Over His Heart
God designed everything about the Tabernacle where the Israelites would worship Him in their journey to the Promised Land. He had shown Moses the plans when he went up Mount Sinai to meet with Him. Then, He told Moses to be sure to build it exactly like the plans given to him. Moses was faithful down to the smallest details.
Part of God's instructions were for the clothes of the priests who offered the sacrifices, and for Aaron, the High Priest, who would go into the Holy Place once a year to offer blood on the Mercy Seat to atone for the sins of all of the people. It was a fearful task to go into God's Presence. Aaron could be thinking about a lot of things when he approached God. However, the design of his breastplate caused him to make sure he always remembered the people to whom he was ministering. The breastplate had the names of the 12 sons of Israel positioned right over Aaron's heart. Isn't that a wonderful picture?
God is Love. He does what He does out of love. The High Priest was to serve in the same love for God's people. He was not merely to function as a priest; he was to give the sacrifice in love for all of the people in the 12 tribes. Now, Jesus is our High Priest. He offered the ultimate sacrifice of His own blood for our sins. Jesus did it all in love, as well. When He died on the cross all of the people of the world were on His mind and in His heart, because He was offering Himself in love for us.
Aaron's breastplate was a memorial before the Lord continually.(Exodus 28:29) Now, the Cross of Christ is a memorial before the Lord forever. The sinless Lamb of God was willing to give Himself out of love for each of us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 29-31.
Part of God's instructions were for the clothes of the priests who offered the sacrifices, and for Aaron, the High Priest, who would go into the Holy Place once a year to offer blood on the Mercy Seat to atone for the sins of all of the people. It was a fearful task to go into God's Presence. Aaron could be thinking about a lot of things when he approached God. However, the design of his breastplate caused him to make sure he always remembered the people to whom he was ministering. The breastplate had the names of the 12 sons of Israel positioned right over Aaron's heart. Isn't that a wonderful picture?
God is Love. He does what He does out of love. The High Priest was to serve in the same love for God's people. He was not merely to function as a priest; he was to give the sacrifice in love for all of the people in the 12 tribes. Now, Jesus is our High Priest. He offered the ultimate sacrifice of His own blood for our sins. Jesus did it all in love, as well. When He died on the cross all of the people of the world were on His mind and in His heart, because He was offering Himself in love for us.
Aaron's breastplate was a memorial before the Lord continually.(Exodus 28:29) Now, the Cross of Christ is a memorial before the Lord forever. The sinless Lamb of God was willing to give Himself out of love for each of us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 29-31.