The fact that Aaron had been blessed and honored so far above the people was what made his sin so heinous. It was Aaron "the saint of the Lord" (Psalm 106:16), that had made the idol and announced the feast. It was he who had been appointed as spokesman for Moses, and concerning whom God Himself had testified, "I know that he can speak well" (Exodus 4:14), that had failed to check the idolaters in their heaven-daring purpose. 323 He by whom God had wrought in bringing judgments both upon the Egyptians and upon their gods, had heard unmoved the proclamation before the molten image, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." It was he who had been with Moses on the mount, and had there beheld the glory of the Lord, who had seen that in the manifestation of that glory there was nothing of which an image could be made--it was he who had changed that glory into the similitude of an ox. He to whom God had committed the government of the people in the absence of Moses, was found sanctioning their rebellion. "The Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him." Deuteronomy 9:20. But in answer to the earnest intercession of Moses, his life was spared; and in penitence and humiliation for his great sin, he was restored to the favor of God.

Aron var blevet velsignet og æret langt mere end folket, og derfor var hans synd så graverende. Det var Aron, "Herrens hellige" (Sl. 106, 16), der havde lavet afguden og kundgjort festen. Det var den mand, der var blevet udnævnt til Moses' talsmand, og om hvem Gud selv havde sagt: "Han, ved jeg, kan tale for sig" (2. Mos. 4, 14), der havde undladt at standse afgudstilbederne i deres himmelstormende forsæt. Han, som Gud havde benyttet til at bringe straffedomme over både ægypterne og deres guder, havde ganske roligt hørt på råbet foran det støbte billede: "Her, Israel, er din gud, som førte dig ud af Ægypten!" Det var den mand, der havde været sammen med Moses på bjerget og skuet Herrens herlighed og set, at der intet var i denne herlighed, som kunne afbildes - det var ham, der havde forvandlet denne herlighed til et billede af en okse. Han, som Gud havde betroet at styre folket i Moses' fravær, havde anerkendt deres oprør. "På Aron blev Herren vred, så han ville tilintetgøre ham." 5. Mos. 9, 20. Men som svar på Moses' alvorlige forbøn blev hans liv sparet, og da han havde ydmyget sig og angret sin store synd, fandt han atter nåde for Guds øjne.