Errin’ Aaron
The story of Aaron and Moses is a special one in the Old Testament. Here is demonstrated the disparate lives of two who were in many ways similar and in many other ways very dissimilar. Brothers and partners, Moses was the younger by 3 years. Yet after 80 years, their age difference was negligible. Experience-wise, Moses had the lead by a far stretch. Visible leadership-wise, Aaron had the lion’s share. Aaron had the demeanor and speaking ability that could catch the attention of most of the people. He was more comfortable out in front. Public speaking came natural. An expert in public affairs, he would have made the perfect union rep. Most of the people could identify with Aaron because he knew how to express himself with the perfect choice of words. He knew how to tell the people what they wanted to hear.
Moses, on the other hand, couldn’t do all that. But he had, under his belt, lessons that far exceeded Aaron’s in their depth and far-reaching results. He had had a close encounter with the God-kind. He had learned faith. He was being drawn by the cords of a Man, with the bands of love, which gave him that rock-steady character that become the true tool of leadership for the nation. When it came to the religious life, Aaron had learned the tricks of the trade, but Moses had come to know the Person behind the tricks; and it made all the difference. Aaron’s personal religion was only an unfinished framework, exposed to the elements of life. Moses had a finished and furnished dwelling place, which he inhabited and God in him. “If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up thence,” was his constant longing. And the gracious Lord God granted him his desire. “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Ex. 33:15,14. Like David, Moses knew what it was like to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This freedom of exchange Aaron was oblivious to. This experience was foreign to him. It went unrecognized. He thought he had what was needed to serve the God of power, even as next in command of a mighty movement. But Horeb showed how horrible Aaron really was at true leadership. His up-front abilities became useless without courage of conviction. While Moses was spending quality time with the infinite One amongst the splendor and deafening noise, Aaron, down in the dismal plain, was being tossed to and fro by every wind of passion and cunning craftiness of the people. Weak as water, he was learning a powerful lesson about himself, a lesson forced upon him, one that he was loathe to learn.
That experience with all its bad aftertaste, set a benchmark from which he would henceforth steer away toward a character molded and fashioned by God. Eventually, he too, after learning in the school of Christ, obtained that wisdom and faith which is far more precious than gold or silver or rubies. Over the years of serving God and the people, after so many visits into the Holy and Most Holy compartments of the Tabernacle, the long career next to his brother, enduring the rigors of administration together and caring for the needs of the people, facing the dangers of murderous belligerents over their depraved appetites, suffering affliction with the people of God, Aaron’s focus moved from pleasing himself to Him who “pleased not Himself.” Rom. 15:3. In the middle of another plague on the nation for their insolence, with people dying on the right and the left, forgetting himself, Aaron ran out with the only thing he thought might protect the people he had come to love. The plague stopped; “he stood between the dead and the living;” Aaron passed the final exam and graduated.
Like Peter for the people of the New Testament, Aaron served as an example to Israel of how far God can bring a person. It demonstrated the mercy and eternal patience of our Redeemer, the ever-present threat to disobedience especially for leaders, and the final fruit of love─one new man, complete, settled, happy, and beautiful to the core. A true shepherd of Israel, their intercessor, their father, now he could lead a transformed people.
Moses, on the other hand, couldn’t do all that. But he had, under his belt, lessons that far exceeded Aaron’s in their depth and far-reaching results. He had had a close encounter with the God-kind. He had learned faith. He was being drawn by the cords of a Man, with the bands of love, which gave him that rock-steady character that become the true tool of leadership for the nation. When it came to the religious life, Aaron had learned the tricks of the trade, but Moses had come to know the Person behind the tricks; and it made all the difference. Aaron’s personal religion was only an unfinished framework, exposed to the elements of life. Moses had a finished and furnished dwelling place, which he inhabited and God in him. “If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up thence,” was his constant longing. And the gracious Lord God granted him his desire. “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Ex. 33:15,14. Like David, Moses knew what it was like to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This freedom of exchange Aaron was oblivious to. This experience was foreign to him. It went unrecognized. He thought he had what was needed to serve the God of power, even as next in command of a mighty movement. But Horeb showed how horrible Aaron really was at true leadership. His up-front abilities became useless without courage of conviction. While Moses was spending quality time with the infinite One amongst the splendor and deafening noise, Aaron, down in the dismal plain, was being tossed to and fro by every wind of passion and cunning craftiness of the people. Weak as water, he was learning a powerful lesson about himself, a lesson forced upon him, one that he was loathe to learn.
That experience with all its bad aftertaste, set a benchmark from which he would henceforth steer away toward a character molded and fashioned by God. Eventually, he too, after learning in the school of Christ, obtained that wisdom and faith which is far more precious than gold or silver or rubies. Over the years of serving God and the people, after so many visits into the Holy and Most Holy compartments of the Tabernacle, the long career next to his brother, enduring the rigors of administration together and caring for the needs of the people, facing the dangers of murderous belligerents over their depraved appetites, suffering affliction with the people of God, Aaron’s focus moved from pleasing himself to Him who “pleased not Himself.” Rom. 15:3. In the middle of another plague on the nation for their insolence, with people dying on the right and the left, forgetting himself, Aaron ran out with the only thing he thought might protect the people he had come to love. The plague stopped; “he stood between the dead and the living;” Aaron passed the final exam and graduated.
Like Peter for the people of the New Testament, Aaron served as an example to Israel of how far God can bring a person. It demonstrated the mercy and eternal patience of our Redeemer, the ever-present threat to disobedience especially for leaders, and the final fruit of love─one new man, complete, settled, happy, and beautiful to the core. A true shepherd of Israel, their intercessor, their father, now he could lead a transformed people.
posted by David | 6:14 AM
2 Comments:
David - just letting you know that the scripture you quoted comes straight from the father. i have read that before, in the context in which you meant it. I only know that the best is ahead!
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard how good we'll have it just ahead. I see Christ second coming like Moses experienced on Horeb. "So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, 'I exceedingly fear and quake.'" Heb. 12:21. Those words just hardly do justice to the scene! I can imagine knees knocking. Only the grace of God kept him from fainting like the Roman legion.
Thanks Gabrielle. Have a nice day. And I'm sorry you have to move. Maybe a time will come when you return like Moses did and then you'll make a big difference there.
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