The Rod of Aaron
My mind is still on finding favor, or not, with God and why (brought on by thoughts about the Pope's death). This morning, I thought of Aaron. He was favored of God but not as favored as Moses apparently. Of the two, Moses remains the 'better known.' I wonder why that is so. Did he make one more mistake, have one more failure? Or was the incident with the 'golden calf' so terrible in God's eyes?
"When the time of the Exodus came, God sent Aaron (Exodus 4:14, 27-30) out to meet the returning Moses (who had just spent 40 years out in the Sinai with Jethro), to join with him in their assigned task. Aaron was to be the spokesman for Moses, who was unable to speak well, perhaps from stuttering (Exodus 6:30; 7:1-2,9-10,19). Although Moses was the leader, it was Aaron who did the actual speaking to Pharaoh through the events leading to the Exodus, and the crossing of the Red Sea.
Aaron was a faultless servant with his brother, at least at first. At Rephidim, when Moses overlooked the battle with the Amalekites from a nearby hill with the rod of God in his outstretched hand, it was Aaron and Hur (his brother-in-law, Miriam's husband), who held up Moses' tired arms until Israel's forces under Joshua won the battle (Exodus 17:8-13).
Aaron's greatest lapse in judgment occurred while Moses was away on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from God. For whatever reason, Aaron gave in to the people's demands, and made that now-infamous golden calf for the people to worship (Exodus 32:4). When Moses returned, Aaron was sternly rebuked, but was forgiven by God after Moses prayed for him. Aaron came very close to being killed for that incident (Deuteronomy 9:20)
Aaron's career seemed to blow hot and cold. He certainly had his low points (i.e. the golden calf), but overall he remained a steadfast ally of his brother. During the Korah rebellion, Aaron stood courageously with Moses (Numbers 16:1-50). Not long after that, the miraculous sprouting of his staff was used to demonstrate that he was indeed the high priest to those who were questioning his authority (Numbers 17:1-13). That staff was afterwards preserved in the Tabernacle (Hebrews 9:4)
Neither Moses nor Aaron were permitted to enter the Promised Land (See Heartbreak Mountain). Aaron was involved in the water-from-the-rock incident at Meribah (Numbers 20:8-13), and for that presumptuous disobedience to God's instructions both were not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:24).
The brother of Moses and Miriam, Aaron was both a prophet and the first High Priest. Along side Moses he performed various miraculous deeds and signs before Pharaoh and his court. Aaron transformed his rod into a serpent, which consumed the serpents created by Egyptian magicians (Ex. 7). The first three of the ten plagues (blood, frogs and lice) were initiated by Aaron at God's command (Ex. 7-8).
Rabbinic literature describes miraculous events surrounding the death of Aaron. God placed one mountain on top of another to mark where Aaron would be buried, which is why the Bible calls his burial place Hor ha-Har ("Mount of the Mountain"). Aaron was laid to rest on a couch in a luminous cave on Mount Hor by angels. He was enveloped by a Cloud of Glory and he died by the Kiss of God."
AARON’S FAILURE:
Even though Aaron is recognized as an important historical figure in Israeli history, he made some serious mistakes. There are three significant events that reveal a tendency in Aaron that is common to today’s society.
a. The gold calf incident (Ex 3:21-32) – The mistake of following the majority. When Moses ascended Sinai to receive the Law, he had placed Aaron and Hur in charge (Ex 24:13-14). After Moses had been gone forty days, the Israelis were ready to appoint another leader. They demanded that Aaron make a god to lead them (32:1). Aaron quickly capitulated to the mob’s demands showing very little leadership and commitment to God. He constructed an image according to the mob’s specifications. When confronted by the angry Moses, Aaron tried to rationalize his wrong by two absurd excuses: he said the mob forced him to do it and he claimed he just threw the gold into the fire and the calf just “happened” to result (Ex 32:21-24).
b. The derision of Moses’ wife (Nu 12:1-15) – The mistake of pride. Miriam and Aaron complained about Moses’ marriage to the Cushite woman (an African woman from Ethiopia). Their complaint was a cover-up of their real problem – they were jealous because Moses had been given the greater role of leadership (12:2-8). Their act of jealousy enraged God and God caused leprosy to defile Miriam (12:9-10). It may be that Miriam was the one struck with the disease because she was the leader and Aaron merely followed. Once again his weak character allowed him to make a tragic mistake.
c. The waters at Meribah (Nu 20:2-13) – The mistake of anger! The forty years wandering was almost concluded. The Israelis were facing a water shortage. The people grew impatient and began murmuring. Moses and Aaron became the targets of their harsh words. Together the brothers disobeyed God’s instructions and took glory upon themselves striking the rock instead of speaking to it (20:10-11). This demonstration of anger prevented both from entering into Canaan.
NOTE: These three incidents reveal that Aaron struggled with a major weakness. All of these events share in common one factor – Aaron allowed himself to be persuaded to replace God’s will with his personal will! This is seen in the pressure to create the mob’s idol, in the jealousy that prodded the criticism of Moses, and the angry outburst toward the murmuring Israelis.
I guess the greatest of human skills cannot help a man stand in the face of great temptations or fierce opposition. It seems to me, however, that his role was as great, if not greater than Moses' role yet, clearly, Moses was more favored, at least by history, than Aaron.
"When the time of the Exodus came, God sent Aaron (Exodus 4:14, 27-30) out to meet the returning Moses (who had just spent 40 years out in the Sinai with Jethro), to join with him in their assigned task. Aaron was to be the spokesman for Moses, who was unable to speak well, perhaps from stuttering (Exodus 6:30; 7:1-2,9-10,19). Although Moses was the leader, it was Aaron who did the actual speaking to Pharaoh through the events leading to the Exodus, and the crossing of the Red Sea.
