Thursday, November 12, 2020

Exodus 40:13-15 and Numbers 25:10-13: Further Evidence of the Contingent Nature of Biblical Predictions

In the Old Testament, we read the following promise to the children of Aaron:

 

"You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me. You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations." (Exo 40:13-15 NASB)

 

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. Therefore say, 'Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel. (Num 25:10-13 NASB)

 

As LDS apologist D. Charles Pyle noted, the following texts provide further evidence for the contingent nature of biblical prophecies and promises:

 

Later circumstances affected the priesthood of Aaron as stated:

 

1. Two members of this line were ended by the LORD for disobedience, in offering strange fire.

2. The line of Phinehas son of Eleazar ended in the service of the priesthood as a result of the captivity, and did not continue again until after the captivity.

3. The priesthood of Aaron was superseded by the priesthood of Melchizedek in the person of Christ. So much for an “everlasting priesthood” for the line of Aaron.

 

For further reading, see:


Resources on Joseph Smith's Prophecies


As Phinehas was mentioned in the Num 25 text, to see what the Bible says about Phinehas refutes Reformed theology, see the discussion at:


Response to a Recent Attempt to Defend Imputed Righteousness