Read: Exodus 37:1-38:31; Matthew 28:1-20; Psalm 14:11-22; Proverbs 9:9-10
The ark was much smaller than I imagine it in my mind. It was only around a yard long and 18 inches wide. It stood 2 1/4 feet tall. Two gold angels sat on top facing one another with outstretched wings that touched in the middle. It represented God’s presence on earth. We are to be that wooden box that holds the presence of the Lord and shine like the glory of God on the earth. We are under the shadow of God’s wings (Psalm 91) and nothing can harm us.
The table that the shew bread would sit on was only 18”x18”. Bezalel also made utensils, pans, bowls and pitchers to serve the priests with. The menorah was the light of the room and was decorated with almond blossoms and leaves. It had six branches and one middle piece that stood for the Lord himself. This piece represented the seven spirits of the Lord mentioned in Isaiah 11:2. They are wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord. They are coupled together because they are grouped on the same branch that stretches from one side to the other. The menorah is the revelation of God.
The altar of incense was also 18” square and 3’ tall. All three of these pieces of furniture were made of wood and covered with gold with a rim like a crown around the top. They had gold rings with poles to carry them. They were not to be touched with hands but highly esteemed.
The largest piece of furniture was the brazen altar which they would use to kill and burn the animals on. It was 7 1/2’ square and made of wood and covered with bronze. It had four horns on the four corners. It was also carried with rings and poles.
We aren’t told the dimension of the laver but we are told that it was made of the mirrors of the women serving at the tent. The laver was where the priests washed the blood from their hands before and after killing the animals. The mirrors were to let them see their own selves so they wouldn’t judge the people. Keeping a mirror before you is to self-examine your motives.
Huge 75 feet tapestries were hung on the inside of the tent around the wall. They were woven of blue, purple and scarlet yarn into fine linen. These are all royal colors to help the people realize that when they enter this place it is the tabernacle of the King of Kings.
They counted the people so the people gave their 1/5 of an ounce of gold as their sanctuary tax to ransom their soul so that no plague would come upon them.
In Matthew, there was another earthquake and an angel came and rolled the stone from the grave. Jesus had already ascended up to heaven but God wanted everyone to know that his son was no longer there He had fulfilled everything he said he would do. Mary and Martha were at the tomb to see the angels do this and hear them say that Jesus was not there but had risen. They also told the women that Jesus would meet them in Galilee and that they should tell the disciples.
The soldiers that were guarding the tomb also saw and heard what the angels said. They were paid to keep silent about what they saw.
Jesus met them in Galilee and told them to go spread the gospel to everyone.
Lord, everything you do is precise and purposeful. Help us to see that every day of our lives is important. We have a mission to live Jesus!
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Wed.’s Devo - Do Your Part
Read: Exodus 35:20-38; Matthew 27:32-66; Psalm 34:1-10a; Proverbs 9:7-8
Everyone who had a heart to give gave what they had and the women who wanted to help, spun the linen. God set apart Bezalel from the tribe of Judah to work in metal and stones and Oholiab from the tribe of Dan work as designer in fabrics. God gave them both the ability to teach others their skill.
The people brought so much that they finally had to tell them to stop giving! What a problem! They constructed the frames and the curtains that would be the temporary wall around the tabernacle. This wall had to be easy to construct and easy to tear down because they would always be moving. Everything about the tabernacle was to make it look like heaven on earth.
In Matthew, Jesus was on his way to be crucified. They met a man named Simon and the guard forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. When they got to Golgotha they offered Jesus gall to deaden his pain but he refused to take it. Jesus refused to deaden the pain of sin and death he was carrying. He was hung between two thieves with a sign that read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews”. They mocked Jesus telling him to save himself.
The sky went dark for three hours till the hour of the last sacrifice in the temple. When the light came back on, Jesus quoted from Psalm 22. He was not saying that God had deserted him but was referring them to that Psalm because that hour it was being fulfilled. In Psalm 22 it describes Jesus’ crucifixion.
