Exodus Chapter 32

EXODUS

 CHAPTER 

32

1. When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."

(Exodus chapter 32 verse 1)

The experience of the people of God is my and maybe even our experience at large. After a time of spiritual consolation may come a period of dryness in our spiritual life. Oh God You are so near but at times I feel you so far away, that I start referring to my own means and agendas instead of following Your ways. The feeling is as if I am totally alone. I seem to forget that you redeemed me out of my Egypt and placed me back on the route leading to my salvation. I apologise Oh father for having made such bad choices that led me far away from You. When I wonder even from Your ways even for one second I end up following the gods or ways of the world, please help me to stay focused on You because You are the only Way that leads to my salvation and that of the world.


2. Aaron said to them; "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me." 3. So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron.

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 2 to 3)


God had given orders to the people of God to ask the locals of Egypt to give them gold rings and ear rings and dress them upon themselves. God gave his people by adorning them with the gold of the Egyptians who were stripped of their dignity and power. Due to the sinful act that the people were going to give their consent to, they were now being stripped off their dignity, by having the same golden trinkets wilfully taken away from them. Oh God You made us beautiful shaped on Your Model, however we shame this model and seek to practise ways that are sinful and shameful that bring disgrace and sin on this holy form. Acts such as masturbation and body trampling where the person is placed under the high heels of women who have the role off disgracing the body by trampling on it in part or in whole are placing the subject in a state of utter dishonour. Sin does the same thing to us.


4. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf, and they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!

(Exodus chapter 32 verse 4)

At times our perception of reality oh God becomes so twisted that we mix up the image of reality for reality itself. Israel was happy with a substitute god which they attributed their liberation from the bondage of Egypt, instead of giving worship to the actual one and true God who had actually brought them out of Egypt.

At times we attribute our successes to our own skills and knowledge. We become the image of God, the centre of praise and honour instead of attributing to God all the honour praise thanksgiving and worship.

In order to view this negative scene of adoration to the golden calf please click on the following link:

Aaron and the golden calf


5. When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a festival to the LORD." 

(Exodus chapter 32 verse 5)


It seems that even people of God are able to abuse others by going along with what is known to be negative. Aaron was more aware than the people that it was wrong to offer sacrifices to an image instead of offering sacrifices to God. In his heart he knew that it was wrong. He had been persuaded by the pressure made on him by the people into making them the calf. He had a slip of the tongue when he said that the next day they would make a festival to the LORD or else he was addressing the image of the calf as being the LORD.


Oh God although we are fully aware of what is good and acceptable to You from what is totally wrong and unacceptable we still follow our own agendas. Once our attention is not on You we are living in a world of illusions carnal desires and sins.


6. They rose early the next day, and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being: and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to revel.

(Exodus chapter 32 verse 6)


The people were so intent in giving worship to this false manly created god that they rose up early in the morning to celebrate. This can mean that even during the night their minds was dwelling on the actions of the following morning so much that they rose early to start celebrating. Sin oh God attacks our conscious minds through the perception of the senses, this is followed by the creation of ideas that amplify the the idea with much creativity so much that by relying on our own sources we cannot be freed from this pattern of sin. The level of sin continues to increase to a state of revelry as shown in the following video clip.

The degeneration of God's people to revelry


7. The LORD said to Moses, "Go down at once! Your people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely: 8. they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them: they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'These are you gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 7 to 8)


It would be a great loss for me Oh God if You claimed that You are not my father for indeed I would have nobody to call father in this world. I would declare myself as being an orphan in a cruel world. You told Moses that they were 'his' people and that they were the people that 'he' had brought out of Egypt. How humble You are Oh Lord to make such a declaration. I pray that You did not mean that wanted to have nothing to do with Your people whom You love so much. I pray that I never drive You to the same extreme so much that You declare that You have nothing to do with me!


9. The LORD said to Moses, 'I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. 10. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation."

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 9 to 10)


Although God is portrayed as having lost his patience with humanity He is loving and kind, but on the other hand He is just and has the full authority of exercising His authority on humanity. On reflecting God does not impose the same penalty on the just and the unjust for when passing judgement on His people He spared Moses from the imposed penalty and still promised to make of him a great nation.

11. But Moses implored the LORD his God, and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12. Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people.

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 11 to 12)


The biblical author under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God makes us aware of our actions before deciding to take major actions in our lives. god invites us to evaluate the consequences of such actions before proceeding with our intentions based on our agendas. We are to stop and consider the consequences of our actions on both ourselves and even on others. This may have either a positive or negative effect on how people may percieve us and even on their spiritual lives, especially if others hold us as their role model.


13. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self saying to them, ' I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants and they shall inherit it forever." 14. And the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 13 to 14)


One thing that God always keeps is His promises. He never goes back from His word, however his love for humanity surpasses all forms of worldly love. It can also be said of You Oh God that your ways are not like our ways and this is what makes it so difficult to understand You and Your ways. When considering the great sin that Your people had committed it would have been fair and just of You to destroy them from the face of the earth and sow the seed of a new nation by means of Moses, however You are aware of our weaknesses and therefore You do not use meritocracy as a means of judging us. If You did so my father I would never stand a chance because my sins weigh down the scale of justice against me all the time.


15. Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain, carrying the two tablets of the covenant in his hands, tablets that were written on both sides, written on the front and on the back. 16. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved upon the tablets.

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 15 to 16)


I can only imagine how special the tablets were to Moses. They were the foundation stones or manual of the future, on which they were to base their life. Moreover, the fact that they were actually written by God made them more special than ever. Every day Oh God I carry with me a pocket version of the bible. It is so special to me that I take it with me every where I go. With in in my possession I feel more secure than being without it. It is my means of communication with God therefore it is special to me.

17. When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp." 18. But he said, "It is not the sound made by victors, or the sound made by losers; it is the sound of revelers that I hear."

