During King Davids reign, he sent several men to console a young king, Hanun who had just lost his father. The Amish are a Christian group who live simple, isolated lives. Bezalel was an artist and craftsman who was chosen by God to help build the tabernacle. Inasmuch as was beard was a sign of honor, priesthood, and anointing, it had to be taken care of by trimming. However, this is not mentioned explicitly in the Bible. It was an outward sign of his obedience to Gods Law. He is best known for his visions and prophecies. How can we know the Messiah would be God incarnate? > out how long was Aaron's beard? I seriously doubt that the reference to oil is just to teach us about abundance! Thank you. Have you ever wondered if Jesus had a beard? And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister as priests to Me. Some pictures of Jesus also show him as a young man when he would not have been old enough to grow a beard. He then leads the people in a festival that includes all types of revelry. Was Aaron tired of being in the shadow of his younger brother? Verse 2. The beard was an outward sign of each mans obedience to the Law and consecration to God. For example, Ezekiel mentions that beards are a sign of mourning and disgrace (Ezekiel 24:17). I hope that you benefit from what I teach. Its like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, Flowing down Aarons beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. And it is more than objectively good, it is also experientially pleasant, pleasing to the hearts of both God and man. Therefore it is called "the oil of gladness", because it rejoiceth our hearts, by giving us spiritual gladness, and peace of conscience. As priest, it is Aaron who instructs Israel on how they are to approach the Lord in worship and prayer. . We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. You have the nice bit in the Psalms 133 about `how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity like the precious oil upon the head that ran down upon the beard--Aaron's beard.' In order that we may the better behold brotherly unity David gives us a resemblance, so that as in a glass we may perceive its blessedness. Photo Credit:WikimediaCommons/Juan Antonio Vera Calvo (Public Domain). It is good in every way when Gods people experience unity. In this prayer and song of the unity of the church, it is note worthy how, commencing with the fundamental idea of "brethren", we rise to the realization of the Elder Brother, who is our common anointed High Priest. This was available to those who worshipped God acceptably at the hills of Zion and followed those whom He anointed. Verse 2 mentions how it is like oil that ran down Aaron's beard. Moses is the man sent by God; Moses receives the law; Moses leads the Israelites to the Promised Land. Archeologists discovered it in Syria on a wall in the Dura-Europos church, one of the oldest Christian churches in the world. Perhaps this gives rationale for Moses hesitancy to take up the call of God, and why the arrival of Aaron helped Moses accept this divine commission. And what made them even better? This isnt just for the High Priest. New International Version (NIV). The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace." This blessing is theologically rich and spiritually encouraging. Beards are considered very important to the Hasidic community and a mans beard signifies often a symbol of religious devotion, symbolizing godly men through their physical appearance. In lieu of a comments section, I accept and encourage letters to the editor. What about the dew of Hermon? At first glance, it is possible to just think of this oil in relation to abundance. Jewish Men Took Care of Their Beards Except in Unusual Circumstances. Aaron is not simply the sidekick to Moses. The oil, after all, would drip onto the breastplate which bore a stone for each of the twelve tribes. Jesus would have carefully taken care of his beard by putting oil on it, and he would have refrained from clipping the corners. He acted together with his brother in the desperate situation of the Israelites in Egypt and took an active part in the Exodus, their liberation from bondage there. In total, three items are placed in the ark of the covenant: Manna, The 10 Commandments, and Aarons staff. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Some Muslims believe that growing a beard is a sign of piety and devotion to God. I wrote this short, fast-paced, practical guide to productivity to share what I have learned about getting things done in todays digital world. BibleStudyTools.com, Beard. Eastons Bible Dictionary. Almost all of its most precious truths are taught through vivid word pictures. The oil used to anoint Aaron was holy anointing oil. He was not only anointed himself, but he is our anointer. Salem Media Group. This means that the Israelites were not to shave the hair on the sides of their heads or cut off the edges of their beards. Here are both verses together. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation. That goeth down into the collar of his cloth; (Like ointment on the head, that goeth down onto the beard, onto Aarons beard; yea, that goeth down onto the collar of his cloak.). All rights reserved. BibleStudyTools.com, Nazirite. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. learn more . Moses is also known for his beard, which oftentimes is depicted as being long and flowing (even without a beard brush lol). The spices were mixed together in olive oil. All rights reserved. Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular, Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular, Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular, The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to, Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular, Extension, height, breadth, a measure, a portion, a vestment, tribute, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Poetry: Psalm 133:2 It is like the precious oil (Psalm Ps Psa. By themselves the spices could not make a holy oil. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Jeremiah writes about shaven beards as a sign of mourning in, Isaiah proclaimed Judahs enemies would have their beards would be cut off as a sign of Gods judgment in, When Ezra heard about the spiritual unfaithfulness in Israel he pulled hair from his beard to show his shock and horror (. After the Temple was built in Jerusalem, worship of God was done at a specific location. Aaron becomes dressed in priestly garments containing the names of the sons of Israel. By 400 C.E., most artists were depicting Jesus with a beard. Despite being commissioned as priest for the people, Aaron is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. The manna declares Gods miraculous sustenance for the people, the tablets of the 10 commandments contain the divine law which would serve to govern their lives in the Promised Land, and Aarons staff testified to the spiritual priesthood the Lord raised up for the people. The precious ointment that ran down upon the beard that went down to the skirts of his garments. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! So Hanun took Davids servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. He is best known for preaching about repentance and for baptizing the Lord Jesus Christ. It has 2 to 4 inch ovate or oblong, acute leaves and large 5-petaled, 5-sepaled yellow . CNN.com, From Science and Computers, a New Face of Jesus. Jeordan Legon, 2002. After a lengthy discussion, Moses defiantly asks Please send someone else (Exodus 4:13). In a broader sense, we understand that the psalm is discussing unity among Jewish people. In the same verse, the Bible talks of the cuttings in the flesh. He calls us to live in harmony and unity. Beards are mentioned numerous times throughout the Bible, usually in reference to the facial hair of prophets, kings, and other important figures. The people of Israel would bring their prayer items to the priests and the priest would present them before the Lord at the altar. Yet several lineages detail how Aaron is the first male child of Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:20; 1st Chronicles 6:1-3). It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aarons beard, that came down on the edge of his robes, As ointment in the head; that goeth down into the beard, into the beard of Aaron. You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him, said God through Moses. A beard that was left unattended symbolized neglect, uncleanliness, and a carefree life. Aaron is a prime example of this. Shaving off a beard could be evidence of having had a skin disease. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Precious ointment upon the head. It is like expensive oil poured over the head, running down onto the beard Aarons beard! which extended over the collar of his robes. This oil was both liquid and fragrantit would flow and it would smell, and it seems that both properties included an element of symbolism. Yet its the liquid property David has most in mind here. 33:1. -- John Gill. ( First attested in the late 19th century.) It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garments. to the skirts of his garments." (KJV) Living a life dedicated to God makes as much sense as the sunshine in our world. Ezekiel was a prophet who lived in the 6th century BC. Some people believe that beards were seen as a symbol of holiness in biblical times, and that shaving them was considered sinful. If we are in Christ, we are a child of the Father, and can enjoy unity with Him! He says that because the Lord is sovereign, he will come to his aid and that he wont be disgraced. It was not the oil that was holy but the mixture. . The arrival of his older brother gave Moses the confidence to step out in faith. People of faith must constantly choose to obey the Lord as opposed to the voice of the crowd around us. Aaron, quite literally, bears the Israelites upon his shoulders whenever he makes a sacrifice before the Lord (28:12). --Alfred Edersheim, Verse 2. It is like the precious oil upon the head, That ran down upon the beard, Even Aarons beard; That came down upon the skirt of his garments; It is like the precious oil [of consecration] poured on the head, Coming down on the beard, Even the beard of Aaron, Coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body]. KJ21. Thank you! For example, in 1 Corinthians 11:14, Paul says that if a man has long hair, its a shame to him. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). Welcome to the online home of Tim Challies, blogger, author, andbookreviewer. The prophet speaks of other sufferings alongside the pulling of the beard such as smoking and spitting. A beard with uncut corners signified to everyone that Jesus was Jewish. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; It is like the good oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Aarons beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes. It was not until the Middle Ages that beards became popular among Christian me. . Did Christian Man in the Early Church Have a Beard?? Beards have been associated with Christianity since the time of the early church fathers. Moses is one of the most well-known figures in the Bible. Even today, these passages influence Orthodox Jewish men in how they wear their hair and trim their beards. He helped to establish the priesthood and was also responsible for making the Golden Calf.