Transcript Slide 1

The Call of God to Old
Testament Characters
Lesson 4
Lesson Text—Psalm 105:26
Psalm 105:26
He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron
whom he had chosen.
Lesson Text—Exodus 28:1-3
Exodus 28:1-3
1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy
brother, and his sons with him, from
among the children of Israel, that he
may minister unto me in the priest’s
office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu,
Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
Lesson Text—Exodus 28:1-3
2
And thou shalt make holy garments
for Aaron thy brother for glory and for
beauty.
3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are
wise hearted, whom I have filled with
the spirit of wisdom, that they may
make Aaron’s garments to consecrate
him, that he may minister unto me in
the priest’s office.
Lesson Text—Hebrews 5:1-4
Hebrews 5:1-4
1 For every high priest taken from
among men is ordained for men in
things pertaining to God, that he may
offer both gifts and sacrifices for
sins:
Lesson Text—Hebrews 5:1-4
2
Who can have compassion on the
ignorant, and on them that are out of the
way; for that he himself also is
compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for
the people, so also for himself, to offer
for sins.
4 And no man taketh this honour unto
himself, but he that is called of God,
as was Aaron.
Focus Verse—Exodus 28:1
Exodus 24:1
And take thou unto thee Aaron thy
brother, and his sons with him,
from among the children of Israel,
that he may minister unto me in
the priest’s office, even Aaron,
Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and
Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
Focus Thought
God has chosen His people for
sacred service. We represent Him
to the world.
I. God
Culture Connection
Calledand
to Serve
Chose Aaron
His Sons
Some think a “calling” must be only
for missionaries, pastors, evangelists,
teachers, or some other full-time
ministry. We may tend to think of
pulpit-type ministry as being a
“calling” and other vocations as being
strictly secular. We may be tempted to
divide our lives into two parts: the
sacred and the secular. It is important
to understand that preachers are not
the only ones called!
We are all called to be saints and to
serve God in whatever work or ministry
we are involved.
Devoted Christians are gifted and
called by God to serve humanity in
various ways. The average employee will
spend forty hours per week or about two
thousand hours a year in the workplace.
This is a large block of time and energy.
In a lifetime the average worker spends
approximately a hundred thousand
hours in the workplace. It is
preposterous to think that God is not
concerned about how we spend this
time.
I. God Chose Aaron and His Sons
I. God
Edward Harris, in his book titled God
and Our Daily Work, says, “Work is not
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
something peripheral to human life but
is part of God’s designed purpose for
man. Labor is not some appendage to
man’s existence nor is it some manappointed duty. It is of the very
substance of human life as God
intends it to be.”
Some individuals have dramatic
callings that involve visions, dreams,
or unusual circumstances. Some are
called to fulfill special missions that
require great faith and sacrifice.
I. God
This does not mean the rest of us are
Chose
andabout
Hiswithout
Sons
here justAaron
meandering
direction or purpose. Each person
should look at his or her station in life
as a calling from God. Not only can we
be productive workers, but we can also
fulfill the Great Commission by being a
witness to our fellow workers wherever
God puts us.
Contemplating the Topic
I. God Chose
Aaron and
His
Sons
The government
of God
is different
from any form of human government.
Nations may be ruled by dictatorship,
monarchy, democracy, or republic, but
God governs the church. God calls men
and women to fulfill specific ministries in
His kingdom. Whether in a pulpit ministry
or other position of service, no individual
places himself in a position of his own
volition and will. God determines the
level and the nature of the service
performed by every believer in His
kingdom.
I. God
God could use angels to carry out
Chose
Aaron
HisusSons
various tasks,
butand
He calls
to use
our individual talents and abilities to
accomplish His purpose. We become
channels of blessing and vessels
pliable in the hands of God—not for
personal aggrandizement, but for the
glory of God. We may receive tributes
and honor for what we accomplish, but
we should direct to God all glory and
praise. Without Him we can do
nothing; we are merely fulfilling our
call to serve in the vineyard of God.
I. God
To serve in God’s kingdom is to
Chose
His Sons
labor as aAaron
servant,and
to purposefully
minister to others. In the process of
preparing the Tabernacle for worship, a
myriad of talented and willing
individuals contributed their
substance, their time, and their skills.
God instructed Moses in every minute
detail and made him responsible to
find men and women capable of
serving the Lord in those capacities.
Sometimes the realization that God has
called us to serve Him overwhelms
us.
I. God
Instead of merely observing what
Chose
Aaron
His Sons
others do,
we can and
contribute
personally in some way as we use our
talents for the glory of God.
God called Aaron and his sons from
among the Israelites and set them
apart to minister in the priestly office.
