Aaron

Aaron, eldest son of Amram and Jochebed of the tribe of Levi and the elder brother of Moses (Exodus 6:20), was the first high priest of Israel and head of the priestly line that bore his name. Born three years before Moses, he became God’s appointed spokesman when Moses protested his lack of eloquence: “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite?… he shall be your mouth” (Exodus 4:14-16). With Moses he confronted Pharaoh, his staff becoming a sign in the plagues, and at Rephidim he and Hur held up Moses’ hands so Israel prevailed over Amalek (Exodus 17:12).

At Sinai Aaron and his sons were set apart for the priesthood, clothed in holy garments and consecrated to “serve me as priests” (Exodus 28:1-4). Aaron alone, as high priest, entered the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement to make atonement for the people (Leviticus 16:32-34), and the LORD gave through him the great priestly blessing, “The LORD bless you and keep you” (Numbers 6:23-26).

His record was not unblemished. While Moses was on the mountain, Aaron yielded to the people and fashioned the golden calf, a grievous failure of leadership (Exodus 32:1-4). With Miriam he also spoke against Moses (Numbers 12:1-2). Yet God vindicated his priestly office: when Korah’s company rebelled, Aaron’s rod alone budded, blossomed, and bore almonds as a sign of divine election (Numbers 17:8), and his censer of incense stayed a plague, standing “between the dead and the living” (Numbers 16:48). Barred with Moses from the land for the waters of Meribah, Aaron died on Mount Hor at 123, his vestments passing to his son Eleazar (Numbers 20:26-28).

The New Testament presents Aaron’s priesthood as a God-ordained type pointing beyond itself. No one took the honour for himself, “but only when called by God, just as Aaron was” (Hebrews 5:4). Yet because Aaron and his sons were sinful and mortal, theirs was a provisional ministry; Christ is the true and eternal High Priest, “not… after the order of Aaron” but after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:11), who by one offering of himself secures what Aaron’s repeated sacrifices could only foreshadow.