(1) Twice, this passage mentioned death
Regarding the bells on the hem
28:41 “You are to clothe them—your brother Aaron and his sons with him—and anoint them and ordain them and set them apart as holy, so that they may minister as my priests.
Anoint=(BDB)as consecration, solemn setting apart to an office, always by the use of oil poured on the head; as a prophet, a king, or priest
28:35 The robe is to be on Aaron as he ministers, and his sound will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he leaves, so that he does not die.
(NET) The point then would be that he dare not enter into the Holy Place without wearing it...the priest had followed the rules of the sanctuary by wearing the appropriate robes with their attachments.
(NET) The point then would be that he dare not enter into the Holy Place without wearing it...the priest had followed the rules of the sanctuary by wearing the appropriate robes with their attachments.
Regarding the undergarments
28:43 These must be on Aaron and his sons when they enter to the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they bear no iniquity and die.
(NET) The idea is that if they approached the holy things with a lack of modesty, perhaps like the pagans who have nakedness and sexuality as part of the religious ritual, they would pollute the holy things, and it would be reckoned to them for iniquity and they would die.
(2) This passage mentioned holiness x3
v.36b “Holiness to the LORD.”
(NET) The engraving was a perpetual reminder of the holiness that was due the LORD (Heb “Yahweh”), that all the clothing, the furnishings, and the activities were to come under that description. This corresponded to the symbolism for the whole nation of binding the law between the eyes. It was to be a perpetual reminder of commitment.
v.38a It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron will bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the Israelites are to sanctify by all their holy gifts;
(NET) Aaron “will atone for all the transgressions committed in connection with the order of the service, the purity of the consecrated things, or the use of the holy gifts, for the declaration engraved on the plate will prove that everything was intended to be holy to the Lord,
28:41 “You are to clothe them—your brother Aaron and his sons with him—and anoint them and ordain them and set them apart as holy, so that they may minister as my priests.
Anoint=(BDB)as consecration, solemn setting apart to an office, always by the use of oil poured on the head; as a prophet, a king, or priest
ordain=(NET) Heb “fill their hand.” As a result of this installation ceremony they will be officially designated for the work. It seems likely that the concept derives from the notion of putting the priestly responsibilities under their control (i.e., “filling their hands” with work)
set them apart as holy
Reflection: The work of the priest was a dangerous one. One needed to be mindful that they were doing the work of God and dared not to be doing it in a casual manner. Their lives were endangered if they did.
Reflection: The work of the priest was a dangerous one. One needed to be mindful that they were doing the work of God and dared not to be doing it in a casual manner. Their lives were endangered if they did.
The work of God has to be done in the way God has prescribed. The priest's example was to remind all Israelites. The plate on his turban was seen clearly by other people. The offering was done in the manner that God's prescribed. Priests dare not to do it in their own ways.
Do we serve God like this? Do we exemplify to others this message?
Audrey
Audrey
Comments