1st Corinthians 1:26 For ye see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
The way that God chooses leaders is quite different to how we as mortals may go about selecting those who are to bear sacred responsibilities. Mortal man often gives consideration to external qualifications, dispositions, intellect, expertise, and seniority. With God, even though those things have their place they are secondary to one’s willingness to obey.
In fact, God would often choose those who may not have great intellectual appeal but who are willing to be taught by Him and He outfits them for their work if they be ready and willing to do His every will.
The Lord will have us understand that education or specialized training in institutions of higher learning may have their place but are not considered as the most important prerequisites for sacred service.
A teachable spirit, one’s willingness to be led, and a disposition to obey God, even when it goes against our own grain, are just a few of the characteristics He looks for. In addition, it is much more important to be imbued with The Spirit of God than to have a long list of titles from literary institutions. These do have their place, but they can only furnish external qualifications. Let’s read:
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word.
Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Aaron was an eloquent person, and he possessed a loving disposition and dignified mien that appealed to people naturally, but for some reason, The Lord hesitated greatly in making him the spokesperson for Moses, for in such a capacity, he would often be speaking in Moses’ stead.
God had seen him coming to visit his brother, long before He mentioned that fact to Moses, but it was only after Moses kept making all those excuses, that God finally mentioned Aaron, in a last-ditch effort to get His will done. If Moses had readily stepped up to the plate, Aaron would never have been chosen, as the following scriptures disclose. Let’s read:
Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he sees thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
We keep saying that God is a Spirit, and by this we mean that very often, His pleasure or displeasure is clearly discerned by what He does or what He says or His eagerness or reluctance to go a certain route. In this instance, Aaron was obviously not His first choice, but a sort of plan “B” when His efforts with Moses failed.
When Christ was on earth He walked by the seaside and called to Himself, Peter, James and John, and all three responded readily. But when Judas’ turn came Jesus for some reason became unusually cool in His reception. This obvious reluctance baffled the other disciples, who had great respect for Judas, and his qualifications as a certified accountant.
They saw in him one who would be an asset to the kingdom, but Jesus, who reads the heart, observed quite the opposite in the same person, and to His disciples, Christ’s unexplained coolness to Judas was not only unwarranted, but ill-advised in their minds. But God never makes a mistake in His assessment of persons as Judas’ after history revealed. Let’s read:
Matthew 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets and followed him.
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father and followed him.
Matthew 8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath nowhere to lay his head.
That was definitely not a warm welcoming tone as was the case with those other disciples, to whom Christ made no mention of not having a fixed place of abode. In fact, Christ’s words to Judas may have bordered on discouraging him from his bid to join the inner circle, but because God gives opportunity to all, He permitted Judas to join the group.
Therefore, even though Aaron could speak well, and although he displayed a mild, amicable disposition, yet he had serious flaws in his character that would be of greater liability than an asset, when he would be severely tested in the heat of the furnace. That disposition to please others, and not ruffle feathers, would cause him to compromise truth, and sacred trusts in emergency situations.
Persons who are anointed as elders and deacons of the church ought to be men of sterling worth, men who will not be bought or sold, or be pressured into countenancing wrong, just because the majority of the congregation may clamor for it. God’s form of government is not democratic in nature, where it is government by the people, and for the people.
God’s government is theocratic in nature, with Jesus Christ as the head, and we His servants, to do all His pleasure and biddings even when we may not agree with His directives, or when we may have different, personal opinions as to what is right or wrong in any given situation. Thus, those who are chosen to fill a sacred office should not curry favor with the masses but instead should be found faithful in all things.
Aaron was good when things went smoothly, where there was no backlash, or remonstrance from those whom he served. But when the heat was turned up several notches and he saw the unruly congregation as an existential threat to himself, he capitulated to them and buckled under pressure. This is not good, for in our day it causes preachers to water down the truth to please the popular majority. Let’s read:
Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Aaron’s response to this clamor should have been “Absolutely not or under no circumstances” and he then should have cautioned and encouraged those under his care to be patient in waiting for Moses, especially since the cloud of glory still hovered over Mt. Sinai.
But the people persisted, and they became more irate when they saw his feeble remonstrance. Thus, they came to believe that if they would push him a bit further, they would eventually break his morale, and they were correct in their assessments, as the following scriptures show. Let’s read:
Exodus 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears and brought them unto Aaron.
4 And he received them at their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.
When Aaron observed the favor with which the calf was received, he became even more motivated to please and instead of putting on the brakes he went even further by announcing a grand festival in what he advertised as a feast to The Lord.
Thus, he would blend the sacred and the common in order to please, not because it was right, and that grave pattern of conduct that would also bear fruit in the behavior of his sons, who later on would also be found mingling that which is holy with the vile.
