Read Numbers 16:41–50
Questions from the Scripture text: When does Numbers 16:41 take place? Who complain? Against whom? Of what do they accuse them? To where do they turn (Numbers 16:42)? What covered it? What appeared? Who come before it (Numbers 16:43)? Who speaks to whom in Numbers 16:44? What does He command Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16:45)? So that He can do what? But how do Moses and Aaron respond? Who speaks to whom in Numbers 16:46? What does he tell him to take? And put what in it? And take it where? To do what? Why—what has gone out? From Whom? What has begun? What does Aaron do (Numbers 16:47)? How quickly? To where does he run? What had begun? What did Aaron do? Where did he stand (Numbers 16:48)? With what result? How many had died (Numbers 16:49)? Besides whom? To whom did Aaron return (Numbers 16:50)? Where? Why?
What can be done for our hardening, blinding sin, and the wrath that it deserves? Numbers 16:41–50 prepares us for the evening sermon on the Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christ humbled Himself and suffered the wrath due to our sin to deliver us from it and glorify Himself.
The astonishing hardness of sin. After all that had occurred (Numbers 16:1–40), the people rise up against Moses and Aaron on the very next day (Numbers 16:41)! Sinners are hard to their danger; they know that they deserve death for it (cf. Romans 1:32), but keep on doing it as if somehow God will not repay. Do you not recognize this about your own sin?
The astonishing blindness of sin. The accusation is rich, considering “the people of YHWH” would have all perished apart from Moses’s and Aaron’s intercession (cf. Numbers 16:21-22), and they are not only going to intercede again (Numbers 16:44), but even atone at the risk of their own death (Numbers 16:48).
The glory and goodness that are always there. The glory cloud appears and descends upon the tabernacle (Numbers 16:42). Moses and Aaron see and answer the summons (Numbers 16:43). The standing arrangement is still operating. God’s faithfulness is steady; He never changes. When we sin, we not only forget the goodness of the glorious God, but offend His glory to His face! His glory becomes fury against us; what can be done?
Humble intercession. YHWH’s command in Numbers 16:45 is identical to Numbers 16:21, except the verb that NKJ translates “Get away” is actually an imperative of the verb from the accusation at the end of Numbers 16:3. “Exalt yourselves above this congregation” would be a literal translation!
They had the right, by this instruction, to exalt themselves. But as in Exodus 32:10–14, Numbers 14:11–20, and Numbers 16:21–23, Moses intercedes for the people. With the right to exalt themselves, they humble themselves instead, because they had been called to mediatorial office as go-betweens and intercessors for Israel. Even when Aaron finishes his heroic mission, he returns humbly to his post in Numbers 16:50.
We, too, have a Mediator Who had the right even to equality with God, but added a human nature to Himself in order to humble Himself to intercede for us (cf. Philippians 2:6–7)! Moses and Aaron, here, are types of Christ to us.
Sacrificial intercession. Differently than the three times mentioned above, the Lord does not heed the prayers for the people. Knowing that the prayers are heard on account of the atonement that the Lord has provided in His mercy, Moses urges Aaron to take his role as high priest, and present the completed sacrifice before the Lord. “a censer” in Numbers 16:46 is actually “the censer” in the Hebrew—significantly the remaining and true censer from the previous day’s contest (the other 250 having been reserved for overlaying the altar). It is a reminder that his high-priesthood is not only valid, but is a sacred calling from God.
Aaron is to take burning coals from the altar, which would be burning the fat from the sacrifices. He offers incense not before the curtain of the holy of holies but before YHWH Himself, Who is slaying the people with plague. They have done to themselves what they had accused Moses and Aaron of doing!
Now Aaron places himself directly in the path of the wrath of God, passing through and by the almost fifteen thousand who are dead and/or dying. Undoubtedly, the people are also fleeing the dying, giving Aaron the opportunity to stand between (Numbers 16:48). For the sake of the priesthood and the sacrifice that the Lord had provided for atonement, the plague stops. But, truly, it is for the sake of Christ. Christ put Himself in the way of God’s wrath (cf. Philippians 2:8), and it did not stop but spent itself upon Him until it was finished (cf. John 19:30).
What sin have you felt the consequences of, but still find yourself committing? Who has served you, but you might have accused in your heart? Whom have you served, but they accused you? Who has humbled Himself to intercede for you? What happened, when He put Himself in the way of God’s wrath?
Sample prayer: Lord, have mercy upon us, for our sin is so hardening and blinding. Forgive us, and deliver us from it. Thank You for giving to us Your own Son as our Great High Priest. And thank You that He has humbled Himself in order to fulfill His calling as our Priest. Thank You that He put Himself in the way of the wrath that we had incurred and has saved us from death. Give us to trust in Him, and glorify His Name above all names for this, in which Name we ask it, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP51B “From My Sins, O Hide Your Face” or TPH274 “Jesus, My Great High Priest”
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