Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 33-34

Highlight Verse:

“While they were at the foot of Mount Hor, Aaron the priest was directed by the Lord to go up the mountain, and there he died. This happened in midsummer, on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after Israel’s departure from Egypt.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭33‬:‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I spent most of yesterday in my basement home office.

That was good.

At the end of my workday, I went out to put something in my van.

It was 93 F.

It’s been a very hot summer for the Denver area. I like those rare days when I get to work in the coolness of my home.

And God’s final command to Aaron in the middle of summer in the Middle East at the age of 123?

Go climb this mountain.

I hate to admit it, but my insensitive mind thinks, “No wonder Aaron died.”

Where my mind should go is, “What amazing faith Aaron had!”

Now, I did look up the height and normal temperatures at Mount Hor (likely Jebel Harun near Petra, Jordan) and it was probably not too much hotter than here.

Still, a hike like that at his age would have been brutal.

But Aaron trusted God’s plan and I am sure he was welcomed into heaven at the end of his hike.

I’d like to say that my faith is that strong, though it has not been tried by any decision that drastic before.

Of course, I am rather certain that I would say yes to God if He asked me to hike to my death, provided he waited until I was 123 years old.

Seriously, I want my faith to be strong enough that I would obey any command that I know for sure was from God.

For now, I will continue to hone my faith by following the less deadly commands He has given me through the Bible.

And if one of those commands puts me at risk, I will trust in the will and power of the Commander.

Have you ever had to risk your life to obey God’s commands?
How do you think you would respond if you were in Aaron’s sandals?