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Bringing Gifts before God

36“You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, ‘Holy to the Lord.’ 37You shall fasten it on a violet cord, and it shall be on the turban; it shall be at the front of the turban. 38It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall take away the guilt of the holy things which the sons of Israel consecrate, regarding all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be accepted before the Lord.

– Exodus 28:36-38
(NASB® © 2020)

Christ – our Great Priest

The people of Israel were a holy people to the LORD, whom He had chosen as His own people out of all nations (Deut. 7:6; 14:2). That was their position before the LORD. Yet when the children of Israel brought their holy gifts to the Tent of Meeting, they did so as people who were afflicted with unrighteousness. How could a holy God accept such gifts?

He could do so because the people were represented by the high priest. A golden plate was attached to the headband of the high priest, on which was engraved: Holiness to the LORD. When the Israelites brought their offerings to the sanctuary, God looked upon the high priest in his holy robes and therefore accepted the offerings with favor.

Our Position as Christians

As Christians, we know that we are sanctified for God through the once-for-all sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ (Heb 10:10). This sanctification is not just external, as it was for the people of Israel, but we have been brought into complete agreement with God and have free access to his presence in the “new and living way” (Heb. 10:19, 20).

Our Weakness in Worship

However, our “spiritual sacrifices”, which we want to bring to God, are linked to our weakness and unrighteousness. We do not honor the sacrifice of Christ as we should. Our thoughts about the Son are not always appropriate to His holiness. Our wording is inadequate and we sometimes struggle to express what is in our hearts.

Encouragement Through Our High Priest

What then? Should we better withhold our worship because God will only accept what is in accordance with His holiness? Should we, as brethren in the meetings, rather keep silent so that we don’t do anything wrong and inadvertently cast a shadow on Christ and His wonderful atoning work?

A thousand times no! For we have a great priest over the house of God, through whom we may offer to God the sacrifices of our praise (Heb. 10:21; 13:15). Because this holy priest appears before the face of God on our behalf, God will accept our gifts, even if they bear the stamp of imperfection.

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