Sanctified By My Glory

Day 26 – A Year in the Bible – Exodus 27-29

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EXODUS 27 –

Pure Oil
And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. – Exodus 27:20

There was a pure oil that burned and brought Light that was to never go out. Oil the symbol of the Holy Ghost. God charges us to remain faithful and diligent to “keep the lamp burning.” As those who are to be reflections of His light (light-bearers), we are only able to do God’s work through the power and strength granted by the Holy Ghost, who lives within and fills them.

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EXODUS 28 – SANCTIFY THEM THAT THEY MAY MINISTER UNTO ME

Holy Garments – that He (Aaron) May Minister Unto Me
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. – Exodus 28:2-4

I love how the artisans are said to be “filled with the spirit of Wisdom.” Artistic ability of any kind is a gift from God, as is Wisdom. Expressions of art through things like needlework and sculpting were some of the earliest gifts that we read about in the Bible, and crafts such as these done as unto the Lord or for the Kingdom purposes is using your skills with wisdom. I imagine an artist would do their best work filled with the Holy Ghost? Don’t I do my best work, whether in an occupation or crafting, if I am filled with the Holy Ghost and anointed for that purpose? This passage was a great encouragement to me.

He Shall Bear the Names of the Children of Israel on His Shoulders 
And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial. – Exodus 28:9-12

He Shall Bear the Judgment of the Children of Israel On His Heart
And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually. – Exodus 28:29-30

HOLINESS TO THE Lord Shall Be Always Upon Aaron’s Forehead
And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE Lord. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. – Exodus 28:35-38

The words “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” actually have the same connotation as belonging to the Lord. Set apart for the Lord.

Everyone knows who Aaron is by the words he wears fastened to the front of his turban. They know Who he belongs to. He stands out. If I am part of the royal priesthood (and I am), shouldn’t I stand out too? Shouldn’t everyone know whose I am and what I am about not necessarily by Words on my forehead but by the way I live my life?

Anoint, Consecrate, Sanctify Them, that They May Minister Unto Me
And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office. – Exodus 28:40-41

Anoint – to rub, sprinkle on, or smear with a liquid; to dedicate to the service of God
Consecrate – to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate
Sanctify – to make holy; set apart as sacred; purify; render legitimate or binding

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EXODUS 29 – SANCTIFIED BY MY GLORY

I Am the LORD Their God
This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God. – Exodus 29:42-46

God wanted to dwell among His children. He wanted to be their God. His tabernacle was right at the center of all they did…and yet even so, they kept running back to idols. I think about that personally. The Holy Ghost resides in me, and so He is in the center of all I do and hears all I say; every word I type here goes through His eyes and heart. Are there areas of my life that I allow some of the world to enter in? Am I making idols of things and people right in front of His face? How sad that must make Him.