At that moment the earth shook and the veil was torn and God made a way for everyone to enter into his presence through the blood of his son. Graves were opened because death was defeated. Holy people were raised to life and after Jesus rose, they came out of their graves and went into Jerusalem and appeared to many. The Roman guard who was attending Jesus saw all of this happening and became a believer.
That evening, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin who had become a secret follower of Jesus came and took the body of Jesus, wrapped him in a clean linen sheet and laid him in his own tomb that had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a huge rock over the entrance and left.
The next day, the head of the priests reminded the others that Jesus had predicted that he would rise from the dead after three days. He was afraid that Jesus’ disciples would take his body and say that he was resurrected so they placed a guard at his tomb.
It is amazing to see how every player had his role from Simon who carried Jesus cross, to Joseph of Arimathea who placed him in his rock tomb. Interesting that Arimathea is Ramah in the Old Testament. Samuel was from Ramah who was sent to anoint Saul and David as king. Joseph gave up his final resting place for the King of Kings.
Lord, we all have our skills and destinies in your kingdom, help us to be about your business of bringing heaven to earth.
Everyone who had a heart to give gave what they had and the women who wanted to help, spun the linen. God set apart Bezalel from the tribe of Judah to work in metal and stones and Oholiab from the tribe of Dan work as designer in fabrics. God gave them both the ability to teach others their skill.
The people brought so much that they finally had to tell them to stop giving! What a problem! They constructed the frames and the curtains that would be the temporary wall around the tabernacle. This wall had to be easy to construct and easy to tear down because they would always be moving. Everything about the tabernacle was to make it look like heaven on earth.
In Matthew, Jesus was on his way to be crucified. They met a man named Simon and the guard forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. When they got to Golgotha they offered Jesus gall to deaden his pain but he refused to take it. Jesus refused to deaden the pain of sin and death he was carrying. He was hung between two thieves with a sign that read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews”. They mocked Jesus telling him to save himself.
The sky went dark for three hours till the hour of the last sacrifice in the temple. When the light came back on, Jesus quoted from Psalm 22. He was not saying that God had deserted him but was referring them to that Psalm because that hour it was being fulfilled. In Psalm 22 it describes Jesus’ crucifixion.
At that moment the earth shook and the veil was torn and God made a way for everyone to enter into his presence through the blood of his son. Graves were opened because death was defeated. Holy people were raised to life and after Jesus rose, they came out of their graves and went into Jerusalem and appeared to many. The Roman guard who was attending Jesus saw all of this happening and became a believer.
That evening, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin who had become a secret follower of Jesus came and took the body of Jesus, wrapped him in a clean linen sheet and laid him in his own tomb that had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a huge rock over the entrance and left.
The next day, the head of the priests reminded the others that Jesus had predicted that he would rise from the dead after three days. He was afraid that Jesus’ disciples would take his body and say that he was resurrected so they placed a guard at his tomb.
It is amazing to see how every player had his role from Simon who carried Jesus cross, to Joseph of Arimathea who placed him in his rock tomb. Interesting that Arimathea is Ramah in the Old Testament. Samuel was from Ramah who was sent to anoint Saul and David as king. Joseph gave up his final resting place for the King of Kings.
Lord, we all have our skills and destinies in your kingdom, help us to be about your business of bringing heaven to earth.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Tues.’s Devo - The Curse or the Blessing
Read: Exodus 34:1-35:9: Matthew 27:15-31; Psalm 33:12-22; Proverbs 9:1-6
Moses went back up the mountain to get the law the second time. This time God passed before him proclaiming his own name and what it meant. His name was Adonai and it means that God is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth showing grace to the thousandth generation and forging sins, but causing negative effects of the parent’s offenses to their third and fourth generation. God made a covenant with them to be their God and they were not to make a covenant with any of the other nations. Instead, they were to demolish their altars, smash their idols and cut down their sacred poles. They were not to join them in their worship or intermarry with them because if they did, they would end up worshipping their gods.
