“And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.” (Exodus 28:38)
This was the Lord’s commandment for Aaron when he ministered before the Lord. By bearing the Name of God, “Holiness to the Lord,” Aaron could come before the Lord and be accepted when he brought the “iniquity of the holy things,” the gifts brought for sacrifice.
Aaron was a man selected by God to minister before Him as high priest. Yet, he was only a man. He had sin and could die coming before the Lord. He also brought before the Lord, the gifts for sacrifice, which symbolically bore the sins of the people. Because He strictly followed God’s command, He could come before God and present these offerings and not die because of sin. He was protected by this golden plate engraved with the words, “Holiness to the Lord.”
We have a high priest in heaven who lives and intercedes for us. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” (Hebrews 4:14) On the cross Jesus took all sin, past, present and future of the whole world, of those who lived in the past, who live in the present and who will live in the future. He died for sin so that we wouldn’t have to suffer death for our sin. But even now Jesus intercedes as our high priest, coming before the Father, in His holiness, bringing His offering for our sin which is accepted. This is not a new sacrifice He presents, but His sacrifice on the cross. He doesn’t bear a golden plate with the words “Holiness to the Lord,” but He is the Holy One and Lord.
What is the “iniquity of the holy things” today? While it is true, we are sinless before God because we are in Jesus Who is holy and righteous, we sin. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1John 1:8) All our gifts to the Lord are tainted with the worldly part of us, the flesh that sins. The words “iniquity of the holy things” should bring a dread to our hearts. Charles Spurgeon, that renown British preacher of the Victorian age, detailed this. “The iniquities of our public worship, its hypocrisy, formality, lukewarmness, irreverence, wandering of heart and forgetfulness of God, what a full measure have we there! Our work for the Lord, its emulation, selfishness, carelessness, slackness, unbelief, what a mass of defilement is there! Our private devotions, their laxity, coldness, neglect, sleepiness, and vanity, what a mountain of dead earth is there!” Our “iniquity of the holy things” is in that list. We say we are human and not perfect. What we are actually saying is “I am not perfected yet. The flesh rules in my life in some areas.” This is not new news, and it shouldn’t be. Each one of us is aware of our own defects, our weaknesses and our failures. Let’s not deceive ourselves. Jesus is still perfecting us. The Holy Spirit is still teaching us and helping us. So, let’s not present ourselves as already perfected. That will come after this flesh is in the ground.
Our desire is to be perfect before the Lord. But as long as we are on this earth, we will always be tainted with it. Pride desires this for self-gratification and to feed our prideful ego. But patiently as the Lord reveals sin to us, we must repent and allow the Holy Spirit to work righteousness in us. It’s a never-ending process of being perfected. Do we want perfection because we want others to see and admire? This is vanity. The work of the Holy Spirit is not for others but for the Lord. He is perfecting and making us more in His image for His glory. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2Corinthians 3:18) Is the perfecting too much for you? ...too taxing? This is indolence or slothfulness of our faith. Every little effort is worth the reward.
What then should we do? Continue in faith. We don’t have to worry about our “iniquity of the holy things.” We need to recognize each one as the Holy Spirit reveals each one in its time to be dealt with. It’s beneficial for us, yes, but it’s for His glory and not for show. Deal with the sin revealed, doing what is required, so that you can continue to be perfected. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9) God does the rest. “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven;” (Colossians 1:21-23).
Comments