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 17 to 18)


On reflecting it can be said that even chaos can make music. Instead of spending their time in worship to God, the people reveled in a celebration of stupor and lack of control over their senses, they became totally worldly and carnal which was an utter disgrace to a people chosen especially by God. The situation was enough to stimulate God's anger and even that of Moses.

19. As soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing. Moses' anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets from his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20. He took the calf that they had made, burned it with fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 19 to 20)


In order to imagine this chaotic situation which was dominated by emotions from both sides please click on the following link:

Moses and the people revelling


In order for the people to experience the negative consequences of their sin they were to drink water that was contaminated with the gold of the calf, for they had also contaminated themselves with sin as is shown in the next video link

Israel drinks water with God


21. Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?"

(Exodus chapter 32 verse 21)


On reflecting the same question that Moses asked Aaron is the same question that You will ask me Oh God!. You will ask me if I did something which as a consequence brought harm on others. Since I am human oh God I remember many moments when by what I said I brought harm on that person, however the intention was never that. My intention was only that of sharing something intimate, however the person broke confidentiality and I am carrying on my plate the consequences of the action. I pray oh God for your forgiveness and have already confessed my sins before your minister but I am still experiencing the negative consequences of my action since people are talking badly about me and not about the person who broke confidentiality. I have learnt oh father to trust only in You and not in any human! Thanks for being supportive loving and caring.


22. And Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord burn hot; you know the people, that they are bent on evil. 23. They said to me, 'Make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' 24. So I said to them, 'Whoever has gold, take it off'; so they gave it to me, and I threw it into the  fire, and out came this calf!

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 22 to 24)


 On reflecting on verses 22 to 24 we it can be observed that it is a replica of what happened on Mount Sinai when God wanted to vent His anger on the people. In such situation Moses took on the role of a mediator between God and His people. In this situation Aaron is also pleading for Moses's mercy. Although Aaron is explaining the events leading to his making the calf Aaron portrays himself as being totally at the mercy of the situation. Aaron says that he put the gold in the fire and out came the calf. In reality the gold needed a skill person to make a mould in which to form the calf hence it could not have taken its own form by itself. Therefore Aaron was not totally honest with Moses when pleading for mercy.


At times we also plea for your mercy, however in order to cover up our guilt we conjure a story that places the blame on others so that we can go off scott free. I am sorry if in my situation I did or am doing the same thing my father. If I am I also pray for your mercy for even I am a wretched sinner and am always in need of your mercy and kindness.


25. When Moses saw that the people were running wild (for Aaron had let them run wild, to the derision of their enemies), 26. then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, "Who is on the LORD's side? Come to me! And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27. He said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Put your sword on your side, each of you! Go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill your brother, your friend, and your neighbor.'

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 25 to 27)



As in the case of Adam and Eve who due to their sin were expelled from Eden, those members of the people of God, who offered worship and burnt incense to the golden calf, had no place among the people of God, therefore they were to be removed from the people. The means used may be somewhat gorey and unlikely of God from whom flows all love and mercy, however when these people accepted to follow You Oh God they also accepted the whole terms of conditions which held that who gives worship to any other God was worthy of death. During our times God is asking us the same question that Moses asked his people. Who is with the LORD? We cannot say we are in favour of God but do not accept the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church which are outdated and badly in need of updates. We either accept God as a whole or none at all. God does not like people who are half hearted. Now is a time to renew our commitment to God. We are either on His side or on the side of the world.

If we are on the LORD's Side let us rejoice in prayer and worship by clicking on the following link

Song who is on the LORD's Side?


28. The sons of Levi did as Moses commanded and about three thousand of the people fell on that day. 29. Moses said, "Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the LORD each one at the cost of a son or a brother, and so have brought a blessing on yourselves on this day."

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 28 to 29)


When we obey You oh God we are continuing Your work on earth. Whenever we go against our sinful nature we claim a victory over ourselves and over our sinful self.


30. On the next day Moses said to the people. "You have sinned a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." 31. So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Alas, this people has sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves a god of gold. 32. But now, if you will only forgive their sin but if not, blot me out of the book that you have written."

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 30 to 32)


Although the perpetrators or act of sin had been ended, there was still the great need of obtaining pardon and forgiveness from God. This is why we go to confess our sins so, that we can be reunited with You oh father as your sons and daughters.


33. But the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34. But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; see my angel shall go in front of you. Nevertheless, when the day comes for punishment, I will punish them for their sin." 35. Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf the one that Aaron made.

(Exodus chapter 32 verses 33 to 35)


 Even though the remaining people were the ones who chose to side with God it seems that there were still some of them who had participated in the making of the calf and in their worship to it, and therefore they still had to compensate for their great sin.

I would like to end this chapter with a prayer given to us by Mary Geveetha a follower and a contributor of this blog:

Almighty Father and ever living God. We acknowledge no other God before You and no other idols present before Your Mighty existence. You are our One and Only true God, with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three in One and One in three. You alone are God most high and worthy of all Glory and Praise. We pray Father never to draw any one of Your people away from Your Mighty existence to idolatry or to change the meaning and context of Your word to suit our worldly taste.

We also pray to move into a deeper and closer relationship with You in daily prayer, meditation and perseverance in our faith. May we be fully aware that no carnal mind or unhumbled heart can endure Your holy percepts and truth.

We thank You for giving us Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we are sealed in a new everlasting  covenant of Grace. We pray to be a people  deeply loving You our God and in the fruits of Your spirit may we make ourselves worthy in all things in life and rejoice in the gift of Grace that Lord Jesus has purchased for us.

We pray in the blessed name of Jesus, Amen!

Exodus Chapter 31

EXODUS 

CHAPTER 

31

1. The LORD spoke to Moses: 2. See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3. and I have filled him with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, 4. to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver and bronze, 5. in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft.

(Exodus chapter 31 verses 1 to 5)

Whenever the time is proper God gives us adequate skills and knowledge. People who were once considered as ordinary and or worthless become skilled persons and even geniuses such as Albert Einstein and or Galileo. God is able to enrich us with the needed skills in any field of science.  When the Church was in a crisis God sent people such as St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Thomas of Aquinas and gave them unlimited wisdom and knowledge in both arts and sciences as was needed in order to be as a strong defence during that time of Heresy. God anointed even particular people as popes and even initiated important events such as Vatican Council 2 and many others.