In heeding the call of God, they no
longer could live to please themselves.
Their daily conduct was to honor God.
I. God
God’s people are still set apart for
Chose
Aarona royal
and priesthood
His Sons
sacred service,
whose lives should honor and glorify
God. Our devotion and service stem
not only from our love for the One who
redeemed us and for the world for
which He died, but also out of
obligation to our Savior and to the
world. (See Romans 1:14-17.)
Searching the Scriptures
A. Ministers
unto
the
Lord
God Chose Aaron
and His Sons
A. Ministers unto the Lord
The authority of Aaron and his
sons to minister came not through
their own initiation but by divine call.
The call to priestly office extended to
succeeding generations of Aaron and
his sons, and anyone who unlawfully
usurped that authority would be
killed.
I. God
The priests consecrated their lives in
order to be fit for service and to honor
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
God. Members of the church serve as
royal priests because of the new-birth
experience. We were born into the
church by receiving the Holy Ghost,
and through that experience God
called us to minister to Him by our
consecration and separation.
When he presented the sacrificial
blood at the Mercy Seat, the priest
fulfilled an intermediary, or
intercessory, role to plead the cause of
mankind.
I. God
Some of the priests may have realized
their ministry looked forward to a
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
better priesthood. But even though
their service foreshadowed a better
covenant, in their day they played a
vital role in the atonement of God’s
people.
The Tabernacle symbolized God’s
willingness for sinful mankind to
approach Him in their quest for mercy.
Even the consecrated priests had to
receive atonement for their sin.
I. God
Although the people directed their
Chose
and His
Sons
sacrificesAaron
and requests
for mercy
toward God, the actual efforts came
through the hands of a fallible priest.
However, atonement comes only
through God according to His own
way.
The type and shadow of the Mosaic
law testified of the future ministry of
Jesus Christ as the great High Priest.
John 14:6
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me”
(John 14:6).
Exodus 28:1
“And take thou unto thee Aaron thy
brother, and his sons with him,
from among the children of Israel,
that he may minister unto me in the
priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab
and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar,
Aaron’s sons”
(Exodus 28:1).
I. God
Since God is sovereign and selfChose
Aaron
His us
Sons
sufficient,
He doesand
not need
or
depend upon us. But we need Him;
without Him we are nothing and can do
nothing. When we acknowledge our
human frailty and need of divine
intervention for salvation, we become
aware of our reliance upon the mercy
of God. Thus the priests appealed to
God both for their own existence and
for that of the people.
I. God
The priestly role entailed more than
presiding over sacrifices at the brazen
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
altar. For example, priests maintained
and used the laver of water, the golden
candlestick, the table of shewbread,
and the altar of incense in the way God
had prescribed. However, God must
have derived the greatest enjoyment
from the exuberant worship of choir
and instruments. When we offer to God
our love, adoration, praise, and
thanksgiving, we are ministering unto
the Lord.
B. Ministers for Israel
B.The
Ministers
for
Israel
calling of the priests answered
the need of mankind to draw near to
God in a way He would accept. For
instance, God placed a “dead line”
around the foot of Mount Sinai and
forbade the people to touch the sacred
mountain. The uncleanness and
corruption of mankind could approach
the holiness and purity of God only in
the way He allowed.
I. God
Only the priests could enter the
Tabernacle; the people did not dare to
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
venture beyond the outer court where
they offered their sacrifices at the
brazen altar. The priests officiated at
the sacrifice and then washed in the
laver of water before proceeding
further. Moreover, only the high priest
could go behind the veil and into the
presence of God. This was not an
everyday ritual as were some of the
priestly tasks. It was a yearly event,
every step of which had been divinely
ordained.
The life of not only the priest but also
that of the people depended on the
precision of the priest in following the
plan of God.
Each year on the Day of Atonement,
the people waited with bated breath to
see if the priest would reemerge after
offering the blood at the Mercy Seat. If
he emerged from the Tabernacle, they
knew God had accepted their sacrifice
and granted their plea for mercy. If he
did not come back out, they knew God
had not been pleased with either them or
the priest, and the priest had forfeited
his life.
I. God Chose Aaron and His Sons
I. God
The responsibility for precise
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
adherence to the rituals rested heavily
upon the priests. Only through the
faithful performance of their duties
could the Israelites’ sins be rolled
ahead for another year. The blood of
animals could not remit their sins, but
it served to roll them ahead toward the
time of the New Covenant when a
better High Priest would offer His
sinless blood and pardon and conquer
their sin.
