The Priestly Garment/Part Three

I decided to skip part two of this trilogy and share part three with you, my favorite part. I hope it blesses you.  Compose

Dialogue with Aaron continues:


"Of blue, purple, and scarlet thread they made the garments of ministry, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Lord had commanded Moses." Exodus 39:1

Aaron, you are going to be the one called into the holy place. God has commanded your brothers to fashion a garment for you. It is beautiful, woven with royal colors. You will be given a title, High Priest. You will see God again. He will meet with you there. He is going to make you look good.

He will even, once again, trust you with gold. 

Verse 2: "He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. And they beat the gold into thin sheets  and cut it into threads, to work it in with with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, into artistic designs."

Threads of gold, Aaron, do you believe it? Were those golden threads supposed to remind you of something from your past? Were they to remind everyone else? Or were they purely a demonstration of mercy. I wonder what the craftsmen were thinking when they were hammering that gold into thread for the garment that you would be wearing. Did they think about you and that cow?

Was God saying, "I know you misused gold before, but I am going to weave it into the garment that you wear, because I want you to know that I am merciful. I am going to trust with it, again. I want you to come before me with it on. I am going to make you look good. I am going to redeem your past and use the very thing you meant for evil to make you shine!"

As I read through the description of the priestly garments, I was moved to tears with awe! The Lord is a redeemer. He dressed you in the finest of the finest. You did not deserve that honor! You offended the Lord with a huge offense, and yet he called you beyond your past. He covered your shame with His glory. He put you in a position of honor. He brought honor to His name by redeeming yours. 

How great is our God, Aaron! Mighty to save! Full of mercy! 

What was it like for you the first time you went into that holy place as a representative for the people of God? I just wonder your thoughts? Did you once think, "I am not worthy of this honor!" 

Oh, Aaron, how I can relate to you! I have been chosen by a holy God, delivered from a horrible pit of destruction, set upon a firm Rock, and I am  treated by God as if I had never sinned. He pours mercy on my life every day I breath. He speaks to me as if I had never wronged Him, shamed Him, or despised Him. That isn't fair to Him! He calls me to a destiny that will bring Him glory, a position of servanthood for His kingdom, a doorkeeper for His house. What an amazing God to be so kind to me. 

I know you are relating to my thoughts, Aaron. Probably even more now, since you continually abide in His presence these days. 

I need to remember these things. I can get pretty discouraged with myself. And the past, whoa, how it loves to haunt! 

Oh, but your testimony gives power to my heart! It encourages me so! I am so thankful that your time of blowing it, big time, was written in the Bible. I needed to see it. I needed read about my redeeming God, who not only forgives, but forgets. Who uses something in my horrible past, for a wonderful future. That gives strength to me, brother. That encourages me, friend. I have learned something about my God and His willingness to forgive through you! 

Your priestly attire astounds me. The Lord commanded that pure gold be used over and over for you to wear. But this really got my heart. The Lord had them make you a crown of gold.

Verse 30-31: "Then they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And they tied to it a blue cord, to fasten it above the turban, as the Lord had commanded Moses."

You were called into a holy priesthood even though you once created an idol that caused others to stumble. He put a title upon you that declared His holiness. Then He crowned you with it. 

And you know what? You couldn't see the words that the Lord put above your head, but others could see. The Lord would continue to remind everyone around you of your redemption with that crown.

Exodus 40:12-"Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of meeting and wash them with water. You shall put the holy garments on Aaron, and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest."

The Lord called you to minister to Him, Aaron. That had to be amazing. Just amazing! What an honor! Could you barely breathe when you went in to behold Him? I wonder. Did you marvel at the mercy seat, the place where He rested. Did you thank Him for saving you, being patient with you, and then placing you in such a place of honor? I imagine you must have. How could you not?

When you formed that golden calf, the priestly garments were far from your imagination, far, far out of reach. But when you put the garments on, there were golden threads to remind you that you were redeemed from your past mistakes. 

This is something to think on today. I am going to meditate on the Lord's covering. How lovely. How beautiful. Even glorious! How forgiving. 

I would not have chosen you, Aaron, but the Lord did. That is His way. 

1 Peter 2:9 says: "You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His  marvelous light......"

He is talking about me in that scripture, Aaron, can you believe it? I can't either...not in the natural, but by faith I am reaching for it! I am so thankful that He doesn't leave us behind with our golden calves, but calls us into a future where there is truth and light. And He does it without shame, covering us in His authority, calling us into His dignity, His integrity, and creating a new heart in us with His mercy. Oh, the greatness of our God! How this moves me! 

My heart just wants to bow in His presence and give Him praise for He is the One who lifts the lowly. He is the one who is worthy! 

We have so much in common, Aaron. We have both been redeemed, forgiven,  chosen, called to be ministers unto the Lord, crowned with holiness, dressed in righteousness, and blessed with His presence. How great is our God! 

I wouldn't have chosen you, but I wouldn't have chosen me either, but the Lord has. The Lord has!