Oh God if I look back in my life I can remember many moments when you intervened in my life and gave me skills both for myself and for others. Of the many moments I recall the time when You wanted me to en roll as a full time University student. I was terrified. My level of education was only up to my second year of secondary school level and now I was attending for lectures with students who had completed the whole process of education. I was both unskilled and the underdog in my level of education, however still I graduated alongside those whom I had considered as being the 'big guys' because their level of education was far better than mine.

You gave me the knowledge and the skill to acquire all I needed in order to be of help to others. In fact You gave me more than I bargained for. On an academic level University gave me all the available skills but on a spiritual level You filled in the missing links, so that my perception of the human being could be made fully comprehensive. Thanks for enriching me with all that was lacking in me. I can recall many other moments, however I am not the focus of this chapter and I will therefore move on to verses 6 of the 30th chapter of the book of Exodus.    

6. Moreover I have appointed with him Oholiab son of Ahismach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given skill to all the skillful, so that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7. the tent of the meeting, and the ark of the covenant, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, 8. the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9. and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, 10. and the finely worked vestments, the holy vestments for the priest Aaron and the vestments of his sons, for their service as priests, 11. and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. They shall do just as I have commanded you.

(Exodus chapter 31 verses 6 to 11)

When reflecting on the mentioned items that God had commanded the sons of Israel to make, there was the need of a variety of skills in order to accomplish all the mentioned tasks. Oh father in heaven and Holy Spirit of God rich in love, power and even Knowledge that is supreme over worldly knowledge, thank You for giving us the sciences, that when used according to Your will many people can benefit from the discoveries in the cure of many illnesses and syndromes. I also thank You for the knowledge and skills that you give to inventors and manufactures of a variety of products such as cars and utilities that enable and improve the life of impaired people and even that of fully able bodied persons.

12. The Lord said to Moses: 13. You yourself are to speak to the Israelites: " You shall keep my sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, given in order that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you.

(Exodus chapter 31 verses 12 to 13)

On reflecting now that the Israelites would have had all the available means in order to give worship by means of sacrificial offerings God made it a must that they give worship to him as an everlasting covenant. T|his is why Oh God even during our times we still consider this day as being holy and is therefore dedicated to you.

14. You shall keep the sabbath, because it is holy for you: everyone who profanes it shall be put to death; whoever does any work on it shall be cut off from among the people. 15. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath shall be put to death.

(Exodus chapter 31 verses 14 to 15)


God made it a hard core law that on the Sabbath that is our Sunday no work was to be done. In this respect the state which is usually not in full accordance with issues related to the Church for instance as in the case of divorce, has come to accept and respect the fact that on Saturday no work is to be done. However in the name of respecting the exceptional cases of forms of work that cannot be left attended to in order to ensure the well being of mankind and the upholding of Social order the State gave permission to police, doctors and nurses working in hospitals etc to perform work even on a Saturday. Moreover Jesus in the New Testament challenged the issue of the Sabbath since it was being abused and made it clear that the Sabbath was to be respected, however we must be practical and perform necessary tasks that cannot be left unattended, therefore he was cut of from His society as a violator of this norm, and was an eligible candidate to be put to death. Jesus sought to establish the much needed balance between work and leisure that is a necessity for humanity, however it is not easy to go against a firmly ingrained mentality. The Roman Catholic Church today is being challenged by current trends such as divorce, marriage between people of the same genders amongst others.

Oh God give us the strength to remain adherent to the values that You transmitted to us. Help us to remain practising Christians instead of Christians simply due to our being baptised in the Church.


16. Therefore the Israelites shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant. 17. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 18. When God finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

(Exodus chapter 31 verses 16 to 18)


According to verses 16 to 17 which bring us to the end of chapter 31 of the book of Exodus our observance of the Sabbath or our Saturdays is a mark of distinction which identifies us from people of other religions. On the other hand our observance of this Holy day is an act of love and respect to God. This is a special day because God rose on this day and claimed our salvation from the forces of evil once and for all. God wanted this observance so much that He included this rule as one of His commandments which He had passed on to Moses and inscribed them on the stone tablets which He gave to Moses before leaving the mountain of Sinai on which he had spent forty days and nights  


 I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:

Thanks my God, my father for giving us the day of Sunday, which is the day of not only the Son but even of the Father and the Holy Spirit of God. Thanks for giving us a day during which I can totally focus my self on you and make more time to visit you in a special and solemn way. Thanks for the covenant that you made with me and all humanity. Please give us the sense of commitment to always be faithful towards You and towards the upholding of the sanctity of this Holy Day. Amen.




   

Exodus Chapter 30

 

EXODUS 

CHAPTER

 30

1. You shall make an altar on which to offer incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2. It shall be one cubit long and one cubit wide; it shall be square, and shall be two cubits high; its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, and its sides all around and its horns; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around and its horns; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around. 4. And you shall make two golden rings for it; under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them and they shall hold the poles with which to carry it. 5. You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 6. You shall place it in front of the curtain that is above the ark of the covenant, in front of the mercy seat that is over the covenant, where I will meet with you.

(Exodus chapter 30 verses 1 to 6)


The altar of incense was a device on which incense was burnt before God along with prayers on behalf of the High Priest himself and on behalf of the people. This was a very special place. May I also have a special place of worship for You in my heart oh God! As much as the altar was portable and could be moved from one place to another, in the same way we can offer you praise and worship on the altar of our hearts. When we join together in prayer as a congregation or simply as friends interceding for others our prayers become like burned incense of perfect odour that rises before God as an offering.

In order to view the altar of incense or maybe what it may have looked like please click on the following link:

The Altar of Incense


7. Aaron shall offer fragrant incense on it every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall offer it, 8. and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening, he shall offer it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations. 9. You shall not offer unholy incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; and you shall not pour a drink offering on it.

