Chris Aiken

Let me begin by commending you for not growing weary in doing good! It would be easy enough during the study of Exodus to “check out” during these detail passages. Some of us are so well trained by our cultural trappings…that if some action that we like is not readily upon us…we just choose to “surf” the channels or “go to the fridge,” rather than sit through it. (I vaguely remember the difference in the eras when I was a boy and was the remote…i.e., Dad sent me to the TV to change the channel to one of the other three possible channels we could receive with our antennae. Now before you feel sorry…that was all anyone could do before Cable…but the point is…we surfed channels less!

CH 29 details the process to “consecrate” the priests before God. Aaron and his sons were chosen by God to minister before Him (v.1). God required that they be consecrated (set apart to Him and His service) before they could enter His presence and function as an intermediary between Him and the people.

Three animals are sacrificed in the process of consecration (v.1), along with the other provisions (v.2). The priests were to place their hands on the head of the animals that were to be sacrificed. This is ALWAYS a step of identification. Before the priests could proceed there had to be a blood sacrifice for their sins. In addition, there was a process of cleansing and changing of the garments (vv.4-9) in ordination of the priests. The instructions for Aaron (High Priest) differed slightly from his son (priests) but the BIG IDEA of consecration and ordination are clearly communicated.

Here is something that jumps out at me. In our “churched” culture today…we usually diminish the role of the pastor from a “priestly type role” to something of a chaplain. We rightly affirm the “Priesthood of the believer” doctrines which correctly acknowledge that no one is required to approach God by working through an earthly priest. But, when we deemphasize the role of the pastor as priest…we fail to emphasize the role of the worshipper as priest.

Imagine if…at your church there was an altar of sacrifice and you were to bring a bull and two rams to worship. Suppose you had to make a sin offering ever time you stood before God. Suppose you were required to be bathes and have your garments changed before God and had to make offerings to Him before even approaching Him…lest He destroy you for treating His presence as something common. Suppose you had to make offerings in the morning and in the evening from your flock…a prime, unblemished lamb each time in order to please God (vv.38-39), so that you might be able to enter into His presence and meet with Him (vv.42-46). Many would say that the cost was too high. Some would choose to reject…while others would truly understand the cost associated with access to God.

Today, we do not stop to offer a burnt offering or a wave offering or a heave offering to the Lord. But, if we understand the truths of Scripture…we must still make the offerings as priests before Him. We MUST STILL pause before coming into the presence of God and identify with Christ by identifying with Him and His sacrifice for our sins. We must acknowledge that our sins are the reason for His sacrifice. We do this in prayerful repentance…before we do anything else. Secondly, WE MUST take time to wash and change our garments before entering into His presence. In prayer we take time to confess and make amends. Thirdly, WE MUST never enter into the presence of God without our sacrifice. Access is free (through Christ) and is costly (It cost Christ everything and therefore is of ultimate value to us).

I wonder if we are not too flippant about the access we have. I wonder if we don’t rush into His presence and just expect that He knows. I wonder if we don’t sin “retail” all day and then try to pray “wholesale” in a brief moment…thinking that just makes us clean. God designed the process of consecration to be such that we could identify in the picture of it…with what it took and what it takes to approach a Holy God with boldness and confidence.

Question: Do you rush into His presence in the morning? Or, do you regard your sin as He does…spend time cleansing and confessing as He prescribes here? If we expect to meet with Him (vv.42-46), then we must approach God on the terms He defines.

Proverbs 11:25 is the takeaway today. “The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.” There is a clearly stated and true link between our generosity and our prosperity. One of the enemy’s greatest lies is that we control our own financial destiny. Many of the people who I know that struggle financially…also fail to give even a tithe to God. Those who tithe and give generously (which I would argue is always more than a tithe) seem to be more at peace with their finances. Why is that? I believe that it is because they have come to recognize finances as God always intended…as a means to an end and as the product of God’s provision. They have learned to trust in God who provides and not in the provision. It is not merely a cliche…it is absolutely true. Some claim that they cannot afford to give generously…but truthfully, they cannot afford not to.