Here is another opportunity for Moses. The whole congregation is again threatened with immediate destruction. All seems hopeless. The divine long-suffering seems at an end, and the sword of judgment is about to fall on the whole assembly. And now it appears that in that very priesthood which the rebels had despised lies the only hope for the people; and that the very men whom they had charged with killing the Lord’s people, were God’s instruments in saving their lives.—“And Moses and Anion fell upon their faces. And Moses said unto Aaron, ‘Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.’ And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.” (Ver. 46-48.)
It is here made very apparent that nothing but priesthood—even that very priesthood which had been so despised—could avail for a rebellious and stiff-necked people. There is something unspeakably blessed in this closing paragraph. There stands Aaron, God’s high-priest, between the dead and the living, and from his censer a cloud of incense goes up before God. Impressive type of One greater than Aaron, who, having made a full and perfect atonement for the sins of His people, is ever before God in all the fragrance of His Person and work! Priesthood alone could bring the people through the wilderness. It was the rich and suited provision of divine grace. The people were indebted to intercession for their preservation from the just consequences of their rebellious murmurings. Had they been dealt with merely on the ground of justice, all that could be said was, “Let Me alone, that I may consume them in a moment.”
This is the language of pure and inflexible justice. Immediate destruction is the work of justice: full and final preservation is the glorious and characteristic work of divine grace—grace reigning through righteousness. Had God dealt in mere justice with the people, His name would not have been declared, inasmuch as there is far more in His name than justice. There is love, mercy, goodness, kindness, long-suffering, deep and unfailing compassion. But none of these things could be seen had the people been consumed in a moment, and hence the name of Jehovah would not have been declared or glorified. “For My name’s sake will I defer Mine anger, and for My praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.... For Mine own sake, even for Mine own sake, will I do it; for how should My name be polluted? and I will not give My glory unto another.” (Is. xlviii. 9, 11.)
How well it is for us that God acts towards us and for us and in us for the glory of His own name! How wonderful, too, that His glory should most fully shine—yea, could only be seen in that vast plan which His own heart has devised, in which He is revealed as “a just God and a Saviour.” Precious title for a poor lost sinner! In it is wrapped up all that such an one can possibly need for time and eternity. It meets him in the depth of his need, as a guilty, hell-deserving one; bears him along through all the varied exigencies, trials, and sorrows of the wilderness; and, finally, conducts him to that bright and blessed world above, where sin and sorrow can never enter.