(Exodus chapter 30 verses 7 to 9)


Throughout the years as we grow in our relationship with You Oh Father our praise and worship becomes more precious. In the times of your people who were still being grounded in the discipline of worship by means of sacrificial offerings there was the need for them to make offerings according to these instructions, however in our every day life, are not constrained by rules in order to worship You because I can turn to you any time any day in praise and worship and open my heart to You. Thank You my God for giving me a prayer corner and time and an opportunity of worshipping You even during my break time at work, because this helps me in always keeping You in my heart and mind all day.


As in the case of Aaron who lit the Menorah every morning and every evening and offered You burnt incense of fragrant quality likewise I shall offer You my prayers, hurts, wishes and desires both in the morning and even in the evening at the end of my day. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share with others on line, so that they may also reflect on Your Word and give You Worship by doing so.


10. Once a year Aaron shall perform the rite of atonement on its horns. Throughout your generations he shall perform the atonement for it once a year with the blood of the atoning sin offering. It is most holy to the LORD.

(Exodus chapter 30 verse 10)


Although the rite of atonement was to be performed once a year, we are never to stop offering our prayers to God, Moreover as in the case of the atonement of sins, we are to go regularly to confession in order to preserve the purity of our souls from sin and its ways, so that we will help to preserve our spiritual welfare. The Holy Spirit of God in us stimulates us to reconcile with God by means of confession.


 11. The LORD spoke to Moses: 12. When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, at registration all of them shall give a ransom for their lives to the LORD, so that no plague may come upon them. 13. This is what each one who is registered shall give; half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD. 14. Each one who is registered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the LORD's offering. 15. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you bring this offering to the LORD to make atonement for your lives.

(Exodus chapter 30 verses 11 to 15)


According to verses 11 to 15, the value of a registered person was half a shekel which was a form of insurance policy that was to given to You in currency that was to be used in the temple of the meeting. It is also mentioned that the mentioned value was meant as a ransom of their lives to You Oh God, however on reflecting You love us so much that in Your passion You paid the price of the ransom of our salvation with Your own sacred blood which is surely worth more than half a shekel. Thanks for paying such a price for me oh God!


16. You shall take the atonement money from the Israelites and shall designate it for the service of the tent of meeting; before the LORD it will be a reminder to the Israelites of the ransom given for your lives.

(Exodus chapter 30 verse 16)


Oh father what you asked of the Israelites is nothing compared to the price that your paid for us, may I offer every day of my life as an offering to you, with all my ups and downs rewards and disappointments which, is worth more than any shekel or other currency. May it be Oh Father that when I die and appear before You I will not come empty handed but with my hands full of good deeds and acts.


17. The LORD spoke to Moses: 18. You shall make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it; 19 with the water Aaron and sons shall wash their hands and their feet. 20. When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to make an offering by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water so that they may not die. 21. They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die; it shall be a perpetual ordinance for them, for him and for his descendants throughout their generations.

(Exodus chapter 30 verses 17 to 21)


In order to appear pure and without sin before God, the High priest and his sons needed to perform ceremonial cleansing. As a practise during the act of baptism we are immersed in consecrated water in order to have us cleansed from original sins. On reflecting before a coffin is given to the ground it is also blessed with Holy Water, Such moments as in marriage or an ordination Holy Water is used, therefore this is very significant because nothing that is in a state of mortal sin can appear before God, because He is all good and purity itself. This is why on dying we are to undergo a process of purification in the stage of perfunctory before we can actually appear before God.

 In order to view this bronze washing basin please click on the following link and slide the bar to 2:15 to 2:48.


The bronze basin


On reflecting although it was practical for means of hygiene for anybody to be clean physically, what is also important is that even on a spiritual level our souls are also kept as clean as possible, that is why God gave us the sacrament of reconciliation in order to renew our relationship with God through the confession of our sins.


22. The LORD spoke to Moses: 23. Take the finest spices of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is two hundred fifty and two hundred fifty of aromatic cane, 24. and five hundred of cassia measured by the sanctuary shekel-and a hin of olive oil; 25. and you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.


(Exodus chapter 22 to 25)


In order to view the anointing oil please click on the following link:

The anointing oil


Although in our spiritual walk we may not have this form of anointing oil in all its splendour and perfumery, our oil can be be made of acts of charity that compel us to go against our carnal sinful nature, time of praise and worship to God and even donating monetary gifts to people who are in need or visiting elderly people in homes or even hospital and spending time with them. This is also an anointing of fragrance to God.


26. With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the covenant, 27. and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, 28 and the altar of the burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand; 29. You shall consecrate them, so that they may be the most holy; what ever touches them will become holy.

(Exodus chapter 30 verses 26 to 29)


As much as the utensils of the temple were consecrated to God by being anointed to Him, as sons and daughters of God we are also anointed to Him in an everlasting priesthood. Although we are sinners, God gave us the opportunity to share of this priesthood.


30. You shall anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them, in order that they may serve me as priests. 31. You shall say to the Israelites, "This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32. It shall not be used to any ordinary anointing of the body, and you shall make no other like it in composition: it is holy, and it shall be holy to you.

(Exodus chapter 30 verses 30 to 32)


God made it as a rule that being of a holy nature, the oil of consecration was to be strictly used for that purpose. Even though we may not understand the meaning of certain rites and practises in the Church Oh God we are to accept them for what they are and show our respect to them, because if they were given by You they are Holy and worthy to be obeyed and practised.


33. Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on unqualified person shall be cut off  from the people."

(Exodus chapter 30 verse 33)


Verse 33 is enough proof my God to take You seriously and obey Your Will for there is no greater penalty than that of being cut of from the Roman Catholic Church or even from any other church even for non Christians or people of other religions who consider their spiritual life as being of great value. Oh God I cannot ever live without You and Your presence. May it never be that we are separated from each other.Please keep me and my family and all my friends on G+ and elsewhere under You protection so that we may remain forever in Your Holy presence amen!

