Numbers 16:20-24: a reflection

In the wake of Korah's rebellion, God speaks a fearful word to Moses and Aaron: separate yourselves from this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. The judgment threatens to fall not just on the ringleaders but on the whole assembly. And in that terrifying instant, Moses and Aaron do something remarkable. They do not step back to save themselves; they fall on their faces and intercede, crying out, O God, will one man sin and you be angry with the whole congregation?

Their prayer appeals to God's own justice. They plead that the guilt of the rebellious leaders should not sweep away the innocent along with them, and they cast themselves down before God on behalf of the people. And God responds, narrowing the judgment to those actually responsible, telling the rest to move away from the tents of the rebels. The intercession of two men, appealing to God's discriminating justice, made a difference for the many.

This is a picture of the power of intercession. When judgment loomed, Moses and Aaron did not save themselves but threw themselves down to plead for others. Their prayer, grounded in God's justice and mercy, changed the outcome. You may not face such a dramatic scene, but you can be an intercessor, one who stands before God pleading for others rather than only for yourself. Ask God to make you that kind of person, quick to fall on your face for the good of others, trusting that such prayers move the heart of a just and merciful God.