INTERMEDIATE
AGE: 12 - 13
YEARS
STANDARD/GRADE:
VII & VIII
Permission
is granted only for free distribution among Sunday School children.
No part of
this document can be modified, sold or used for any commercial purpose.
LESSON – 7
AARON, THE FIRST HIGH PRIEST
Aaron was the elder brother of Moses. When God
appeared to Moses on the burning bush at Mount Horeb and told him to go to
Egypt to free the children of Israel from slavery, Moses was reluctant to go.
So, God told Moses to take Aaron along with him, since he was a good speaker
and Aaron was appointed as Moses’ spokesman. Aaron went along with Moses to
meet the Pharaoh to deliver the Israelites. Aaron was 83
years old and Moses was 80 years old when they met the Pharaoh. Pharaoh let
the children of Israel go after God displayed his mighty miracles. Aaron had a
significant role to play in the deliverance and journey of Israelites towards
Canaan.
Aaron assists Moses
When the children of Israel were on their way to
Canaan, they camped at a place called Rephidim. When a group of people called
the Amalekites heard that the Israelites have camped nearby, they came to
attack the Israelites. So, Joshua led the children of Israel in a battle
against the Amalekites. Aaron’s brother Moses stood on a hill overlooking the
scene of the battle holding the rod of God in his hand. As long as Moses held
up his hand, the Israelites had the advantage, but Moses’ arms soon became so
tired he could no longer hold them up. Aaron and another leader named Hur found
a stone for Moses to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up
his hands. So, Moses’ hands held steady until sunset and Joshua defeated the
Amalekites in the battle.
Aaron makes a mistake
After a little while, when the Israelites camped at
the Sinai Desert, God called Moses to climb up the Sinai mountain to receive the
stone tablets on which the ten commandments were inscribed. Moses had to stay
on top of the mountain for forty days and nights and the Israelites were left
in the care of Aaron and Hur. But even before the forty days were over, the
Israelites were worried that something might have happened to Moses and they
told Aaron to make a god for them who could go before them and lead them in the
desert. Aaron told them to bring their gold ear rings. Aaron melted them and
made an idol in the shape of a calf. God was angry with Aaron and the
Israelites that he wanted to destroy them. They were only spared because of the
intercession of Moses.
Aaron anointed as the High Priest of Israel
Even though Aaron had made a terrible mistake, God forgave him and told Moses to set apart Aaron as the High Priest of Israel. Aaron was the first anointed Priest and the first High Priest of Israel. Aaron and his descendants were specially chosen for Priesthood. Before Aaron was appointed as the High Priest, there were no Priests in Israel and the head of the family (usually the father or the Patriarch) led his family members in worshipping God by building an altar and offering a sacrifice. We could see that from the life of Noah, Abraham, Jacob etc. During their days of slavery in Egypt there is no recording of Israelites offering sacrifices and worshipping God. That’s why Moses told Pharaoh that they wanted to go to the desert and offer the sacrifices because the Egyptians considered the sacrifices as an abomination (Exodus 8:26). As the High Priest of Israel, Aaron had specific duties and responsibilities. He wore a special richly decorated robe, which on his death passed to the person who succeeded him as the High Priest.
High Priest
A High Priest was specially appointed to represent the Israelite people before God. He had to make atonement for the Israelites and acted as a mediator between them and God. The High Priest had to be without any physical defects and holy in his conduct. The most important duty of the High Priest was to conduct the service on the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of the seventh month of every year. There was a special place called the “Most Holy Place” in the Tent or Tabernacle where the Israelites went to worship God. Only the High Priest was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place behind the veil to stand before God. Before entering the Most Holy Place, he had to offer a sacrifice for himself and for the people, he then brought the blood into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled it on the mercy seat, the “God’s throne”. He did this to make atonement (to ask for forgiveness of sins) for himself and the people for all their sins committed during the year just ended.
Aaron’s Sons punished by God
Aaron and his sons were specially consecrated
(purified) by God to do the priestly duties. But God had given them specific
instructions on how to do it. The day
after they were consecrated, Aaron’s two oldest sons Nadab
and Abihu took their respective firepans, put fire in them, placed incense on
it and offered a strange fire before the Lord, which God had not commanded
them to do. Strange fire means a fire that was ignited according to their own
wish and not commanded by God. Nadab and Abihu were punished for that. Fire
came out from the presence of the Lord and burnt them and they died before the
Lord.
Aaron’s Death and his successor
On one occasion, the people complained that there
was no water and that they would die of thirst. God told Moses to take the rod,
assemble the Israelites, and speak to the rock in front of them and the rock
would give them water. But Moses and Aaron assembled the whole community, Moses
could not control his anger and his frustration, so he raised the rod and
struck the rock twice with it. Out came a great stream of water, and the people
and the animals drank their fill. But God reproved Moses and Aaron, by saying
that they will not lead the congregation into the land which God had given them
as a punishment, instead Joshua would lead them. Thus, Aaron died on Mount Hor,
near the southern end of the Dead Sea when he was 123 years old. The Israelites
mourned him for 30 days. Aaron was succeeded as High Priest by his son Eleazar.
Even though Aaron had done many mistakes, God forgave him and gave him many
rare privileges and he is still revered as one of the greatest leaders of
Israel.
Bible Reference: Exodus 4:14, 27-30; 17:8-13; 32 chapter; Leviticus 8 & 9; Numbers 20:8-13, 23-29
Memory Verse: For
every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things
pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. …………………………..
And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as
Aaron was. (Hebrews 5:1-4)
Fill in the blanks:
1. Aaron was ……….. years
old and Moses was …………… years old when they met the Pharaoh.
2. …………………. was the first High
priest of Israel.
3. …………………. and …………………. took their respective firepans, put fire in them,
placed incense on it and offered a strange fire before the Lord,
4. Aaron was succeeded as High Priest by his son ……………………..
Give
short answers:
1. How did
Aaron and Hur assist Moses during the battle at Rephidim?
2. Why did Aaron make a golden calf?
3. Why
did God punish Nadab and Abihu?
4. Why
didn’t God allow Aaron to enter the promised land?
Answer
in brief:
1. Who is a High Priest? What are his roles
and responsibilities?
No comments:
Post a Comment