Leviticus 8: The Perfect High Priest

Moses said to the assembly, “This is what the LORD has commanded to be done. ”
Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.  He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him. He also tied the ephod to him by its skillfully woven waistband; so it was fastened on him.  He placed the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece.  Then he placed the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred diadem, on the front of it, as the LORD commanded Moses. - Lev. 8:5-9 NIV

How did Aaron get to be the High Priest.  He certainly was not a likely candidate.  He was, after all, the one who could not stand up to the people, but crafted a golden calf for them after they thought God had abandoned them in the wilderness when Moses was too slow in coming down from the mountain.  This is Aaron, whose sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and then offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command.  This is Aaron, who along with his sister, Miriam, began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife which resulted in Miriam becoming leprous.  This is Aaron, who did not seem to have a word of his own, who did not hear directly from God, but from Moses instead.  How is it that this, Aaron, was the one, the only one, authorized to accept and present the sacrifices of the people to the Lord? 

The author of Hebrews explains it this way:  Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. (Hebrews 5:1-4 NIV)  Only those who are called by God, only those who are painfully aware of their limitations are truly qualified to deal with the rest of us who are always tempted to go astray.  Our earthly priests are still capable of sin, they will disappoint us, just as Aaron did.  The one exception to this is Christ, who was tempted just as we were, yet without sin.  Jesus understands all of our weaknesses, he faced the same temptations, yet never sinned.  Christ is the perfect High Priest, the one and only perfect High Priest. 

For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son who has been made perfect forever. - Hebrews 7:28 NIV
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