Who’s The New Guy?

There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office.   Hebrews 7:23

There were many high priests throughout the history of God’s people, because death prevented them from carrying out their duties and continuing in office.

The Old Testament records the moving story of how the role passed from Aaron, the first high priest, to his son Eleazar (see Numbers 20:22-29). God spoke to Moses and Aaron, telling them that Aaron was about to die and that he would not enter the Promised Land. Then God gave them instructions about how Aaron’s son Eleazar was to assume the role of the high priest.

An alien arriving from another planet who knew absolutely nothing about Israel would immediately understand the importance of the high priest simply from the clothes he wore. With jewels hanging all over his colorful robes and a turban on his head, the high priest looked like royalty on a state occasion.

Moses, Aaron, and Eleazar climbed Mount Hor in full view of the whole community of God’s people. Aaron was wearing the high priest’s robes and must have looked overdressed for climbing. But at the top of the mountain, hidden from the view of the people, Moses removed Aaron’s robes and put them on Aaron’s son Eleazar. Then Aaron died up on the mountain.

Imagine yourself in the crowd, waiting for their return. Someone shouts, “They’re coming back!” You look, but you see only two men returning. You can clearly identify the high priest’s robes, so you assume one of them is Aaron, but as they come closer, you realize that it’s Eleazar. There is a new high priest.

When the time came for Aaron’s robes to be passed on to his successor, no doubt some struggled with this younger, less experienced high priest. “Will he be too busy to help me?” “Will he be harsh with us or merciful?” “Does God hear his prayers?”

God has given us one High Priest, Jesus Christ, who has a permanent priesthood because he lives forever (see Hebrews 7:24). There will never be a time when the robes are taken from him. He has been through death and splintered its gates. He lives in the power of an endless life.

For further reading, see Numbers 20