“Be my guest.”
A simple invitation extended to good friends and new acquaintances, nearby neighbors and visitors from far away. Over the years, I’ve hosted countless guests. I watched as they sat at my large, rustic wooden table and gazed admiringly at the sparkling white dishware etched with intricate marble designs, complemented by the coated matte-black silverware.
“How do you keep it looking so pristine and beautiful?” guests often wonder. And my method is pretty simple: I set these particular dishes apart. They are given special cleansing and care to remain distinguished for their intended purpose of hosting guests.
In today’s reading, we encounter a different but rather unique kind of “set apartness” that distinguishes holy from ordinary––consecration unto God’s holy purpose.
Did you notice in Leviticus 8:10–12 how consecration—the setting apart—came before the offering in verse 14? Moses and Aaron were familiar with the laws and sacrifices required up to this point; however, consecration was still necessary for the priests’ ordination. Without being set apart, the priests would not be fit to carry out the holy assignment God had given them. It wasn’t their work that made them Levites and priests; it was God. Their responsibility and duty flowed not from their ability but their identity as those set apart unto God for His holy purposes.
As I curiously meditate on these verses today, I can’t help but wonder how easy it would have been in a culture of rhythms and requirements for these priests to merely offer ritual sacrifices to God without first allowing their lives to be consecrated. How easy it would have been to focus on calling before communion, to esteem responsibility over identity.
Dear sisters, let us not miss this practical truth: consecration must always precede duty (Leviticus 8:12). What you can do for God is secondary to who you are in God. Everything you do—any works of your hands—are an outflow of that unwavering identity. Have you found yourself chasing a calling before communion? Are you finding more worth in your responsibility rather than your identity?
If the answer is yes, let us remember the encouragement from Revelation 5:9–10, that God alone, and the shed blood of Jesus Christ, has made us worthy to be a kingdom of royal priests. Only when we remember this truth and serve out of that identity will we be the kind of vessels able to carry out our intended purpose.
This is a reminder that being with God and making that our priority, will do much more than trying to rush to action to promote our faith. If we come to the Lord and commune with Him, He will lay out the rest. Our culture today promotes constant words and movement to show we care about something, when God is giving us different instructions.
@EMILY WACKER … The Tent of Meeting is another name for the Tabernacle.
@DOROTHY … The Jews can no longer make any sacrifices for several reasons.
(1) The Romans totally destroyed the Temple & the Altar in 70 AD. Since the Crusades,Muslims have been in control of the Temple Mount. The Muslims built a mosque (the al-Aqsq Mosque) on the Temple Mount. Therefore, the Temple & Altar have not been rebuilt.
(2) Over the millennia, the Jews have been scattered around the world, and (as far as I know) they have not been keeping records as to which tribes they belong. Therefore, the priesthood has been destroyed.
The Jews are able to keep some cultural and dietary laws, but many don’t. Just like in other religions, including Christianity, you have several layers of adherence to the religious statutes.
(I got the following information from a Jewish website called Jew Belong.)
-Ultra-Orthodox (Hasidic or Haredi): Strict observance of the Torah law & do not participate in modern cultural society. These are the Jewish men with the long black coats, the side curls, and keep their heads covered.
-Modern Orthodox: Adhere as strictly to Torah law as possible, but are also full participants in modern society
-Conservative: middle ground between Reform & Modern Orthodox
-Reconstructionist: Services & religious observances seem traditional, but they believe that Jewish values & practices take precedence over religious rules & traditions
-Reform: Less bound to following the Torah, more about following Jewish values. These were the first to have women rabbis & cantors & women presidents of synagogues
-Non-denominational/post-denominational/Unaffiliated: Jews who don’t identify with another particular group
-Culturally Jewish: Jewish because of heritage & may observe a few Jewish practices
-Disengaged Jews: Jewish by heritage & do not observe Jewish practices
-Secular: Jews who do not believe in God
-Messianic Jews: Jews who believe Jesus Christ is the Promised Messiah & still practice Jewish observances
In today’s modern Christian culture it seems that the word, Consecration and its meaning has been lost overlooked etc. Reading the chapter 8,9 of Leviticus caused me to read Hebrews chapters 5 through 10. Reading the New Testament helps me to understand the New Testament. Thanking God for a solid foundation in Christ according to the scriptures in the Bible and the Holy Spirit guides who us to truth and empowers us to do God’s will. Thank you for Bible Studies that continue spiritual growth.
We will not find peace here. Peace comes from the Lord above and in todays world people are running their own agenda’s. Hold fat in your identity in Christ! Amen!
I don’t know what happened to my post. (I am aggravated by the app a lot lately… I know you’re working on it, SRT, but…) Anyways… This vegetarian is glad that all those animal sacrifices aren’t required anymore, as Jesus was our complete and perfect sacrifice! Remember Whose you are today, sweet She’s!
Put a good man into my life I become insecure. What if I like him and he doesn’t like me? I don’t want to get hurt so I put a guard up and let my thoughts go negative. I often need to remind myself that I don’t need this or that to be happy because I have a God who loves me for me. And that’s enough. Whatever else comes my way is an extra blessing.
@Taylor praying for you. Just remember you can do all things through Christ Jesus. So often in my life I want this or that to work out and have found I struggle with my own insecurities and let them get the best of me. I pray hard I find a husband and now God has o
I wonder how many of these rituals are still practiced in the modern Jewish religion? I pass by synagogues all the time and see beauty. I remember when my sons were growing up we found a head piece in my parents yard — there’s a synagogue not more than 4 blocks away from them — so we took it down there and saw one of the priests and his son and gave it to them. They looked so much like myself and my sons.
So much love shown for God by the time taken for the sacrifices. Do I spend that much time showing my love for God, Christ and the Holy Spirit with my actions, study, worship and other things I do? I think I need to maybe step up my game.
Father God, You are the One and Only, I sometimes forget this, please forgive me. I want to continue to learn more about You and Your Son and the Holy Spirit. I want to live a life worthy of You. HELP ME to do these things, in Your name, amen.
Sisters be blessed and think about how much time you spend with and doing for God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, can you do more?