There were three times a year the men were to meet together to worship the Lord. The first was during the time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, then the time of the Feast of Pentecost, and last the Feast of Tabernacles. These were times of harvest of the wheat, the barley and the fruit. They represented set times when God would visit his people as they offered their first fruits to him.
God also instructed them about the Sabbath which was the seventh day of the week. They were to completely rest to honor God because he rested on this day. In 2 Peter 3:8 it says that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. He was explaining that our natural week represents the total of time man will have on the earth. The last day represents the last millennium where Jesus will reign as King and we will live in rest. Every law that God gave them was to paint a picture of His spiritual concepts he wanted the people to act out in a picture for the future generations.
The last thing we read today was that God asked Moses to take up a collection of all the spoils of Egypt and donate them to make the things for the tabernacle.
In Matthew, Jesus is given a mock trial before the Roman governor. He tried to free Jesus by offering the worse criminal in his prison, thinking they would choose Jesus over Barabbas. Barabbas means Bar Abba (Son of father). Jesus was the Son of God, his Father, Barabbas was a son of Satan. They chose Barabbas and wanted Jesus crucified. The governor could find no fault in Jesus and washed his hands of the blood of Jesus. The Jews’ reply was, “let his blood be on us and on our children!” We just read about this in the Old Testament. The sins of the fathers are passed down to the children unless the curse is broken with the blood of Jesus.
Lord, help us to not live under the curse of our earthly fathers, but live under the blessings of a loving father who is merciful and gracious.
Moses went back up the mountain to get the law the second time. This time God passed before him proclaiming his own name and what it meant. His name was Adonai and it means that God is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth showing grace to the thousandth generation and forging sins, but causing negative effects of the parent’s offenses to their third and fourth generation. God made a covenant with them to be their God and they were not to make a covenant with any of the other nations. Instead, they were to demolish their altars, smash their idols and cut down their sacred poles. They were not to join them in their worship or intermarry with them because if they did, they would end up worshipping their gods.
There were three times a year the men were to meet together to worship the Lord. The first was during the time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, then the time of the Feast of Pentecost, and last the Feast of Tabernacles. These were times of harvest of the wheat, the barley and the fruit. They represented set times when God would visit his people as they offered their first fruits to him.
God also instructed them about the Sabbath which was the seventh day of the week. They were to completely rest to honor God because he rested on this day. In 2 Peter 3:8 it says that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. He was explaining that our natural week represents the total of time man will have on the earth. The last day represents the last millennium where Jesus will reign as King and we will live in rest. Every law that God gave them was to paint a picture of His spiritual concepts he wanted the people to act out in a picture for the future generations.
The last thing we read today was that God asked Moses to take up a collection of all the spoils of Egypt and donate them to make the things for the tabernacle.
In Matthew, Jesus is given a mock trial before the Roman governor. He tried to free Jesus by offering the worse criminal in his prison, thinking they would choose Jesus over Barabbas. Barabbas means Bar Abba (Son of father). Jesus was the Son of God, his Father, Barabbas was a son of Satan. They chose Barabbas and wanted Jesus crucified. The governor could find no fault in Jesus and washed his hands of the blood of Jesus. The Jews’ reply was, “let his blood be on us and on our children!” We just read about this in the Old Testament. The sins of the fathers are passed down to the children unless the curse is broken with the blood of Jesus.
Lord, help us to not live under the curse of our earthly fathers, but live under the blessings of a loving father who is merciful and gracious.
Monday, February 11, 2019
Mon.’s Devo - The Golden Calf
Read: Exodus 32:1-33:23; Matthew 26:69-27:14; Psalm 33:1-11; Proverbs 8:33-36
Aaron caved to the pier pressure of the people. Moses had been on the mountain for days and the people were ready to get going. They wanted a god to lead them so Aaron told them to donate an earring a piece and he melted it into a golden calf. He proclaimed a feast day and the people partied and celebrated this false god.
