Numbers 16:47, commentary and pictures

Aaron acted at once on Moses' direction, running into the midst of the people where death had already begun, burning incense to make atonement and standing between the dead and the living until the plague stopped, then returning to the door of the tabernacle. While wrath had already gone forth and God had threatened to consume the murmuring congregation in a moment, that atonement offered with holy fire kindled by God restrained judgment and spared Israel from utter destruction. Moses lingered without fear before the Lord pleading that wrath would not utterly destroy Israel, so his prayer ascended with the incense, a priestly intercession standing between the people and death that typifies the work of Christ as the True Shepherd. Nearly fifteen thousand died besides those who died with Korah, as evidence of the guilt of envy, jealousy, murmuring and rebellion. The account stands as a warning for the last days against unbelief, self-willed unauthorized service, and the prideful spirit that led Satan and then Korah to reject God's appointed leaders while thinking themselves righteous.

The Plague Stayed

Aaron acted without delay at Moses' command and ran into the midst of the congregation where the plague had already begun among the people. He put fire from the altar in a censer with incense upon it to make an atonement for the people, stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed. His rushing in with the censer while Moses prayed expresses intercession for the rebellious people by which judgment was restrained. Afterward Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle.

The divine glory had appeared above the tabernacle and God threatened to consume the murmuring congregation in a moment. While the minister of wrath had already gone forth and the plague was doing its work of death, Aaron hastened in with censer and incense to make atonement for them. As the smoke of the incense ascended, the plague was stayed and Israel was spared from utter destruction and from being made a full end.

The staying did not come until fourteen thousand and seven hundred lay dead besides those who died about the matter of Korah. Those nearly fifteen thousand deaths resulted from envy and jealousy and were left as evidence of the guilt of murmuring and rebellion. The incense that stopped the plague was offered with holy fire kindled by God from the altar, not with fire humanly chosen.

Intercession That Saves

Aaron's rushing into the congregation with censer and incense at Moses' command, putting on incense and making atonement after the plague had already begun, was priestly intercession that stood between the people and the plague and restrained judgment. His action was joined with Moses' pleading for the rebellious people, and together intercession and atonement brought the plague to a stop. Standing between the dead and the living, between the dying and the living, Aaron held back death so that Israel was spared from utter destruction.

Moses did not fear and did not flee because guilt did not rest upon him, but lingered with interest for his flock as a true shepherd. Though the divine glory had appeared above the tabernacle with threat to consume the murmuring congregation in a moment, and though the minister of wrath had already gone forth with the plague doing its work of death, he fell on his face pleading that wrath would not utterly destroy Israel and make a full end of them. Despite Israel's rebellion and cruel conduct toward him he showed the same care still, remaining before the Lord praying for pardon while Aaron hastened in to make atonement. His prayers ascended with the smoke of the incense in the tabernacle to be acceptable to God, so that the whole congregation would not perish in rebellion.

That lingering care for a rebellious people typifies the work of Christ as the True Shepherd.

Warning Against Rebellion

The record of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and what followed it stands as an example to warn against unbelief and rebellion. It is to be read carefully and prayerfully, with repentance from unwise and rebellious conduct like that of Israel. It warns against following that rebellion, tempting Christ, and murmuring, and it is recorded for the admonition of those living in the last days. It gives instruction suited to the present time to keep the whole flock from being fed errors that cause them to go astray.

The chapter warns against unauthorized service, for only holy fire kindled by God is safe. Work done in self-will and mixed with self will not endure, but work done in God will. The same chapter shows the need for decisive action in an emergency, that evil workers should have been separated from the Lord's work, and that those who failed to do so missed the honor God would have given them.

The rebellion displays on a narrower stage the same spirit that led to Satan's rebellion in heaven. Pride and ambition prompted Lucifer to complain of the government of God and to seek the overthrow of the order established in heaven, and since his fall his aim has been to infuse the same envy and discontent and the same ambition for position and honor into human minds. He thus worked on Korah, Dathan, and Abiram to stir desire for self-exaltation and to excite envy, distrust, and rebellion, leading them to reject God as leader by rejecting the men of God's appointment. While murmuring against Moses and Aaron they blasphemed God, yet they were so deluded as to think themselves righteous and to regard those who faithfully reproved their sins as actuated by Satan.

After Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were destroyed, the people blamed Moses and Aaron for the deaths and falsely accused them of killing the Lord's people. Their judgment had been shaped by sympathy with wrongdoing, so they mistook God's reproof and correction for harm done by Moses. The ensuing plague showed that rebellion and presumptuous sin among them had not ended. The same hatred of reproof and resistance to correcting wrongs can recur among God's people. Korah and his allies had accused Moses and Aaron of claiming authority over a congregation they said was holy. The day after Korah's company was judged the people repeated the accusation despite the evidence of God's judgment and attributed God's work to satanic power, and this rejection of divine evidence sealed their doom as sin against the Holy Spirit.