Holiness to the Lord

 If you were designing the apparel for the high priest of the Lord God of Israel, what would you write on it so that everyone would see it first? There are a lot of great messages that we might consider. Since God is love, we might write a message about the great love of God. Also, since God is calling all people to believe in Him and obey Him, the message might be to trust and obey. However, there is one message that is the most important, and that is what God commanded to be in the forefront.

God told Moses to have the craftsmen make a crown for the high priest. (Exodus 39:30) Then, they were to make a plate for the crown out of pure gold. The engravers were to engrave an inscription of the plate like the engraving of a signet that said, "Holiness to the Lord." Those were the words that people would see first when they saw the high priest in His holy garments. We need to consider this message.

My first thought each time I read this verse is, "Why does it say holiness to the Lord?"  Why does it not say, "Holiness of the Lord?" After all, everyone needs to know that the Lord is holy. We need to respect His holiness and come before Him with clean hearts having confessed our sins. That would serve as a warning not to come into God's presence without the proper preparations. However, that is not what it said.

My personal opinion is that it said "Holiness to the Lord," because that is what God was looking for in us. We must be holy and present that holiness as an offering to the Lord. When we are conformed to the image of Christ, so that we live like He would live and do what He would do, then our holiness is a tribute to his grace and power. None of us can be holy without the power of God, but when we have His power, we can be holy and give Him all of the credit. I pray that is what we will do every day for all to see.

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Tomorrow I intend to read Exodus 40 and Leviticus 1-2.