God knew what they were doing so he told Moses to get down and stop them before He did. Moses interceded for the people and begged the Lord not to destroy them. God relented but once Moses saw what God had seen, he got so mad he threw the tablets to the ground breaking them. He melted the calf and grounded it to powder. He mixed the powder into the water and made the people drink it.
Moses went to Aaron and asked him how this happened. You have to love Aaron’s explanation. He said the the people made him do it. They gave Aaron their gold and when he threw it into the fire and out popped this calf. That sounds like something my 5 year old grandson would say.
The lesson we should learn from the golden calf is not to worship any object or manifestation or event, but the Lord who caused the miracle to happen.
Moses told the ones who loved God to get their swords and go through the camp killing all who were partying and worshipping the calf. Three thousand were killed.
Moses told the people he would go back and ask God to forgive them and rewrite the laws they had already broken.
God told him that the ones who sinned against him would be blotted out of his book. He sent a plague to punish them.
Moses moved the tabernacle outside of the camp and when any of them wanted to meet with God, they could come there. God showed Moses his glory because Moses asked. God’s presence is available to all who want it.
In Matthew, everything played out just as it was foretold. Peter denied Jesus three times. The religious leaders took Jesus to the Romans to be crucified since it was against their law to crucify someone.
Judas was overcome with remorse for betraying Jesus and returned the money they had given him and went and hung himself. Judas was a pawn in Satan’s hand and when he was had done what Satan wanted, he was thrown aside.
The Sanhedrin took the blood money and bought a cemetery for foreigners and called it the Field of Blood.
Jesus was brought before the Roman government to be inspected. Jesus refused to defend himself which amazed the officers.
Lord, thank you for every break-through in our lives. Help us to worship you and not the blessing.
Aaron caved to the pier pressure of the people. Moses had been on the mountain for days and the people were ready to get going. They wanted a god to lead them so Aaron told them to donate an earring a piece and he melted it into a golden calf. He proclaimed a feast day and the people partied and celebrated this false god.
God knew what they were doing so he told Moses to get down and stop them before He did. Moses interceded for the people and begged the Lord not to destroy them. God relented but once Moses saw what God had seen, he got so mad he threw the tablets to the ground breaking them. He melted the calf and grounded it to powder. He mixed the powder into the water and made the people drink it.
Moses went to Aaron and asked him how this happened. You have to love Aaron’s explanation. He said the the people made him do it. They gave Aaron their gold and when he threw it into the fire and out popped this calf. That sounds like something my 5 year old grandson would say.
The lesson we should learn from the golden calf is not to worship any object or manifestation or event, but the Lord who caused the miracle to happen.
Moses told the ones who loved God to get their swords and go through the camp killing all who were partying and worshipping the calf. Three thousand were killed.
Moses told the people he would go back and ask God to forgive them and rewrite the laws they had already broken.
God told him that the ones who sinned against him would be blotted out of his book. He sent a plague to punish them.
Moses moved the tabernacle outside of the camp and when any of them wanted to meet with God, they could come there. God showed Moses his glory because Moses asked. God’s presence is available to all who want it.
In Matthew, everything played out just as it was foretold. Peter denied Jesus three times. The religious leaders took Jesus to the Romans to be crucified since it was against their law to crucify someone.
Judas was overcome with remorse for betraying Jesus and returned the money they had given him and went and hung himself. Judas was a pawn in Satan’s hand and when he was had done what Satan wanted, he was thrown aside.
The Sanhedrin took the blood money and bought a cemetery for foreigners and called it the Field of Blood.
Jesus was brought before the Roman government to be inspected. Jesus refused to defend himself which amazed the officers.
Lord, thank you for every break-through in our lives. Help us to worship you and not the blessing.
