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Patriarchs and Prophets
with the sacred consecration of high priest. He had sustained him in
the holy office by the terrible manifestations of divine judgment in
the destruction of Korah and his company. It was through Aaron’s
intercession that the plague was stayed. When his two sons were slain
for disregarding God’s express command, he did not rebel or even
murmur. Yet the record of his noble life had been marred. Aaron
committed a grievous sin when he yielded to the clamors of the people
and made the golden calf at Sinai; and again, when he united with
Miriam in envy and murmuring against Moses. And he, with Moses,
offended the Lord at Kadesh by disobeying the command to speak to
the rock that it might give forth its water.
God intended that these great leaders of His people should be
representatives of Christ. Aaron bore the names of Israel upon his
breast. He communicated to the people the will of God. He entered
the most holy place on the Day of Atonement, “not without blood,” as
a mediator for all Israel. He came forth from that work to bless the
congregation, as Christ will come forth to bless His waiting people
when His work of atonement in their behalf shall be ended. It was the
exalted character of that sacred office as representative of our great
High Priest that made Aaron’s sin at Kadesh of so great magnitude.
With deep sorrow Moses removed from Aaron the holy vestments,
and placed them upon Eleazar, who thus became his successor by
divine appointment. For his sin at Kadesh, Aaron was denied the
privilege of officiating as God’s high priest in Canaan—of offering the
first sacrifice in the goodly land, and thus consecrating the inheritance
of Israel. Moses was to continue to bear his burden in leading the
people to the very borders of Canaan. He was to come within sight of
the Promised Land, but was not to enter it. Had these servants of God,
when they stood before the rock at Kadesh, borne unmurmuringly the
test there brought upon them, how different would have been their
future! A wrong act can never be undone. It may be that the work of
a lifetime will not recover what has been lost in a single moment of
temptation or even thoughtlessness.
The absence from the camp of the two great leaders, and the fact
that they had been accompanied by Eleazar, who, it was well known,
was to be Aaron’s successor in holy office, awakened a feeling of
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apprehension, and their return was anxiously awaited. As the people
looked about them, upon their vast congregation, they saw that nearly