Priestly Preparation

Today’s Scripture:  Exodus 28-29

In both garment and ceremony, God outlines the appropriate preparations to be made in order to ordain Aaron and his sons into the priesthood.  The first of the Levites to take up this honored task, there is significant preparation to be done after the completion of the tabernacle for it to be useful for the Lord’s purposes.

One thing especially intriguing about the garments is the two sets of stones engraved with the names of the sons of Israel — the twelve tribes.  Not only is this a reminder to God, but also to Aaron that his duties must be taken seriously because as he does them, he is a representative of the whole of Israel.  His ministry is not just for himself, but for the descendants of all twelve sons of Jacob/Israel.  Can you imagine if we all had written reminders on our clothing of the people we are to serve?  Imagine if the names of the people who need prayer were written on our hand.  We would certainly not forget to put others first if we were constantly inundated with their names.

Luke 12:48 tells us, “…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”  Aaron must take to heart this truth, though the particular verse quoted was not yet written.  Because he is entrusted as the first High Priest, the only one who can enter the Holy of Holies and who is in charge of all the sacrificial duties as representative of the nation of Israel, he will be held responsible for any failure to obey the laws given in regard to ritual or sacrifice.  While he has authority over the people of Israel, much like that of a king, his responsibilities and consequences are multiplied in accordance.  The priests, as those who reside over the nation for spiritual guidance and intercession with diety, as mediators between man and God, are therefore held to a higher standard than the rest of the nation.

I think the same holds true today, in many cases.  How often do we see court cases involving celebrities or politicians, and their sexual indiscretions?  While that kind of behavior should not be condoned in anyone, regardless of social status, the issue becomes sensationalized when it involves someone who is well-known or who represents the nation in one capacity or another.  While his behavior was certainly unacceptable, former president Bill Clinton nearly lost his job (and was disbarred from practicing law) because of his infidelities.  Again, I don’t wish to open a can of worms — and like I said, his behavior was not at all appropriate — but how many others come near the point of losing their careers because of personal matters?  In cases of the average Joe who has no position of leadership over the nation, bosses tend to stay out of it.

I suppose it is true that if one seeks to lead others, one must do so by example — and who is to respect the example of one who cannot handle oneself?

A final note:  I love how the consecration ceremony parallels the inauguration of the temple and that of the creation by its 7-day ritual design.  God is so congruent in the way that He does things, even down to preparing the natural world, man-constructed buildings, and man himself for the holy work of the Lord.  Just as the building itself is a temple and it mirrors the design of the natural world (which is the Lord’s temple), humans, too, are temples to the Lord — and we must be both consecrated and purified for service to Him.  Though this passage refers only to the priestly line and to their duties that require this consecration, in a broader sense we are all temples to the living God, and should treat ourselves and each other as such — with great care and respect.

Tomorrow’s Scripture: Exodus 30-32