing of Jesus, our greater High Priest. His sacrifice of Himself is fully able to atone for sin’s deadly consequences. And His continual intercession as High Priest is our anchor, for He lives to make intercession for the people of God (Hebrews 7:25).
5. The ministry of priestly intercession
This dramatic historical account highlights some key truths about the ministry of priestly intercession that Aaron pictured, and Jesus fulfills:
- It is needed urgently – Moses commanded Aaron to quickly make atonement to stop the plague that had broken out.
- It is offered sacrificially – Aaron had to offer incense and make atonement for the people’s sin.
- It turns away judgment – Aaron’s intercession stopped the plague of God’s judgment.
- It effects reconciliation – Aaron stood between the living and the dead to restore relationship with God.
- It gives life – the plague was stopped, saving the lives of the survivors.
What Aaron pictured in shadow, Christ fulfills in reality as the great High Priest. His intercession flows from His once for all sacrifice. And it is continuous, as He ever lives to make intercession for His people (Hebrews 7:25). Our hope lies not in ourselves and our merits, but in Christ’s effectual high priestly intercession for us.
6. The deadly destructiveness of sin and rebellion
This account displays God’s hatred of sin, especially the sin of rebellion against authority He has instituted. Korah, Dathan and Abiram’s denial of Moses and Aaron’s leadership called into question God’s wisdom and sovereignty. The earth swallowing them up manifested God’s righteous judgment on their rebellion (Numbers 16:32). When the rest of the congregation joined in this rebellion, it showed the deadly spread of sin, requiring further judgment. The plague that broke out increased God’s judgment to 14,700 people before Aaron’s intercession turned away His wrath.
This dramatic demonstration of sin’s consequences underscores the absolute holiness of God and His righteous anger against sin and rebellion. It reminds us of the biblical truth – “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Korah thought he could challenge God’s established authority through Moses without consequence because he was part of God’s covenant people, but he was proven fatally wrong.
God’s judgment on sin should cause in us a right fear of God and hatred of our own sin and rebellion that required the sacrifice of Christ to turn aside God’s wrath from us. We are spared not because we are better than Korah, but because of God’s gracious mercy through the Mediator Jesus Christ.
7. God’s mercy triumphs through priestly mediation
While God’s dramatic judgment shows His holiness, the equally dramatic mediation of Aaron also showcases His mercy. When Aaron stood between the living and the dead with his incense censor, God’s anger was turned away and the plague was stopped despite the people’s stubborn rebellion. God accepted Aaron’s intercession based on the sacrificial atonement he offered.
The judgment on Korah displays God’s uncompromising opposition to sin. But the mediation of Aaron shows that God’s heart is also open to merciful reconciliation through priestly intercession and sacrifice. Wrath and mercy met at the cross of Christ, whose sacrifice expressed God’s justice and anger at sin, but also His redeeming love in saving those who trust in Christ (Romans 3:25-26).
So in Aaron’s ministry we find a picture of the triumph of God’s mercy over the deadly destructiveness of sin through priestly mediation. The plague stopped not because the people deserved it, but because Aaron interceded for them. In the same way, we can only be saved from sin’s deadly consequences through the greater High Priest Jesus, who offered Himself in our place.
8. Key lessons for believers
Reflecting on this account of judgment, rebellion and priestly mediation, here are some key lessons for believers:
- Have an awe-filled respect for God’s holiness and opposition to sin.
- Recognize the deceitfulness of sin that blinds hearts to truth.
- Submit to and pray for God’s appointed leaders rather than rebelling.
- Be grateful for Christ’s High Priestly ministry interceding for you.
- Look to Christ alone as your mediator and source of mercy.
- Avail yourself of Christ’s greater intercession through prayer.
- Be thankful that God’s mercy triumphs over judgment for those in Christ.
This dramatic Old Testament historical account carries vital truths to instruct our hearts. It points ultimately to Jesus, the perfect High Priest and Mediator. Through His once for all sacrifice for sin and continual heavenly intercession, God’s judgment is turned away and mercy secures our reconciliation. What a glorious High Priest we have in Christ!