How to Gird Oneself for a Life with Christ
I have to say, that after reading these recent chapters of The book of Exodus, I will look much more closely at the details of a church and the garments worn by the priest.
It seems to me that this is where Christ begins His Church with the children of Israel, on their exodus from Egypt, while sharing His laws of the Old Testament and instilling an attitude of gratefulness.
“And thou shalt consecrate the hands of them all, and shalt sanctify them, that they may do the office of the priesthood unto me, said God to Moses in reference to him and Aaron.
The first signs in the world of nepotism did not happen in business or politics but in religion! Not that there is anything wrong with that!
Another detail I had overlooked in previous readings of the Bible—not all of the entire animal that were sacrificed were burnt on the altar.
“Thou shalt take also al the fat… and shalt offer a burnt offering upon the altar… but the flesh of the calf and the hide and the dung, thou shalt burn abroad, without the camp, because it is for sin.”
Makes sense as fat, like wax would produce a flame like a candle? Not sure since the only burnt offerings I have witnessed is the burning of incense to bless me and others and at times Easter baskets!
“And thou shalt offer the whole ram for a burnt offering upon the altar: it is an oblation to the Lord, a most sweet savor of the victim of the Lord.”
Oops, need to update that—split burnt offering for calves; whole burnt offering on the altar for rams in the Old Testament way of worshipping our God, Savior and Spirit!
“…and shall boil the flesh thereof in the holy place, and Aaron and his sons shall eat it.”
I did not know that some of the ram of consecration was eaten by the priests.
“Where I will speak to thee…” That is what building the altar and sacrificing animals is all about—speaking, having a conversation with God, Old Testament-style. The New Testament, our new covenant with God encourages that a conversation with God take place anywhere, at any time. The only requirement is that our heart is open to Jesus and we do so in a humble, willing, and meaningful manner.
“Neither shall you offer libations,” as this is a sober, clear and present conversation with God. Abstinent, with no current since separating us and God. If only for the moment of connection.
It shall be most holy to the Lord.
Every one of them shall give a price for their souls to the Lord. He that is counted in the number from twenty years and upwards, shall give the price. The rich man shall not add a half a sicle, and the poor man shall diminish nothing.
Sounds like the price was fixed regardless of one’s financial ability not like today’s tithing of 10% of income.
So things were going along nicely in the design phase of the tabernacle. Workers were called by God and filled with the spirit of God, and with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in all manner of the work to be done.
Then all you know what broke loose. With Moses still up on Mount Sinai with God and actually in the process of receiving the two-sided tables of testimony, written with the finger of God.
Then Aaron, who would have thought, makes a molten golden calf, which the children of Israel idolize. God tells Moses he better get back down there for thy people hath sinned. God wanted to destroy them but Moses was able to appease Him from doing so.
Moses came down, heard the voice of singers, everyone was naked and when he saw the golden calf idol he threw the tables out of his hand and broke them. Then he destroyed the golden calf idol.
And he said to Aaron, what has this people done to thee, that thou shouldst bring upon them a most heinous sin?
Aaron’s answer was “let not my lord be offended: for thou knowest this people, that they are prone to evil.”
Yes we are.
Then Moses did one of those “you are either with us or against us,” if any man be on the Lord’s side let him join with me. All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him and they slain by sword that day about three and twenty thousand men.
Think things are barbaric in our world today?
And the concept of ‘guilt’ was introduced.
The Lord therefore struck the people for the guilt on occasion of the calf which Aaron had made.
Forgive and forget? Not!
How to gird Oneself for a Life with Christ? I am not sure but will continue to read the Bible for further clarification.
Day 29: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; How to Gird Oneself for a Life with Christ.
Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Exodus Chapters 28-32
Bible Notes:
This Book of Exodus is so called from the Greek word exodus, which means going out.
It recounts the persecution of the Jews in Egypt, the call of Moses, the ten plagues, the Jewish departure from Egypt, and the giving of the Mosaic Law on Mount Sinai.
The Book of Exodus closes with the consecration of the Tabernacle.
Exodus Chapter 28: Vestments for the priests; The ephod; The rational of judgment; Tunic of the ephod; Plate of the miter; Other priestly vestments.
Take unto thee also Aaron thy brother with his sons, from among the children of Israel, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office.
…for glory and for beauty
And thou shalt speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom…
In which he being consecrated may minister to me…
Consecrate—to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity: to consecrate a new church building; to make (something) an object of honor or veneration; hallow: a custom consecrated by time; to devote or dedicate to some purpose: a life consecrated to science; to admit or ordain to a sacred office, especially to the episcopate; to change (bread and wine) into the Eucharist.
…that they may do the office of priesthood unto me.
The names of the children of Israel according to the order of their birth
A memorial for the children of Israel
For a remembrance
The rational of judgment
The sanctuary, a memorial before the Lord forever.
