Basin of Motive

Basin of Motive

Exodus 30: ¹⁷ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ¹⁸ “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it, ¹⁹ for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. ²⁰ When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, lest they die. ²¹ So they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And it shall be a statute forever to them—to him and his descendants throughout their generations.”

 

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GOD told Moses to make a basin for Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and their feet.

 

My Observations:

• GOD seems to be addressing clean hands, meaning righteousness.
• GOD seems to be addressing clean feet, meaning reason for being at a place.
• GOD warns the priests that their motive for being there could atone for the people or cause the priest to die.

 

Motive was addressed by JESUS when the activity of washing was done by the Pharisees. Looking clean on the outside while being corrupt on the inside was the problem GOD had with religious leaders. This symbolic cleaning would turn into a ritual that made religious leaders think they were more holy than they really were.

 

GOD seems to want our motive to be aligned with HIS. HE wants all humans to be saved while we want humans to admire us over HIM. Do you see the conflict? When we tell GOD that we don’t seem to have the right motive, HE is faithful and just to cleanse us of that unrighteousness. GOD is the only one who can clean the inside so our motives align with HIS.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about making the basin?
• What are you putting before the LORD that needs cleansing?
• Have you asked GOD to examine your motives so HE can clean them and align them to HIS purpose?

Atonement Census

Atonement Census

Exodus 30: ¹¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ¹² “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them. ¹³ This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs). The half-shekel shall be an offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the Lord. ¹⁵ The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves. ¹⁶ And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.”

 

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GOD told Moses to take an annual census and to collect a half a shekel for every adult.

 

My Observations:

• A half a shekel would equate to about five dollars for every adult.
• Children were excluded in the amount, so therefore there is a time in which innocence becomes a decision.
• The tabernacle was supposed to be used for the atonement of sins and needed to be kept up.

 

Once a year, a census would be taken to service the tabernacle. The same GOD that inspired Timothy to write “A workman is worth his wages,” is the same GOD who wanted the tabernacle cleaned and repaired. The money did not seem to be for the priests, rather the workers who would clean the curtains, and wash the altar.

 

It would take a lot of people to maintain the tabernacle when it was disassembled. Equal amounts would be given by the rich and the poor to maintain the tabernacle. The importance of this place was to atone for sins. Each year everyone needed to chip in to remember what GOD was doing in the forgiveness of sin.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the upkeep of the tabernacle?
• Is GOD opening your eyes to the importance of atonement to HIM?
• How do you remember and support what JESUS did for you?

Sense of Smell

Sense of Smell

Exodus 30: “You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood. ² A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width—it shall be square—and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. ³ And you shall overlay its top, its sides all around, and its horns with pure gold; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around. ⁴ Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides. You shall place them on its two sides, and they will be holders for the poles with which to bear it. ⁵ You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. ⁶ And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you.

⁷ “Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. ⁸ And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. ⁹ You shall not offer strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it. ¹⁰ And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

 

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GOD told Moses to build an altar for incense. HE would give the ingredients of the incense later. GOD gave the instructions on when to use the incense.

 

My Observations:

• GOD seems to want us to experience HIM using our five senses.
• GOD may have wanted the priest to experience the sweet aroma to put him in a mindset of worship.
• During the daily sacrifice, which could be a bit smelly, Aaron and his sons were supposed to burn incense to make the experience pleasant.

 

Animal stink. Sacrificing animals twice a day can imprint a bad experience on the priest’s mind. GOD took care of that by having the priest light enough incense to provide an aromatic experience that would be pleasant.

 

The priest could experience what GOD experienced. GOD would get the aroma of the burnt offering and the priest would get the aroma of the incense. The other senses are included in this experience. The gold would shimmer from the light of the flame of the lampstand. Part of the burnt offering would be eaten, satisfying the sense of taste. The garment bells would ring, satisfying a life sustaining sound. And the curtains made from hair were to be touched, giving a tactile experience.

