The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 277

eldest, was the first to bo removed. She died, and was buried at Kadesh in the beginning of the year. Aaron, the elder of the brothers, followed in the fifth' month. Lastly, Moses died at the end of the year. The surpassing fame of Moses has thrown that of Miriam and Aaron into the shade. Nevertheless, they were eminent both for sanctity and public usefulness. It was not the least of the Lord's benefits thnt they, as well as Moses, were spared to the people during so many years. I. THE TERMS IN WHICH THE DEATH OF AARON IS. FORETOLD (ver. 23). Moses is the ~rst to hear of. the coming event ; and there is something of wrath, or at least of displeasure, agamst both him and Aaron in the way in which it is announced: "Ye shall not enter the land, because ye rebelled against my word at Meribah." But the displeasure is only, as it were, a passing frown. There is in the words much more of Jo,ing kindness and tender mercy. Not only is the saintly high priest forewarned of his approaching departure, but this is done in terms at once most kindly in tone and strongly suggestive of hope regarding the future life. " Aaron shall be gathered unto his people." Christian readers have always, as by a kind of instinct, taken this to mean that Aaron upon his departure from this world, was to pass into the company of those who were his relatives in the truest and tenderest kindred-the patriarchs 1-ho had died in faith before him, the congregation of the righteous beyond the grave. The interpretation is distasteful to certain critics, who have persuaded themselves that in the Mosaic age the views and hopes of the best of men were bounded by the grave. It is easy to cite texts which seem to countenance that low estimate of the views which God had opened up to the early saints of the patriarchal and Mosaic times. But after all it is no better than e. paradox, as hard to reconcile with historical fact as with the instinctive perceptions of devout readers of God's word. It is a familiar fact that the Egyptians, among whom Moses and Aaron were brought up, not only believed that men survive the dissolution of the body, but occupied their minds exceedingly about the other world. In the absence of clear and explicit statements to the contrary, we must suppose that Moses and Aaron knew at least as much as the Egyptians, and looked for a continued conscious existence after death. But we are not left to surmise. What can this "gathered unto his people" mean? It cannot mean " buried in the sepulchre where the ashes of hie kindred lie," for in that sense neither Aaron nor Moses was ever gathered to his people. Each was buried in a solitary grave. Nor can it mean merely" gathered to the mighty congregation of the dead " ( although thnt also would imply continued existence after death), for the phrase is used in Scripture regarding none but the righteous (Gen. xxv. 8, 17; xxxv. 29; xlix. 33, &c.). Wbat then do we gather from this intimation? 1. There is, beyond the grave, a congregation of the righteous, where those who die in faith shall enjoy the congenial society of their own people-men and women like- minded with themselves. Surely a most comfortable thought I A great change has no doubt taken place in the view presented to faith of the future life ever since our blessed Lord rose and ascended. The ancient conception of the heavenly life has been thrown into the shade by the conception of it as being " for ever with the Lord." Yet the ancient conception has lost nothing either of its truth or of its power to comfort. A new source of comfort has now been added, but the old one has not been sn_perseded. We who believe in Christ look forward not only to " the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ," but to" our gathering together unto him" (2 These. ii. 1 ). 2. Into the congregation of the righteous God is cnreful to gather his people when they die. They are not driven away into darkness-dismissed like Judas to their own place. They are gathered ; they are taken home : with care, that none be lost; with wving '/ci,,ul,neu also, that they may not fear. IL THE CIRCUMBTANCEB OF AARON'S DEPARTURE. 1. He was divested of his office and robes before he died, and they were transferred to Eleazar in his sight. The priest was to die, but the priesthood was to live. The priesthood was entailed in Aaron's house, but the entail had not yet been confirmed by long transmission. To prevent any attempt to alter the succession, the transference took place while Aaron was yet alive. Probably there was an eye also to Aaron's comfort. It would be a eatil!faction to him to see his son invested with office before he died. 2. Aaron's death and burial took place on Mount Hor. This was, in the first instnnce, designed for publicity. Eleazar was to be high priest to the congregation. It was due to them OB, U. 1-29.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 981