Who Are Moses And Aaron?

Exodus 6:14-26

God had chosen Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Because of Moses’ fear they wouldn’t listen, God assigned Aaron to be his spokesperson. Now God directed the author to describe Moses’ genealogy so we can know who he is. Most of the time our focus is on Jesus Christ and most of the genealogies address his lineage, to show that he is of the family of Judah, demonstrating his qualifications to be the Messiah, first prophesied by Jacob in Genesis 49:8-12.

Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, but was tricked into marrying her sister Leah instead. Later he married Rachel as well, jealousy between them resulted in his tsaking their maids as wives also, compounding the problems. Here we get a brief look at some of Leah’s descendants. That God chose Moses and identifies him so clearly seems especially significant.

“These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.” (Exodus 6:14)

As the oldest of Jacob’s sons, Reuben should have been the most favored, and would have seemed the most likely leader, but as a result of the constant turmoil he developed a lack of stability, committing incest with Bilhah, one of Jacob’s wives. His descendants tended to follow his example.

“And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.” (Exodus 6:15)

Simeon was Leah and Jacob’s second son. He and his younger brother, Levi both were inclined to let their anger take over, with the result that they murdered the men of Shechem over Hamor’s perceived wrong to their sister Dinah.

“And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years. The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years. And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.” (Exodus 6:16-19)

Jacob had strongly condemned Simeon and Levi for their murders of the men of Shechem, instructing that they were not to be allowed to get together as they would egg each other on. Levi’s three sons would later become responsible for the care of the tabernacle and leading the worship of God. Each family would have specific responsibilities.

“And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years. And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.” (Exodus 6:20-22)

Levi’s son Kohath had a son named Amram, who married one of Kohath’s younger sisters, Jochebed. Moses and Aaron were their sons, making them descendants of Levi on both sides of the family. One of Moses and Aaron’s cousins was Korah, a man who would later cause a lot of trouble, having an attitude similar to that of his great grandfather Levi.

Hebrews 7 stresses the importance that the lineages of Moses and Aaron are from the tribe of Levi while Christ came from the tribe of Judah and that there was no overlap to demonstrate that Christianity is not an extension of the Jewish religion. As Paul describes it, the old Testament religion served as a scaffold or temporary platform for building Christianity. It was never intended as the final structure.

Moses was not chosen from Reuben’s family, from Judah’s, or from Joseph or Benjamin’s. He was chosen from a family with a record of cruelty and self will. It clearly indicates that while family background has a great deal of impact on our lives, God can and will use anyone who is willing to obey him.

“And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.” (Exodus 6:23)

Aaron had four sons. Later, in Leviticus 10:1-2 and Numbers 3:2-4, Nadab and Abihu were killed because they ignored God’s command in fulfilling the priest’s duties. Being of Aaron’s family was not enough to save them.

“And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.” (Exodus 6:24)

Moses and Aaron’s cousin Korah would be killed in Numbers 16, because he decided he had the right to do as he wished. His entire family died as well.

“And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.” (Exodus 6:25)

God had told Abraham that his descendants would be in Egypt four hundred years. Genesis 15:16 concludes, “But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” Kohath was one of those who had gone to Egypt with Jacob. They would go out of Egypt in his great great grandson Phineas’s lifetime, four generations later, again proving that it was God who made the promise.

“These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.” (Exodus 6:26-27)