A golden bell and pomegranate
Wherein thou shalt grave with engraver’s work, Holy to the Lord
And thou shalt consecrate the hands of them all, and shalt sanctify them, that they may do the office of the priesthood unto me.
Exodus Chapter 29: Consecration of priests; Sacrifice of the calf; Sacrifice of two rams; Vesture of Aaron shall descend to his sons; Food for the priests; Daily sacrifice of two lambs; God’s promise to the children of Israel.
Nepotism—patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics: She was accused of nepotism when she made her nephew an officer of the firm.
Without blemish
Without leaven
Which thou shalt gird with the girdle
Gird—to encircle or bind with a belt or band; to surround; enclose; hem in; to prepare (oneself) for action: He girded himself for the trial ahead; to provide, equip, or invest, as with power or strength.
And by this rite shall be consecrated
And they shall be priests to me by a perpetual ordinance.
The tabernacle of testimony.
Thou shalt take also al the fat… and shalt offer a burnt offering upon the altar… but the flesh of the calf and the hide and the dung, thou shalt burn abroad, without the camp, because it is for sin.
And thou shalt offer the whole ram for a burnt offering upon the altar: it is an oblation to the Lord, a most sweet savor of the victim of the Lord.
Oblation—the offering to God of the elements of bread and wine in the Eucharist; the whole office of the Eucharist; the act of making an offering, especially to a deity; any offering for religious or charitable uses.
Oil of unction
Unction—an act of anointing, especially as a medical treatment or religious rite; an unguent or ointment; salve; something soothing or comforting; an excessive, affected, sometimes cloying earnestness or fervor in manner, especially in speaking; Religion. a. the oil used in religious rites, as in anointing the sick or dying; b. the shedding of a divine or spiritual influence upon a person; c. the influence shed; d. extreme unction; the manifestation of spiritual or religious inspiration.
A most sweet savor in the sight of the Lord, because it is his oblation.
And it shall fall to thy share.
And shall boil the flesh thereof in the holy place, and Aaron and his sons shall eat it.
That it may be an atoning sacrifice
Atoning—to make amends or reparation, as for an offense or a crime, or for an offender (usually followed by for): to atone for one’s sins; to make up, as for errors or deficiencies (usually followed by for): to atone for one’s failings; Obsolete. to become reconciled; agree.
A stranger shall not eat of them, because they are holy.
Every one that shall touch it shall be holy.
And I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel, and will be their God, and they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who have brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might abide among them, I the Lord their God
Exodus Chapter 30: altar of incense; Offering for souls; The brazen laver; The holy oil of unction; Composition of incense.
… before the ark of testimony before the propitiatory wherewith the testimony is covered, where I will speak to thee.
You shall not offer upon it incense of another composition nor oblation, and victim, neither shall you offer libations.
Neither shall you offer libations.
Every one of them shall give a price for their souls to the Lord. He that is counted in the number from twenty years and upwards, shall give the price. The rich man shall not add a half a sicle, and the poor man shall diminish nothing.
Exodus Chapter 31: Workers called to make the tabernacle; Law of the Sabbath repeated; The stone tables of testimony.
I have filled him with the spirit of God, with wisdom and understanding, and knowledge in all manner of work.
I have put wisdom in the heart of every skillful man, that they may make all the things which I have commanded.
See that thou keep my Sabbath: because it is a sign between me and you in your generations: that you may know that I am the Lord, who sanctify you.
Six days shall you do work: in the seventh day is the Sabbath, the rest holy to the Lord.
It is an everlasting covenant between me and the children of Israel, and a perpetual sign.
And the Lord, when he had ended these words in mount Sinai, gave to Moses two stone tables of testimony, written with the finger of God.
Exodus Chapter 32: Aaron makes a molten calf; God sees the idolatry of the people; Moses intercedes with God; Moses returns from the mount; Moses breaks the tables and destroys the idol; Many idolaters are slain; Moses prays for the people; The lord tells Moses to lead the people into their new land.
We knew not what has befallen him.
And made of them a molten calf.
Get thee down, thy people hath sinned.
And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which he had spoken against the people.
Written on both sides
But I hear the voice of singers
He saw the calf
He threw the tables out of his hand, and broke them at the foot of the mount.
And he said to Aaron, that thou shouldst bring upon them a most heinous sin?
Let not my lord be offended: for thou knowest this people, that they are prone to evil.
And when Moses saw that the people were naked.
If any man be on the Lord’s side let him join with me.
And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
And there were slain that day about three and twenty thousand men (320,000).
If by any means I may be able to entreat him for your crime
Strike me out of the book which thou hast written.
He that hath sinned against me, him will I strike out of my book.
The Lord therefore struck the people for the guilt on occasion of the calf which Aaron had made.
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