Topical Bible: Priest: The Time of Moses: Usurpations of office of

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During the time of Moses, the role of the priest was divinely ordained and held significant religious and societal importance. The priesthood was established by God through Moses, with Aaron and his descendants appointed as the first priests (Exodus 28:1). The priestly office was intended to be a sacred duty, serving as intermediaries between God and the Israelites, performing sacrifices, and maintaining the sanctity of the Tabernacle.

However, the period also witnessed notable instances of usurpation and challenges to the divinely appointed priesthood. These events underscore the tension between divine authority and human ambition, as well as the consequences of attempting to subvert God's established order.

Korah's Rebellion

One of the most significant usurpations occurred with Korah's rebellion, as recorded in Numbers 16. Korah, a Levite, along with Dathan, Abiram, and 250 other community leaders, challenged the authority of Moses and Aaron. They questioned why Aaron and his sons should have exclusive rights to the priesthood, asserting that the entire congregation was holy and capable of serving as priests: "You have gone too far! For all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" (Numbers 16:3).

Moses responded by instructing Korah and his followers to present themselves before the LORD with censers filled with incense. The LORD's response was swift and decisive. The ground opened up and swallowed Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, along with their households, while fire from the LORD consumed the 250 men offering incense (Numbers 16:31-35). This dramatic judgment reaffirmed the divine selection of Aaron and his descendants for the priestly office.

The Budding of Aaron's Staff

Following Korah's rebellion, the LORD provided further confirmation of Aaron's unique priestly role through the miraculous budding of his staff. In Numbers 17, God instructed Moses to collect a staff from the leader of each tribe and place them in the Tent of Meeting. The staff belonging to the man chosen by God would sprout. The next day, Aaron's staff had not only sprouted but also budded, blossomed, and produced almonds (Numbers 17:8). This miracle served as a tangible sign of God's endorsement of Aaron's priesthood and quelled further dissent.

The Sin of Nadab and Abihu

Another instance of usurpation involved Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron. In Leviticus 10, they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. As a result, fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them (Leviticus 10:1-2). This incident highlighted the sanctity and seriousness of the priestly duties and the severe consequences of deviating from God's instructions.

Implications for the Priesthood

These episodes during the time of Moses illustrate the divine origin and sanctity of the priestly office. The usurpations and their consequences serve as a reminder of the importance of adhering to God's established order and the dangers of human presumption. The priesthood was not merely a position of honor but a divinely appointed role with specific responsibilities and requirements, underscoring the need for obedience and reverence in service to God.

Nave's Topical Index

Numbers 3:10
And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.
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Numbers 16:1
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
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Numbers 18:7
Therefore you and your sons with you shall keep your priest's office for everything of the altar, and within the veil; and you shall serve: I have given your priest's office to you as a service of gift: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.
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2 Chronicles 26:18
And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said to him, It appertains not to you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honor from the LORD God.
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Library

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... a symbolic prophecy of Christ as both priest and king ... unpropitious they may seem
at the time, are parts ... the tithes required by the law of Moses, and offering ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

The Reaction against Egypt
... a chariot were three in number"the driver; the shield-bearer, whose office it was ...
poor part they played in the revolutions of the Eastern world at this time. ...
/.../chapter iithe reaction against egypt.htm