Beauty is important to the Lord. The garments of the priests were to be of a
particular beauty. We keep some of this
in our tradition with the wearing of the alb (simply meaning white) for the one
who pronounces absolution of sins and celebrates communion. As we confess our sins in worship we are
cleansed and declared righteous, the priest wearing the alb represents our
state before the Lord as He forgives us and should remind us that we do have a new
status because of confession of sin, faithful confession of Jesus’ sacrifice
that atones for sin, and trust that because He has promised to forgive that He
in fact has done so. In the Old
Covenant, the priest was the representative man before God and the
representative of God before man. The
final article of clothing was the head piece inscribed “Holy to the Lord”,
which was to signal the intentions of the people in their sacrifices and the
preparation of the High Priest. It was
an awesome and fearful thing to go into the Holy of holies, in fact, it could
cost you your life if you did so lightly.
Look at verse 35 and see God’s warning.
The important part of the action here is that when the food
is brought to Jesus He looked up to heaven and offered a blessing. This action makes clear who is providing food
for the multitude. When Moses struck the
rock in anger in the wilderness he aligns himself with God but he does so presumptuously
by saying, “Must we bring you water out of the rock?” He wasn’t told to strike the rock, he did so
from anger, and the word “we” indicates that Moses is taking some measure of
credit for the provision. Here, Jesus’
actions make plain who is providing for the people. All that He does in this scene is motivated
by compassion, there is a sense of the Exodus in it, He teaches because He sees
them as sheep without a shepherd, and then because they are in a desolate
place, a wilderness of sorts, He provides food.
Presumption is always dangerous, humility is always the best rule in
approaching the Lord God.
What does it mean to “have the Son” or “deny the Son”? It is possible to believe in the Son while at
the same time not having Him or denying Him.
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus was a son of God but not “the” Son of
God, that He was a perfect man, and that He is a person distinct from God the
Father. However, they also teach that before His earthly life, Jesus was a
spirit creature, Michael the archangel, who was created by God and became the
Messiah at His baptism. Muslims believe
Jesus was a prophet who did miracles.
Mormons teach that Jesus was begotten as a spirit creation in heaven and
is distinct from God. The Christian
church has affirmed the Nicene Creed as the sufficient statement of faith in
the Trinity and it is in this sense that we are said to have the Son, as He is
revealed in Scripture and revealed in the flesh. We must, as Paul wrote, discern the body,
come to grips with Jesus, if we are to receive the benefits and blessings He
offers. Like the priests in the old
covenant, we must be clothed in righteousness, the righteousness of Christ, as
we come to worship.
Come, Christians, join
to sing
Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ our King;
Alleluia! Amen!
Let all, with heart and voice,
Before His throne rejoice;
Praise is His gracious choice.
Alleluia! Amen!
Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ our King;
Alleluia! Amen!
Let all, with heart and voice,
Before His throne rejoice;
Praise is His gracious choice.
Alleluia! Amen!
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