Today’s reading is all about honor and dignity. God has chosen Aaron and his sons to be priests. They will be set apart from the rest of the people to have access to God. Moses has been the only one up to now with direct communication with God.
Going forward with the tabernacle and all the elements in place, God is appointing key leaders to be able to enter the holy parts of the tabernacle. God is prescribing the clothing they must wear. It is described as royal garments to enter the presence of God. He is also to wear it when ministering to the people.
It thought it was interesting that the garments would have bells on them. It reads, “The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die.” That is quite something. Another threat of death seems to be if they aren’t wearing their linen underclothes when approaching the altar to minister in the Holy Place.
God was serious about this, obviously. These priests were to be set apart from the people. Today, we still see pastors and priests wearing robes in some churches. Other churches the pastors are in jeans. What’s right and wrong now? I know for my darling husband, the robe to him was a barrier. I never once saw him in a clergy collar. He didn’t want to be set apart from the people because he was one of them. He felt more relatable when he wasn’t all dressed up in a robe.
It comes down to the consecration. That’s one of those big “churchy” words that I had to look up because I just didn’t know what it meant. In case you’re like me, simply put, it is to make or declare something to be sacred or to dedicate for a divine purpose. The consecration was necessary so that Aaron and his sons could serve as priests.
There are a lot of people today who still believe that a pastor needs to wear this consecrated garment. What do you think?
Let’s pray. Lord, you know my heart, and you know how I want to serve you. Make it clear whether or not I need any special garment to be the servant leader you have made me to be. Help me to have your eyes to see the needs around me. Open up the opportunities to have conversations with people who don’t yet know you or have a relationship with you. You have given me a purpose, and I want to be living that out. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thanks so much for keeping in contact with Dorinda and Donald. You are the ones to be in leadership of The Lord’s Church in our opinion. Question: When I was in Bible College over 60 years ago, I had a professor who mentioned if there were a rope of some kind attached to the High Priest that went under the curtain so that if the High Priest were slain for some unconfessed sin, he could be pulled out from the inner sanctuary some way since no one could enter in to retrieve the dead body! That intrigue has stayed with me all these years! Ha!
Donald Hauser
That is some memory, Donald! What an intriguing image to be sure!