Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!

PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE

Introduction

The name Aaron means “a mountain of strength” or it can mean “enlightened.”

Aaron (83) was Moses’ (80) older brother (by 3 years according to Exodus 7:6) and we know that he was Miriam’s younger brother. (Exodus 2:4)

Aaron’s parents were Amram and Jochebed who were from the tribe of Levi, Israel’s tribe of priests. Israel (Jacob)–>Levi–>Kohath–>Amram–>Aaron (See Exodus 6:16-26)

Aaron was Israel’s first high priest. We’ll say more about that later.

With his wife Elisheba, Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Let’s look at Aaron’s life.

The first glimpse we have of Aaron is that of an eloquent speaker, and because of this fact he was chosen by God to be the spokesman for his brother Moses.

Moses protested against appearing before Pharaoh, pleading that he was not eloquent, but slow of speech and slow of tongue. (Exodus 3:10-13; 4:11-16)

We don’t know whether or not Moses stammered, stuttered, had a lisp, or some other speech impediment that made him feel that a spokesman of Aaron’s ability was necessary.

All I know is that God could have helped Moses with whatever the problem was if Moses had just trusted God to do that for him.

Even with all his faults, and we know that Aaron had many, he was nevertheless a man chosen by God to fulfill a role that Moses shunned.

We do not know what Aaron did during Moses’ forty-year exile from Egypt, but he maintained the faith, he kept contact with Israel’s leaders, and he did not forget his brother

(Exodus 4:27-31).

Being ready of speech, he served well as Moses’ spokesman before Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:1)

More than once he stretched out Moses’ rod to bring God’s plagues on the land

(Exodus 7:9, 19).

In the wilderness Aaron and Hur helped Moses hold up the rod, the symbol of God’s power, so that Israel would prevail over Amalek (Exodus 17:12).

At Sinai, Aaron and his two older sons, Nadab and Abihu, were called to go up the mountain with Moses and seventy elders (Exodus 24:9). There they worshiped and ate and drank in heavenly fellowship.

As Moses and Joshua went farther up, Moses left Aaron and Hur in charge (Exodus 24:14). But as Moses delayed on the mountain, the people asked Aaron for action. They cried, “Make us gods” (Exodus 32:1). Their sin was polytheism worship of many gods as well as idolatry.

Aaron all too easily obliged and made a calf and apparently led in its worship. How far into sin Aaron went we do not know. Was it giving in or active error? The text does not say, but Aaron was not specifically judged because of Moses prayer (Deuteronomy 9:20) The Levites, the tribe of Moses and Aaron, rallied to Moses and were blessed accordingly (Exodus 32:26-29).

There was another occasion that Aaron appeared in a bad light. In Numbers 12 he and Miriam spoke against Moses’ marriage to the Cushite (Ethiopian) woman. (Cush was an old name for upper Egypt—approximately modern Sudan.)

We are not told if this was a wife in addition to Zipporah, or if Zipporah had died, or even if Zipporah—a Midianite—had Cushite connections. Anyway, Aaron and Miriam were jealous of their younger brother. Really, their murmuring was against God’s selection. Being second place did not satisfy them.

Miriam was severely judged. Again, Aaron was not as harshly judged. Perhaps again he was not the instigator but the accomplice. We do know that he confessed his sin and pleaded for mercy for Miriam.

When Korah, Dathan, and Abiram opposed Moses and Aaron, Aaron’s intercession stopped the plague (Numbers 16). Aaron’s leadership was vindicated by God in the miraculous blossoming of his staff (Numbers 17).

When the people cried for water at Kadesh in the desert of Zin, Aaron joined in Moses’ sin as they seized the power of the Lord for themselves (Numbers 20:7-13). In consequence, Aaron, like Moses, was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Nearby on the border of Edom after forty years of his priesthood, Moses took Aaron up mount Hor, transferred his garments to his son, Eleazar, and Aaron died there at the age of 123 years (Numbers 20:23-28).

Israel mourned for their first high priest thirty days (Numbers 20:29), as they soon would mourn for Moses (Deuteronomy 34:8).

Aaron became the first high priest of Israel, and in Aaron and his sons we have a fitting type of Christ and His Church.

The ministry of Aaron, in connection with the Tabernacle with all of its services, is referred to by the writer of Hebrews as a figure of the true ministry of the High Priest who is Jesus.

