So siblings,
There’s one little detail that I have intended to cover with you, in Exodus 16:6. But we’ve seemed to move past that point. Permit me if you will, to take note of that detail as we reflect on Today’s Holy Nougat.
Exodus 16:6 AFV
[6] And Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At sunset, then you shall know that the Lord has brought you out from the land of Egypt.
And Moses and Aaron said
It might seem insignificant to you, but this is perhaps the first time that both Moses and Aaron speak as with one voice. For those of us who need to jog our memories, Aaron was Moses’ elder brother by three years (Exodus 7:7 corroborates the age difference), and younger than Miriam by some years (see Exodus 2:6-8, which presents Moses’ elder sister having a logical conversation with Pharaoh’s daughter. She would have to have been at least 7 or 8 years old). Aaron, who later becomes known as the head of the Levitical clan, was Moses’ deputy, not his superior. In this instance of responding to the Children of Israel’s insubordination, they both had the same message about/from God. This is significant as we look both at the matter of prophetic witness (see previous Nougat on October 30) and at Aaron’s role in the Exodus.
Self-Check
Would we forfeit what should be ‘our rightful place of power’ to someone younger or less experienced than us? Why/not?
Deeper Dive
What I hear for us from this part of the Nougat, therefore, is an invitation to corroborate what we say in God’s name with Scripture and a witness. It also applies to what is prophesied in our presence. John 8:16-18 tells us that a prophetic word coming from 2 persons shall be considered true. If Y’shua used it to corroborate His testimony of God, it stands that we should be willing to do likewise. In having Moses and Aaron speak as one voice, God offered the Children of Israel an opportunity to realise the seriousness of what was being said. They heard it ‘from their own’, Aaron, as well as from Moses the partial outsider.
This joint statement confirms Exodus 4:14-16, when YHWH clearly named Aaron as Moses’ spokesman and mouthpiece. We may not be comfortable with the concept of Moses being as God to Aaron, but it is clear that Moses and Aaron were a team chosen by YHWH.
This brings us to the matter of hierarchy. For the most part, Aaron was content to have Moses in the lead. There was one exception, when both he and Miriam spoke against Zipporah, Moses’ wife (which cost them entry into the Land of Promise). However, their relationship was affable, despite Moses being chosen by God as the leader for the Children of Israel’s Exodus to the Land of Promise.
Siblings, it may be that Aaron was not keen on facing Pharaoh and his armies by himself. We recall that in Judges, both Gideon and Barack weren’t keen on standing against oppressive forces. That might have been Aaron’s prayer. But, we also note that in Exodus 2:2-3, Moses’ mother saw that there was something special about him. One might presume that it was not so much an outer beauty, as it was the mark of God’s anointing. I suspect that all three children would have been told over the years that Moses was exceptional.
Furthermore, we know from scripture that Moses was raised in the palace before his shepherd’s training. It is also likely that Aaron recognised Moses’ value-added gifts, and was therefore open to following Moses’ lead. There is no mention of Aaron’s gifts before being selected as Moses’ spokesperson, but we can safely presume that he was not as trained in diplomacy etc., as Moses was.
Lastly, we see in Exodus 4:14, that God told Moses that Aaron would be happy to see him. Siblings, when God chooses and anoints us or others for leadership, the confirmation will be there. Yes, some will feel the sting of being overlooked. But, when God chooses someone to lead, they also have the requisite gifts and skills or heart posture for the task. Let us remember and be assured that God will always equip God’s chosen.
Seeing Moses and Aaron working together and speaking with one voice ought to be assuring to us. It’s a reminder of the testimony of 2 or 3, and testimony that s/he who God chooses to lead will be equipped by God for the task.
Points to Ponder
What task has God anointed us for?
Have we received the testimony of 2 or 3 witnesses for our calling?
Do we need an Aaron or a Moses to journey with us for that which God has called us to?
I also invite you to participate in the YouVersion 30-Day Challenge today! More details below:
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May all we seek be found in Christ
https://www.bible.com/videos/50813-start-the-30-day-challenge-today!
