June 25, 08

Romans 4

20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification

Read Numbers 16--such a scary picture of what it means to rebel against God's leaders and His way of worship. Over 250 died --that was the number of the chiefs, but their families died also. Then more rebelled and 14,700 died. What saved more from dying was Aaron taking his censor with fire from the altar and incense and thus making atonement for them--it says he stood between the dead and the living an the plague was stopped. I like what Matthew Henry says about this:

"Observe especially, that Aaron was a type of Christ. There is an infection of sin in the world, which only the cross and intercession of Jesus Christ can stay and remove. He enters the defiled and dying camp. He stands between the dead and the living; between the eternal Judge and the souls under condemnation. We must have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins. We admire the ready devotion of Aaron: shall we not bless and praise the unspeakable grace and love which filled the Saviour's heart, when he placed himself in our stead, and bought us with his life? Greatly indeed hath God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, Romans 5:8."