Numbers 20:22 - Meaning and Application

The chapter begins with the funeral of Miriam, and it ends with the funeral of her brother Aaron. When death comes into a family, it often comes in pairs. Israel had not really learned from the first loss, the death of the prophetess Miriam, so soon God took away their priest to see whether they would take that to heart. This happened at the next stage, when they moved to Mount Hor, going around the land of Edom and leaving it on their left side. Wherever we go, death goes with us, and the grave is always near.

God told Aaron that he must die (Numbers 20:24). He took Moses and Aaron aside and said that Aaron would be gathered to his people. These two dear brothers were told that they must part. Aaron, the older brother, had to die first, and Moses would not be far behind him, so their separation would only last a little while. There is some judgment in this order. Aaron was not allowed to enter Canaan because he had failed in his duty at the waters of strife. That reminder surely hurt Moses too, who may have known at that moment that he was the more guilty of the two.

There is also much mercy in this sentence. Aaron died because of his sin, but not as a criminal struck down by a plague or by fire from heaven. He died calmly and with honor. He was not cut off from his people, which is how the phrase often sounds when God’s judgment falls. Instead, he was gathered to his people, like one who died in the arms of God’s grace. There is also a lesson here about Christ. Aaron was not allowed into Canaan to show that the Levite priesthood, the priesthood connected with Levi, could never make anything complete. That had to wait for a better hope. Those priests could not stay in office because sin and death kept ending their service, but Christ’s priesthood is pure and never changes, and it lasts forever (Hebrews 7:23-25).

Aaron accepted this, and he died in the way and place God had appointed, with what looks like as much peace as if he had been going to sleep. He put on his holy garments one last time, then went up with Moses and his son Eleazar to the top of Mount Hor, likely with some of the elders of Israel as well (Numbers 20:27). They went up in front of the whole camp, who were probably told why they were going. By this solemn walk, Aaron showed Israel that he was neither afraid nor ashamed to die. Like a faithful servant waiting for the bridegroom, he could trim his lamp and go out to meet him. His going up the mountain to die also showed that the death of God’s people is really an ascent. They rise, in a sense, rather than sink.

Moses, who had first clothed Aaron in his priestly garments, now took them off. It was fitting that Aaron should not die in them, out of respect for the office. Death will strip us too. We came into the world naked, and we must leave it naked. We would think less of our clothes, our ornaments, and our honors if we remembered how quickly death strips us of all our glory, takes away our offices, and removes the crown from our head.

Moses then put the priestly garments on Eleazar, Aaron’s son, clothing him with his father’s robe and tying on his girdle (Isaiah 22:21). This was a great comfort to Moses, who had received the law of the priesthood, because he could see that God would keep it going through a succession of priests. A lamp had been set for the anointed one, and death itself would not put it out. It was also a comfort to Aaron. He could see his beloved son honored and his own office safely preserved, and he could see in this a picture of Christ’s lasting priesthood, the only priesthood that would truly continue. In effect, Aaron could say, “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation.” It was also a kindness to the people. Installing Eleazar before Aaron died would keep anyone who disliked Aaron’s family from trying to choose another priest after his death. The matter was already settled. It would also encourage those who feared God, as a sign that he would not leave them or fail in faithfulness.

Aaron died there. Soon after he was stripped of his priestly garments, he lay down and died at peace. A good man should not wish to stay alive longer than he can still be useful to God and to his generation. Why should we want to remain in this world any longer than we can serve in it?

Moses and Eleazar, with those who went with them, buried Aaron where he died, as we are told in Deuteronomy 10:6. Then they came down from the mountain. As they came down and left Aaron behind, they may well have thought that he had gone up to the better world and left them behind.

The whole congregation mourned for Aaron for thirty days (Numbers 20:29). Though Eleazar replaced him well, since he was in the prime of life and better suited for public service than Aaron would have been if he had lived longer, the people still owed their dead high priest this mourning. While Aaron lived, they had grumbled at him at every opportunity, but after his death they mourned for him. Many people only learn to grieve for mercies after they have lost them, when they would not learn to be thankful while they had them. Many good men have had more honor given to their memory than they ever received while alive, as with those who were persecuted in life and had their tombs decorated after death.