How does Numbers 20:28 connect to Hebrews 9:27 about death and judgment? An Old Testament Picture of an Unavoidable Appointment • Numbers 20:28: “After Moses had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.” • Even the first high priest, clothed in holy garments, could not escape the moment God had set for his death (Genesis 3:19; Psalm 90:10). • The public stripping of Aaron’s priestly robes underscored the finality of that appointment—no second chance, no return, no reincarnation. Hebrews 9:27—The Principle Stated Clearly • “Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,” the apostle affirms the very reality lived out on Mount Hor. • Death is singular (“once”); judgment follows immediately (Ecclesiastes 12:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10). • The high priest’s death in Numbers becomes a living illustration of this New-Testament declaration. Key Connections Between the Two Passages • Appointment by God – Aaron’s moment was scheduled by the LORD (Numbers 20:23); Hebrews teaches every life is likewise scheduled. • Finality – Garments removed = no return to ministry; Hebrews: death once, then judgment—no cycle of multiple lives. • Public Witness – Israel saw Aaron’s end; Hebrews calls the church to reckon with the same certainty. • Need for a Greater Priest – Aaron died and his office passed to Eleazar, highlighting the need for a Priest who “lives forever” (Hebrews 7:23-25). Contrast and Fulfillment in Christ • Hebrews 9:28 continues, “so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.” • Unlike Aaron, Jesus passed through death into resurrection, never to die again (Romans 6:9). • Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice satisfies the judgment that follows our own appointed death (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 3:18). Takeaway for Today • Every life—regardless of rank—faces the same divine appointment. • Because judgment follows, preparation must happen before that mountain-top moment arrives. • Trust in the risen, eternal High Priest secures confidence for that appointed day (John 5:24; 1 John 5:11-13). |
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