The Righteous Aaron was the son of Amram and Jochebed, and the elder brother of
the Prophet Moses the God-seer, and also of Miriam. He was a direct descendent of Levi by both parents. God called him “the
Levite” in Exodus 4:14, when He appointed Aaron to be the spokesman for Moses, who was “slow of speech,”
before the people. Later, he would also speak on behalf of Moses before Pharaoh in Egypt (Ex. 4:30; 7:2). Aaron was married
to Elisheba, the daughter of the Prince of Judah (Ex. 6:23), who bore him four sons.
Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh and asked that the Hebrews be released
from their slavery. The Lord told Moses that Pharaoh would ask them for a miracle, and that Aaron should throw down his rod
before him, and it would become a serpent (Ex. 7:9). When Pharaoh would not allow the Hebrews to leave Egypt, God told Moses
to have Aaron stretch forth his rod over the Nile River, and it would turn to blood.
Following a succession of plagues, Pharaoh relented and let the people go, then Moses led them on their long journey
to the Promised Land. In Chapter 17 of Exodus, the Hebrews fought Amalek in a battle at Rephidim. Moses stood atop a hill
with the rod of God in his hand. As long as he raised his hand, the Hebrews prevailed, but when he became tired and lowered
it, Amalek prevailed. Aaron and Hur sat Moses on a rock and held up his hands, one on each side. This was a prefiguration
of the suffering of Christ, because the arms of Moses formed a cross. In the Greek Septuagint, the names Aaron and Hur begin
with the letters Alpha and Omega, another reference to Christ (Revelation 1:8).
Aaron and his sons were anointed and sanctified to serve God as priests (Exodus chapter 29). In chapter 32, Aaron
fell into temptation when Moses went up on Mount Sinai to receive the Commandments. Since Moses was taking a long time, the
people grew restless and asked Aaron to make them a golden idol in the form of a calf so that they could offer sacrifices.
He gave into them, and Moses was angry when he returned and saw them dancing and singing before the calf. He threw down the
tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments, and then he burned the golden calf and ground it to powder. He scattered
the powder on the water, and he made the people drink it. When Moses asked those who were on the Lord’s side to gather
around him, the Levites came to him. He ordered them to take their swords and slay their sons, companions, and neighbors.
About three thousand people were killed that day.
Later, Aaron and Miriam
criticized Moses for marrying a Cushite woman (Num. 12:1). God was angry with them, so He punished Miriam with leprosy. She
was healed by God seven days after Moses interceded for her.
In chapter 17 of Numbers,
the people murmured against Moses and Aaron, so God commanded that the leaders of the twelve tribes should have their names
inscribed on their rods and placed in the tent of testimony. God would reveal His choice to make the people cease their grumbling
against Moses and his brother. Aaron’s rod bloomed miraculously in the tent of the testimony, to show that he had been
chosen for this purpose.
Aaron reposed atop Mount Hor when he was one hundred
and twenty-three years old. One of his descendants was Saint Elizabeth, the mother of Saint John the Baptist (Luke 1:5).
