aaron's intercession.
Numb. xvi. 48. And he stood betioeen the dead and the living : arid the jilague was stayed.
CORRUPT as human nature is, there are some sins which we scarcely think it possible for a rational being to be guilty of; and, if it were suggested to us that we ourselves were in danger of committing them, we should be ready to reply, " Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing?" Such is the sin which all the congregation of Israel committed on the very day after the death of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. These three persons had excited a rebellion against Moses and Aaron; Korah and his company aspiring to the priesthood, and Dathan and Abiram, with their friends, affecting the office of supreme go- vernor. For this their impiety they had been severely punished; Korah and his company being destroyed by fire that issued from the tabernacle; and all the relatives of Dathan and Abiram being swallowed up by an earthquake. These signal judgments, one would have thought, should have effectually silenced every murmur throughout the camp : but, instead of being humbled, the people were the more enraged; and murmured more than ever against Moses and Aaron, complaining, that the people who had been destroyed were " the people of the Lord," and that Moses and Aaron had been their murderers : " Ye have killed the people of the Lord." God now renewed his threaten- ing to destroy them : but Moses and Aaron " fell upon their faces," as they had done frequently before a, and importuned God to spare them. God however would not spare them, but sent a plague among them for their destruction. But no sooner did Moses perceive that " the plague was begun," than he sent Aaron with an offering of incense to arrest its progress. Aaron went immediately into the midst of the people, and succeeded according to his wishes : " he stood between the dead and the living : and the plague was stayed."
a Compare ver. 45. with Numb. xiv. 5. and xvi. 4, 22.
1(33.] aaron's intercession. 93
This subject is to be considered in a two-fold view;
I. As an historical fact —
In this view it is worthy of particular attention.
We cannot but admire,
1. The interposition of Aaron —
[If ever opposition was unreasonable, it was then : if ever a people had offended beyond all sufferance, it was at that time. Well might Moses and Aaron have said, ' We have interceded for you often enough : we have repeatedly saved every one of you from destruction : and now, because God has seen fit to punish some of the ringleaders in rebellion, we are charged with having killed them. If mercies will not reclaim you, it is high time that judgments should be tried.' But not a thought of this kind entered into their hearts. They were filled with nothing but compassion and love. They fell on their faces to intercede for these rebellious people, as much as if they had received no provocation at their hands. The expedient sug- gested by Moses was instantly carried into effect: and Aaron, at his advanced age, ran with haste into the midst of the con- gregation, to make an atonement for them. He did not know but that the incensed people would wreak their vengeance upon him, as they had frequently threatened to do ; and put him to death, as the author of their present sufferings. Nor could he be certain, but that, if he ran into the midst of the plague, it might sweep him away together with the rest. But he thought not of himself, nor listened for a moment to any personal con- siderations. He was intent only on saving the lives of his fellow-creatures.
What a glorious example did he afford to all future ministers ! What a blessing would it be to the Church, if all her priests were like him; if all could say, " I count not my life dear to me, so that I may but fulfil my ministry b ; " " most gladly will I spend and be spent for my people, though, the more abundantly I love them, the less I be loved0:" " I could wish even to be accursed after the example of Christ, if I might but by any means save only some d:" yea, most cheerfully would " I suffer all things for their sakes, that they might obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory e!" Were there more tender compassion amongst us, more ardent love, more self- denying zeal, more active exertion to " pluck our people as brands out of the fire," and more willingness to perish in the attempt, we might not stop the mouths of gainsayers, it is true ; but " we should save many souls alive," and have them to be " our joy and crown of rejoicing" to all eternity. O that