God Consecrated the Priests
A. Consecrated
in Seven Steps
for Service
A. Consecrated in Seven Steps
A consecrated person sets himself
apart for service to God and lives a
holy life. Anyone who approaches
God first must present himself unto
God to be separated and sanctified by
the Lord. “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye
out from thence, touch no unclean
thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be
ye clean, that bear the vessels of the
LORD” (Isaiah 52:11).
I. God
God will not tolerate sin because it
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
alienates individuals from His holiness.
Individuals are able to enter into His
presence only through repentance.
The work of God in the Tabernacle,
as in all encounters with God, required
reverence, awe, and respect. The
temple of God is a holy place where
mankind approaches God humbly.
Transparency 2
I. God
1. Aaron and his sons were called
out from the midst of the people. God
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
chose Aaron and his sons for sacred
service, requiring a distinct separation
between them and the masses of
Israelites. Israel saw and understood
that the hand of God rested upon that
group of men. Serving in an exclusive
capacity, they no longer would be their
own; they had given themselves to the
service of God. They felt the weight of
their responsibility but also the
privilege of being set aside by God for
His service.
I. God
God said, “I have given your priest’s
office unto you as a service of gift”
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
(Numbers 18:7). No longer could they
live “normal” lives or entangle
themselves with many of the mundane
affairs of life.
2. Aaron and his sons were brought
to the entrance of the Tabernacle to be
examined. According to God’s
instruction, Aaron and his sons were
examined to assure they were free of
any physical blemishes or
disfigurement that would disqualify
them for service
(Leviticus 21:16-21).
Physical Aaron
defilements
Law
I. God Chose
andunder
Histhe
Sons
were symbolic of uncleanness.
3. They were washed. First, Moses
washed Aaron and his sons (Exodus
29:4, 7), which signified the cleansing
and sanctification of their souls.
Psalm 51:2
“Wash me throughly from mine
iniquity, and cleanse me from my
sin”
(Psalm 51:2).
The washing and anointing of the
priests foreshadowed the new-birth
experience. They could not minister
without first being washed and
cleansed. God would not entrust them
with priestly responsibilities until they
submitted to this step.
When we come to God, we repent and
ask His forgiveness. We then submit to
water baptism in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins. We rise
to walk in newness of life, experiencing
the thrill of freedom from our past and
trusting God to remember our sins no
more.
I. God Chose Aaron and His Sons
I. God
4. They were anointed. Anointing
Chose
Aaron
andofHis
symbolized
the Spirit
God Sons
that
indwells the believer today. Aaron
could not serve as a priest until Moses
anointed him with the holy oil. Moses
also sprinkled anointing oil upon the
Tabernacle, the altar and all of its
vessels, the laver, and the priest’s foot.
Leviticus 8:10-11
“And Moses took the anointing oil,
and anointed the tabernacle and all
that was therein, and sanctified
them. And he sprinkled thereof
upon the altar seven times, and
anointed the altar and all his
vessels, both the laver and his foot,
to sanctify them” (Leviticus 8:1011).
I. God
We cannot minister to the Lord with
a carnal nature and carnal reasoning.
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
The Spirit of God must anoint our
body, soul, and spirit, and we must live
consecrated, holy lives. Whether it is
witnessing, preaching, singing, or any
other aspect of the work of God, we
must have the anointing of the Holy
Ghost to be effective and acceptable to
God.
Jesus was anointed with the Spirit.
Though He was a man, in Him was all
the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
I. God
He made it clear that without the Spirit
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
of God He
could not
have
done
the
mighty works He did, for He stated, “I
can of mine own self do nothing”
(John 5:30). He was God manifested in
flesh, and all the fullness of the
Godhead dwelled bodily in Him and
provided holy, anointed power. (See
Colossians 2:9; John 14:10.)
Acts 10:38
“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Ghost and with
power”
(Acts 10:38).
Isaiah prophesied concerning Jesus
Isaiah
61:1
in a passage Jesus Himself quoted:
“The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon
me; because the LORD hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the
meek; he hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to
the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound”
(Isaiah 61:1). (See also Luke 4:18-19.)
I. God
The anointing oil Moses used to
consecrate the priests for service
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
symbolized the importance of the Spirit
of God upon our endeavors.
5. They were clothed. The priests’
clothing was for “glory and for beauty”
(Exodus 28:40). The magnificent attire
of the high priest glowed and glittered
with fine linen in pleasing color
combinations, interwoven with golden
threads, adorned with onyx and twelve
precious stones. They could not
perform their priestly role without first
being robed appropriately.
