Sacrifice Day 14 One Sacrifice: Digging Deeper

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

1) Who was Aaron?
In understanding the history of the twelve tribes of Israel and the importance of Aaron and his tribe of Levites, we can examine God’s plan for humanity. God created us to be in communion with him and He longs for us to call on Him; Scripture says He even answers before we call! (Isaiah 65:24) God could have entirely destroyed mankind for their sinful ways when He sent the flood, but He graciously spared Noah and his family who were faithful to Him. (Genesis 6:13) Similarly, when the children of Israel grumbled as they left Egypt’s slavery and built for themselves a golden calf, the Lord again showed great mercy by not giving them the just death they deserved for worshipping an idol. (Exodus 32:9) Because we are God’s creation, He loves us, desires fellowship with us, and has a plan for our lives. (Ephesians 2:10) God chose Levi, and all Levites, to serve in His temple. As part of this lineage, God chose Aaron. In the same way, you and I are also called to be part of Abraham’s lineage of faith. When we surrender our lives to Christ, we are grafted into the priesthood, originally established in the lineage of Levi, because of the death of God’s son, Jesus, who was the perfect priest for us as mediator between God and mankind. (1 Peter 2:9) We are God’s people! We are God’s special possession! (Deuteronomy 7:6) Do you feel worthless, unworthy, and unloved? Not only does God love you, not only does He hear you, not only are you chosen by God, but He is faithful to complete His work in you! (Philippians 1:6) Do you know who you are? Do you know Whose you are? You are God’s treasured possession no matter your faults, no matter your flaws. (Exodus 19:5) Come to Him in full surrender, leaving behind the ways of sin and false worship.

2) What did the holy place signify?
Before Jesus died on the cross, giving up His spirit, He uttered the words, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) The original Holy Place of the Tabernacle signifies two critical points for the current day believer. First, just as Israel had no access to God without the Levite’s mediation on their behalf, neither can we come into God’s presence without Christ’s mediation because we are sinful. Through Jesus, God made a way for us to be reconciled to Him as He paid the sacrifice for all sin. (1 John 2:2) He took our sinfulness, paying for it in full because of His holiness and became our peace destroying the barrier that once separated us like the curtain in the temple. (Matthew 27:50-51) Secondly, the Holy of Holies reminds us of our need to seek forgiveness. We are sinful. God is holy. To come to him, we must seek forgiveness of our sin. (Matthew 6:12) Because of Jesus, we no longer need a physical tabernacle or a separate holy place to meet with Him for God has made Himself near to us through His Spirit. (Acts 17:27) God will hear when we call and confess our sins. (Zechariah 13:9) When we confess our sins he will forgive us, never remember our offenses, and removing them from the written record against us. (1 John 1:9, Psalm 103:12, Colossians 2:2) Have you accepted your invitation to enter the holy place of forgiveness? You are welcome! The invitation has been engraved by the hand of God, signed by the blood of Jesus, and is sent to you by the call of God’s Spirit Himself. (Ephesians 1:4-5) Open it and accept the invitation, He is waiting for your reply.

3) What is the mercy seat?
The Ark of the Covenant contained the Ten Commandments, a jar of manna, and the staff of Aaron that budded as reminders of God’s covenant, His provision, and His calling on His people to be His own possession. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, the reminder of His covenantal love for you, His provision, and His down payment of His promise for eternal security is found in the Holy Spirit indwelling your heart. In the Spirit of God, “He has given us everything required for life and godliness.” (2 Peter 1:3) The Holy Spirit grows His fruitfulness in us of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as we surrender ourselves to His rule and reign in our lives. (Galatians 5:22-23) Christ-followers have God’s spirit of power at work in them (2 Timothy 2:7) to accomplish the impossible through faith (Mark 11:23), overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21), and love those who hate us (Matthew 5:44). Often-overlooked is the symbolism of Aaron’s rod in the Ark of the Covenant. Israel had been grumbling about the special authority God had given to Moses and Aaron, jealously wanting equal power for themselves. The Lord responded by instructing all leaders of the tribes to place their staffs in the tabernacle. The next day, Aaron’s staff was the only one that not only sprouted, but had budded, blossomed, and produced almonds! (Numbers 17:8) You can read the entire story Numbers 17:1-11. Aaron’s staff remained in the Ark to remind the Israelites that God chose Aaron to lead the people; who He chooses is His choice, no questions asked. You do remember that this was a staff, a piece of wood separated from a living tree, right? God takes things that seem dead and makes them alive again in Him for His ordained purposes. Recognize your place in His kingdom, accept His invitation of forgiveness, and start blooming through the power of His Spirit!

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