PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Exodus 28-30
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honour.” (Exodus 28:2)
The priest was to serve as the go-between, between God and the world.
They were dressed, and anointed, and given important tasks in the community.
The people were to give them dignity and honor, as God’s messiah/christ (anointed one).
The idea of having a priest (go-between) was not how God created things originally.
In the beginning all people were God’s image-bearers, anointed with His Spirit.
It was sin that separated people from God and each other, and created division.
The priest symbolically represented what was lost, and what God wanted to restore.
Jesus comes as the Christ (anointed one), perfectly representing God and humans.
He is also ‘clothed’ and ‘anointed’, but not with dignity and honour (John 19:2-3).
But God clothes Him with glory and honour, and puts Him in charge.
Jesus makes us all priests again, and anoints us all (1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:5-6).
We need no go-between other than Jesus; we all can approach God with Jesus.
And we are all clothed with Jesus’s glory, and deserve dignity and honour.
All people are holy, not just an ordained few; let’s treat all people accordingly!
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for giving me my dignity and honour back… and everyone else’s. Help me to not see myself as either better or less than others, but to see myself and others as You see us!
God was very specific about the materials that must be used to make the priestly garments, the furniture, the offerings, the oils and incense — all for beauty, glory and holiness. Thank you, Jesus, for Your offering for me. Thank you for Your beauty, glory and holiness. Help me to be a reflection of Your beauty, your glory and your holiness.
Having watched rituals in our religions as well as some of the ceremonial pageantry in other churches – it has so much in common with the rituals put in place here to insure that God’s people respect Him as holy and therefore also His ordained servants. There are so many ‘inclusive’ devices that ensures that all the tribes are represented before God whenever the High priest conducts a sacrifice and enters the Holy Place. Jesus carries my name – and as a believer I carry His. I am to be a temple of the living God – I’ve been made righteous through Jesus sacrifice. All these sacrificial offerings of bulls and rams and flour and oil – all point to the need for atonement – to be made right with God. Thank you Jesus for meeting the particular and Holy requirements – we need to stand in awe and respect God’s Holiness -even though He wants us to call Him Father – our Heavenly Father – Hallowed be Your name!
Very specific instructions to the priest, to lie holy lives to the Lord. They were clothed in special clothes and I must dress myself with the armour of God to serve Him daily. They offered the sacrifices in the morning and evening reminding me to come into His presence at the start of the day and at the finish of the day – bookends – for all activities ae for the Lord blessing His name – holy to the Lord. Help me daily Lord to be Your servant true.
Make me a servant
Humble and meek
Lord let me lift up
Those who are weak
And may the prayer
Of my heart always be
Make me a servant
Make me a servant
Make me a servant today