For forty years I led you through the desert … yet your sandals did not wear out." Duet. 29:5
In an elaborate ceremony, Aaron and his sons were ordained as priests before a throng of people gathered at the entrance to the Tabernacle, or “Tent of Meeting”.
If the people did not fully understand everything that was happening, they did understand the solemnity of the ceremony, made all the more solemn by the sacrifices at the altar.
When Moses was on Mt. Sinai, the LORD commanded him to instruct the people to observe the burnt offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the grain offering, the peace offering and the wave offering.
Communion with God may be costly, but it is surely a bargain at any price.
“Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.”
Is not my heart to be an altar, and God’s love the flame? O may it never go out!
“If you cannot afford to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, you may two quarts of choice flour for your sin offering…”
The need for redemption is universal – whether rich or poor.
What can wash away my sin? What can make me whole again?
“And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.”
There is no forgiveness without an atonement.
“All fat is the Lord’s. …eat neither fat nor blood.”
The Lord knows what is good for us and what is not good for us. The things in life that are good for us we should receive with thanksgiving. The things that are not good for us, no matter how appealing they may be to us, should be offered up, as it were, to the Lord.
“No grain offering that you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven.”
We have nothing to offer the eternal Lord but ourselves. But He insists that we do it wholeheartedly.
“Slaughter the animal on the north side of the altar in the Lord’s presence.”
On the north side. Not just any side. Such divine attention to detail. The Lamb of God, the Messiah, would be crucified outside the city on the north side of the city. Moses and the people of Israel couldn’t have understood the prophetic significance of this command. God did.
“Replace the evil years with good.”
The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for four hundred bitter years. They had been freed from Pharoah’s grasp by God’s intervention, and were now on a long journey through the wildnerness to the promised land.
They were the recipients of the lavish grace of God. God was actually dwelling with them, leading them forward. It was theirs only to trust and obey.
“The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night a fire glowed inside the cloud.”
The Lord was with his people in such an awesome way. A visible way. An every-day way. A faith-building way. In the wilderness. On their journey. In the day. Through the night. Always.