 

The altar of incense was to be used as a reminder of atonement. Once a year, blood would need to be put on the horns of the altar. GOD gave an experience with all senses.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the altar of incense?
• Has GOD given you instructions to uses your senses for HIM?
• How are you experiencing GOD through your five senses?

 

When You Wake Up and Before Bed

When You Wake Up and Before Bed

Exodus 29: ³⁸ “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. ³⁹ One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. ⁴⁰ With the one lamb shall be one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. ⁴¹ And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; and you shall offer with it the grain offering and the drink offering, as in the morning, for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. ⁴² This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet you to speak with you. ⁴³ And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory. ⁴⁴ So I will consecrate the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. I will also consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister to Me as priests. ⁴⁵ I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. ⁴⁶ And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

 

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GOD told Moses to have Aaron and his sons sacrifice young lambs every day. HE also gave special instructions of how they were to be prepared and what should accompany the offering.

 

My Observations:

• GOD wanted the children of Israel to have a mindset that all of their possessions were not theirs; rather, they were HIS.
• GOD gave special instructions of how to prepare the burnt offering to HIM.
• GOD was planning to meet with the children of Israel through the priests because HE wanted them to know that HE is GOD.

 

Short memories about who GOD is seems to be a problem. GOD set in motion a perpetual remembrance of the need for HIM. It would take everyone to participate to provide that many lambs. Several hundred lambs would be needed each year. The flour and wine needed to be made.

 

GOD was planning to stay as a houseguest and wanted the children of Israel to symbolically remember what JESUS represented. They did not know the lambs represented the Messiah. We have short memories. Every day, we are supposed to remember what JESUS did for us. When we wake up and before we go to bed, we should remember HIM.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the sacrificial lambs?
• What has GOD given you that you think is yours?
• When you wake up and before you go to bed, do you remember JESUS as your Savior and daily leader?

Seven Days of Consecration

Seven Days of Consecration

Exodus 29: ³¹ “And you shall take the ram of the consecration and boil its flesh in the holy place. ³² Then Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of meeting. ³³ They shall eat those things with which the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them; but an outsider shall not eat them, because they are holy. ³⁴ And if any of the flesh of the consecration offerings, or of the bread, remains until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

 

³⁵ “Thus you shall do to Aaron and his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Seven days you shall consecrate them. ³⁶ And you shall offer a bull every day as a sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to sanctify it. ³⁷ Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and sanctify it. And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar must be holy.

 

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GOD told Moses to have Aaron and his sons eat the second ram as prescribed. GOD also said to repeat the sin offering for seven days.

 

My Observations:

• GOD may have been paralleling the holy week or Passover week, which is the week JESUS died for the sins of the world.
• Seven days of consecration was a one-time action.
• GOD declares people as holy even though we are sinners.

 

This meal was made for the consecration of Aaron and his sons. It was meant for them and them alone. Even the scraps were to be burned.  GOD was setting up a model where sin needed to be confessed and something had to die for the atonement of the confessed sins.

 

Bulls were special. They could breed cows that would provide meat and milk. To kill one meant cutting off the possibility of breeding. It was a sacrifice indeed. JESUS would become the sin offering that was holy and acceptable to GOD.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the seven days of sin offerings used in the consecration of Aaron and his sons?
• What is GOD consecrating you for?
• Do you believe that JESUS paid for your sins, past, present and future?

Wave Heave and Peace Offerings

 Wave Heave and Peace Offerings

Exodus 29: ²² “Also you shall take the fat of the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, the two kidneys and the fat on them, the right thigh (for it is a ram of consecration), ²³ one loaf of bread, one cake made with oil, and one wafer from the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the Lord; ²⁴ and you shall put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons, and you shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. ²⁵ You shall receive them back from their hands and burn them on the altar as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma before the Lord. It is an offering made by fire to the Lord.

 

²⁶ “Then you shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration and wave it as a wave offering before the Lord; and it shall be your portion. ²⁷ And from the ram of the consecration you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering which is waved, and the thigh of the heave offering which is raised, of that which is for Aaron and of that which is for his sons. ²⁸ It shall be from the children of Israel for Aaron and his sons by a statute forever. For it is a heave offering; it shall be a heave offering from the children of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, that is, their heave offering to the Lord.