Nadab and Abihu perished when they offered sacrifices with fire that God had not commanded them to make (Leviticus 10:1-2; 16:1-2).

Two priestly lines developed from the remaining sons:

(1)       Ithamar through Eli to Abiathar (1 Samuel 14:3; 22:20; 1 Kings 2:26-27)

(2)       Eleazar to Zadok (1 Chronicles 6:50-53).

Aaron experienced the joy of:

1.         Starting Israel’s formal priesthood.

2.         Being consecrated to the office (Exodus 28-29; Leviticus 8-9),

3.         Wearing the first priestly garments, and

4.         Initiating the sacrificial system (Leviticus 1-7).

Aaron also bore the burdens of his office as:

1.         He suffered from the murmurings of the people. (Numbers 14:2; 17:41)

2.         His sons were killed for their disobedience. (Leviticus 10:1-2)

3.         He and his remaining two sons could not mourn for them. (Leviticus 10:6-7)

4.         He also bore the special rules of conduct, clothing, and ritual cleanness.

            (Leviticus 27:1-33)

            Understand that Aaron could not live up to such high standards perfectly.

            Thus he had to offer sacrifices for his own sins (Leviticus 16:11).

            Then in his cleansed, holy office, he offered sacrifices for others.

Aaron, even in his imperfection, still served as a symbol or type of the perfect high priest that was to come, Jesus Christ. The imperfect Aaron established an office full of symbolic meaning for Israel.

I.         AARON WAS A TYPE OF CHRIST, THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST.

            A.        Both Were Chosen Of God. (Hebrews 5:4)

                        1.         Aaron was the only high priest.

                        2.         Christ is the only mediator between God and man. (Hebrews 7:11-28)

            B.        Both Had To Be Clean, Seeing They Bore The Vessels Of The Lord.

                        1.         Aaron was a sinner and needed cleansing first.

                        2.         Christ was sinless.

            C.        Both Were Gloriously Clothed.

                        1.         Aaron was clothed with his coat, robe and ephod;

                        2.         Christ was robed in garments of righteousness and glory.

            D.        Both Were Crowned.

                        1.         Aaron was crowned with his mitre, or holy crown.

                        2.         Christ has many diadems.

            E.        Both Were Consecrated Or Set Apart.

                        1.         Aaron was blood sprinkled and had his hands filled for the LORD.

                                    (Leviticus 8:24-27)

                        2.         Christ is sanctified forever. (John 17:16-17)

            F.        Both Fed On The Bread Of Consecration. (Leviticus 21:21-22; John 4:32)

            G.       Both Were Without Blemish.

                        1.         No man with a blemish could come near to offer a sacrifice unto the Lord.

                        2.         Christ was holy, harmless, and undefiled.

II.       AARON’S SONS WERE TYPES OF THE CHRISTIAN.

            What a precious truth the priesthood of all true believers is!

            A.        They Had Names Closely Associated.

                        1.         “Aaron and his sons” appears ten times. Aaron sons were called in him.

                        2.         We were chosen in Christ from the eternal past.

                        Priests because sons, is true in both cases.

            B.        They Had The Same Calling.

                        1.         Aaron and his sons were priests.

                        2.         Christ and ourselves are priests unto God. (1 Peter 2:5, 9)

            C.        They Had The Same Anointing.

                        1.         Aaron and his sons were accepted by the same blood and anointed with the same oil.

                        2.         Christ entered the veil by His own blood, and we enter by the same blood.

Head and members alike are anointed with the same blessed Holy Spirit.

            D.        They Had Their Hands Filled With The Same Offering, Ate The Same Food, Were Under The Same Authority.

                        The same aspects are likewise applicable to Christ and His own!

Conclusion

So we have seen that Aaron is a type of Christ and his sons are a type of the Church.

Aaron’s strength was that he was an effective communicator.

Aaron’s weakness was that he had a pliable personality–i.e. he was easily influenced.

            He gave in to the people’s demands for a golden calf.

            He joined with his sister Miriam in complaining against Moses.

            He joined with Moses in disobeying God’s orders about the water-giving rock.

May we learn from Aaron’s life how God would have us to live.

How easily influenced are you?

God is the one who should control our actions no matter what those around us say or do!

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!