I. God
The salvation experience is like
being clothed in a robe of
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
righteousness. God beautifies the
meek with salvation, not with costly
and elaborate outward attire but with a
robe of righteousness and the inward
ornaments of a meek and quiet spirit
and attitudes that reflect the indwelling
Spirit of Christ. When clothed by God,
we bear the fruit of His Spirit, which
draws others to Him.
Moses dressed Aaron in a coat of
fine, pure-white linen, a symbol of the
righteousness of God.
I. God
Aaron’s blue outer robe had a lower
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
hem adorned with tassels resembling
pomegranates alternating with golden
bells. Any movement of the priest set
the bells jingling (Exodus 39:24-26).
The priest wore an ephod of thin
golden plates embroidered with fine
linen of blue, purple, and scarlet. The
breastplate, with twelve differentcolored gems set in golden settings,
represented the twelve tribes of Israel.
(See Exodus 39:6, 14.)
I. God
On his head the priest wore a miter
of fine linen, fastened to which was a
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
plate of pure gold etched with the
words “HOLINESS TO THE LORD”
(Exodus 39:28-30). (See Leviticus 8:7-9
for the layering of the priest’s
garments.)
6. Their hands were filled. The
priests brought a bullock, the largest
animal used for sacrifice, for their sin
offering. Aaron and his sons laid their
hands upon the head of the bullock,
identifying with the sacrifice.
I. God
They felt the struggle of the bullock in
Chose
Aaron
Sons
the throes
of deathand
and His
sensed
the
horrible price paid for their sin. They
watched as Moses collected the blood
and poured it out at the bottom of the
altar. Moses then cut up the bullock
and placed the choice parts upon the
brazen altar for a sin offering. The rest
of the animal had to be burned outside
the camp. God required a death to
atone for their sin, and the animal
suffered death in their place.
Then Moses brought another animal,
the ram of consecration. Aaron and his
sons laid their hands upon the head of
the ram. Moses slew it and applied its
blood to the tip of Aaron’s right ear, his
right thumb, and the great toe of his
right foot. He repeated the process for
Aaron’s sons. This meant they should
hear the voice of God and work and walk
in His ways. Moses filled the hands of
Aaron and his sons with portions of the
ram to wave before the Lord. He also
gave them unleavened bread, a cake of
oiled bread, and one wafer.
I. God Chose Aaron and His Sons
I.
After their wave offering, Moses then
took all the things from their hands and
Godburned
Chosethem
Aaron
and
His
Sons
upon the altar for a burnt
offering. Their consecration offered up
a sweet savor unto the Lord. 7. They
were sanctified. Sanctification was the
final step of the consecration process.
Moses offered the bulk of the ram of
consecration on the altar, and gave part
of it to be eaten by Aaron and his sons
at the door of the Tabernacle of the
congregation. Any flesh or bread that
remained had to be burned. Their
sanctification process lasted for
seven days.
Leviticus 8:33-34
“And ye shall not go out of the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation in
seven days, until the days of your
consecration be at an end: for seven
days shall he consecrate you. As he
hath done this day, so the LORD hath
commanded to do, to make an
atonement for you” (Leviticus 8:3335).
B. Holy, Separate Service
in the service
of God is a
B. Involvement
Holy, Separate
Service
high calling and has always required
separation and commitment. Their seven
days of sanctification opened the
understanding of Aaron and his sons to
the awesome weight of responsibility
placed upon them as priests. Throughout
the Scriptures, God called many
individuals for various levels of service.
Whether it was Gideon to lead the
Israelites to war or Samuel to lead the
people toward God, their lives were set
apart to fulfill the will of God for
that time in history.
I. God
God is holy and requires dedicated
individuals who will follow His
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
precepts and commandments. The
battle of the ages involves walking in
obedience to holy, righteous living as
opposed to carnality and self-will. No
person can serve both of these
masters. Those who surrender to the
service of God yield their lives to Him
and seek to please Him. Those who
mind the flesh revel in vainglory and
are lifted up in pride and rebellion
against God. They seek to exalt
themselves rather than God.
I beseech you therefore,
“
Romans
brethren,
by the12:1-2
mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
unto God, which is your
reasonable service. And be not
conformed to this world: but be
ye transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that ye may prove
what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of
God” (Romans 12:1-2).
I. God
Those whom God sanctifies to serve
Him understand they cannot be
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
distracted by various diversions that
would steal their time and sap their
energy. Aaron and his sons did not get
involved in the earthly pursuits of
wealth and success but lived from the
fruit of their labors as priests.
We understand that we must
function in society, support our
families, and expend time and effort to
meet many human responsibilities. But
we as believers also must set priorities
in order to serve God.