 

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GOD told Moses to take the second ram and use it as a wave offering. HE also mentions the heave offering and the peace offering.

 

My Observations:

• GOD seems to have multiple meanings for the wave offering, but when applied to JESUS, it could mean that HE was presented before GOD and given to humans.
• GOD could also be stating that JESUS was lifted up on the cross and the heave offering was symbolic of that action.
• GOD mentions the heave offering coming from the peace offering, but it could also mean that JESUS’s action brought peace between GOD and humans.

 

GOD cannot be paid off or bribed. HE seems to love symbolic gestures and wants to celebrate HIS SON as often as possible. When trying to make sense out of the offerings, they seem like separate activities that are unrelated. But GOD took the offerings very seriously.

 

Part of the ram was to be burned as a sweet aroma before the LORD. Anything we give to HIM is acceptable to HIM and is endeared. It doesn’t have to be money. It could be your time, art, song, building or clothing. HE accepts your ideas as you wave them in front of HIM. The heave offering could mean JESUS was lifted up to be murdered, but also HE was lifted up to be placed over all things. HE has all authority.

 

Lastly JESUS provides peace. HE is the Prince of Peace. When we offer peace to GOD, HE gives it back. The symbolic eating of the ram’s meat, shows us that we have peace between us and GOD.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the wave, heave and peace offerings?
• What symbolic gestures has GOD asked you to do?
• Do you remember what JESUS has done for you and how do you celebrate the peace GOD has between you and HIM?

It Only Takes a Little

It Only Takes a Little

Exodus 29: ¹⁹ “You shall also take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands on the head of the ram. ²⁰ Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar. ²¹ And you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar, and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and on his garments, on his sons and on the garments of his sons with him; and he and his garments shall be hallowed, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.

 

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GOD gave Moses strange instructions of what to do with the second ram. HE told Moses to take a little blood and sprinkle is in various places.

 

My Observations:

• Blood is needed to sustain life and it had to be shed to redeem humans from eternal death.
• The right hand or right side represents GOD’s holiness, sovereignty, and favorable judgment.
• Wearing the garments was a representation of GOD’s holiness, sovereignty and favorable judgment.

 

What I noticed was the amount of blood used to consecrate Aaron and his sons. It only took a little versus them bathing in blood. I believe the ear represented listening. The thumb represented helping and the toe represented being sent by GOD or going places.

 

You would think GOD would say use a lot of blood, but HE didn’t. The power of the HOLY SPIRIT through the shedding of JESUS’s blood would be enough to redeem life. Humans would play a role in redemption, but it would be through listening to people, helping them in their time of need and going out to spread the Gospel of CHRIST.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about consecrating Aaron and his sons with a dab of blood?
• Do you feel you don’t have enough of GOD?
• How much of GOD’s power do you need to accomplish what HE has planned for you?

A Bull and a Ram

A Bull and a Ram

Exodus 29: ¹⁰ “You shall also have the bull brought before the tabernacle of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands on the head of the bull. ¹¹ Then you shall kill the bull before the Lord, by the door of the tabernacle of meeting. ¹² You shall take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour all the blood beside the base of the altar. ¹³ And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. ¹⁴ But the flesh of the bull, with its skin and its offal, you shall burn with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering.

 

¹⁵ “You shall also take one ram, and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands on the head of the ram; ¹⁶ and you shall kill the ram, and you shall take its blood and sprinkle it all around on the altar. ¹⁷ Then you shall cut the ram in pieces, wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and with its head. ¹⁸ And you shall burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord; it is a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.

 

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GOD gave Moses specific instructions about the one-time consecration of Aaron and his sons. Moses was supposed to offer a bull and a ram.

 

My Observations:

• GOD was establishing a symbolic gesture that sin was to remain outside the camp.
• GOD told Moses to handle the bull differently than the ram.
• GOD used the human sense of smell to show acceptance of the offering.

