MOSES WE KNOW BUT AARON

Most of us know quite a bit about Moses. For example, Moses in the bulrushes, raised by Pharaoh's daughter, cut off the Egyptian's ear (Peter cut the ear off the Roman Soldier), hiding in the desert, the burning bush, send my brother, of slow speech, the 10 Commandments, had a temper, looked on the face of God, never died, taken straight on to heaven, and never entering into the Promised Land. But what of his brother Aaron? Let us learn a little today together.

Aaron the first born son of Amram and Jochebed, a daughter of Levi (Exodus 6:20). Some say the name means, mountaineer, yet others say it is mountain of strength, illuminator. Aaron was born three years before Moses (Exodus 2:1-4 and Exodus 7) and it appears many years after their sister Miriam.

Aaron's wife was Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab of the house of Judah ( Exodus 6:23 and 1 Chronicles 2:10), Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar were their 4 sons. God sent Aaron to Moses (Exodus 4:14-30), when it was nigh on to the time for Israel to be delivered. Moses and Aaron has been a long time separated. Aaron knew that he was to co-operate with Moses in all that had to be done in order to bring about the Exodus. Aaron was aware that he was to be the mouth piece for Moses, as Moses was slow of speech and Aaron was of a ready utterance ( Exodus 7;1,2,9,10 & 19). Aaron was true to the trust God had put in him and standing with Moses each time Moses was called before Pharaoh.

The first battle the tribes of Israel fought was with Amalek in Rephidim, there was Aaron standing on the hill with Moses watching the battle. Moses had the rod of God in his hands as long as Moses kept the rod up over his head the tribes would win, but lost when his arms fell. Aaron and his sister's husband, Hur, helped to keep Moses' arms up when they got so tired he couldn't do it by himself, thus enabling Joshua and the chosen warriors to claim the victory (Exodus 17:8-13).

When God told Moses it was time to go up the mountain to get the tablets of law, Aaron and two of his sons, Nadab and Abihu, also with them were 70 Israelites elders they were only allowed to go part way so they could behold the glory of God from afar (Exodus 19:24; 24:9-11). While Moses stayed on the mountain with God, Aaron returned to the people. Giving in to the people either in ignorance or because had an instable character or he could have been afraid of the people, the golden calf was made for them to worship (Exodus 32:4; Psalm 106:10). When Moses came down from the mountain top, Aaron was firmly rebuked by him. Thanks to Moses for running interference for Aaron, God forgave Aaron his sin (Deuteronomy 9:20).

God gave Moses the instructions for the way the worship services were to be conducted among the people, so in accordance with these instructions, Aaron and his 4 sons were consecrated to the office of priest's (Leviticus Chapters 8 and 9). Aaron was appointed the important position of the high priest.

When the Israelites reached Hazeroth, in "the wilderness of Paran," Aaron and Miriam started murmuring against Moses "because of the Ethiopian woman he had married," Zipporah was more than likely dead by then. But the Lord took Moses' side on this matter, cleared his name, leprosy was Miriam's punishment (Numbers 12). Aaron admitted his own and his sister's guilt and again at the intercession of Moses they were forgiven.

Twenty years later the children of Israel were camped in the wilderness of Paran, Korah, Dathan and Abiram conspired against Aaron and his sons; but a fearful judgment from God fell on them and they were destroyed. The very next day thousands of the people also perished by a fierce pestilence, the ravages of which only stopped by the interposition of Aaron (Numbers 16). So there would be further evidence of the Aaron's divine appointment to the priestly office, the chiefs of all the tribes were each required to bring to Moses a rod having the name of his tribe on it. These and Aaron's rod, as the chief of the tribe of Levi, were put in the tabernacle overnight. The next morning they found that the only rod that had changed was Aaron's as the tribe of the Levi. This rod had budded, blossomed and yielded almonds (Numbers 17:1-10). This rod was afterwards preserved in the tabernacle as a memorial of the divine appointment of Aaron to the priesthood.

The people were complaining of the lack of water for them and their cattle, and after seeking God's guidance, which was to take the people before the rock and speak to it so water would come forth. Instead Moses, yes he and Aaron did take the people before the rock, but instead of just speaking to the rock, Moses lifted his rod and struck the rock twice. Because of this, and his lack of faith in God, Moses and Aaron was not permitted to enter into the Promised Land.

When they arrived at Mount Hor, "in the edge of the land of Edom," God commanded Moses to take Aaron and his son Eleazar to the top of the mountain, so they would be in plain site of all the people. There he stripped Aaron of the priestly robes and then he put them on Aaron's son, Eleazar. There, at the age of 123, Aaron died (Numbers 20:23-29; Deuteronomy 10:6 & 32:50), was gathered unto his people, which mourned him for 30 days. The two son's who survived him was Eleazar, whose family held the high-priesthood till the time of Eli, and Ithamar, whose family, beginning with Eli, held the high-priesthood until the time of Solomon. Aaron's other two sons had been struck dead (Leviticus 10:1-2) for offering "strange fire" on the altar of incense. Like so many of us today they knew better but just had to do it anyway.

Aaron was the first anointed priest. His descendants, "the house of Aaron," represented the priesthood in general. In the time of David they were very numerous (1 Chronicles 12:27). The other branches of the tribe of Levi held subordinate positions in connection with the sacred office.

Aaron was a type of Christ in his official character as the high priest. His priesthood was a "shadow of heavenly things," and was intended to lead the people of Israel to look forward to the time when "another priest would arise" after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:20).

God's blessings to each of you,
LJG

SOURCES: King James Bible;
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