Moses shows us why Yeshua is a greater priest than Aaron (Exodus 38–40; 1Peter 2; John 5; 1Corinthians 15)

Hallel Fellowship

Moses, the prototype of Messiah Yeshua

In the Torah reading פְקוּדֵי Pekudei (“accounts,” Exodus 38:21–40:38), we see that God assigned different tasks to experts such as Itamar, Bezalel and Oholiab to take advantage of their inherent skills. He does the same with us. He has given every believer particular gifts and skills and He put us in the place He wants for us to put these skills to work for His glory.

I’m uncertain about the educational backgrounds of Itamar, Bezalel, and Oholiab, but I am convinced that during their formative years, they never imagined that God was grooming them to construct His sacred tabernacle. Similarly, in our youth, we are oblivious to where our educational pursuits and professional endeavors might take us, and the divine purposes that may lie ahead.

As a young child and later as a young man, Moses remained unaware that God was grooming him to become the savior of the Hebrew people. His paramount duty, bestowed by God, was to liberate the Hebrews from slavery and the threat of annihilation in Egypt—a task he fulfilled faithfully.

Moses was a prototype and precurssor of the Messiah Yeshua. Yeshua informed His disciples that Moses had written about Him, recording everything God had conveyed to him. This revelation should prompt you to recognize that whatever Moses documented about himself also pertains to the Messiah, Yeshua.

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. “I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. “But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?””

John 5:39–47 NAS95

Similarly, Yeshua served as the savior of His people. Just as Moses designated individuals to construct God’s tabernacle, Yeshua appointed men to establish His church. Throughout the New Testament, we encounter the names of Simon Peter, James (also known as Jacob), Matthew (referred to as Levi), John, and later Paul. Every action of Yeshua was guided by God’s directives. He affirmed that all those given to Him by God were safeguarded, as they were appointed by God Himself. Each individual appointed and elected by God to do the hard labor to build His house are known by Him and none are lost.

Just as Itamar, Bezalel and Oholiab had different talents and duties, so did the 12 Apostles. They all had unique gifts that God gave to them. Moses and Yeshua were the visionaries who inspired and relayed God’s instructions to those under them, teaching them and encouraging them to do what God wants them to do.

Both Moses and Yeshua faithfully followed the instructions given to them by God, displaying remarkable parallels in their actions and approaches.

Biblical silver and its significance in God’s house

God instructed Moses that the sockets supporting the base of the tabernacle, which upheld the sacred areas accessible only to priests, were to weigh one talent each. The silver required for the tabernacle was obtained from the people through the census process. However, the gold and copper necessary for the tabernacle were not procured through the census process, they were procured through free will offerings; only silver was collected in this manner.

The silver, which was a gift by the common people of the Israel, has to be purified through fire to be useful. Peter tells us that the people themselves are the foundation of God’s house. God’s house is His people, not the nice building that they gather in every week. If the people of God don’t show up and gather, then there’s no church.

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For this is contained in Scripture: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,”
and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

1 Peter 2:4–12 NAS95

The Apostle Peter tells us how those who would aspire to be the foundation stones of God’s temple, giving a list of appropriate conduct, and most of the Torah teaches God’s people how to conduct themselves. Our conduct defines whether we would make a good foundation or a poor one. Our conducts informs others whether we are God’s people or not. We are to be holy as God is holy.

Moses and Yeshua gathered the leaders and then those leaders were the ones who built up the house of God.

Gold, an example of purification and spiritual strength

In modern times, 24 carat gold represents the highest purity achievable, yet in ancient times, gold could be purified to around 16-18 carats, although achieving absolute purity was challenging. According to both the Torah and archaeological findings, the ancient Israelites crafted gold through hammering rather than casting.

Pure gold cannot be hammered, but high-quality gold, while not perfectly pure, can undergo hammering. Surprisingly, this process strengthens the gold, making it more resilient. By subjecting it to stress, the gold becomes robust and suitable for use in the divine sanctuary.

The same principle applies to people: when we face stress and challenges, we grow stronger. Our usefulness in God’s kingdom increases as we become stronger and more resilient.

Moses anoints with oil; Aaron anoints with blood

Both Yeshua and Moses lived lives that anyone would say were stressed and hammered. You try going before an absolute monarch like Pharaoh, and tell him to let the Hebrew go while at the same time, those Hebrew people are telling you to bug off? Yeshua suffered many indignities at the hands of not only the Romans but His own people. Yeshua was under so much pressure, even before the Crucifixion, that he literally sweated blood as He prayed.

Aaron experienced significant stress in his role as High Priest. The tragic deaths of two of his sons and the restriction on publicly mourning for them added to his burdens. While his stress may have differed from Moses’, there is no denying the challenges and hardships Aaron faced in fulfilling his duties.

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

James 1:2–4 NAS95

We have the stories of Yeshua’s 12 Apostles, and most of them died horrific deaths in martyrdom. The 12 Apostles travelled all over the world to preach the Gospel and, for the most part, they were told to bug off.God utilized the stress they endured to fortify them and to advance His divine purpose. Our existence today is a testament to what God permitted to occur in the lives of the Apostles.

During the seven-day instructional period led by Moses, Aaron and his sons were taught the proper procedures for making sacrifices and purifying the items of the sanctuary. This hands-on training was necessary for the High Priest to officially undertake his duties within the tabernacle. It’s important to note that items like the Ark of the Covenant, menorah, showbread table, and incense burner were not inherently holy during their construction. Only after undergoing the purification process prescribed by God did these items attain their sanctity.

Initially, Moses anointed all the items with oil and proceeded to light the menorah and burn the incense. Unlike Aaron and his sons, Moses did not undergo a week-long process of anointing and purification. Being already chosen and essentially serving as the high priest before Aaron, Moses held a superior position. In essence, Moses was the high priest greater than the high priest himself. Aaron’s life was spared solely because Moses interceded with God on his behalf following the golden calf incident.

Moses was specially chosen by God, and God spoke with Moses face to face in a way that He never spoke with Aaron.

Following Moses’ anointing of the tabernacle and its furnishings with the sacred oil, God entered His dwelling, causing Moses and all the people inside to depart. His divine presence sanctified the tabernacle. Subsequently, the High Priest and his sons underwent purification through both anointing oil and blood. This purification extended to all the items, which required anointing with blood, a process that spanned a couple of weeks. Only after this meticulous purification ritual could humans re-enter God’s dwelling place.

Moses and Yeshua’s similarities in leadership

Both Moses and Yeshua surpass Aaron and Simon Peter, whom they appointed as their successors. Moses and Yeshua were directly chosen by God, while Aaron and Simon Peter were appointed by Moses and Yeshua, respectively. As the sons of the household, the heirs, they had the freedom to act according to their father’s will because they were chosen and proved their loyalty. This aspect distinguishes Moses and Yeshua. Moses, though not without sin, was anointed by God as the savior of the Hebrew people in his era. Yeshua, on the other hand, is the savior of all humanity for all time.

When Moses gave God the “keys” to the tabernacle, Moses left the tabernacle. When Yeshua built up His church, He left and God came to His people in a similar way. Although Yeshua’s actions mirrored those of Moses, they unfolded in distinct ways. The symbols remain consistent, albeit within different temporal contexts.

Summary: Tammy