Daily Scripture Reading Exodus 28:31 - 29:9

Many people, including many Christians, do not like the teaching that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. They reject the notion that people should be afraid of God. However, the Bible clearly says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Today’s passage illustrates why that statement is true.

The 28th chapter of Exodus describes the garments for the priests. Their clothing was to be holy, glorious, and beautiful. The garments included multiple layers and pieces, such as a robe, tunic, ephod, breastpiece, turban, and sash.

Ex. 28:31 ¶ “You shall make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue.

Ex. 28:32 There shall be an opening at its top in the middle of it; around the edge of its opening there shall be a binding of woven work, like the opening of a coat of mail, so that it will not be torn.

Take note of the phrase “so that it will not be torn.” It was required for the priestly clothing to be whole and undamaged. We saw in previous readings in Exodus that the garments were made of expensive materials and that much time and skill were utilized in creating them. The requirement to make sure the neck opening did not tear was in line with the desire for the priestly garments to communicate holiness, beauty, and glory.

Ex. 28:33 You shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, all around on its hem, and bells of gold between them all around:

Ex. 28:34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around on the hem of the robe.

Take note that there were bells on the robe.

Ex. 28:35 It shall be on Aaron when he ministers; and its sound shall be heard when he comes into the holy place before Yahweh and when he goes out, so that he will not die.

The purpose of the bells was to make sound when Aaron walked into and out of the holy place.

Ponder the phrase “so that he will not die.” If the failure to have bells ringing when Aaron entered the holy place meant death, that showed how very special the holy place was. Aaron could not be casual or lackadaisical when he went into and out of the holy place. He had to follow God’s instructions precisely. The threat of death caused Aaron and the priests to fear God.

The Bible clearly says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. This passage illustrates why that statement is true. If the priests were wise, they were afraid to disobey God. If they were foolish, they were not afraid to disobey God.

Many people, including many Christians, do not like the teaching that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. They reject the notion that people should be afraid of God. However, the Bible says what it says. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom because Yahweh is so powerful He can put any person to death at any moment of His choosing. If Yahweh says, “Do this or die,” then the wise person will believe that and act accordingly.

Ex. 28:36 ¶ “You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, ‘Holy to Yahweh.’

This plate was a reminder that Yahweh is the God they were serving. The priest was set apart to serve Yahweh and no one else.

Ex. 28:37 You shall fasten it on a blue cord, and it shall be on the turban; it shall be at the front of the turban.

Ex. 28:38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall take away the iniquity of the holy things which the sons of Israel set apart as holy, with regard to all their holy gifts; and it shall continually be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before Yahweh.

Look at the words “that they may be accepted.” The pronoun “they” refers to the holy gifts. The holy gifts that the Israelites brought to Yahweh were not automatically accepted. They were accepted only if the priest followed God’s instructions.

The New Testament contains many commands regarding how we should do church. Some people think those commands are optional. They overemphasize God’s love and compromise on God’s standards. However, just as Yahweh did not accept a holy gift if the priest was not dressed correctly, so too Yahweh may not approve of our church services if we do not follow His requirements for how to conduct church.

Ex. 28:39 ¶ “You shall weave the tunic of checkered work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash, the work of a weaver.

Ex. 28:40 ¶ “For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics; you shall also make sashes for them, and you shall make caps for them, for glory and for beauty.

Notice the words “Aaron’s sons.” It wasn’t just the high priest who needed to be dressed in a manner that set him apart. All the priests needed clothing that was glorious and beautiful.

Ex. 28:41 You shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him; and you shall anoint them and ordain them and set them apart as holy, that they may minister to Me as priests.

Ex. 28:42 You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh; they shall reach from the loins even to the thighs.

Ex. 28:43 They shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they come into the tent of meeting or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not incur guilt and die. It shall be a perpetual statute to him and to his seed after him.

Notice the words “guilt” and “die.” Once again, we see the necessity of obeying Yahweh.

Ex. 29:1 ¶ “Now this is what you shall do to them to set them apart as holy to minister as priests to Me: take one bull from the herd and two rams without blemish,

Ex. 29:2 and unleavened bread and unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil; you shall make them of fine wheat flour.

Ex. 29:3 And you shall put them in one basket and bring them near in the basket along with the bull and the two rams.

Ex. 29:4 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons near to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.

Ex. 29:5 And you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the tunic and the robe of the ephod and the ephod and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod;

Ex. 29:6 and you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban.

Ex. 29:7 Then you shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.

Ex. 29:8 And you shall bring his sons near and put tunics on them.

Ex. 29:9 You shall gird them with sashes, Aaron and his sons, and bind caps on them, and they shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute. So you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

The ordination service signified the exact moment that a priest became a priest and incurred the benefits and responsibilities of the priesthood.

Aaron and his sons had to be very careful when they were in the tabernacle. If they disobeyed God’s commands, they ran the risk of incurring guilt and dying. That meant they had to fear disobeying God.

Many people, including many Christians, do not like the teaching that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. They reject the notion that people should be afraid of God. However, the Bible says what it says. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom because Yahweh is so powerful He can put any person to death at any moment of His choosing. If Yahweh says, “Do this or die,” then the wise person will believe that and act accordingly. A foolish person will ignore God’s command and suffer the consequences.

Are you wise or foolish in how you regard the commands of God?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”