Trying To Be Perfect
Perfectionism seems a good thing as we strive for excellence and initially brings a feeling of having value. But for some of us, the more perfect we try to be, the more we seem to fail. Others seem to flourish in their perfectionism, but it grows out of fear and trying to please others. Over time, fearing failure, we move into passivity. Aaron also seemed to struggle with perfectionism.
The Lord honored Aaron by choosing him to be His high priest. Aaron was the “great priest”; the first, magnified to be of the highest order[1] serving the Lord. Aaron was revered as the greatest of earthly priests, who foreshadowed the high priestly role Jesus Christ would have.
The New Testament says every high priest, like Aaron, must be chosen by the Lord to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; to have compassion on the ignorant, and on those who fail because he himself also is compassed with infirmity. For this reason, he is to offer a sacrifice for his own sins, as well as his people’s sins.
That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him,“You are my Son. Today I have become your Father."
And in another passage God said to him,“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5: 5-10, NLT)
Wrongful Devotion To Excellence
The Lord used 10 plagues to defeat every false god Egypt worshiped. He parted the Red Sea for them to escape. Israel saw Egypt totally defeated. Yet their first request of Aaron was: “Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.” (Acts 7:40 KJV).
Aaron was Jehovah’s high priest, but he did not ask the Lord what to do.
Nor did he encourage Israel to wait for Moses. Without hesitation, he began work to make a golden calf.
When moving house, we take things we value. Is it possible Aaron was a craftsman in Egypt? That his creativity was used to make beautiful things, even idols? Scripture doesn’t say. But with devotion, he skillfully used specialized tools to give expression to Israel’s hidden idolatry. Because of their excitement when they saw the idol, we know he worked with excellence. Then with devotion, he acted as high priest for what he created with his own hands.
Perfectionism Fails
Aaron got off to a bad start. “If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?” (Hebrews 7:1 KJV).
But [Christ], because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. (Hebrews 7:24-28, NKJV).
Because of sin, the Levitical order is inferior to the order of Melchisedek. Aaron was flawed. All Levitical priests after him were flawed.
Every High Priest, including Aaron needed to be cleansed from sin. Before they could enter the presence of the Lord to offer the sacrifice for the sins of their people, the blood of a bull had to be shed for their personal sins.
Christ Jesus was not of the Levitical line but was of the tribe of Judah. As the perfect Lamb of God sacrificed for sin, after He arose, He entered the Holy of Holies in Heaven to present His blood for our sins. Today, as High Priest, He intercedes for you and for me.
Religion Kills Love
Aaron was devout and religious. He worked with excellence but he was imperfect. Darkness resided in his heart.
The Lord conquered the powers of darkness to set us free. But like Aaron, darkness hides within us. We may be very devout, even perfectionists. But if we are comfortable with disrespect, deception, complaint, manipulation, or quick to express judgment, we are religious.
The Lord desires relationship with you. When He is present, hidden things come into the light so you may choose life.
Perfectionism brings idolatry and fear. Let Christ, the Word purify you and draw you to Himself in a loving relationship.
In the next blog, we will see Aaron jarred out of complacency and indifference when he saw Miriam had become a leper. Moved with compassion, he moved out of the slave mentality into his identity as high priest of the Lord.
[1] High: H1419 gadowl adjective from H1431 (to become or make great, powerful, magnify, greatly valued). Great (in magnitude, older in age, in importance). Accessed 20 Mar 15.
