In Exodus, God tells Moses that because he can’t speak well, God will allow Aaron to speak for him. He says, “He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him.” (Exodus 4:16 ESV) God spoke to Moses, then Moses spoke to Aaron. Aaron would then prophesy for Moses as Moses prophesied for God. This didn’t make Moses God, but put him in a position with Aaron that resembled the position Moses was in with God.
Now, if we fast forward to John the Baptist we see a similar situation. John was sent to preach before Christ came, as John was his prophet. John spoke of Christ when he said, “John answered them, ‘I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.’” (John 1:26, 27 ESV) Aaron was the spokesman for Moses, John was the spokesman for Christ.
This is where my mind started to get blown. There are quite a few similarities in the relationship between Moses and Aaron and the relationship between John and Jesus. Aaron spoke for Moses, John spoke for Jesus. Aaron was Moses’ brother, John was Jesus’ cousin. The difference is that Aaron treated Moses like his brother. John says that he is not worthy to untie the sandals of Jesus.
I did some research on this to understand what John was implying when he said this. In that day, the servants that cleaned the feet of their masters were considered the least of all the servants. John is implying that he is not even worthy to perform the lowest position of servanthood to the person that he is speaking for.
Aaron was the spokesman for Moses in the same way that John was the spokesman for Jesus. Except Aaron and Moses were equals in each others eyes, John didn’t feel worthy to touch Christ’s sandals, much less clean His feet.
This shows me the immeasurable greatness of Christ and I stand in awe before my Lord, whose sandals I am unworthy to touch, yet He reached down to save me and now holds me in His holy embrace.
Grace and peace,
Rhett
