Bibledoorajar: Elevated

     Today is Memorial Day. At 3:00 p.m. Americans are urged to stop what they are doing and honor the men and women who were willing to give their lives in order that we might be free. This is the day that, no matter their shortcomings in life, they are to be elevated in our thoughts.
     God wanted the sons of Aaron (priests) to be elevated too. He had Moses make them bonnets (turbans) that sat tightly and loftily on their heads. The word bonnet comes from the Hebrew word that means elevated. God does not want proud sons (haughty, better than thou) but he does want us to know He elevates those who are on the journey to be His forever.
     The law said that we were to love our neighbor as ourselves, but Jesus told His followers to love as He had loved them. He was involved in every care of their daily existence, but always encouraged them to strive to look for that elevation of sons wherein the sought first the kingdom knowing that daily existence was a given for God's sons. Seek Him that gave the ultimate gift---- that is freedom indeed! Let that be your daily memorial and pattern.

Bibledoorajar: All the Way Pure

     In our discussion of the preciseness with which God has instructed Moses to dress the High Priest and his sons (priests) we have found a pattern of holy presentation before the Lord God Almighty. Today we see that even the simplest of their garments worn next to the body and under the other was to be made of the pure white linen. If the garb of the High Priest was stripped down to the bare essentials, he still stood in pure white linen simple garments of glory and beauty. These included his coat (tunic) and his girdle.
     There is a story of our High Priest, Jesus, who stripped away His outer robes, took a towel and girded it around Himself and proceeded to wash the feet of His disciples. His simple dress was a symbol of glory and beauty in service to God and His disciples.  Jesus talked to his disciples about the need for them to do the same for others. One time during a visit of two missionaries in our home, a discussion of how Jesus demonstrated this service to His disciples came up. As we discussed that this activity was to be shared with others, we determined to strip away our outer facade and do this for each other. What followed that was to be an experiment, a loving serving spiritual occasion as we ministered in this way to each other. Caught up in our thought processes were thoughts of love according to God. Love is patient, kind, long suffering, protective and trusting. While we have never carried out this experiment with any others, it did show us the importance of stripping away our facade and being of service. Perhaps the most meaningful way we can be of service like this is to strip away our wants and desires for a time and pray and intercede for someone. In today's busy climate, we have to lean on the Holy Spirit to lead us in this direction but we must not ignore it.
        
           "I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
             We all need  an 'Atta Boy' or 'Atta Girl'
             But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
             The temporary trappings of this world."

                           Nichole Nordeman---'words and music to be sung with honesty"

Bibledoorajar: Ultimate Wisdom

fron·tal lobe

noun: frontal lobe; plural noun: frontal lobes each of the paired lobes of the brain lying immediately behind the forehead, including areas concerned with behavior, learning, personality, and voluntary movement.

     Mounted on the mitre of the High Priest fronting the forehead, was a golden plate. The plate was inscribed "HOLINESS TO THE LORD". In other words, God's creation, His High Priest, had to come before Him with all his behavior, learning,  and personality subdued to the truth of God. This was ultimate wisdom. In the truth of God, the forehead of men is described as negative or positive in light of His truth.  Those who are not faithful to Him are described as having the forehead of a whore. The self indulgent are said to have leprosy of the forehead. 

     The golden plate was held in place by a blue riband and the plate had crown written on it. The word used for crown is associated with the rite of the Nazarite. This is another indication of the High Priest being separated unto God. It also spoke of a coming High Priest who would not only be High

Priest but also a King forever. In every capacity he was, and forever is, committed to God. 

     Now it falls to all believers to use our frontal lobes in such a way as to bring holiness to the Lord. Follow and obey the Lord, He will show us how to make holy choices as we live our dedicated lives. Through Him, our minds can be renewed and God can have His loving family back.

     Reginald Heber was an English bishop but he also enjoyed writing hymns. After his death, his wife found the following words among his effects:

"Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty

Early in the morning, our song shall rise to Thee

All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and shy and sea." 

Years later, the words were rediscovered. A tune was added and now believers everywhere sing 

HOLINESS TO THE LORD. Way to put those frontal lobes to their best employ!!!!!

Bibledoorajar: The High Priest's Head Covering

      The mitre or head covering of the High Priest reflects a huge battle between Jesus Christ and the Antichrist. The High Priest was to always serve in the tabernacle before God and to be completely submitted to knowing and carrying out God's will. His white head covering had an eternal meaning for God described Himself as having hair white as wool. It speaks of His eternal wisdom from the beginning and that which demands submission.
     Jesus is described as having been known by God from the beginning. In John's revelation, we see Jesus standing among the candlesticks dispensing wisdom to the churches and demanding submission. He has hair white as wool. The wisdom dispensed is eternal and is played out in the N.T. as it was in the O.T. He is the Head of the Church and we who serve are to be completely submitted to knowing and carrying out His will. He is the Pattern Son, having submitted Himself fully even to death. We honor Him as Perfect Wisdom from eternity. He is to be obeyed.
     The Bible speaks of another who seeks to rule and reign as Wisdom Himself does. Some feel He exerts his force now via an Antichrist spirit that will ultimately be overcome. Others believe this spirit exists, but also believe that Satan himself will manifest personally in the end of time to attempt to wrest Christ's eternal position before God in an ultimate battle. However it is, God has said that the war ends with Satan being completely and finally overcome. He just never has gotten the meaning of the head covering. And he never will. He doesn't have the hair for the job!

    "My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim
     To spread through all the earth abroad, The honors of Thy name.

     Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb, Your loosened tongues employ;
     Ye blind, behold your Savior come; And leap, ye lame, for joy! Amen"
                O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing by Charles Wesley


   

Bibledoorajar: Entering Before God

     The Bible says that when Aaron went into the temple God was pleased with his ascent because pomegranates and bells adorned the hem of his robe. From this report onward, the pomegranate is used as a symbol of righteousness in the Old Testament. They had a prominent place on the temple columns and King Solomon is said to have designed his crown based on the crown of the pomegranate. The pomegranate is one of seven species of fruits and grains that are special products of the Land of Israel to this day. It is still customary for Jews to eat pomegranates on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and their time of reflection. Some Jewish scholars say the fruit represents fruitfulness, knowledge and wisdom. Today, health gurus tell us of the wonderful life saving antioxidants found in the seed of the pomegranate and they tell us it would be wise to eat them and drink their juice. 

      So we can imagine the High Priest walking across the earth into the tabernacle with bells tinkling and pomegranates shining. It was a scene of a man dedicated to the praise and glory of the God of the earth and the Jewish people. God would hear him coming even as the people heard him going because of the golden tinkle of the bells. The symbolism was sufficient for Aaron to remain alive in the presence of God and to send a holy message to those of the world. 

      Jesus, our High Priest, is a Man dedicated to the praise and glory of His Father and He stands alive in the presence of the Holy God. The world may refuse to hear the holy sounds and see the holiness of His wisdom and fruitfulness, but for those whose eyes have been opened it is a blessed event. In spirit, we are there with Him. Our praise and godly wisdom shine out and our Father is pleased. What a wonderful High Priest!

                   

Verse Concepts

For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens..."  Hebrews 7:26