January 31, 2010, Exodus 28-29, Acts 7

January 31, 2010, Exodus28 & 29, Acts 7

Exodus 28 – The Priestly Garments

S: Ex 28:3 “….make garment for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.”
O: The Catholics wear priestly garments but the Protestants do not --- should they? God commanded that the priests were to wear these expensive garments with each part having a different symbolic meaning. Don’t think this dressing in fine and symbolic clothing is for now. Isaiah 61:10 says “For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.”
A: In the New Testament our clothing is spiritual “put on the breastplate of righteousness” –

S: Ex 28:15 “Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of a skilled craftsman.” Ex 28:29 “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord……..Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.”
O: How interesting that this spiritual leader is the decision maker for his family and his people. Aaron is not the most spiritual of people and makes huge spiritual mistakes leading others astray and yet he is strong in body and can hold up the arms of Moses for a long time and he is Moses brother and God has decided to choose him. So when God chooses – it is the right thing to do – no matter what. I like the idea that the names of his family are written over his heart into his clothing and so they are always with him as he goes to prayer and about his business.
A: Although not embroidered on my clothing or engraved in a breastplate the idea of keeping those people we pray for engraved in our hearts figuratively is good. I will lift up each of them by name daily.
P: God help me to be diligent in praying for those engraved on my heart, each and every day.

S: Ex 28:37 “Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban.”
O: They wore turbans with a blue symbolic cord on it – so symbolic emblems within a turban such as the Sikhs wearing kirpan is not a new idea.

S: Ex 28:42 “Make linen undergarments in a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.”
O: So this is where the Mormons get the holy underwear idea. This answers my earlier question – we are covered by Christ’s righteousness when we are saved and no longer have to where special clothes to be holy or sanctified or to cover our sin with a covering as Adam and Eve did as Isaiah 61 says we are now clothed with the “garments of salvation.”
A: Our garments of salvation should be as visible to others as real clothing…. That others may see this righteousness that we profess.
P: Lord let my spiritual “garments of salvation” and “robe of righteousness” be something that others can perceive as I live my life.

Acts 7
S: Acts 7:37 “This is that Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will send out a prophet like me from your own people.”
O: This is Stephen speaking – the man who is not to preach but to look after the widows and serve tables…. And yet he is so well educated that he can teach the elite of the Jews their own history and goes through the history of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the 12 tribes and the escape from Egypt. Even the humble servant jobs require diligent study and knowledge for who knows when we will be called on to speak about the truth of Christ.
A: Keep on with this Bible even though it looks like rocking babies and other menial tasks are not that important – this, is my task…… Who knows when God will call us to speak for Him.
P: Opportunities to serve and to speak.

S Acts 7:55-59 “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, “ Look,”he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him ot of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid heir clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.”
O: So many observations I am going to number them:
1. Stephen is picked to look after the old ladies and widows of the church to free up the preachers. To wait on tables … is the term used.
2. He is able to speak with confidences to the Pharisees and give them a history of the Jewish people quoting evidence that they had a history of rejecting God’s prophets.
3. He is able to share his faith in Jesus with all of them and to give his testimony.
4. His testimony enrages them so that they have to plug their ears --- this is what the gospel does to those who willfully reject it – they can not stand it.
5. He is not only a martyr but his example becomes the inspiration for Paul the apostle who goes on to take the gospel far and wide and is responsible for helping spread the gospel to the world.
6. He does his small task with great purpose and the results are world changing.

A: If we are obedient and look after those around us or whatever, in God’s great plan we have no idea what God might do.
P: Help me to just bloom where I am planted.