Sunday, February 10, 2019
Sun.’s Devo - Trial by Fire
Read: Exodus 30:11-31:18; Matthew 26:47-68; Psalm 32:1-11; Proverbs 8:27-32
Today we read a very important scripture that explains why a plague broke out when David numbered the people. God didn’t tell them never to count the people but gave explicit guidelines about how to do it. To number the people was to hold them accountable for their sins. It was like calling them to the judgement seat. So that they would have their sins covered, they were to pay a ransom for their life of a half a shekel of silver which was about one-fifth of an ounce. Silver is the metal of redemption and five means grace, which is how we will be counted in the end if we have Jesus.
For the tabernacle, they were to make a basin and fill it with water for the priests to wash their hands and feet before they started sacrificing the animals. This stood for sanctification so their sins would not condemn them.
They were to make an anointing oil made by a special formula of spices and oil to anoint the sanctuary, the furniture, all the utensils and the priests. It was never to be duplicated for the people to use.
Bezalel from the tribe of Judah was chosen by God to make all the designs in gold silver and bronze and the gem stones. His name means “in God’s shade” which means he was a picture of God in his work. Aholiab from the tribe of Dan was chosen to make the furniture, the tabernacle itself, the priest’s garments and the oil. His name means “tent of the father”. He was a picture of how God is in us to do his work on the earth.
We are told that we are the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit and we have been chosen to do God’s will on the earth.
Lastly, God gave the commandments about the Sabbath which is extremely holy to him. It represents God’s last millennium on earth where we live him through us and nothing is work. These two men exemplified this time.
In Matthew, Jesus is arrested and tried. It is four days before Passover making it the tenth of Nisan. On the tenth of Nisan in the Old Testament, they were to select a lamb and bring it into their house for inspection. For four days they were to inspect the lamb they had chosen to make sure it didn’t have any blemishes. Jesus was first brought before the Sanhedrin to be questioned and no evidence requiring death could be found. They finally condemned him on his own testimony that he would tear down this temple and rebuild it in three days. They called it treason and pronounced him guilty of death. None of what they did would stand up in their own courts of justice or in Rome’s. They crucified Jesus on shear hatred and jealousy.
Lord, help us to cover what we don’t understand with love and keep our accusations to ourselves. Thank you for your sacrifice on the cross for our sins.
Today we read a very important scripture that explains why a plague broke out when David numbered the people. God didn’t tell them never to count the people but gave explicit guidelines about how to do it. To number the people was to hold them accountable for their sins. It was like calling them to the judgement seat. So that they would have their sins covered, they were to pay a ransom for their life of a half a shekel of silver which was about one-fifth of an ounce. Silver is the metal of redemption and five means grace, which is how we will be counted in the end if we have Jesus.
For the tabernacle, they were to make a basin and fill it with water for the priests to wash their hands and feet before they started sacrificing the animals. This stood for sanctification so their sins would not condemn them.
They were to make an anointing oil made by a special formula of spices and oil to anoint the sanctuary, the furniture, all the utensils and the priests. It was never to be duplicated for the people to use.
Bezalel from the tribe of Judah was chosen by God to make all the designs in gold silver and bronze and the gem stones. His name means “in God’s shade” which means he was a picture of God in his work. Aholiab from the tribe of Dan was chosen to make the furniture, the tabernacle itself, the priest’s garments and the oil. His name means “tent of the father”. He was a picture of how God is in us to do his work on the earth.
We are told that we are the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit and we have been chosen to do God’s will on the earth.
Lastly, God gave the commandments about the Sabbath which is extremely holy to him. It represents God’s last millennium on earth where we live him through us and nothing is work. These two men exemplified this time.
In Matthew, Jesus is arrested and tried. It is four days before Passover making it the tenth of Nisan. On the tenth of Nisan in the Old Testament, they were to select a lamb and bring it into their house for inspection. For four days they were to inspect the lamb they had chosen to make sure it didn’t have any blemishes. Jesus was first brought before the Sanhedrin to be questioned and no evidence requiring death could be found. They finally condemned him on his own testimony that he would tear down this temple and rebuild it in three days. They called it treason and pronounced him guilty of death. None of what they did would stand up in their own courts of justice or in Rome’s. They crucified Jesus on shear hatred and jealousy.