In a spirit of praise and worship I invite you all to click on this link and join me in a spirit of praise and worship

In Your presence Oh God


34. The LORD said to Moses: Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (an equal part of each), 35 and make an incense blended as by the perfumer seasoned with salt, pure and holy; 36 and you shall beat some of it into powder, and put part of it before the covenant in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you; it shall be for you most holy.

(Exodus chapter 30 verses 34 to 36)


God may not ask us to prepare such preparations in which He finds pleasure, in fact He might ask of us different tasks that also give Him pleasure, such as loving somebody who makes our life really difficult.


37. When you make incense according to this composition, you shall not make it for yourselves; it shall be regarded by you as holy to the LORD, 38. Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from the people.

(Exodus chapter 30 verses 37 to 38)


According to verses 37 to 38 which bring us at the end of this chapter, we are not to mix or misuse what is holy for worldly purposes. Practises that are used in spiritual rites such as the breaking of bread in the sacrament of the Eucharist are not to be used during black masses. The same means of worship that were planned to worship God are not to be used to worship pagan cults.


I wish to end this chapter with a prayer for Priests, monks and all spiritual people. During this time oh God your servants are undergoing many torments and tribulations, In Malta and in other places throughout the world there have been cases of physical abuse of minors and even others. Priests are being accused of child molestation among other accuses. The Church is being portrayed as a human and corrupt organisation that is anything but holy. I am aware that the devil is trying to hurt the Roman Catholic Church were it hurts most. These events are causing many people to lose faith in the Roman Catholic Church and even in You oh God.


Therefore I pray Oh father that You protect Your Priests and ministers against the attacks of the devil and deliver them from any form of temptation and immoral scandals that  they may be tempted by. Help them to be diligent in their prayers and pray for Your Divine help. Bless them with the power of Your Holy Spirit and cleanse them with Your Blood.


Please click on the following link and recite the following prayer that is especially planned as a prayer for priests who are in constant need of our prayers:

Prayer for priests

Exodus Chapter 29

EXODUS 

CHAPTER 

29

1. Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, so that they may serve me as priests. Take one young bull and two rams without blemish, 2. and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil. You shall make them of choice wheat flour. 3. You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams.


(Exodus chapter 29 verses 1 to 3)



As in the case of the consecration of Aaron there was himself meaning Aaron and the mentioned offering. In the case of Jesus He was both the self and the offering who was to be consecrated with the blood of His own passion for you and for me. As followers of Jesus we can offer Him each day of our life, our families, our work and even our sinful self, so that God can consecrate us as one whole in order for us to be able to continue His work on earth by giving testimony and worship by both praise, faith and deeds or works which make our offering more complete.



4. You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water.

(Exodus chapter 29 verse 4)



On reflecting the washing of the body with water is very similar to the washing of the head during the rite of baptism. May You Oh God was me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can always be an active member of Your Body on earth. May our consecration be updated every day and may we all remain faithful to our consecration forever. There were people who chose to give their life in consecration to God. I invite you to offer your lives to God as a living sacrifice amen.


If you would like to join me in this act of consecrating our lives and selves to God please click on the following link and recite the prayer found in this link


Prayer of consecration to God


5. Then you shall take the vestments , and put on Aaron the tunic and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the decorated band of th ephod; 6. and you shall set the turban on his head, and put the holy diadem on the turban. 7. You shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head and anoint him.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 5 to 7)

  
When we entered God's universal priesthood that is the Roman Catholic Church during the rite of Baptism the same procedure was applied. On reflecting this is very similar to that mentioned in the book of Exodus chapter 29 verses 5 to 7. First we were immersed in water and then we were anointed with consecrated oil and after the anointing we were dressed with a white tunic or dress.


 8. Then you shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them, 9 and you shall gird them with sashes and the head-dresses on them; and the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual ordinance. You shall then ordain Aaron and his sons.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 8 to 9)


Oh God how generous You are. You love us so much that You have personally called us to be an active part of your priesthood. Thanking You for wanting us to be consecrated to You as an offering for ever. You wanted me and my brothers and sisters to be your own. This is special. I pray for all the families in the world, and may we give praise to God when our sons or daughters are called and chosen to serve you in the service of Holy Orders or any other service dedicated to You.


10. You shall bring the bull in front of the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull, 11 and you shall slaughter the bull before the LORD, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, 12. and shall take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and all the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. 13. You shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them and turn them into smoke on the altar. 14. But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 10 to 14)


According to our source as found in the following link Aaron is cleansed with the water and then he offers a sin offering for both his sins and that of the people. By laying hands on the bull's head the priest was also placing on the sacrificial offering the sins of those that he was representing including that of himself because like all priests Aaron was also a sinner.

The offering of dedication of priest to God


As in the case of the Eucharistic breaking of bread that we refer to as "mass" the priest celebrates the sacrifice of the blood and body of Christ both on his behalf and on that of us the people.


15. Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. 16 and you shall slaughter the ram, and shall take its blood and dash it against all the sides of the altar. 17. Then you shall cut the ram into its parts, and wash its entrails and its legs and put them with its parts and its head, 18. and turn the whole ram into smoke on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD it is a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 15 to 18)


On reflecting the offering of the ram was an offering dedicated to God and therefore it was to be totally offered to God and not to be consumed by humans. On referring to the fact that the blood of the rams was to be dashed against the sides of the altar it comes to mind that before leaving Egypt the people dashed the blood of the lamb against the doorposts so that the angel of death would pass by and not kill any of the Hebrew people. Therefore offering the sacrifice to God was a means of atonement of our sins so that God will forgive us of our sins. During the Eucharistic celebration time and time again the celebrant absolves the congregation of their sins before being ready to receive God in the Eucharist.


