EXODUS 28-29 lesson # 24
THE TABERNACLE: BEING A PRIEST BEFORE GOD
I. Greetings:
II. Introduction:
Q When you hear the word “priest” what do you think of?
An = Today we are going to look at “religious leadership”, primarily the priesthood. We are going to talk about holiness, for a priest had to be “set apart”, or “to be holy”. He had to be ordained, to be clean so he could minister effectively.
Let me open with a strange quote, by a great minister of Scotland, Robert Murray McCheyne: “The greatest need for my people is my personal holiness”. Let me repeat this quote: “The greatest need for my people is my personal holiness”. Our church’s greatest need is not your personal holiness, but mine. We will come back to this….
III. Looking At Exodus 28: Call, Prayer, judgment and Holiness.
A. The Call Of A Priest. Exodus 28:1.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 28:1
Q According to this verse who decides who should be a priest? Do they take a national test? Does someone take a personality test? Who and how does one decide who should be a priest?
An = The choice is God’s. God decides who should be priests. God selected Aaron and his family. One did not decide to be a priest, one was chosen by birth. The same is true for prophets in the Old Testament: God called prophets, not the prophets themselves deciding to be prophets. God selects priests and prophets. It is often referred to as the “call”.
EX A minister (my uncle Wayne) once told me: “Try to do anything but do not go into the ministry, but if you are called you can do nothing else”.
B. Aaron’s Garments As Symbols of His Work: Exodus 28:2-5.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 28:2-5.
Q What these verses talk about?
An = Oddly enough, about clothes. These verses are all centered on clothes, not something I am very interested in. It sounds too ceremonial, too ritualistic. But, if we believe in the inspiration of Scripture then we need to heed the Word. We need to look into why the Holy Spirit has given us these texts.
Q According to these verses is it important “how” one dresses a priest?
An = It seems to be very important how they dressed the High Priest. As I continued to study I began to see why, because the clothes were symbols of just what the priest was supposed to be. His garments were symbols of what the priest’s role or duties were. Clothes symbolized office and position before the people. Clothes symbolized role.
The First Garment: The Ephod Of Prayer. Exodus 28:6-14.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 28:6-12.
Q What is an ephod?
An = The Ephod was the something seemingly like a vest or coat without sleeves. It was beautifully and expensively made, but the key thing about the whole garment was the two stones buttoned onto the shoulders.
Q According to 28:9-10 what was inscribed on these stones?
An = The names of the sons of Israel or the tribes.
Q According to verse 12, what was the reason for these stones being part of the ephod or vest?
An = The answer is in 28:12. It was the high priest, Aaron, and later his sons who would enter the Holy of Place and the Holy of Holies, and he was to bear their names before the Lord. The first duty of a priest is to pray for the people. His first duty is to bear their names before God. Lets see how Jesus relates to these ideas….
>>>> Have someone read John 17:9
Q Who is Jesus praying for?
An = He says of his disciples, I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. John 17:9. The disciples (like you and me) are the new Israel. Jesus Christ prays personally for us!
Q When the Lord gives people to a priest, do they belong to that priest?
An = In one sense, yes, those are the ones whom he should pray for. However, in another sense, the flock does not belong to the priest or to the minister, but to God. The priest is to pray for those whom God has given to him to care for. For Aaron, it was the sons of Israel. For Jesus, is was those whom the Lord gave him in His earthly ministry with the disciples.
Q Who am I to pray for?
An = If I am a good priest, it is for you that I pray for. The leader is to pray for the those or she leads.
Q How many of you have responsibilities in another group? What does this tell you?
An = First turn with me to Exodus 19:6.
>>>> Have someone read I Peter 2:9.
Q What does this mean?
An = In some senses all of could function as priests: there is a sense that there is a priesthood of all believers. If you are truly a Christian then you are a priest to God for those under your care. If God has “called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” then you have the privilege of declaring His power to save to all who are under your care. In addition, you have the privilege of bringing before the throne of grace those whom He has given unto your care.
Q Is it important that you are truly saved, truly walking with God?
An = Yes, the prayers of a righteous man avail much. If you are half-stepping with God what kind of priest are you? Can you effectively speak of God or pray? Can you bring before the throne of God your children, your grandchildren, your Sunday School class, your students at your school, your relatives, your friends?
C. The Second Garment: The Breastpiece of Decision Making. Exodus 28:15-30.
>>>> Read 28:15-17, 21, 29, 30.
Q What is the function of this Breastpiece? What did this garment symbolize for the duties of Aaron’s time, Jesus’ function as our High Priest?
An = It symbolized decision making for the good of the tribes of Israel. That is why all their names where inscribed on the garment. The priest needed to make good decisions in behalf of Israel. God offer to guide His people through His priests. He wants to guide your family, your friends, your loved ones.
