Aaron And Eleazar

by I. Lithgow, Innerleithen, Scotland | Category: General | Aug 1986

To one family in the tribe of Levi the unique service of the priesthood was given (Num. 3:5-10). It was a gift bestowed upon them by God (Num. 18:7), and it carried with it great responsibility and privilege, for the nation looked to the priests for a correct understanding of God's Law (Mal. 2:7). In this work they were helped by the Levites (2 Chron. 17:7-9; 35:3).

God chose the family of Aaron to minister in the priest's office. That choice was wrongly challenged by Korah, Dathan and Abiram with fatal consequences. Pride and jealousy lay behind that challenge (Num. 16).

The ministry of Aaron as Israel's first high priest commenced at a time in his life when most men, perhaps, would be thinking that their service would be in a quieter sphere than in earlier years, but this was not to be so in Aaron's case. We reckon that Aaron would be in his mid-eighties the day that Moses sanctified him and his sons for the priesthood (Lev.8). We arrive at this conclusion by subtracting the 39 years of his service in the wilderness from 123, his age at death (Num. 33:39).

Aaron, like us, was a man who had his ups and downs in life for there were times when he failed in his responsibility towards God. The final

words written about his earthly journey are found in Numbers 20:

23-29. Moses was told by God to bring Aaron and Eleazar his son up Mount Hor, and the purpose of the ascent was also revealed to him, but he may not have disclosed it to Eleazar before they went up the mountain. The full significance of the event would, however, become apparent to Eleazar when Moses began to strip Aaron of his priestly garments and transfer them to him. The office of the high priest was for life, there was no retirement from it, only death brought its service to a close.

That day on Mount Hor was a sad and also a momentous one for Eleazar. God in His grace permitted only two men out of the entire nation to witness the garments of glory and beauty being removed from Israel's first high priest.

We marvel at God's grace when we consider the open shame that God the Father permitted His sinless Son to endure as the inhabitants of Jerusalem gazed on the Son of God on the cross. God takes account of the feelings of those He loves - "Tell it not in Gath... publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon" (2 Sam. 1:20; Mic. 1:10) and shield them whenever possible. But there was no shielding for Him who suffered the ignominy of Calvary's experience.

Aaron was born in Egypt, and although he failed seriously in the matter of the golden calf (Ex. 32) he was chosen in the purposes of God to fulfil a crucial role in the early years of the nation of Israel. He died on the mountain top.

Responsibility in Eleazar's case was the result of the death of his father and the deaths of his two brothers some 39 years earlier. Eleazar would not have been high priest but for the sin of Nadab and Abihu that brought upon them the judgement of God all those years previously (Lev. 10:1). It is often the case that God passes over some and removes others for one reason or another and one who has gone on quietly in the Lord's things is unexpectedly brought into a place of responsibility. Such was Eleazar's experience.

Whereas Aaron was the priest of the wilderness journeys, Eleazar was

the priest of the years of conquest when the nation was claiming the land. Joshua, the commander of the Lord's forces, was victorious as he pressed forward in the Lord's strength. His place was out on the battlefield fighting. Eleazar was the man of the sanctuary, and would be holding up the nation's forces before the Lord as they went forth to war. It meant much to Joshua to have a priest like Eleazar in the Tabernacle before the altar of incense. We remember what Moses did so effectively when Joshua led Israel out to fight with Amalek at an earlier date (Ex. 17:8-13). God's Word does not refer to any particular exploit done by Eleazar, but during some 25 years of service as high priest of the people of God he must have been characterized by one of the most endearing qualities found in a man of God - faithfulness.

I. Lithgow, Innerleithen, Scotland | Aug 1986
General