Wisdom 18:17-25: a reflection

17Then immediately apparitions in dreams terribly troubled them, and unexpected fears came upon them. 18And each, one thrown here half dead, another there, made known why he was dying; 19for the dreams, disturbing them, forewarned them of this, that they might not perish without knowing why they were afflicted. 20The experience of death also touched the righteous, and a multitude were destroyed in the wilderness, but the wrath didn’t last long. 21For a blameless man hurried to be their champion, bringing the weapon of his own ministry, prayer, and the atoning sacrifice of incense. He withstood the indignation and set an end to the calamity, showing that he was your servant. 22And he overcame the anger, not by strength of body, not by force of weapons, but by his word, he subdued the avenger by bringing to remembrance oaths and covenants made with the fathers. 23For when the dead had already fallen in heaps one upon another, he intervened and stopped the wrath, and cut off its way to the living. 24For the whole world was pictured on his long robe, and the glories of the fathers were upon the engraving of the four rows of precious stones, and your majesty was upon the diadem on his head. 25The destroyer yielded to these, and they feared; for it was enough only to test the wrath.

This passage recalls a moment when a deadly plague broke out among God's people in the wilderness, and death was spreading rapidly. Into that crisis stepped Aaron, the high priest, who hurried to stand between the living and the dead, bringing the weapon of his ministry, prayer and the atoning incense. He interceded on behalf of the people, and the plague was stopped. He literally placed himself in the gap, between those who had died and those still living, and the destruction was halted.

The passage stresses how Aaron prevailed: not by strength of body, not by force of weapons, but by his word, by prayer, and by pleading the covenants God had made with the fathers. It was intercession, not force, that turned back the wrath. Aaron, wearing the priestly robes that represented the whole people and God's majesty, stood in the breach, and the destroyer yielded. One man's prayer, standing between the people and death, made all the difference.

This is a striking picture of the power of intercession, and it points beyond Aaron to a greater High Priest. What Aaron did in that moment, standing between the living and the dead, halting judgment by his priestly intercession, Christ has done fully and forever. He stands in the gap for us, interceding, having made the true atonement, holding back the judgment we deserved. And Aaron's example calls us, too, to intercede, to stand in the gap for others in prayer. Do not underestimate what prayer can do. Like Aaron, place yourself in the breach for others, and rest in the greater High Priest who intercedes for you.

Lord, Aaron stood between the living and the dead, halting the plague not by force but by intercession, and in him I see a shadow of Christ, my great High Priest, who stands in the gap for me. Thank you that Christ has made the true atonement and holds back the judgment I deserved. And teach me to intercede for others, to stand in the breach for them in prayer, never underestimating what prayer can do. Amen.