Exodus 29 “What It Means to Be Holy”

Exodus 29 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Chris Tomlin – Holy Forever
• Sanctuary – Randy Rothwell
• Set Apart – Worship Central

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• What Does This Bible Verse Mean?? (Grace Through Faith EXPLAINED) | Bible Stories for Kids – Lesson for Kids
• Made For This | Maker Fun Factory VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• God Is Always With Us | Holy Land Adventures: Egypt VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• There is Power in the Blood | HLA Wilderness Escape | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth arelocated in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

The following instructions pertain to the process of appointing a priest. This process is referred to as an “ordination rite” (v.1), which literally means “a procedure for setting apart.” The Hebrew word qadosh, meaning “holy,” also carries the sense of “to set apart.” By nature, only God is truly holy. Human beings and all created things are inherently touched by impurity and therefore must be set apart according to God’s prescribed procedures. That which is set apart through these procedures is then acknowledged as “holy.”

The priest is someone set apart as holy from among sinners, and only when all the people recognize this separation can the priest fulfill his office. God gives intricate and detailed instructions to ensure that the people acknowledge the priest’s holiness (vv. 2–37). These rites are to be carried out over a week. This extended period helps the people recognize the priest’s holiness and obey his authority. Their attitude toward the priest was directly tied to their attitude toward God.

Through this procedure, the priest—who has been set apart as holy—must offer a year-old lamb as a burnt offering every morning and evening at the altar of the Tabernacle. He must also present the designated grain offering and drink offering (vv. 38–41) along with the burnt offering. The daily burnt offering must never be skipped—not even for a single day. When this is faithfully carried out, God promises, “There I will meet with you and speak to you… There I will also meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory” (vv. 42–43). God further declares, “I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God” (v. 45).

Then, the people of Israel will come to understand why God brought them out of Egypt (v. 46). He made them into a kingdom of priests and used them to bring salvation to all nations.

Meditation:

The Law could not make anything truly holy. The holiness that could be obtained through the Law was merely a matter of designation—that is, setting something apart as holy. Through meticulous procedures, certain things were declared “holy” and regarded as such. Though not inherently holy, they were treated as holy by communal agreement. This understanding sustained the entire system of the Law-based religion. The Tabernacle, its furnishings, the priest, and even the priest’s garments were not intrinsically holy. They were set apart by prescribed rituals and recognized as holy by the people.

In this way, the Law divided everything into categories of “holy” and “unclean.” The priest was considered holy, while others were seen as unclean. The Tabernacle was considered holy, while all other places were deemed unclean. The Sabbath was seen as holy, while other days were not. The people of Israel were considered holy, while all other nations were considered unclean. Some foods were called holy, while others were regarded as unclean.

Jesus Christ rejected all traditions and customs that divided the world into categories of holiness and impurity. He taught that everything God has made is inherently holy and that this holiness can be restored. Not only is the Sabbath holy, but every moment governed by God is holy. Not only are priests holy, but all people are holy. Not only are the people of Israel holy, but all of God’s creation is holy. Jesus also declared, “All food is clean” (Mark 7:19). His teaching was that everything is holy by nature but has become defiled by sin; therefore, the goal is to restore its holiness.

According to Jesus’ teaching, not just a select group becomes holy priests; rather, all who believe become holy priests. This is why the Apostle Peter says that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people” (1 Peter 2:9). Likewise, the Apostle Paul refers to believers as “saints.” This means that through faith, we have already become holy beings.

The more we read and reflect on the regulations of the Law, the more we realize how astonishing, gracious, and truly liberating the gospel of Jesus Christ is. Praise be to Jesus!

Prayer:

We thank You, Father God, for Your grace that declares us righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ and transforms us into righteous beings through the Holy Spirit. In this world where gaining more has become the purpose of life, hold us fast so that we may instead live with the purpose of being holy and walk steadfastly in that calling. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Because of Jesus, we don’t need to go through special rituals or wear special clothes to be close to God. We are already made holy through faith and can live every day as God’s special people.

• For Preschool-Elementary
  • What does it mean to be “holy” or “set apart” for God?
  • Do you believe that you are special to God? Why or why not?
  • What are some things you can do to live as someone who belongs to God?
    
• For Youth
  • In the Old Testament, people had to follow many rules to be called “holy.” Why do you think Jesus changed that?
  • How does it make you feel to know that, through faith, you are already considered holy?
  • Living a holy life means living differently from the world. What’s one quiet or personal way you can live out your faith this week—at home, school, or online?