19. You shall take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, 20. and you shall slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear and on the lobes of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet, and dash the rest of the blood against all sides of the altar. 21. Then you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar, and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his vestments and on his sons and his son's vestments with him, then he and his vestments shall be holy, as well as his son's vestments.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 19 to 21)


When reading these verses for the first time I thought I was in a film of cowboys and Indians with their face fully coloured and bodies adorned for battle, however on praying on these verses and even doing much reading and browsing on line, God gave me the message behind these verses. In order for Aaron and his sons to remain aware that they are and always be sinners, even though Aaron would become high priest and his sons would also share in this priesthood, they were to be smudged with the blood of the sacrificial offering that was contaminated with the sins of both Aaron his sons and all of the people. This rite would help him and his sons to always remain in a state of humility as sinners and never consider themselves to be better than others due to their improved change or upgrade in status.


As Christians and followers of the ways of God we are also to remain in a state of humility and never adopt an attitude of superiority over others and look down on them as if their belief or traditions is inferior to our own. God is humble and we are to adopt this same attitude. When considering our proud and sinful nature this is no easy task to accomplish, however if we pray for the gift of humility God is not going to ever deny us of this precious gift.


22. You shall also take the fat of the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the appendage of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination). 23. and one loaf of bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer, out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD; 24. and you shall place all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and raise them as an elevation offering before the LORD. 25. Then you shall take them from their hands, and turn them into smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering of pleasing odor before the LORD; it is an offering by fire to the LORD.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 22 to 25)


Now that Aaron would have had been consecrated to God he would have been able to make his first offering to God. As High priest he would be the only person to the bread that was placed before God. Once we enter into a higher stage of worship we are ready to give ourselves totally to God. This can only be done with the grace of God because as material human beings with all our drives, urges and fantasies it is almost impossible for us to be total masters over our sinful selves. This I pray Oh God, may You please free me from this body of sin so that I can be a total offering to You. Every day I am in combat with my sinful self that urges me to do things that I do not wan to do, say things that I do not want to say. I give you control over my tongue, my brain and my entire body so that You can consecrate it with the power of Your Holy Spirit so that every part of my body and soul can freely give praise and worship to You.


26. You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron's ordination and raise it as an elevation offering before the LORD, and it shall be your portion. 27. You shall consecrate the breast that was raised as an elevation offering and the thigh that was raised as an elevation offering from the ram of ordination, from that which belonged to Aaron and his sons. 28. These things shall be a perpetual ordinance for Aaron and his sons from the Israelites, for this is an offering and it shall be an offering by the Israelites from their sacrifice of offerings of well being, their offering to the LORD.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 26 to 28)


God told Moses that this form of offering could be only be offered to Him by Aaron and his sons to whom the priesthood was given. However in the New Testament that as Christians we are a new priesthood that is also dedicated to God for ever.


29.The sacred vestments of Aaron shall be passed on to his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them. 30. The son who is priest in his place shall wear them seven days, when he comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 29 to 30)


As already referred to the priesthood was limited to Aaron and his sons, in the case that the family was wiped out the priesthood would have come to an end completely, however in all His wisdom today we have a priesthood that although is in a crisis of quality and quantity of vocations it is also declared by God to last for ever.


31. You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place; 32 and Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 32. They themselves shall eat the food by which atonement is made, to ordain and consecrate them, but no one else shall eat of them, because it is holy.

( Exodus chapter 29 verses 31 to 32)


In order for us to have an idea of how the sacrificial offering took place please click on the following link:



The sacrificial offering

With reference to the High Priest they were to eat the food by which atonement was made. As ministers of the altar they were to seek their nourishment from the altar. As Christians and or people who are trying to walk according to the ways of God we are also to find our nourishment in the sacraments and in the word of God.


33. They themselves shall eat the food by which atonement is made, to ordain and consecrate them, but no one else shall eat of them, because they are holy. 34. If any of the flesh for the ordination, or of the bread, remains until morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire; it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 33 to 34)


As in the sacrament of the Eucharist the celebrant consumes all the sacrifice, so that all is completely consumed, however the left overs from the part of the laity meaning us are stored in the tabernacle. On reflecting on God You become a total offering for us, You hold nothing back from us, You are all giving and completely generous. I pray Oh God today that You may also consume me as one whole offering both mind, body and soul for I am a sinner. May You transform my weaknesses into strengths so that I could be totally yours as a whole offering and not an offering of parts. May Your Holy Spirit fall on me and consume me that I will be all yours and that I be purified of my sinful and negative traits that are constantly weighing me down like gravity. May You be the powerful rocket that frees me from the forces of gravity and liberate me from this body of sin forever.


35. Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, just as I have commanded you; through seven days you shall ordain them, 36. Also every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall offer a sin offering for the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it. 37. Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become holy.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 35 to 37)


On reflecting Oh God you show a great need for us to be spiritually cleansed, in fact it is an emphasis that we do so, as much as we keep our physical body in a state of cleanliness, it is a necessity to also keep our souls in a state of cleanliness. In order to ensure the spiritual well being of Aaron and his sons a bull was to be offered as a sin offering every day for seven consecutive days. Moreover in order to preserve the sanctity of the altar on which the offering was placed, the altar was to be anointed and an offering was to be offered on its behalf.

In order to view the brazen altar on which offerings were made as in the the times mentioned that of Exodus chapter 29 please click on the following link:

Brazen Altar of offering

In order to view the consecration of an altar according to the Roman Catholic rite please click on the following link:

Altar Consecration


38. Now this is what you shall offer on the altar; two lambs a year old regularly each day. 39. One lamb you shall offer in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening; 40. and with the first lamb one tenth of a measure of choice flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. 41. And the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD. 42. It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there.   

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 38 to 42)


In order not to do injustice to the Word of God due to error of interpretation I invite you to click on the following link which gives us a detailed account of several forms of sin offerings:


Sin offerings process and selection


43. I will meet with the Israelites there, and it shall be sanctified by my glory: 44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. 45. I will dwell among the Israelites, and I will be their God. 46. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.

