Exodus 29:1-9: a reflection

1“This is the thing that you shall do to them to make them holy, to minister to me in the priest’s office: take one young bull and two rams without defect, 2unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. 3You shall put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bull and the two rams. 4You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall wash them with water. 5You shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastplate, and clothe him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 6You shall set the turban on his head, and put the holy crown on the turban. 7Then you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head, and anoint him. 8You shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them. 9You shall clothe them with belts, Aaron and his sons, and bind headbands on them. They shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute. You shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.

In the consecration of Aaron and his sons for the priesthood, we see how God sets people apart as holy for his service, through washing, clothing, and anointing. This is the thing you shall do to make them holy, to minister to me, God says, and the ceremony follows: they are washed with water, clothed in the priestly garments, and anointed with oil. The priests were not simply appointed to a job; they were consecrated, set apart as holy for God's service, marked by washing, clothing, and anointing. To consecrate is to set apart, to make holy for God; and God took care to set apart his priests as holy, dedicated to serve him. This shows how God sets his own apart as holy for his service. God sets his own apart as holy for his service. To be consecrated is to be set apart, made holy for God. You are set apart for God, called to live as one dedicated to him. Live as one consecrated, holy for God's service.

Notice what consecration involved and meant. Aaron and his sons were not merely given a role to fill; they were consecrated, made holy for God's service, through a deliberate ceremony: they were washed with water, cleansed; clothed in the holy garments; and anointed with oil, set apart. All of this marked them as consecrated, set apart from common use and dedicated wholly to God's service, made holy for him. To be consecrated is to be set apart, taken from ordinary use and dedicated to God, made holy for his service. This points to a truth that reaches to God's people generally. In the New Testament, all who belong to God are, in a sense, consecrated: washed, clothed in Christ, set apart as holy for God, a people belonging to him and dedicated to his service. We are not our own, left to common use, but consecrated, set apart as holy for God. And this shapes how we are to live: not as those who belong to themselves and the ordinary purposes of the world, but as those set apart for God, holy, dedicated to him, living as consecrated people who belong to him and serve him. We do well to remember that we are set apart as holy for God, and to live as those consecrated to him, dedicated to his service. Remember that you are set apart as holy for God, consecrated to him. To be God's is to be dedicated to him, not left to common use. Live as one consecrated, belonging to God and serving him. You are not your own, but set apart as holy for God.

That is worth taking to heart, for God sets his own apart as holy for his service, and we do well to live as those consecrated to him, as God consecrated Aaron and his sons. We can live as though we belong to ourselves and common purposes; but God sets his own apart, made holy and dedicated to him. You are consecrated. Remember that you are set apart as holy for God, not your own; live as one consecrated to him, dedicated to his service. Live as one set apart as holy for God, consecrated and dedicated to his service rather than belonging to yourself and common purposes, as in the consecration of Aaron and his sons for the priesthood we see how God sets people apart as holy for his service through washing, clothing, and anointing, since God said this was the thing to do to make them holy to minister to him, and they were washed with water, clothed in the priestly garments, and anointed with oil; for the priests were not simply appointed to a job but consecrated, set apart as holy for God's service, since to consecrate is to set apart and make holy for God, and God took care to set apart his priests as holy and dedicated to serve him, which points to a truth reaching to God's people generally, since in the New Testament all who belong to God are in a sense consecrated, washed, clothed in Christ, and set apart as holy for God, a people belonging to him and dedicated to his service, so that we are not our own left to common use but consecrated and set apart as holy for God, which shapes how we are to live, not as those who belong to themselves and the ordinary purposes of the world but as those set apart for God, holy and dedicated to him, so that we do well to remember we are set apart as holy for God and to live as those consecrated to him.

Lord, in the consecration of Aaron and his sons for the priesthood, I see how you set people apart as holy for your service, through washing, clothing, and anointing. This is the thing you shall do to make them holy, to minister to me, you say, and the ceremony follows: they are washed with water, clothed in the priestly garments, and anointed with oil. The priests were not simply appointed to a job; they were consecrated, set apart as holy for your service, marked by washing, clothing, and anointing. To consecrate is to set apart, to make holy for you; and you took care to set apart your priests as holy, dedicated to serve you. Show me what consecration involved and meant. Aaron and his sons were not merely given a role to fill; they were consecrated, made holy for your service, through a deliberate ceremony: washed with water, cleansed; clothed in the holy garments; and anointed with oil, set apart. All of this marked them as consecrated, set apart from common use and dedicated wholly to your service. To be consecrated is to be set apart, taken from ordinary use and dedicated to you, made holy for your service. This points to a truth that reaches to your people generally. All who belong to you are, in a sense, consecrated: washed, clothed in Christ, set apart as holy for you, a people belonging to you and dedicated to your service. I am not my own, left to common use, but consecrated, set apart as holy for you. And this shapes how I am to live: not as one who belongs to himself and the ordinary purposes of the world, but as one set apart for you, holy, dedicated to you. Take that to my heart. Help me remember that I am set apart as holy for you, Lord, consecrated to you and not my own; and help me live as one dedicated to your service, belonging to you and serving you, as those you set apart as holy for yourself.