Saturday, January 18, 2020

Consecration for Ministry

Leviticus 8:1-13 
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, a bull as the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; 3 and gather all the congregation together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.” 4 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. And the congregation was gathered together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 5 And Moses said to the congregation, “This is what the Lord commanded to be done.”
    6 Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. 7 And he put the tunic on him, girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the intricately woven band of the ephod, and with it tied the ephod on him. 8 Then he put the breastplate on him, and he put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate. 9 And he put the turban on his head. Also on the turban, on its front, he put the golden plate, the holy crown, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
    10 Also Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. 11 He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the laver and its base, to consecrate them. 12 And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him.
    13 Then Moses brought Aaron's sons and put tunics on them, girded them with sashes, and put hats on them, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

After laying out the precepts of the sacrifices, the time came to set aside the priests for their roles in serving the living God and interceding for His people.  This consecration began by assembling all the people to witness the ceremony.  They watched as Moses demonstrated what the Lord commanded and which they followed to prepare them.  First the priests were cleansed by washing, then clothed as commanded for the Lord’s work, including covering for honor and a breastplate designed to help them seek God’s will in their ministry.  They had holiness to the Lord on their heads as a reminder to be holy because He is.  Then they were anointed for consecration and fully dressed for serving.  Similarly, we minister as priests and servants to our God by putting on the garments of holiness after being washed clean (Titus 3:5) and having the Spirit anoint us and be marked as His to be able to serve Him in the holiness which begins with Christ’s righteousness in us and continues with our holy responses enabled by Him in return.  We must be properly depressed in His righteousness and holiness to minister the gospel as priests to our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

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