(Exodus chapter 29 verses 43 to 46)



Above all although the whole process or processes that were explained in detail were all important and of great value God gives us the finishing touches of the whole process of consecration and offerings. Ultimately it is God who will always be present during the sacrifice of the Eucharist, it is God who has the capacity to forgive us of our sins by means of his minsters that He ordained meaning His priests, and above all It is He who is our redeemer and only focus of our life. When we celebrate the sacrifice of the Eucharist this is a replication of the passion of Jesus which was more important than the offerings of rams and bullocks. By sending His son to be offered as a global sin offering for all times God offered the perfect sin offering.


I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:

Oh God thanks for loving me, and forgiving me of my sins, thank You for taking my place on the altar of the cross and be sacrificed for me and my sins for I am truly a great sinner. This week You showed me how great a sinner I am. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to be reunited with You by means of the sacrifice of reconciliation. 

Thank You God

Exodus Chapter 28

 

EXODUS 

CHAPTER

 28

 

1. Then bring near to you your brother Aaron, and his sons with him, from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests- Aaron and Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

(Exodus chapter 28 verse 1)

There are moments when God chooses people to serve in His presence as in the case of Aaron and his sons. I made a similar experience when God had given me a call, however the call in the end was not to live according to the rule of a religious order. After having had lived two years in a convent with the friars of St. Augustine God showed me that this was not the life that He had chosen for me. Although I had been called I was not to be amongst the chosen ones. God had something special for me that corresponded with me and the skills and the abilities that He has given me in order to help others. Throughout my life God gave me many calls that I responded too but still a call is not like when one is chosen. I was called to go to university and enrol in the four year course of a social worker, however God did not choose me to be a social worker. God wanted me to learn the skills of the social worker in order to help others. Although I ended up working as a social worker this was not to be my call in life. God wanted me to be married and I responded to this call, God wants me to be free of my past, my hurts and start living again according to His will. God gave me the call to spread His Word and not mine by means of this blog to the far ends of the globe for all to view and pray on. This is my new calling that of evangelising in the sense of spreading His Word. I pray to God that He continues to give me insights in order to share with others so that, others will also share the loving experience of God. God wanted me to scrap the original version of chapter 28 in order for me to be able to share this message with all readers. If God is calling you today say 'Yes" take Him at His Word you will not be sorry I guarantee it.

 

2. You shall make sacred vestments for the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron. 3. And you shall speak to all who have ability, whom I have endowed with skill, that they make Aaron's vestments to consecrate him for my priesthood. 

(Exodus chapter 28 verses 2 and 3)

God gives particular skills to particular people whom He chooses to be instruments in His hands. What lacks is our response to his calling.  


4. These are the vestments that they shall make: a brestpiece, an ephod, a robe, a checkered tunic, a turban, and a sash. When they make these sacred vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests, 5. they shall use gold, blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine linen.

(Exodus chapter 28 verses 4 to 5)



God ordered the sons of Israel to make particular articles that in themselves were to become special because they were to be consecrated to God. Moreover the person who was to wear such vestments was also to be esteemed as being special because that person in our case Aaron and his sons were called to administer and give service to God and His people. Therefore even though there has been a shower of reports and accusations world wide of abuses committed by priests and archbishops, we are still to respect such people, because they have been called and chosen by God to carry out a special and therefore particular role in the kingdom of God.


6. They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, skillfully worked. 7. It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. 8. The decorated band on it shall be of the same workmanship and materials, of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. 

(Exodus chapter 28 verses 6 to 8)


According to verses 6 to 8, in order to make the ephod the persons would need to be skilled in the art of making such a delicate article. In order to be able to have an idea of what the ephod looked like please click on the following link which gives us a detailed exhibit of the ephod and other vestments that we will be referring to:


The ephod


 9. You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 10. six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11. As a gem-cutter engrave signets, so you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel; you shall mount them in settings of gold filigree. 12. You shall set the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for remembrance. 13. You shall make settings of gold filigree, and two chains of pure gold twisted like cords, and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.


(Exodus chapter 28 verses 9 to 14)


As much as God told Aaron to have the names of the sons of Israel engraved on stones and placed on the shoulder pads of the ephod, Jesus in the New Testament tells us that He has engraved our names on the palm of His hands. Engraving on stones requires only effort by the user, but engraving on skin means both pain effort and extreme love. Therefore this all shows God's love for us.


In order to view the onyx stones please click on the following link and refer to the curious girdle of the ephod as illustrated in the same link:


The Ony Stones


15. You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work; you shall make it in the style of the ephod; of gold, of blue and purple and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen you shall make it. 16. It shall be square and doubled, a span in length and a span in width. 17. You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of carnelian, chrysolite, and emerald shall be the first row; 18 and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and a moonstone; 19. and the third row a jacinth, an and agate, and an amethyst; 20. and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree. 21. There shall be twelve stones with names corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.

(Exodus chapter 28 verses 15 to 21)


In order to have a closer and more detailed view of the breastpiece please click on the following links:


Breastpiece Onyx stones and Ephod


Breastpiece and Onyx stones 


Every time the high priest appeared before God he would bear on his self the responsibility of the sons of Israel on his shoulders as found in the stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, and his love for them on the breastpiece which was to be worn on the user's heart. During the time of the passion Jesus claimed full responsibility for our sins that were placed on the cross that painfully rested on His shoulders and had our names engraved on His heart and scarred hands with which He carried the cross in order to ensure our redemption.


 22. You shall make for the breastpiece chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; 23. and you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. 24 You shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece, 25. the two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings, and so attach it in front of the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. 26. You shall make two rings of gold and put them at the two ends of the bresstpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. 27. You shall make two rings of gold and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod, at its joining, above the decorated band of the ephod. 28. The breastpiece shall be bound by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it may lie on the decorated band of the ephod, and so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod.