 

The sin offering and the ram offering were to be taken seriously. The bull was cut up and not cleaned. Parts of it were to be burned on the altar and other parts were to be burned outside the camp as a sin offering. This was a very important symbolic gesture. GOD knew the people could not resist sinning and they needed to admit the sin by performing the symbolic gesture of placing the hand on the bull and burning it outside the camp.

 

The ram was treated different. It was cut into pieces and washed. This clean ram was to be a symbolic gesture that JESUS, a clean and sinless human, would one day be the acceptable sacrifice to atone for sin. The whole “cleaned” ram was to be burned on the altar. The sweet aroma of the burned ram would be pleasing to the LORD.

 

It’s not like GOD couldn’t smell the bull burning. The sin offering was to destroy the sin versus continuing in it. GOD accepted the gesture, but not the aroma. BUT GOD could smell when we acknowledge JESUS as the Savior. This gesture on our part is a sweet aroma to the LORD.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the one-time offering of the bull and the ram to consecrate Aaron and his sons?
• Has GOD put you on a path to represent HIS forgiveness to people?
• How is GOD setting you apart to represent HIS forgiveness?

 

Aaron and Sons Consecrated

Aaron and Sons Consecrated

Exodus 29: “And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without blemish, ² and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil (you shall make them of wheat flour). ³ You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, with the bull and the two rams.

 

⁴ “And Aaron and his sons you shall bring to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall wash them with water. ⁵ Then you shall take the garments, put the tunic on Aaron, and the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the intricately woven band of the ephod. ⁶ You shall put the turban on his head, and put the holy crown on the turban. ⁷ And you shall take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him. ⁸ Then you shall bring his sons and put tunics on them. ⁹ And you shall gird them with sashes, Aaron and his sons, and put the hats on them. The priesthood shall be theirs for a perpetual statute. So you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.

 

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GOD told Moses to consecrate or make Aaron and his sons holy.

 

My Observations:

• Aaron and his sons were declared holy by GOD, not because of their actions.
• Moses was given the authority to declare Aaron and his sons as holy.
• The consecration was a one-time event; however, the dressing and preparation of the priests would happen perpetually.

 

Following GOD took the admission of sin. The priests were about to enter into activity that would require thousands of animals to be offered each year. GOD would provide the animals and Aaron and his sons would provide the holy ritual of sacrificing the animals to GOD.

 

After Adam and Eve disobeyed GOD, HE sacrificed animals to cover their nakedness. HE may have used rams to cover their nakedness, but the Bible does not say. Abraham was provided a ram as a substitute for sacrificing Isaac. A ram is a male sheep. Young sheep are called lambs. JESUS is the sacrificial lamb that would end the need for sacrificing animals for the atonement of sin.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about consecrating Aaron and his sons?
• What is GOD preparing you for?
• Has GOD made you holy for a purpose HE has not revealed to you?

Dressed to Remember

Dressed to Remember

Exodus 28: ³⁷ And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban. ³⁸ So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.

 

³⁹ “You shall skillfully weave the tunic of fine linen thread, you shall make the turban of fine linen, and you shall make the sash of woven work.

 

⁴⁰ “For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics, and you shall make sashes for them. And you shall make hats for them, for glory and beauty. ⁴¹ So you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him. You shall anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me as priests. ⁴² And you shall make for them linen trousers to cover their nakedness; they shall reach from the waist to the thighs. ⁴³ They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they come into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister in the holy place, that they do not incur iniquity and die. It shall be a statute forever to him and his descendants after him.

 

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GOD gave Moses instructions to make turbans, tunics, sashes and underwear for the priests.

 

My Observations:

• GOD wanted the priest to understand why they were meeting with HIM in the first place.
• GOD wanted the priests to remember they were interceding to atone for the sins of the people.
• GOD wanted underwear to be used to symbolize what HE did for Adam.

 

When Adam sinned by eating the fruit from the tree that GOD told him not to, he immediately became aware that he was naked. The awareness seems innocent because we are sinners. But the awareness brought shame, desire and problems he didn’t have before. GOD killed an animal and covered Adam’s nakedness. The priests were to remember what GOD did.

