Hello my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
I would imagine most all of us have dealt with the harsh reality of death. Over the past many months of COVID the word ‘death’ is one we’ve heard so often we almost become numb to it, don’t we? But when it strikes in your family, or a dear friend, it’s a very real, deep pain isn’t it? I’m so glad the Bible isn’t quiet about death. In both the Old and New Testaments, we find many accounts of real people, just like you and me, who faced the death of a dear friend or a family member. Perhaps you remember we have three stories of Jesus in funeral situations. Once Jesus actually walked right into a funeral procession in the village of Nain, and He was so touched by the grief of a widow whose only son had died, thus leaving her totally destitute, that Jesus raised that dead man to life, right there, as the procession was taking the man’s body to the cemetery! You find that story in Luke 7:11-17.
Another time Jesus was busy in a crowd of people, when suddenly a man of high standing ran up to Jesus, fell at His knees and begged Him to come quickly, for his young daughter was dying. Jesus, deeply touched by this loving father, left the crowd and went with him. By the time they arrived at the man’s house, the wailers were already there, for the girl had died. But in His great compassion, Jesus raised the young girl back to life and the family was reunited in great joy. You’ll find that story in Matthew 9:18-26.
A third time, perhaps the most famous of these death events, Jesus received word that his good friend Lazarus was very ill and declining quickly. Jesus did not go immediately, in fact He stayed where He was several more days. When finally Jesus arrived with His disciples, at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Jesus was confronted by both Lazarus’ sisters asking why He had not come sooner, for their brother had been dead and buried several days. But Jesus used the opportunity to teach those listening then, and all of us today, that death is not the end, but is actually a transition to eternal life with Him. He said “I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in Me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives and believes in Me will never perish.” (John 11:25,26)
Then Jesus called a man dead several days, to rise up to life again. and Lazarus came walking out of the tomb where he’d been laid! Of course Jesus taught a great deal about life after death which is possible because He paid for our sin with His death on the cross, and HE rose to life again by the power of God unleashed in Him. Thus He also will raise to eternal life all who have fully trusted in Jesus for their salvation from their sin condemnation. Oh my friends, I hope you are very confident that YOU are included in that, and you have the confidence that heaven awaits you at the moment of your death. If you have any doubt, I’d love to help you with that, and please write to me here at ‘Walking with Jesus’.
Now we’ve been walking a journey with Moses for several weeks, and a few days ago we saw in Numbers 20:2 that Moses’ sister Miriam died and was buried. She would have been about 125 years old or so. Today, in Numbers 20:22 let’s join Moses as he is invited by God to hike up Mount Hor for a special reason. Moses recorded it this way: “The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah. Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and come up Mount Hor. Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people there.” I’ve often wondered what more God said to these two men who had been leading the people for nearly 40 years. Aaron would have been about 122 years old or so and Moses about 119. It was time, and in God’s love for them Aaron’s death would be a sacred experience with both his son Eleazar and his brother Moses in a private gathering with God on top of Mount Hor.
Can you imagine the conversation as Aaron tells his son they need to hike up a mountain together, and up there, meeting with God, his son Eleazar will assume the role and responsibility of being the spiritual leader of God’s people, as the priestly mantle which God had bestowed on Aaron would be now passed to Eleazar. As Moses hiked up with them, I wonder if Moses recounted for both of them a summary of his 8 hikes up Mount Sinai to meet with God, and especially the times when God spoke to Moses about the special relationship God wanted to have with Aaron, and his sons, who would have the privilege of leading the people as their priests, in worshipping and learning to know God.
As they reach the summit of Hor, and look down on the people, I wonder if they spent a long time praying together over the people. Oh they had experienced so much together over the past nearly 40 years. The city of nearly 2 million people, spread out in all directions below them, and of course in the center of that tent city was the “Tent of Meeting”, with the cloud of God’s Presence hovering over it. These two men, Aaron and Eleazar had many times been inside that Tent, praying at the Altar of Incense or meeting with God. I wonder if Aaron prayed long and diligently for his son, asking for God’s blessing and protection and special Holy Spirit anointing upon Eleazar as he now assumed the spiritual leadership of the people? I wonder how Eleazar thanked his father Aaron for the role model he had been all these years.
And then Moses said something like ‘Ok men, it’s time. Aaron, thank you for your many years of service. I now remove from you the priestly garments, the mantle of spiritual leadership, and place them upon your son, Eleazar. Eleazar, you are now consecrated, for the remainder of your life, to be the man of God responsible to serve as High Priest for this people, interceding for them, teaching them God’s Words and God’s Ways, and living a life which always points them to God.’ Then as Moses placed the priestly garments on Eleazar, I wonder if they all hugged one another and then watched Aaron hike over the hilltop to the other side of the mountain… to be alone with God.
Moses records it this way: “Moses removed Aaron’s priestly garments and placed them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain…” As Moses explained to the people what had happened up there on that mountain, the people began a 30 day period of mourning for Aaron, in gratitude for all he had done to help them, and thankful to God for his spiritual leadership. Oh, as we all know, Aaron hadn’t done everything perfectly well. None of the people would ever forget the golden calf experience as recorded in Exodus 32, but Aaron had been repentant and he had pursued seeking to know God well, serve God faithfully, and help his son Eleazar know God and lead the people in learning to live as God’s people.
I invite us to reflect on what that farewell trip up Mount Hor must have been like. And I’d like you to think about the end of your life. What would you like it to be? What will you want to say to your family in your farewell to them? What legacy do you hope you’ll leave with them? How do you hope you’ll be remembered by those who have known you?
And most of all, what assurance will you be able to give your family and friends of your certainty that you are leaving this earth and going to heaven to be with Jesus for all eternity? Oh my friends, if you have any questions about having the assurance of heaven, please consider these Scriptures: John 3:3-7; 3:16-19 / John 5:24 / John 6:37-40 / John 11:25,26. Acts 4:12. Romans 3:19-26 / 4:23-25 / 5 / 8:1-16 and there are so many more.
And may I leave you with a wonderful song that invites us to understand that no matter how difficult your life has been here… try, just try to imagine what heaven will be like with Jesus and all who have gone there before us… for all eternity! And if I can help you with any of this my friends, please contact me. Now let’s worship… in anticipation of heaven!
Today’s Scripture is Numbers 20:20-29.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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