And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses. And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. (Lev. 8:6-10)
God wanted the priests of God to be set apart for service to Him and the tabernacle. They were to understand their place before Him, not as special in themselves or better than the people, but as His servants. They were called to do differently and to intercede between God and the people, not because of their worth or righteousness, but because of His. Because of God’s holiness, the priest had to be sanctified and cleansed before God that he might serve the people as ministers and as messengers of God. Each part of the ceremony, and that which they were clothed and arrayed demonstrated their position and their purpose. Our great High Priest, Jesus Christ has taken all that upon Himself and is now the mediator between God and Man.
God calls certain people as His ministers to serve His people. Those who serve God are not holier or better than the people they serve, nor do they command them, but feed the flock that is among them. Pastors and ministers are servants of God who give of themselves to meet the spiritual needs of the people God has entrusted to them. Those God calls as pastors, chaplains, ministers, and elders, are to serve His people, led by the example of Jesus Christ who is the Great High Priest and mediator between God and Man, as they serve God. God’s people are to respect those who do well, and lovingly correct those who stumble, for God’s servants are still men in this fallen world, with temptations, families, troubles, struggles, and not only their problems, but those which they bear of their congregation. Because they are set apart unto God for service, God’s people should lift them all the more for prayer and God’s providence and protection over them that they might serve and glorify God in all things.
Led by those God has called to serve, He sends us out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our GOD has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of GOD so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of GOD might have life in His Name.
GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD, forgiveness from GOD, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet