Day 25

Instruction for Consecration

from the Exodus reading plan


Exodus 29:1-46, Psalm 132:12-16, Hebrews 7:23-28

BY Bailey Gillespie

In his poem “How to Be a Poet,” Wendell Berry says, “There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places.”

Because God created all things—the heavens and the earth—we know this is true. All is inherently sacred. Only sin and evil can destroy and desecrate. All humans bears the imago dei, the image of God. However, today’s passage in Exodus also shows us the importance of consecration to God. The Faithlife Study Bible describes how the Hebrew word used in Exodus 29:1, qadash, “refers to being holy or making something holy.” “The concept of holiness fundamentally indicates separation,” says Faithlife. “Someone or something is set apart for sacred use, as opposed to ordinary use.”

We might think about it this way: Redwood forests stretching along the Pacific Northwest are made by our creator God. They stand as sentinels for us to feast our eyes on. They house birds and other living organisms. They contribute to the flourishing of the Pacific Northwest ecosystem. Each tree, needle, and pine cone has mostly ordinary uses. 

But when God instructs His people with a specific task, like preparing a sin offering or ordaining someone to the priesthood, ordinary things are suddenly used for sacred purposes, as we see in today’s act of consecration after the establishment of the Mosaic covenant. Bread cakes and burnt rams become a holy, “pleasing aroma” (Exodus 29:22–25). Garments become holy after being sprinkled with blood (v.21). An altar becomes “especially holy” (v.37). 

When Aaron and his brothers are selected as priests, they are now ordinary men set apart for sacred use. They are holy. “The priesthood is to be theirs by a permanent statute,” Scripture tells us (v.9). This new role is meant to be a lasting one, the evidence of God’s redeeming work making its way through His people, moment by moment, beginning in Scripture’s opening pages to the very end. Jesus now holds this role of the High Priest, the One “exalted above the heavens” and the only One truly capable of removing our sin (Hebrews 7:26).

Being set apart by God is not something we take lightly but a sacred and holy calling. Thankfully, we have the testimony of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us walk this calling out faithfully. Thanks be to God.   

Post Comments (36)

36 thoughts on "Instruction for Consecration"

  1. Pam S says:

    Crystal H. How wonderful that your boys want to publicly proclaim their allegiance with Jesus. I am so touched. Let’s rejoice and pray for their sweet lives which they are wanting to set apart for God. I say any move they want to make in the right direction is a good move.

  2. Pam S says:

    Crystal H. How wonderful that your boys want to publicly proclaim their allegiance with Jesus. I am so touched. Let’s rejoice and pray for their sweet lives which they are wanting to set apart for God. I say anything

  3. Dorothy says:

    Crystal H., I agree with all the others if they want to get baptized again I would let them. I was baptized twice, but mine was, I guess you could say special, my second baptism was in the Jordan River when I went to the Holy Land. But my mom was baptized twice, she did it so that one of the children of the church that she taught would see it wasn’t scary or frightening. I admired my mom for that.

    Along the line of the foul smell, we need to remember, in those days they took baths only once a week or less. Also, they didn’t have deodorant and had been traveling in the hot desert with long robes that covered there whole bodies, except their hands and feet and maybe their neck. Also, they only had one, maybe two, changes of clothes. Your neighbor and priest and everyone else probably smelt just as bad as you did.

  4. Stacey Cochran says:

    ❤️

  5. Dorothy says:

    Lord thank You for sending Your Son to be our High Priest. Thank You for blessing us with Your Holy Spirit and Your image, help us to follow Your teachings each and every day. Amen.
    Sisters, please continue to pray for my sister, Carol, they are doing bone marrow test d/t her platelet count being a million. The doctors aren’t sure if it’s a residual effect of her having had COVID or if she might have cancer. One of my niece’s friends is going to try to help with feeding the cat.
    Be blessed and sing a song of joy today sisters.

  6. Donna Wolcott says:

    Crystal I was baptized as an infant and later (much) decided to get baptized again from choice. My children were dedicated as infants and when around 10 asked to be baptized by choice. Same with my grandchildren. Look at it as a beautiful affirmation of faith.

  7. Susie says:

    I think it is great that they want to publicly affirm their commitment to Jesus!

    I was baptized as an infant as well, but I think that is more the parents offering the child back to God… When I was older, it was my decision, and represented me handing the reins to him of my life personally.

  8. Michelle Patire says:

    Crystal H,

    In Scripture, water baptism is a symbol of repentance, removal of sins, and a self dedication to the Lord. I was baptized as a baby but like your sons want to, chose to be baptized later in life. I felt the Lord tell me it was my way of making my faith public and my own.

    I would encourage you to let your sons do it for themselves. It says to them they are choosing Jesus for themselves, not anyone else. I think their desire to be baptized is a beautiful thing if it is truly for the Lord !!! :) Blessings

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