Aaron was a faultless servant with his brother, at least at first. At Rephidim, when Moses overlooked the battle with the Amalekites from a nearby hill with the rod of God in his outstretched hand, it was Aaron and Hur (his brother-in-law, Miriam's husband), who held up Moses' tired arms until Israel's forces under Joshua won the battle (Exodus 17:8-13).
Aaron's greatest lapse in judgment occurred while Moses was away on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from God. For whatever reason, Aaron gave in to the people's demands, and made that now-infamous golden calf for the people to worship (Exodus 32:4). When Moses returned, Aaron was sternly rebuked, but was forgiven by God after Moses prayed for him. Aaron came very close to being killed for that incident (Deuteronomy 9:20)
Aaron's career seemed to blow hot and cold. He certainly had his low points (i.e. the golden calf), but overall he remained a steadfast ally of his brother. During the Korah rebellion, Aaron stood courageously with Moses (Numbers 16:1-50). Not long after that, the miraculous sprouting of his staff was used to demonstrate that he was indeed the high priest to those who were questioning his authority (Numbers 17:1-13). That staff was afterwards preserved in the Tabernacle (Hebrews 9:4)
Neither Moses nor Aaron were permitted to enter the Promised Land (See Heartbreak Mountain). Aaron was involved in the water-from-the-rock incident at Meribah (Numbers 20:8-13), and for that presumptuous disobedience to God's instructions both were not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:24).
The brother of Moses and Miriam, Aaron was both a prophet and the first High Priest. Along side Moses he performed various miraculous deeds and signs before Pharaoh and his court. Aaron transformed his rod into a serpent, which consumed the serpents created by Egyptian magicians (Ex. 7). The first three of the ten plagues (blood, frogs and lice) were initiated by Aaron at God's command (Ex. 7-8).
Rabbinic literature describes miraculous events surrounding the death of Aaron. God placed one mountain on top of another to mark where Aaron would be buried, which is why the Bible calls his burial place Hor ha-Har ("Mount of the Mountain"). Aaron was laid to rest on a couch in a luminous cave on Mount Hor by angels. He was enveloped by a Cloud of Glory and he died by the Kiss of God."
AARON’S FAILURE:
Even though Aaron is recognized as an important historical figure in Israeli history, he made some serious mistakes. There are three significant events that reveal a tendency in Aaron that is common to today’s society.
a. The gold calf incident (Ex 3:21-32) – The mistake of following the majority. When Moses ascended Sinai to receive the Law, he had placed Aaron and Hur in charge (Ex 24:13-14). After Moses had been gone forty days, the Israelis were ready to appoint another leader. They demanded that Aaron make a god to lead them (32:1). Aaron quickly capitulated to the mob’s demands showing very little leadership and commitment to God. He constructed an image according to the mob’s specifications. When confronted by the angry Moses, Aaron tried to rationalize his wrong by two absurd excuses: he said the mob forced him to do it and he claimed he just threw the gold into the fire and the calf just “happened” to result (Ex 32:21-24).
b. The derision of Moses’ wife (Nu 12:1-15) – The mistake of pride. Miriam and Aaron complained about Moses’ marriage to the Cushite woman (an African woman from Ethiopia). Their complaint was a cover-up of their real problem – they were jealous because Moses had been given the greater role of leadership (12:2-8). Their act of jealousy enraged God and God caused leprosy to defile Miriam (12:9-10). It may be that Miriam was the one struck with the disease because she was the leader and Aaron merely followed. Once again his weak character allowed him to make a tragic mistake.
c. The waters at Meribah (Nu 20:2-13) – The mistake of anger! The forty years wandering was almost concluded. The Israelis were facing a water shortage. The people grew impatient and began murmuring. Moses and Aaron became the targets of their harsh words. Together the brothers disobeyed God’s instructions and took glory upon themselves striking the rock instead of speaking to it (20:10-11). This demonstration of anger prevented both from entering into Canaan.
NOTE: These three incidents reveal that Aaron struggled with a major weakness. All of these events share in common one factor – Aaron allowed himself to be persuaded to replace God’s will with his personal will! This is seen in the pressure to create the mob’s idol, in the jealousy that prodded the criticism of Moses, and the angry outburst toward the murmuring Israelis.
I guess the greatest of human skills cannot help a man stand in the face of great temptations or fierce opposition. It seems to me, however, that his role was as great, if not greater than Moses' role yet, clearly, Moses was more favored, at least by history, than Aaron.
posted by Johnny at
9:32 AM
4 Comments:
Not sure why you're bothering with it. lol Anyway, equal time or equal favor for everyone would seem difficult, even for God, seems to me. Probably history gives more press to Moses for some reasons known only to the Jews; maybe it was they who liked Moses better?
By
Anonymous, at 6:54 PM
I bother because I sometimes tend to worry something to death until I settle it in my mind. It's not that I care who gets 'credit.' It's more that I'm interested in how God chooses his leaders, who gets what I think of as the 'divine touch.' I realize it's an exercise in futility but humor me. :)
lol @ the jewish 'press'
By
Johnny, at 10:21 PM
"It's more that I'm interested in how God chooses his leaders, who gets what I think of as the 'divine touch.'"
In Gods choice of those who had the divine touch.. if you compared each great leader in the bible, what strengths and personal character or temperament were similar?
Di
By
Anonymous, at 5:47 AM
Di, that will take some thought and some research. Great question. Thanks.
By
Johnny, at 12:02 AM
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