How the death of Aaron prefigures the death of Jesus Christ
Aaron, in his calling and his priestly office and character is a type of Jesus Christ; that is, a foreshadow in human form of what Jesus Christ would be as our Great High Priest. As Aaron bore resemblance to our Lord in his life and work, it is only natural that the same could be said of Aaron in his death. Aaron’s death was like Christ’s in the following ways:
1. Aaron knew of it beforehand. In verses 23 and 24, we read that the Lord revealed to Aaron that he was going to be gathered to his people. Our Lord knew the time and manner of His death long before it happened; even the prophets of the Old Testament knew it. On more than on occasion Jesus said, “My time has not yet come,” in reference to His death. In Luke 9:31, Jesus spoke about His impending death.
2. It was sudden. Aaron ascended Mount Hor to die. He was not sick. As you read the account, it appeared like his death was quick. Even though Jesus spoke of His death on more than one occasion, it happened quickly, suddenly. He was “cut off,” and after Jesus died on the Cross, we read that the soldiers had expected Jesus to live much longer (John 19:33). Why did Jesus die so quickly, the answer is found in Psalm 69:20–Jesus died of a broken heart.
3. It was the result of sin. Aaron was kept out of the Promised Land and died just on the outskirts of the Promised Land because rebelled against the command of God, Numbers 20:24. Sin was imputed to Aaron, and for that sin he died. Christ died for sin, but it was not His own. The Lord laid upon Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus Christ bore our sins in His body; in His very soul, and He felt the crushing weight of that sin within, Matthew 26:38.
4. He never once complained about it. It is not insignificant that we never read of Aaron protesting his coming death. Like the great Antitype, “he opened not his mouth.” He, for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, Hebrews 12:2. Jesus never once complained about having to follow His Father’s will.
5. He died on a mountain, verse 25. It was Aaron’s solemn task to leave his loved ones and climb the mountain to his death. Jesus set His face like a flint to go up to Jerusalem, even though He knew it was to accomplish His death, referred to by Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, John 3:14. As Psalm 72:16 so poetically puts it, our Lord’s death was like a “handful of corn on the top of Mount Calvary,” destined to fill the whole world.
6. He was stripped. Moses stripped the priestly garments off Aaron, verse 28. Christ was also stripped, of His humanity and even of His robe, Matthew 27:35. They did this to fulfill Scripture, both in type and prophecy.
7. Two where with him in his death. There were three on that mount where Aaron died, one that was exalted through his death, and one who was not , verse 28. On Mount Calvary where Jesus died, there were two other men with Him, Jesus in between them. One was blessed and exalted through our Lord’s death, Luke 23:43. Now, it may be a bit of a stretch to compare the other thief to Moses, but just like Moses, he was shut out because of unbelief, verse 12.
8. His work continued after he was gone, verse 28. Aaron’s son continued the work begun by his father, and this was his command from the Lord. Aaron’s mantle, his priestly robes, were put upon Eleazar, just as years later Elijah’s mantle fell on Elisha, and even further along in history the Spirit that possessed the Lord Jesus Christ fell upon His heirs in the upper room, so that they might continue His work! Revelation 1:6 tells us that Christ has made us all kings and priests unto God.
The anointing of the Holy Ghost is the mantle of our Lord, and He is given to us so that we may continue the priestly work of our Lord Jesus Christ in His stead.
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