Aaron`s behavior and God`s treatment of him in the Pentateuch

Aaron 's Behavior and God 's Treatment of Him in the Pentateuch

Scholarly Commentaries : The Rabbinic and Christian Patristic Explanations of Aaron 's Behavior and God 's Treatment of Him

Aaron , the high priest of Israel , the ancestor of the Jerusalem priesthood , had participated with the Israelites in making the golden calf instead of openly opposing them . Besides , Aaron and his sister Miriam had criticized Moses , and God has chastised them for this

Aaron is the younger brother of Miriam and the elder brother of Moses . He served as Moses ' spokesman before

Pharaoh when both were required by God to plead for the freedom of their nation . More than once had Aaron stretched out his staff to bring on God 's plagues to the land . God turned Aaron 's rod into a serpent , and when Egyptian magicians were able to do the same using magical arts , the serpent from Aaron 's rod swallowed the others whole , which proved the dominance of the supernatural powers at work . Aaron was later chosen to be Israel 's first priest . The man took on special rules but could not live up to the high standards connected with the responsibility . Thus , he had to offer sacrifices for his own sins and then sacrifices for others

When Moses was called by God to go up to a mountain to worship Him Aaron was left in charge of the people . The Israelites became impatient and expressed to Aaron that they wished to worship a physical god Aaron could not help but oblige them . He had grown tired of his responsibilities to the people , perhaps . Therefore , he said to his people : Take the golden earrings from the ears of your wives , and your sons and daughters , and bring to them to me ' This broke Aaron 's pact with God , and Moses had to pray to God for his brother to be forgiven After all , the Bible declares that Aaron had clearly participated in the making of the calf : When he receives them he makes a molten calf before which he built up an altar , and the children of Israel were convoked to celebrate their new god

Perhaps because of Moses ' prayer for the forgiveness of Aaron , he was not as harshly judged as his sister Miriam was for this act which was collectively performed by the Children of Israel . After all , Aaron had served God faithfully as a High Priest , and he had also confessed and pleaded mercy for his sister Mariam . Finally , God testified to Aaron 's priestly leadership , yet Aaron sinned again when the people cried for water in the desert and he joined in by not trusting and honoring God in the difficult situation . In to find water , a rock had to be struck twice with the staff . However , for the reason that the Children of Israel had not trusted God , they were refused entry into the Promised Land , along with their leaders , Moses and Aaron . The Lord said to Moses and Aaron , Because...