 

From head to toe, the priestly garments had meaning that was not to be taken lightly. The cord would need to dangle in the high priest’s face to remember what he was there for. Putting on all the garments took time and the priest could not help seeing the names and statements written on the pieces of clothing. All of this was an announcement that JESUS was the High Priest who atoned for sins.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD remind Moses about the various garments for the priests?
• Does GOD have a purpose for something HE created for you that you may have taken lightly?
• What does GOD want you to remember?

Robe of Declaration

Robe of Declaration

Exodus 28: ³¹ “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. ³² There shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it; it shall have a woven binding all around its opening, like the opening in a coat of mail, so that it does not tear. ³³ And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: ³⁴ a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around. ³⁵ And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, that he may not die.

 

³⁶ “You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet:

 

HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

 

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GOD gave Moses instructions to make the robe of the ephod. HE gave specific instructions and specific words that must be used.

 

My Observations:

• GOD was preparing the robe to be used as a signal that the high priest was still alive, by using bells to alert people outside of the tabernacle.
• GOD used the complex fruit of a pomegranate as decoration.
• GOD seemed to be preparing the high priest to declare HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

 

Preparing to meet GOD took a change of clothing and a change of mindset. This was not an ordinary meeting; rather, it was a meeting that could be fatal if handled improperly. GOD is holy and wants to be treated as such.

 

Humans are not holy until GOD declares them as holy. This requires the right mindset towards our sin. We need cleansing from our sin and the only one who can do this is JESUS. HE is our forgiver who washes away our sins so we can live a daily life for HIM.

 

When we put on the robe of JESUS, we are declared as holy. In other words, when we believe that JESUS took our punishment instead of us facing it, we not only get eternal life, but HE intervenes in this life. We declare that the LORD is holy and HE declares us as holy.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the robe of the ephod?
• Has GOD washed away all of your sins?
• How can you declare GOD as holy?

Reminder of Thoughtfulness

Reminder of Thoughtfulness

Exodus 28: ²⁶ “You shall make two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge of it, which is on the inner side of the ephod. ²⁷ And two other rings of gold you shall make, and put them on the two shoulder straps, underneath the ephod toward its front, right at the seam above the intricately woven band of the ephod. ²⁸ They shall bind the breastplate by means of its rings to the rings of the ephod, using a blue cord, so that it is above the intricately woven band of the ephod, and so that the breastplate does not come loose from the ephod.

 

²⁹ “So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the Lord continually. ³⁰ And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the Lord. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually.

 

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GOD gave Moses the final instructions to create the breastplate of judgment.

 

My Observations:

• GOD wanted Aaron to remember the children of Israel when he met with GOD.
• The judgment that GOD assigned to the high priest helped people to be successful by changing the mindset to focus on GOD versus human desires.
• Judgment was not always punitive, rather clarity of thought.

 

“Use good judgment” is a statement that comes to mind when making decisions. Bad judgment can cause problems, while good judgment progresses the person to success. GOD wanted the high priest to remember those where were assigned to him. GOD wants you and me to do the same.

 

GOD used rare stones, Urim and Thummim as a reminder of how rare good judgment would be. When faced with difficult situations, Aaron would need GOD to guide him in wisdom. People would bring selfish situations and present them before Aaron. Unique wisdom would point people to GOD as the constant answer.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the thoughtfulness the priest needed to have about HIS people?
• Who has GOD given to you and what good judgment do you need to guide them?
• Will your thoughtfulness of others help someone grow in GOD?

Viewed as Precious

Viewed as Precious

Exodus 28: ¹⁵ “You shall make the breastplate of judgment. Artistically woven according to the workmanship of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, you shall make it. ¹⁶ It shall be doubled into a square: a span shall be its length, and a span shall be its width. ¹⁷ And you shall put settings of stones in it, four rows of stones: The first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; this shall be the first row; ¹⁸ the second row shall be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; ¹⁹ the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; ²⁰ and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold settings. ²¹ And the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes.

