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The Justice  of  God  was  shown  by  the  punishment  of  the  Sabbath-breaker,  as  well  as  by  that  of  Core  and  his  adherents.

God's omnipotence  worked  a great  miracle  in  connexion  with  Aaron’s rod, which,  in  one  night,  brought  forth  not  only  leaves,  buds  and  flowers, but also  ripe  almonds.

Sabbath breaking. The  severe  punishment  of  the  Sabbath-breaker teaches us  that  the  profanation  of  the  Sabbath  is  a great  sin. This sin often  calls  down  temporal  punishment,  and  it  will  certainly  bring eternal  punishment. “Remember”, i.  e.  do  not  forget  “to  keep  the Sabbath-day holy.”

The divine  institution  of  the  Priesthood. By  the  terrible  punishment of the  rebels,  and  the  blossoming  of  Aaron’s  rod,  God  again  declared that the  priesthood  of  the  Old  Testament  was  instituted  by  Him.

Rebellion against  authority. The  rising  of  Core  and  his  adherents was a rebellion  against  both  spiritual  and  temporal  authority,  against throne and  altar,  for  they  refused  to  acknowledge  that  God  had  ordained Moses  to  be  their  leader,  and  Aaron  to  be  their  High  Priest  The rebellion  was,  therefore,  really  against  God,  who  had  called  Moses  and Aaron,  and  who  had  attested  their  divine  vocation  by  so  many  miracles. Hence Moses  was  right  in  saying:  “Why  do  you  stand  against  the Lord?” The  terrible  punishment  of  Core  and  those  with  him  show's us  how  great  a sin  it  is  to  rebel  against  those  whom  God  has  put  in authority  over  us. “He that  resisteth  the  power,  resisteth  the  ordinance  of God. And they  that  resist,  purchase  to  themselves  damnation”  (Rom.  13,  2).

Pride is  a capital  sin. Core,  being  proud,  was  offended  at  the  idea that he  was  only  a Levite,  while  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  priests;  and the family  pride  and  ambition  of  Dathan  and  Abiron  wrere  injured  by the  fact  that  men  of  the  small  tribe  of  Levi  were  the  representatives before God  of  the  whole  people. Their pride  developed  into  envy, and this  again  developed  into  rebellion  against  the  authorities  ordained by God.

Aaron’s rod, a type  of  the  Cross.  Aaron’s  rod,  which  blossomed and bore  fruit,  is  a type  of  the  holy  Cross,  which  by  the  Blood  of Christ  has  brought  forth  such  wonderful  fruits  of  grace  and  virtue.

The Priesthood  of  the  New  Testament.  We  Christians  are  all  called to be  holy,  and  were  all  sanctified  in  baptism;  but  all  Christians  are not priests,  for  Jesus  Christ  has  instituted  a special  priesthood  in  His Church, for  the  sanctification  of  all  the  faithful. If, even  in,  the  Old Testament, a special  priesthood  was  necessary  for  the  care  of  the  things of God,  how  much  more  necessary  is  it  that  there  should  be  a priesthood in the  New  Testament  to  look  after  the  sacred  mysteries  of  the  Church! "Honour God  with  all  thy  soul,  and  give  honour  to  the  priests”  (Ecclus.  7, 33).