The Prophet’s Brother
Today’s Verse:
He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen. ~Psalm 105:26
The Bible contains the stories and lessons of many brothers—Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob, the sons of Jacob, David and his brothers, Peter and Andrew, James and John, and the elder brother and his prodigal younger brother. One of the more prominent brother teams is Moses and Aaron. While Moses is the more prominent of the two, Aaron deserves our attention.
We see Aaron, the SPOKESMAN.
The first mention of Aaron is as Moses’ spokesman. Aaron served in a secondary capacity to Moses. At the start of his ministry, Moses gave the Lord pushback concerning his ability to speak. The Lord gave him Aaron as his spokesman. “And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart,” Exod. 4:14. Aaron was an eloquent spokesman. God acknowledged that he spoke well. Aaron was an enabled spokesman. He spoke what Moses told him to say. Like Moses, he spoke, “Thus saith the Lord.” Aaron was God’s spokesman to Pharaoh. God desires for each of us to be His spokesman for the gospel message. All of us stand before people who need to hear that Jesus loves them and offers to them the gift of salvation.
We see Aaron and his SIGNIFICANCE.
Aaron became the first high priest of Israel. The high priest represented God to men and men to God. He alone was set apart to enter into the holy of holies to bring a blood atonement for sin. Once a year at Passover, the high priest would enter that holiest of places, and sprinkle the blood of a slain, innocent animal sacrifice for the sins of the entire nation. Jesus is our Great High Priest Who offered His sinless life as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all the world. Unlike the Jewish high priest who offered a sacrifice for his own sins, Jesus’ life was sinless and perfect. His sacrifice satisfied God’s demands for sin once and for all. Aaron’s office was a foreshadowing of better things to come through Jesus. Interestingly, Aaron’s name means “light-bringer.” His very name means “one who enlightens.”
We see Aaron and his SINS.
Aaron sinned when he and his sister, Miriam, spoke against Moses for marrying a woman of Ethiopian descent. They were critical, scornful, and rebellious. Sins of the tongue are evil and piercing. “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain,” James 1:26. Aaron almost lost his ministry for speaking out against Moses. A second sin was succumbing to the pressure of the people when Moses was up on a mountain with God. Aaron led the people in giving their gold jewelry to be melted down and molded into a golden calf. He led the people to degrade themselves, and allowed the people to worship this golden calf. Had not Moses intervened in prayer for Aaron (Deut. 9:20), God would have slain Aaron. Aaron’s sins teach us that we all are susceptible to being adversely critical and falling to people’s pressures in order to be popular. Let us be careful to do all things to the glory of God.
We see Aaron and his CESSATION.
In Numbers 20, we have the sad account of how Aaron’s life would come to an end. He would not live to see the Promised Land. Aaron displayed his lack of faith in God at the waters of Meribah. God told him and Moses to go to the top of Mount Hor, and there Aaron would die. It was a sad moment for Israel, and his loss was greatly grieved.
Let us live our lives for the Lord in such a way that the Lord is honored. We must be vigilant about our gifts, our calling, our associations, and our convictions. Don’t let sin snuff the light of your life out!
Have a glorifying God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Joshua 22-24