Fri.’s Devo - The Office of the Priest

Read: Exodus 30:11-31:18; Psalm 32:1-11; Proverbs 8:27-32
God gave Moses instructions for counting the people. When they were counted they were to bring a ransom for every person that was the age of twenty and older. The ransom was the same for everyone rich or poor which was a half shekel. This money was required to pay for the service of the sanctuary. If they did not do it the way he commanded, a plague would come on the people. This is exactly what happened when David counted the people and didn’t collect this tax from the people. A plague came on the people and 70,000 were killed. This tax represented the ransom that Jesus paid for their souls. We are no longer are counted physically but our souls are accountable for paying this debt. If we are in Christ then he has forever paid our ransom. If we are not then the plague of death will fall on us.
Even though we walk in grace, to be priests we must choose to walk in holiness. The priests had to wash their feet before they could minister to the Lord for the people. Our walk has to be sanctified before we can be ministers before the Lord for the people. They were also to be anointed with a special oil made of sweet smelling spices. Ephesians 5:2 tells us that to walk in Christ’s love is like a sweet-smelling savour to the Lord.
The priest was to be sanctified for seven days. Seven days has to do with the lifespan of humanity. It means that as long as we walk on this earth, we are to walk in holiness to the Lord if we want the office of a priest.
Jesus was the sacrificial lamb that was a type of the Passover lamb. The passover lamb was to be inspected for 10 days before being killed as the sacrifice. In these 10 days they were to determine if he was spotless. Jesus was examined for 10 days also to see if he was sinless. Today we read the first of the 10 days. He is arrested and will be brought before the religious and political leaders of the day. They will be able to find no fault in him. Then Jesus will die for the sins of all mankind forever.
Lord thank you for forgiving our sins and taking away our shame. We rejoice in you!