By presenting
ourand
bodies
as living
I. God Chose
Aaron
His
Sons
sacrifices, we use our time, energy,
and talents for the work of God, which
is our reasonable service to the Lord.
Laboring in whatever capacity to which
God has called us cannot earn our
salvation, but involving ourselves in
the work of God is a labor of our love
for Him.
I. God
The world lives for self and
Chose
and
Sons
vainglory.Aaron
Motivated
by His
the pride
of
life, many seek acclaim and credit for
everything they do for others.
However, we do not conform to the
world and its attitudes; rather, we
surrender to the will and a purpose of
God. We understand God has a place
and a purpose for us to fulfill His will
and be fruitful in His kingdom. It is our
reasonable service and labor of love.
Called
His Church
III. GodGod
Called
His Church
to Holy
toService
Holy Service
“But ye are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye should
shew forth the praises of him who
hath called you out of darkness into
his marvellous light” (I Peter 2:9).
Transparency 3
I. God
The church is the functioning body
Chose
andto His
Sonsthe
of Christ Aaron
in the earth
evangelize
world and fulfill the Great Commission.
The church is the Savior’s espoused
Bride.
He called us and placed us in His
church, which is predestined to carry
on His work in the earth during this
period of grace. Just as Aaron and his
sons lived holy lives of separation
from the masses of Israel, we live
godly and holy in this wicked world.
I. God
God cannot use unclean vessels
Chose
Aaron
andsoHis
Sons
contaminated
by sin,
we must
experience the new birth as described
in Acts 2:38, and we must consecrate
our lives to Him. He has enlightened
our minds and called us out of spiritual
darkness, revealing the truth of the
gospel to us.
It is an honor and a privilege to
serve as co-laborers with God. It is a
holy calling and our reasonable
service.
Instead of
living inand
the gross
darkness
I. God Chose
Aaron
His Sons
of sin, rebellion, pride, and false
doctrine, we walk in the light of God
and present our bodies as living
sacrifices so we can become living
testimonies for God and His witness to
the world.
Internalizing the Message
I. God Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
Theocracy is the government of
God. During the dispensations prior to
the Law, humankind lived according to
their conscience or human
government. Sin and self-will ruled the
hearts of mankind with the exception
of a few righteous people. Sin had
separated people from God, but with
the coming of the Law, they saw the
mercy of God demonstrated in the
Tabernacle, and it gave them hope.
I. God
God called Aaron and his sons to
officiate as priests in the Tabernacle.
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
The blood of animals could not remit
sin, but instead the sacrifices rolled
the sins of the people ahead towards
the Cross where the perfect Lamb of
God would bear the sins of the past
and future in His sinless body. Only
blood can pay the price of sin because
life is in the blood. Once a year on the
Day of Atonement, the priest entered
the Holy of Holies and sprinkled blood
on the Mercy Seat.
I. God
The people waited outside hoping the
priest had done everything right and
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
that God would accept the sacrifice.
Ministering as a priest was sacred
service, and everything had to be done
according to the pattern showed to
Moses at Sinai. Only those in the
lineage of Aaron were called and
chosen as members of the priesthood.
They did not choose themselves; they
were born into it. God gave explicit
instructions about their priestly attire
and the order in which they should be
donned.
I. God
Their clothes signified a life of
consecration and holiness that
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
brought honor and glory to God. Their
sanctification set them apart for life to
fulfill their sacred service. They
understood their responsibility as
intermediaries between the Israelites
and God.
In this New Covenant all believers
serve God as royal priests who live
separated, dedicated lives. We do not
offer animal sacrifices because Jesus
offered Himself once and for all as the
perfect, sacrificial Lamb of God.
I. God
Symbolizing His death, we present our
bodies as living sacrifices in the
Chose
Aaron
and
His
Sons
service of God. We witness to the lost,
edify the body of Christ, and intercede
in prayer for those in need. We visit the
sick, give of our time and talents, and
seek to strengthen the work of God.
Just as God called and sanctified
Aaron and his sons for sacred service,
God calls us to give ourselves in
service. The consecration process
prepared Aaron and his sons to fulfill
their roles as priests, and we also must
consecrate and dedicate ourselves
unto God.
I. God Chose
Aaronusand
Hisout
Sons
He admonishes
to come
from
among others of this world and be
separate in order to live our lives as
holy and separated unto God. We as
vessels must be cleansed through the
new birth. The salvation experience
washes us, cleanses us, and anoints
us to perform the sacred service of our
God.
I Corinthians 6:11
“And such were some of you: but
ye are washed, but ye are
sanctified, but ye are justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus, and
by the Spirit of our God”
(I Corinthians 6:11).