Exodus 29
Exodus 29
Hebrews 4:14-16: “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Chapter 29 of Exodus may take a couple of times to read. Yet, it is important to our understanding of the role of the priest - since when reading Hebrews, we know that Jesus was also a great high priest. In both the previous chapter and this chapter, God is setting up two things - how to properly worship and setting apart a holy people to enter into a holy space to observe a holy God. We see distinct clothes for the priest, and now we read about their consecration. They are first cleansed to be made pure - impure things are unwelcome in the presence of God, and they are anointed with oil, a symbol of set-apartness.
Next in the chapter, we see some sacrifices. The first was a sin offering for the priests - the bull was sacrificed on their behalf. Then they gave two rams, one for a burnt offering (a tribute to God) and one for ordination. Then blood is EVERYWHERE - which always gets me. Yet, it reminds us that in order to be in God's presence, we must be covered in it. And this is where praise should start flowing because we no longer have to do this every year. We walk confidently because of the blood of the final sacrifice, Jesus.
We must remember that Jesus was our sacrifice and our priest - the one ordained to come to die on the cross. He was set apart in the trinity for this purpose; he came and laid down his very own life as a sin offering, leveraging his whole life as a tribute to God, worshipping him with every step to the cross and grave. And back out to life. Exodus is a foreshadowing of a sinless priest who emphasizes instead of condemns. One who beckons us in with grace to approach his throne, smiling that we are there. Let us read Exodus with the remembrance of Jesus and worship of our God, who has done great things.
