The dedication ceremony for the Tabernacle was a twelve day, constant flow of sacrifices. By the end of the twelve days the number of sacrifices was astounding. The burnt offering totaled twelve bulls, twelve rams, and twelve male lambs. The sin offering totaled twelve male goats. The peace offering totaled twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs. In other words, the opening ceremony of the Tabernacle was a bloody mess! If one would have stumbled upon this scene without any prior knowledge, he would have concluded this to be a slaughter house, not a place of worship!
The opening ceremony served to demonstrate what would be the daily routine at the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle would be a place of death! Every time an Israelite came to the Tabernacle, the stench of death would be in the air and the ground bloody! What was the purpose for such a ghastly scene at the place of worship? Here are some thoughts.
Every time an individual approached the Tabernacle, he would realize that sin, his sin, was serious, deadly, and costly! He would be reminded that because he has sinned, something had to die. He would realize the sacrifice was his substitute; he was really supposed to die. He would realize God had made a way, in grace, for him to continue to approach God! He would be reminded how ugly and horrible is his sin. He would be reminded how glorious and holy, and majestic God must be! He would be forced to conclude that his life, his relationship with the Holy God, and his opportunity to worship are all gifts! It should be the same for us when worship the Lord. We should never come before Him without gazing at the cross!
Oh, how I catch a glimpse of that strange little worm of rebellion that hides down deep in my soul when I read about the husband's test for his wife that he suspects of adultery!! What if, what if, what if. . . I WILL choose to believe that the God of perfect justice and truth taught His priests how to administer that justice to all of His people.
ReplyDeleteSecond interesting tidbit: women could be Nazarites too! Did they also shave off their hair grown during their vows?? ick.
The Aaronic blessing!! What a blessing this still is! Read it again, my brothers and sisters! Num. 6:22-27. Isn't that what the LORD does for US too?? I wonder if the priests prayed it over the Israelites the way Bro. Wil prays his benediction over us at the close of every Sunday morning service:
"Now to Him Who is able to keep you from stumbling" (isn't that an amazing thing!?) "and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy" (makes me happy NOW to think of that day--blameless! wow!)"to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord" (You are the ONLY way I could be that clean!) "be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority" (YOU deserve all of this and so much more from me!) "before all time and now and forever. Amen." (And I'll be singing Your praises for all time! That will never get old, I'll be able to compose and sing new verses of the song of praise forever and ever and ever!) (Jude24+24)
I really love that benediction, Bro.Wil, did you realize that??