Lord, help us to cover what we don’t understand with love and keep our accusations to ourselves. Thank you for your sacrifice on the cross for our sins.
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Sat.’s Devo - The Sacrifice
Read: Exodus 29:1-30:10; Matthew 26:14-46; Psalm 31:19-24; Proverbs 8:14-26
The priests were to be consecrated to serve before the Lord just as we need to be consecrated to serve the Lord. First, they were to bring their sacrifice to the Lord and wash it in water. Then they were to dress in their priestly garments. Next they were to be anointed with oil.
Then they could start the sacrificing. The bull was the sin offering to conscecrate the whole nation. They were to lay their hands upon the head of the bull, identifying with him since he was going to represent them. The blood of the bull was to be sprinkled on the horns of the altar and the rest poured at the base of the altar. All the inner parts were to be burned and the flesh was taken outside the camp to be burned.
The ram offering was to consecrate the priests. The blood of the ram was to be put on the ears, thumbs and big toes of the right side of the body signifying that what they heard, did and their walk was sanctified in the blood. They were to take the meat and wave it before the Lord. The priests would eat the sacrifices and unleavened bread for seven days. No one else can eat this. We are to eat the body of the Lord and drink his blood; no-one else can do this.
They were to offer a lamb every morning and one at dusk showing that forgiveness is ours continually.
In Matthew, we have the last supper that Jesus will eat with his disciples. The custom of Jewish men at supper is to sit the oldest to the left and on around to the youngest which would sit to the right. Judas was the oldest, so he was on Jesus’ left and John was the youngest, so he would be on his right. What a contrast!
Jesus did the rehearsal of what was going to happen on the very next day. He explained that the bread stood for his body and the wine is the blood.
They ate, sang a hymn and went to pray. Well, Jesus went to pray. The disciples fell asleep.
Lord, help us to stay awake spiritually and not give in to our natural desires.
The priests were to be consecrated to serve before the Lord just as we need to be consecrated to serve the Lord. First, they were to bring their sacrifice to the Lord and wash it in water. Then they were to dress in their priestly garments. Next they were to be anointed with oil.
Then they could start the sacrificing. The bull was the sin offering to conscecrate the whole nation. They were to lay their hands upon the head of the bull, identifying with him since he was going to represent them. The blood of the bull was to be sprinkled on the horns of the altar and the rest poured at the base of the altar. All the inner parts were to be burned and the flesh was taken outside the camp to be burned.
The ram offering was to consecrate the priests. The blood of the ram was to be put on the ears, thumbs and big toes of the right side of the body signifying that what they heard, did and their walk was sanctified in the blood. They were to take the meat and wave it before the Lord. The priests would eat the sacrifices and unleavened bread for seven days. No one else can eat this. We are to eat the body of the Lord and drink his blood; no-one else can do this.
They were to offer a lamb every morning and one at dusk showing that forgiveness is ours continually.
In Matthew, we have the last supper that Jesus will eat with his disciples. The custom of Jewish men at supper is to sit the oldest to the left and on around to the youngest which would sit to the right. Judas was the oldest, so he was on Jesus’ left and John was the youngest, so he would be on his right. What a contrast!
Jesus did the rehearsal of what was going to happen on the very next day. He explained that the bread stood for his body and the wine is the blood.
They ate, sang a hymn and went to pray. Well, Jesus went to pray. The disciples fell asleep.
Lord, help us to stay awake spiritually and not give in to our natural desires.
Friday, February 8, 2019
Fri.’s Devo - The Garments of the Priests
The Old Testament is full of pictures to teach us about how God wants us to function as his children. The priests were set apart members of the congregation who were born into the Levite tribe and were to officiate the worship in the Tabernacle. They were pictures to us of those who are set apart to be God’s children through the blood of Jesus. They represent born-again Christians. So, what they were commanded to wear represents our priestly garments before the Lord. Aaron stood as the High Priest who represents Jesus, our High Priest.
