38the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites."
39So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar,
40as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the Lord, or he would become like Korah and his followers.
41The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. "You have killed the Lord’s people," they said.
- P154
44and the Lord said to Moses,
45"Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once." And they fell facedown.
46Then Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started."
47So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them.
- P155
God instructs Eleazar, the son of Aaron, to collect the censers of the 250 menwho offered incense. These are to be made into a covering for the altar as areminder. The people complain, and a plague strikes them, killing 14,700 untilAaron makes atonement with incense, stopping the plague. - P155
All of Israel receives a continual reminder of the consequences of defiance and rebellion against God and those He has chosen to shepherd His people. - P156
Many of the lessons we learn in life serve as painful reminders of the consequences of sin. Despite the scars they may leave, they are there to warn us of presumption and rebellion. - P156
Will these reminders cultivate in us pure hearts that follow after God, or will they lead to anger and bitterness? Will we adopt a willingness to humble ourselves before God, submitting to His will and ways, or a prideful kind of independence that rejects His lordship in our lives? The choice is ours, but the decision we make will determine our future with God. - P156
The plague that spreads among God’s people is a visible sign of the effect Korah’s rebellion had upon the entire congregation. How often do we see churches divided by conflicts that are not unlike what is described in these chapters? - P156
God judges Korah and the rebels, but many in the congregation blame Moses for their deaths. Their outrage is misdirected, and in light of the events leading to the deaths of Korah’s followers, it is a sign of how spiritually warped some of the people had become. - P156
The plague that killed 14,700 people is both God’s judgment and the consequence of the people’s sin. - P156
Sin inevitably leads to death, which is why God sent His Son to make atonement for it once and for all. - P156
I don‘t know about you, but when I think of those who have wronged me,
hurt me, or caused me harm, the last thing that comes to mind is extendinglove, blessing, and prayer. But this is exactly what God instructs us to do. , - P157
InLuke 6:27-28, Jesus states, "But to you who are listening I say: Love yourenemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, prayfor those who mistreat you."
These commands are certainly contrary to our selfish human nature. It iseasy to bless somebody when they are kind to us, to pray for somebodywhen they have treated us well, and to do good to others who have donegood to us. But to bless those who have persecuted us is another story. Thistakes a strength outside of ourselves; this is God‘s love, compassion, andmercy working in and through us.
- P157
In today‘s passage, Aaron interceded on behalf of those who had persecutedhim until God ended the plague that He had started. This is a powerfulexample for us to follow. - P157
God promises that when we bless others in this way.He will in turn bless us in our obedience: "Do not repay evil with evilor insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because tothis you were called so that you may inherit a blessing" (1 Pet. 3:9) - P157
Lord, empower me to be a channel of grace and unity among Your people. May I also be an encouragement to those You have placed in positions of spiritual leadership. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P157
God commands Moses to collect staffs from the leaders of Israel‘s tribes,
including Aaron‘s for Levi. Aaron‘s staff miraculously buds, blossoms, and pro-duces almonds, confirming his divine appointment as priest. The people areawed and fear that they will die if they come near the tabernacle of the Lord. - P23
He shook me from my own complacencyand called me to choose a path to follow, one that would lead me closer toHim. Reflecting on those years as a young man, I am thankful for the godlyleaders who showed me how to live a life of faithfulness. - P25
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