Men of the Scripture: Aaron

He was a great leader. But his life was in jeopardy because of God’s anger from his failure to lead the people and his own needs for forgiveness. He stood by Moses throughout his struggle with Pharaoh, he seemed unable to stand on his own as a leader.

His work: He was the first in the line of Israel’s hereditary priesthood. He had performed his priestly duties as a mediator between a Holy God and the sinful people. When Moses was absent for forty days, Aaron had given in to the people’s insistent demands for a god to worship.

His character: He was a man who witnessed God’s power. His role was primarily passive; To do and say whatever Moses told him to. He would not be able to come before the Lord without any air of self-righteousness, as though only the people, and not he, were guilty of sin. He joined Moses in stopping a plague that threatened to destroy the Israelites because of their rebellion.

His Sorrow: Aaron had disobeyed the Lord by presiding over an incident of false worship. He had angered God by joining his sister Miriam in complaining against their brother’s leadership.

His Triumph: He had spoken God’s word which was entrusted to him through Moses. He had acted as a mediator between God and Man, providing for the atonement of sin and people’s reconciliation with the Creator, God Almighty.

Key Scripture: Exodus 20:1-6; Exodus 32:30-32

Promises:
“I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds…their sins and lawless acts, I will remember no more“ (Hebrews 10:16-17)

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7)

Reflection:
It is time to praise God for giving us priests and religious leaders like Aaron. Through this God’s manifestation of His divine plan, we, sinners are given special moment to repent and return to Him.

We believe that sin carries its own set of plagues in the form of brokenness, in the family and wasted lives. But Christ, the Risen Lord, is ready to stand between the living and the dead, to halt sin’s deadly effects so that we can freely live in the hands of the living God.

Let us often pray to God that He may increase our confidence in His constant forgiveness. (Edgardo R. Sara | Kiblawan)