Day 39 – Exodus 28-29

Talking Points

• Moses’ brother, Aaron, and his descendants are chosen by God to serve as priests, officiating in the tabernacle, representing the Israelites to God.
• Elaborate and ornate garments are to be fashioned and worn “for glory and beauty” (28:2). “Holy” means these garments were to be set apart for God. The Lord endowed certain people with the skills and wisdom to make these garments.
• Before the priests serve, they must be consecrated, anointed, and sacrifices must be made on their behalf. The process must be followed precisely.
• There were to be continual daily sacrifices of lamb yearlings – one each morning and one at twilight. They were offered at the doorway of the tabernacle.
• As we read the requirements for the sacrifices that will be offered, we are reminded of the holiness of God and the high cost of sin.
• A strange phrase is used in this section. It states that the priests will “minister to the LORD” or “minister to Me.” “Minister” translates to serve or to supply. The priests were to serve God, to attend to God. This was done by making sacrifices on behalf of the people specifically and by facilitating the worship offered to God generally.

Thoughts

A word used again and again throughout this passage is “consecrate.” It means to set apart, to give fully to. In the consecration of the priests, they and everything used in ministering in the tabernacle were given fully to God. He had made them priests, setting them apart, giving them fully to this position, and they were to follow His plan, surrendering themselves fully to Him.

Today, each and every believer is a priest (1 Peter 2:9-10). Like the priests in the line of Aaron, we, too, minister to the LORD. We, too, are to consecrate ourselves, giving ourselves fully to Him. Believers are to be set apart from this world, following God’s plan in personal surrender. What an incredible privilege granted through the Great High Priest — Jesus Christ!

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:1-2