Exodus 29:1-28; Matthew 26:14-25; Psalms 31:23-24; Proverbs 11:22
OT: “This is what you are to do for them to consecrate them to serve me as priests. Take a young bull and two unblemished rams… Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. Then take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe for the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastpiece; fasten the ephod on him with its woven waistband. Put the turban on his head and place the holy diadem on the turban. Take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him. You must also bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. Tie the sashes on Aaron and his sons and fasten headbands on them. The priesthood is to be theirs by a permanent statute. This is the way you will ordain Aaron and his sons.” (Exodus 29:1, 4-9 CSB)
Two words are used here to describe what needed to be done for Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. The first is consecrate (qadash in Hebrew). It means to set apart as holy. The second word is ordain (male’ in Hebrew). It means to fill up. So Aaron and his sons were to be set apart and filled up to serve in their role as priests. They also had to be completely cleansed from head to toe, clothed with holy garments, and fully anointed with holy oil. Then sacrifices were made to atone for their sins. In Revelation 5 is says this about those who place their faith in Christ – they have been purchased by Christ’s sacrifice and made a kingdom of priests to God. So what was done for Aaron and his sons physically has been done for us spiritually as we place our faith in Christ and follow Him. We are purchased by His blood. We are completely cleansed from head to toe, inside and out. We are clothed with Christ Himself, and immersed in the Holy Spirit. We are set apart and filled up to serve God and be a minister of reconciliation between God and the rest of the world.
Psalms: “Love the Lord, all his faithful ones. The Lord protects the loyal, but fully repays the arrogant. Be strong, and let your heart be courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord.” (Psalms 31:23-24 CSB)
The loyal and faithful, those set apart and filled up – those are the ones that the Lord protects. To be loyal and faithful to the Lord requires humility and submission – a complete dependence on the Lord. The opposite spirit of that is arrogance. Those who arrogantly go through life on their own terms and in their own understanding will receive the wages of their refusal and independence, but those who love the Lord and are faithful and loyal to Him are able tp be strong, courageous, and full of hope because they belong to the Lord.
Jamie Hicks 