Your Priest

Read Exodus 29-31
 
Exodus 29:43-46 “There also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory. 44 So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve  me as priests. 45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. 46 They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.”
 
THERE’S a universe of competition for our devotion and
love. God knew his chosen people would be tempted daily to follow other gods, to ignore his law and to live in their own desires.
    The amazing thing, though, is that God wanted Israel to be his people. In essence, his will was for their very existence to be centered in him in the same way today Jesus’ disciples are to live in Jesus’ true way. To create that intimate, loving relationship, the Father would connect more personally with Israel through priests. These men would be God’s direct ambassadors – his representatives – to embody the Father’s love and law. All things that the priest would do would be for the purpose of reminding the Hebrews whose people they are. Their sacrifices, worship rituals and feasts were to keep alive and fresh Israel’s knowledge of their LORD. Each law was designed to remind Israel that God’s grace-initiated miracles brought them out of Egypt’s slavery. The priests would intercede – pray for – God’s people to protect them from sin.
    This priestly system was, of course, a foreshadowing of the Great Ambassador, the true High Priest Jesus Christ. The Son fulfilled God’s law and love to us. He offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins. He interceded for us in his life on earth – see John 17. And today he intercedes for us in heaven. Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. As a result, we need no other priest.
    We rejoice, too, the Holy Spirit also guides us to be God’s people. Romans 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. Through the Holy Bible, the Spirit opens our minds to daily remind us to know and remember God’s eternal promise.
    The Holy Trinity has called you to the altar of faith. Go and worship him. Live in his truth. Rejoice in his love. Know the Spirit and Son pray to the Father. You have nothing to fear, only faith to be free. You can trust the God, who has freed you from sin’s slavery.
   
Surely Know God is your God as you confess the Son.