 

²² “You shall make chains for the breastplate at the end, like braided cords of pure gold. ²³ And you shall make two rings of gold for the breastplate, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. ²⁴ Then you shall put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate; ²⁵ and the other two ends of the two braided chains you shall fasten to the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in the front.

 

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GOD told Moses to create the breastplate of judgment. HE gave the instructions to use twelve precious stones to engrave the names of the sons of Israel.

 

My Observations:

• GOD created people and values them as precious to HIM.
• GOD wanted each tribe to have its own unique stone, showing a unique relationship with HIM.
• GOD provided the precious stones and the skills to engrave names in them.

 

Four rows of three precious stones were to be laid out in the order of birth. GOD seems to specialize in symbolic gestures that help humans relate to HIS heart. The breastplate of “judgment” contained symbolism of how precious people are to HIM.

 

GOD used multiple colors. This was another symbolic gesture that does not place superiority of one race over another. GOD values you and me. HE values the people you despise and those who despise you. HE views people as precious and wanted the priest to do the same.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the precious stones used in the breastplate of judgment?
• What stone do you think has your name carved in it?
• Have you forgotten how precious you are to GOD?

Ephod to Remember Mercy

Ephod to Remember Mercy

Exodus 28: ⁵ “They shall take the gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and the fine linen, ⁶ and they shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, artistically worked. ⁷ It shall have two shoulder straps joined at its two edges, and so it shall be joined together. ⁸ And the intricately woven band of the ephod, which is on it, shall be of the same workmanship, made of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen.

 

⁹ “Then you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel: ¹⁰ six of their names on one stone and six names on the other stone, in order of their birth. ¹¹ With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall set them in settings of gold. ¹² And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial. ¹³ You shall also make settings of gold, ¹⁴ and you shall make two chains of pure gold like braided cords, and fasten the braided chains to the settings.

 

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GOD told Moses to engrave the names of Israel’s sons onto onyx stones. HE also had Moses make an ephod to hang the two stones.

 

My Observations:

• GOD knew Jacob (Israel) was a scoundrel, yet HE claimed him in HIS family.
• GOD saw the atrocities the sons of Israel did against Joseph and other people, yet HE had their named engraved in rare stones.
• GOD seems to be showing an extreme amount of mercy on the family who was in the lineage of CHRIST.

 

If humans made up the story of JESUS, they would have made it like Hollywood. Everyone in JESUS’s family would be perfect and JESUS would easily defeat evil. But it didn’t happen that way.

 

Israel and his sons were sinners like you and me. Joseph’s own brothers plotted to kill him out of rage and jealousy. Have you ever been jealous or enraged? GOD reveals to us that we need mercy and that HE has shown it. The priest would remember GOD’s mercy on HIS people every time he put on the ephod.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about making the ephod?
• What mercy is GOD showing you right now?
• Have you overlooked GOD’s mercy on you and taken HIS love for granted?

Clothes Used for Acknowledgment

 

Clothes Used for Acknowledgment

Exodus 28: “Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ² And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. ³ So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. ⁴ And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. So they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to Me as priest.

 

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GOD told Moses to make holy garments for Aaron and his sons.

 

My Observations:

• GOD enjoys when humans acknowledge HIS use of beauty.
• GOD seemed to have the garments made for the priests to meet with HIM.
• GOD seemed to desire a specific time in which the priest was declared as holy by putting on the garments and having a discussion with HIM.

 

Reverence comes to mind when I see the lengths GOD had Moses go through to make the garments. GOD would supernaturally provide the skills needed to people who would create the garments. The priest was a human who was a sinner. But during the time the priest wore the garment, he would be declared holy.

 

It really stands out to me that GOD enjoys beauty. The garment was not only functional, but beautiful. The priest would feel special and represent the needs of the people in a special way. The garments would not be seen by the masses of people. This was for a meeting between the priest and GOD.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the holy garments?
• What beauty comes to mind that you can acknowledge came from GOD?
• What special skill has GOD gifted you with when HE filled you with the spirit of wisdom?