Numbers 20:14-29 NKJV 1
4 Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. “Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us, 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians [a]afflicted us and our fathers. 16 When we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border. 17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’ ”
18 Then Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”
19 So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”
20 Then he said, “You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.
22 Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying: 24 “Aaron shall [b]be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.” 27 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 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. 29 Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
We can only imagine the hardship that was experienced when Moses listened to God’s directive to strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And then… Aaron dies! The emotion from this is expressed in Holy Scripture: “Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.” (vs. 29)
We are exhorted through God’s beloved inspired Word not to grieve as those who have no hope. Morning has its place but not grieving as if without hope. St. Paul’s inspired words to the Thessalonians proclaims: “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” (1 Thes. 4:13)
Is it wrong to mourn for the dead? Scripture not only permits it, but it also even praises and commends those who grieve and mourn for the dead, yet with moderation. Here are some examples: Abraham mourned for his wife Sarah when she died, and lay before her body for some time, mourning and grieving (Gen. 23:2). When the patriarch Jacob died, Joseph, his son, caused all of Egypt to mourn (Gen. 50:3). In our text from today, the children of Israel wept for the High Priest Aaron for thirty days (vs. 29); and like ways for Moses (Deut. 34:8). Christ wept for Lazarus (Jn. 11:35), and the disciples for Stephen (Acts 8:2).
This mourning for the deceased was such a glorious thing for the Jews that God even threatened the ungodly by declaring that they would not be lamented, nor buried in the burial places of their fathers. This happened to King Jehoiakim (Jer. 22:18-19) and others as well.
But most importantly, we return to the surety of God’s Word to the Thessalonians, and how true hope ever remains: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” (1 Thes. 4:14) Let us pray: O Lord, amidst the trials of life, including the sorrows of loss, continue to bring to us Your Word of Christ, our sure and certain hope. Amen.