Therefore, the people, who now had the sanction of Aaron, would be all too eager to pull out all of the stops, for in their minds, if the spiritual leader is in agreement, and goes so far as to approve idolatry, then they would respond in the positive, and give vent to latent desires, which sought an opportune moment to converge. Let’s read:
Exodus 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
What followed next was a turning point for many of the people, for there were those who saw their guilt and repented, but there were others who remained defiant, and therefore, the Levites were bidden by God to execute justice impartially, without fear and without favor, even if it came very close to home.
This was obviously something very difficult for them to do but there comes a time when our relationship with friends and families would have to take a back-seat to serving God, if the latter conflicts with the former, as Christ later pointed out when speaking about the seriousness of our commitment to Him. Let’s read:
Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Exodus 32:28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
That word “Consecrate” as used in verse 29 raises a lot of serious questions as it pertains to the extent a person is expected to go in demonstrating loyalty to Christ, especially in cases where a definite stand for the right is required.
[1] Would Aaron be protected by God if he braved the consequences and refused to budge on that ungodly request made by the masses?
[2] Does God guaranty protection to those who may defend the truth in volatile situations?
[3] Is our allegiance to God to be based on guaranty of protection, or is it to be based on whatsoever the cost may be?
[4] How would the Levites be viewed from that time forward by the rest of the congregation?
Before we proceed, it’s important for us to read an excerpt from the pen of inspiration as it pertains to this incident, because some of us may not be fully aware of what is involved in serving God.
Over the years self-indulgence and self-preservation and self-serving have imperceptibly eaten away at the fabric of Christianity, thus producing a plethora of fair-weather Christians, who serve and obey God only when it is easy and convenient to do so.
But because the crisis on the horizon will call for us to take a definite stand for the truth, in the face of existential threats from the beast system, and in the face of desertion and discouragements from friends and foes alike, we must read the following excerpts, considering what we would or ought to do in similar circumstances. Let’s read:
[P&P, pp 316] Such a crisis demanded a man of firmness, decision, and unflinching courage; one who held the honor of God above popular favor, personal safety, or life itself. A few who ventured to denounce the proposed image making as idolatry, were set upon and roughly treated, and in the confusion and excitement they finally lost their lives.
God would have His servants prove their loyalty by faithfully rebuking transgression, however painful the act may be. Those who are honored with the divine commission are not to be weak, pliant time-servers. They are not to aim at self-exaltation, nor to shun disagreeable duties, but to perform God's work with unswerving fidelity.
As the outpouring of the latter rain begins to gain momentum the trumpet would need to be given a certain sound by those who will be chosen to give the final warning before the close of probation, with the prospect of economic sanctions, boycotts, and tremendous push back from one’s family members, friends, and associates.
The 144,000 would be giving God’s last message of mercy against the backdrop of deep skepticism, and backlash from the religious and secular segments of society and science will be arrayed against the truth in so much that former church members will join in the fray to discredit the message, just as it was in the days of Noah prior to the worldwide deluge.
Yet they are required by God to stand firm for the right, to deliver the unvarnished truth, and God will strengthen them to tow the line, in spite of them being hedged in with difficulties, scorn and threats on every side. Unlike Aaron, those that are chosen are not to be concerned with consequences or the fallout that will certainly result.
Instead, they must give the trumpet a certain sound so that all who so desire may find refuge in Christ by keeping all of His commandments, before the final verdict is delivered. And therefore, there’s only one question remaining to be answered by each person individually: Who Is on The Lord’s side? Let’s read:
Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.
11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executes his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.
Those amongst us who have been entrusted with the goods, and have been taught the truths for this generation are called to preach a plain “Thus saith The Lord”. When preparing sermons for the people, we need to be careful that the Aaron syndrome will not taint the presentations.
The desire to please, to palliate, to soothe, or to be funny, must not cause any preacher elder or deacon to water down the truth, even if family members or friends may have their toes stepped on. While every sermon must be given in love, the content must not be altered, just because it may potentially rub some persons the wrong way.
It is the disposition not to ruffle any feathers that has turned many would be preachers into soothe- sayers, a syndrome which has already infected the remnant church of God to a large extent. As a general rule of thumb, when the unadulterated word of God is being delivered, you would scarcely find persons sleeping or yawning, for the presence and power of The Holy Ghost is present to drive the truth home.
But when most of the congregation is nodding away while others are sleeping or snoring during sermons it means that something is not quite right. Thus, we have reached the point in earth’s history where the average sermon won’t do anymore.
If we are really on The Lord’s side let us deliver the goods just as God gives it; let preachers and elders not be afraid to call sin by its right name, and when the masses come clamoring for smooth things, let them be given what they need to hear and not what they want to hear.
In this way The Lord will work with our efforts, and He will send forth His Spirit to prick the conscience, and many conversions to the truth will be seen in places where previously folks were hesitant to make a firm stand for Christ and His righteousness.
In harmony with the urgency of the moment we will end with a passage of scripture which Paul wrote to the young Timothy, at a time when some persons may have been disposed to question his ordination as a preacher. Let’s read:
2nd Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
God Bless!