last climb

devotions from Jefferson Vann # 2326

Numbers 20:22-29

Num 20:22 And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.
Num 20:23 And Yahveh said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom,
Num 20:24 “Let Aaron be gathered to his people, because he will not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the water of Meribah.
Num 20:25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor.
Num 20:26 And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”
Num 20:27 Moses did as Yahveh commanded. And they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
Num 20:28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
Num 20:29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

last climb

Aaron is one of the few people in the world who knew exactly when and where he would die. The LORD told Moses to bring Aaron and Eleazar with him for one last climb up Mount Hor. There, Aaron removed his high priestly garments, and watched his son dress in them. There Aaron died, and as soon as Moses and Eleazar came down the mountain alone, the Israelites knew he had died. Moses also knew that his time was coming as well, because both of them had rebelled against God’s command at Meribah.

LORD, we are all mortal and will eventually die. Give us the wisdom to obey you, so that we live and die with honor.