(Exodus chapter 28 verses 22 to 28)


In order to have an idea of what the biblical author is in much detail referring to i invite you to click on the following link which gives us a very detail and thoroughly explained visual representation of the ephod breastpiece and its settings:



Ephod and Breast piece


Detailed description of garments


In order to compare the vestments of the High Priest as depicted in the Old Testament with the vestments of the Priest as we commonly know him please click on the following links which are very detailed and interesting and highly significant (I learnt alot from them):


Vestments of the Priest part 1

Vestments of the Priest part 2

Liturgical mass vestments


29. So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgement on his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a continual remembrance before the LORD. 30. In the breastpiece of judgement you shall put the Urim and the |Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron's heart when he goes in before the LORD; thus Aaron shall bear the judgement of the Israelites on his heart before the LORD continually.

(Exodus chapter 28 verses 29 to 30)


As Aaron bore the names of Israel on his heart, the priest has the responsibility of his congregation. Moreover God has the love and judgement of all His sons and daughters and we are always in His sight.  


31. You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32. It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a coat of mail, so that it may not be torn. 33. On its lower hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, all around the lower hem, with bells of gold between them all around- 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate alternating all around the lower hem of the robe. 35. Aaron shall wear it when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes out, so that he may not die.

(Exodus chapter 28 verses 31 to 35)


With reference to the bells and the pomegranates please refer to the following link and slide the bar in the video to this time 32:00 to 37.01


Bells and pomegranates on hem of robe


As referred to by our source, when Aaron moved in and out from near the presence of God he made noise with the bells. As Christians or followers of Jesus, we are also to make noise, in the sense that our worship and testimony must be heard. We are to be active followers of Jesus and not passive.


36. You shall make a rosette of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, "Holy to the LORD." 37. You shall fasten it on the turban with a blue cord; it shall be on the front of the turban. 38. It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall take on himself any guilt incurred in the holy offering that the Israelites consecrate as their sacred donations; it shall always be on his forehead, in order that they may find favor before the LORD.


(Exodus chapter 28 verses 36 to 38)


On going back on our reflection on chapter 28 of the book of Exodus, we can note that Aaron as high priest, was entrusted with the responsibility of the sons and daughters of Israel as signified by the stones on his shoulders, his love and remembrance of them on his heart when wearing the breastpiece, and now we find that Aaron was entrusted with the responsibility or any errors that should take place doing the offering of sacrifices to God. In order for Aaron to always keep God in his heart and mind that would help him in the carrying out his responsibility of High Priest Aaron was to wear a special turban that had inscribed on it the words 'Holy to the LORD'.


 As Christians or followers of Jesus by one or other denomination group, church or cult it would be nice of us to wear an image such as a wooden cross or maybe one of different material in order to help us remember that as people of God forming part of God's universal priesthood we are also consecrated to Him.


39. You shall make the checkered tunic of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework. 40. For Aaron's sons you shall make tunics and sashes and headdresses; you shall make them for their glorious adornment. 41. You shall put them on your brother Aaron, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, so that they may serve me as priests.


(Exodus chapter 28 verses 39 to 41)


Although the biblical author as inspired by the Holy Spirit of God did not give us much detail regarding the garments worn by the sons of Aaron who were to be consecrated as priests, nonetheless these garments were still very important. Although as laity we are not priests or high priests we still have an important role to play in the Holy Body of Christ on earth. If everybody carries out ones role, to ones ability with the grace and help of God the body will work in perfect order, however if the body becomes fragmented as in the offshoot of many cults and churches the performance may not be the same. All of the offshoots may experience God in worship and in praise in their own ways and forms of worship and God bless all to keep on giving worship! however I can only imagine how beautiful we all would be really and genuinely united under one Shepherd that is God according to His instructions as transmitted by the Roman Catholic Church.


 I sincerely believe my God that even though there exists differences in interpretation of your word, and differences in acknowledging the pope and his role, and moreover the Roman Catholic Church as being the body of Christ on earth, with all the responsibilities and duties entrusted to it we still all believe in one God who is our loving father and may we all remain with this conviction of faith for all of our lives because ultimately this is what really matters. May we all be convinced in what and whom we believe, whether we are Christians, protestants or any other belief, because when we appear before God He will not ask us if we are Christians or protestants but how much we loved Him and our fellow persons during our life on earth.





42. You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh; they shall reach from the hips to the thighs; 43. Aaron and his sons shall wear them when they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister in the holy place; or they will bring guilt on themselves and die. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants after him.

(Exodus chapter 28 verses 42 to 43)




In order to review all the issues and topics that we have covered in great depth throughout this chapter I invite you to click on this link that is a repetition of  the previous link in relation to verses 22 to 28 on which we previously reflected.This will help us to put the pieces together and even clarify any questions or issues that we may have missed throughout our meditation on this chapter.


 Summary of Issues covered


The garments of the high priest


Breastplate of High priest


Now that we have gone through the chapter again I invite you all to join together in praise and worship by referring to the prayer generously given to us by Mary Geveetha who is both a follower and contributor of this blog. If you may be inspired to have your prayer published in this blog, either in relation to the chapter we will be reflecting on, or even prayers of intercession either to me personally or to shared in the chapters of this blog you can send your prayers on the following address needforspeedvkm@gmail.com. I invite you to specify if you would like to have the prayer published or not or if you simply wish to send me your prayer to include in my daily prayers.

Almighty Father,

Glory and Praise be to You Lord of heaven and earth.  In Your holy calling were people of old like Aaron and his sons blessed in priestly orders. Today as You anoint many into the calling of priesthood, may their holy garments be an emblem of holy conduct. May it represent the glory and divinity of our High Priest Lord Jesus Christ. May they be clothed not in an array of costly riches but rather clothed in garments of salvation and righteousness.

May the breastplates they wear remind them of the power and love of Lord Jesus as He bears us all in His arms and gives us His power and strength. May the robes remind them to serve the Lord with fear and holiness and may they be devoted in their calling of priesthood.

We pray that all priest in their journey represent a Christ like image, spiritually filled, knowing that there is no light, no wisdom, no perfection other than being like Lord Jesus, our Lord of Lords and our High Priest of all ages to come.

Amen!

( Mary Geveetha)