Matthew Henry Commentary Numbers 16:41-50

"But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of Jehovah. And it came to pass, when the congregation was assembled against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tent of meeting: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Jehovah appeared. And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting. And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. And Moses said unto Aaron, Take they censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly unto the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Jehovah; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses spake, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. Now they that died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides them that died about the matter of Korah. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tent of meeting: and the plague was stayed." — Numbers 16:41-50 (ASV)

The gaping earth had hardly closed before the same sins are committed again, and all these warnings are disregarded. They called the rebels the people of the Lord and criticized divine justice. Israel's stubbornness, despite the terrors of God's law as given on Mount Sinai and the terrors of His judgments, shows how necessary God's grace is to change people's hearts and lives. Love will do what fear cannot.

Moses and Aaron interceded with God for mercy, knowing how great the provocation was. Aaron went and burned incense between the living and the dead, not to purify the air, but to pacify an offended God. As one deeply concerned for the life of every Israelite, Aaron acted with all possible speed. We must return good for evil.

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 halt 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 Aaron's ready devotion: should we not bless and praise the unspeakable grace and love that filled the Savior's heart when He placed Himself in our place and bought us with His life? Greatly indeed has God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).