The priest’s garments coincide with the armor of Christ in Ephesians 6. All the priests were to have a breastplate which represents our breastplate of righteousness. They had an ephod or belt that was made of gold, blue, purple and scarlet finely-twisted linen. These colors represented royalty and majesty. The belt was the belt of truth.
The High Priest was to wear stones on his shoulder with the names of the tribes on them (six on each side). In this way, Jesus bears the names of his children when he goes before the Father. The breastplate of the High Priest was called a breastplate of judging. On it was to be the stones of each of the tribes - four stones on a row in the order of their birth just like the ones on his shoulders. The breastplate and the ephod were to be chained together as one piece to show that Jesus would always carry his children in his heart and on his shoulder.
In the breastplate of judging was to have a pocket over the heart which held the Urim and the Thummim. Urim means “lights” and Thummim means “perfections, and emblem of complete Truth”. This is the definition of how God judges: with complete light and truth.
Around the hem of the high priest’s garment was to be bells and pomegranates. The pomegranates stood for the Word since there are the same number of seeds in a pomegranate as there are laws. The bells stood for praise which announces his coming to the Lord. The turban was to cover his head. It was to have a gold plate with the words “Holy to the Lord” on it. This is to bear the guilt involved in the gifts of the people making them acceptable to God. In Ephesians 6:17 this is the helmet of salvation.
Aaron’s sons and the other priests were to wear the tunic, the sash and the headbands which stand for righteousness, truth and salvation. Lastly, they were to be anointed with oil which stands for the seal of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus continued explaining his second coming in Matthew. He will come with angels who will help him separate the sheep from the goats. The believers will go to his right and the unbelievers will go to his left. He will bless the ones on his right commending them for their love for one another which amounted to love to him. They will inherit his kingdom. The ones on the left will be cursed and sent to the fire of hell. They will get what they deserved because the way they treated others amounted to the way they treated Him.
Lord, help us to love our fellow man as we love you. Every day, we choose to put on our priestly garments and enter the joy of serving in your kingdom.
The priest’s garments coincide with the armor of Christ in Ephesians 6. All the priests were to have a breastplate which represents our breastplate of righteousness. They had an ephod or belt that was made of gold, blue, purple and scarlet finely-twisted linen. These colors represented royalty and majesty. The belt was the belt of truth.
The High Priest was to wear stones on his shoulder with the names of the tribes on them (six on each side). In this way, Jesus bears the names of his children when he goes before the Father. The breastplate of the High Priest was called a breastplate of judging. On it was to be the stones of each of the tribes - four stones on a row in the order of their birth just like the ones on his shoulders. The breastplate and the ephod were to be chained together as one piece to show that Jesus would always carry his children in his heart and on his shoulder.
In the breastplate of judging was to have a pocket over the heart which held the Urim and the Thummim. Urim means “lights” and Thummim means “perfections, and emblem of complete Truth”. This is the definition of how God judges: with complete light and truth.
Around the hem of the high priest’s garment was to be bells and pomegranates. The pomegranates stood for the Word since there are the same number of seeds in a pomegranate as there are laws. The bells stood for praise which announces his coming to the Lord. The turban was to cover his head. It was to have a gold plate with the words “Holy to the Lord” on it. This is to bear the guilt involved in the gifts of the people making them acceptable to God. In Ephesians 6:17 this is the helmet of salvation.
Aaron’s sons and the other priests were to wear the tunic, the sash and the headbands which stand for righteousness, truth and salvation. Lastly, they were to be anointed with oil which stands for the seal of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus continued explaining his second coming in Matthew. He will come with angels who will help him separate the sheep from the goats. The believers will go to his right and the unbelievers will go to his left. He will bless the ones on his right commending them for their love for one another which amounted to love to him. They will inherit his kingdom. The ones on the left will be cursed and sent to the fire of hell. They will get what they deserved because the way they treated others amounted to the way they treated Him.
Lord, help us to love our fellow man as we love you. Every day, we choose to put on our priestly garments and enter the joy of serving in your kingdom.
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