Q Have you ever noticed that when leadership listens to God the people are so much better off?
An = This is true of children who have good parents, good school teachers, good ministers, good coaches, good grandparents. God often gives wisdom to His people through His leaders. God wants me to be such a priest for you, and God wants you to be such a priest for His flock that is in your classroom, Sunday School class, work place, family or under your care at work.
Q What is the New Testament compliment to this ability to give good advice?
An = The New Testament says one of the gifts given to individuals for the sake of the church is called a “Word of Wisdom”. The Urim and Thummim seem to be connected with making available insight to the priest, for the sake of the people of Israel. (I Samuel 23:6-12 and I Corinthians 12:4-10).
Q The Urim and Thummim in the Old Testament and the “Word of Wisdom in the New Testament are these natural or supernatural gifts of counsel?
An = God gives us, by His grace, something above conventional wisdom, something from above. God wants to do more than give our people standard wisdom, He wants to give a holy divine wisdom: a word from the Lord.
Note: This may be threatening for some in your group, but the O.T. truly says guidance was available. The N.T. clearly speaks of words of wisdom. The charismatics know of this, as did the Desert Fathers, etc. It is threatening because many want to keep God totally a rational thing or never have seen it, or have seen someone abuse this with falsehood.
EX Once when I was at camp I was struggling with my faith, a lot was unclear, I was confused and my camp counselor became aware of my struggle. He sat down with me one night and looked at me and said: “I know what is bothering you”. My heart took hope. “How did he know?” I was very glad, that some how he knew what even I did not know. Then he opened his mouth and then and there it became very clear that he knew nothing. He gave me cliches. I was so disappointed. God later spoke, but not through that man. I never forgot that experience. Here was a man who did not wear the breastpiece of judgment.
We need to pray to be what we need to be for our children, for our youth in the church, for those in my Bible studies, and those we love.
Q Does God still give gifts?
D. Other Garments: Holiness To The Lord. Exodus 28:31-43.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 28:35,38,43.
Q What do these verses have in common?
An = Time does not allow us to go into detail on the other garments of Robe, the Holy Crown, Tunic or breaches, but these last items do have one thing in common they speak of the holiness needed by the priest. His own life was in danger if he was not holy: “so they will not incur guilt and die”. Each symbol speaks of the importance of the priest himself being atoned for.
Let me read but two verses from the next chapter which speak of the ordination ceremony of the priests.
>>>> Have someone read Exodus 29:20-21.
Note: The priests and their garments were to be sprinkled by blood. The priest and his garments had to be atoned for, had to cleansed. The ancient priests and their garments which symbolized their duties and functions had to covered, to cleansed by blood. It was dangerous to be an unclean priest.
Q What was the penalty for being a polluted priest?
An = The penalty was death. I have sensed this, and it brings fear in my heart. Let me read two verses about priests from the 9th chapter of the book of Hebrews.
>>>> Have someone read Hebrews 9:13-14.
Q What does this mean?
An = We need to be cleansed in our duty as the priests for our family and friends.
Q Can we cleanse ourselves? Can we atone for our mistakes and sins so that God will hear our prayers for our families?
An = NO! Only Jesus can cleanse us. Only Jesus’s blood shed for our sins can cleanse our conscience from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
Q Why do some christians not speak about God, or pray with any hope that their prayers will be effective for their loved ones!
An = Could it be because they have not been cleansed? They might rely on their own righteousness, and it is not enough. Our righteousness is not enough. Believe me I have tried. It is only His righteousness that is enough. We have to know what it means to be called “out of darkness into his wonderful light”.
IV. Application:
Note: Let me make three suggestions to you about subject.
1) Q If we know the Lord, then should we not be praying for those under our care?
An = Let me give you a practical suggestion from Exodus 28 and my own experience. Write down those whom you need to prayer for on a list and take that list before God.
Q How do you use that list?
An = I take each name up one by one and ask God to do two things: One, help them in ways that only know God knows they need. Pray for what they really need and acknowledge that you probably do not know what it is. Two, pray to see them in the light that God Himself does. Pray for the mind of Christ concerning them. Pray to see them through Christ’s eyes. Be careful, this will happen and it will change your perspective of people.
2) Q Is it possible to obtain divine guidance for others?
An = Lift up your expectations and see new possibilities about what kind of guidance can come through you. There is power greater than ourselves, not for ourselves but for others.
3) Q Could a priest atone for his own sins?
An = The key thing is to accept our need of righteousness. A priest could not atone for his own sins. He had to be sprinkled with blood, and we, as leaders, need the blood of Christ to be sprinkled on us.