Who May Come to Worship God
The redeemed
The cleansed
The anointed
DBF Sunday Sermon, Exodus 30, 3/16/03
Many of us belong to groups of people who are united for differing purposes. Even here in Bristol Bay there are lots of groups to belong too.
Some may be in unions, schools, fraternities, clubs or the likes.
In Bristol Bay a lot of people are in BBAHC, BBNA, and BBNC. To vote in these organizations require you to be a member. To partake in what is offered you need to be a member.
Well God also had requirements for HIS nation when they came to present themselves for worship. Today we will view some of those as outlines in Chapter 30 of Exodus.
The redeemed
Exodus 30:1-16 (KJV)
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. [2] A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same. [3] And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. [4] And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal. [5] And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. [6] And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. [7] And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. [8] And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. [9] Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. [10] And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord.
[11] And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [12] When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. [13] This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord. [14] Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord. [15] The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls. [16] And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.
We will start this morning quickly touching on the Alter of Incense and God’s command to Moses in its requirements and atonement. All within the temple needed to be consecrated or atoned for. We see it in the Alter of Incense and we see it in the atonement or ransom for each soul.
To properly worship the people of the nation of Israel needed to be redeemed. I find it interesting that the age of redemption was 20. We as Born Again Christians have also been redeemed, when we called upon the name of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and repented of our sinfulness.
Then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul—This was a very important
ordinance, and should be seriously considered.
What have you or are you willing to give up for your soul?
When taken on the stage of Theological history we know full well that God was willing to give up “HIS only begotten son” for each soul that would call upon the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
We hear so many say today that it is their right to do thus and thus, and they are not willing to give up watching pornographic shows, shows with vulgarity or shows with overly sexual presentations.
We hear adults and teens saying they are not willing to give up their rap music, country and western or rock music…all of which have a pride of life and worldly center.
We see that God cared equally for the well to do and near do wells in HIS divine call upon the nation of Israel.
Half a shekel—Each of the Israelites was ordered to give as a ransom for his soul
(for his life) half a shekel, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. From this we
may learn,
1.That the life of every man was considered as being forfeited to Divine justice. Every knee shall bow every tongue confess…
2.That the redemption money given, which was doubtless used in the service of the
sanctuary, was ultimately devoted to the use and profit of those who gave it…in our call to be wise stewards it should be no less of a requirement today.
3.That the standard by which the value of coin was decided, was kept in the
sanctuary; for this appears to be the meaning of the words, after the shekel of the
sanctuary. (In the U.S. it would not do one well to receive Peso’s, Lira, or Yen if you are only dealing in U.S. currency)
4.The shekel is here said to be twenty gerahs. A gerah, according to Maimonides,
weighed sixteen barleycorns, a shekel three hundred and twenty of pure silver.
5.The rich were not to give more, the poor not to give less; to signify that all souls
were equally precious in the sight of God, and that no difference of outward
circumstances could affect the state of the soul; all had sinned, and all must be
redeemed by the same price.
6.This atonement must be made that there might be no plague among them,
intimating that a plague or curse from God must light on those souls for whom the
atonement was not made. Hell will be a plague to those who do not call upon the name of Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer.
7.This was to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, Exodus 30:16, to bring to
their remembrance their past deliverance, and to keep in view their future
redemption.
8.The Apostle Peter seems to allude to this, and to intimate that this mode of atonement was ineffectual in itself, and only pointed out the great sacrifice which, in the fullness of time, should be made for the sin of the world. “Ye know,” says he, “that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood
of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was
foreordained before the foundation of the world…” 1 Peter 1:18, 19, 20.
9.Therefore these things point to a time when Christ alone would make atonement through HIS blood; and upon him who is not interested in this atonement, God’s plagues must be expected to fall.
A ransom for his soul—What the sincere worshipper thus paid was at once the fruit and the sign of his faith in the goodness of Yahweh, who had redeemed him and brought him into the covenant. The payment is rightly called a ransom since it involved a personal appropriation of the fact of his redemption. We as New Testament believers are redeemed in the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
A memorial unto the children of Israel—The silver used in the tabernacle was a memorial to remind each man of his position before the Lord, as one of the covenanted people.
What do you bring to the work of Christ’s Church on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis?
God still expects us to be involved and to fully experience HIM in our daily lives, one important way we can do this is by not forsaking the tithes required to complete HIS “good and perfect” will.
[15] The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord…Remember that when you and I stand before Jesus Christ at the final judgment, We will not stand before HIM as Pastor Bruce, Probation Officer Bruce, or Sergeant Bruce…but will stand before God alone as Bruce, or Bill or Mary. We are all equal, do not make yourself to be greater than you will be at judgment…we are “set apart” to be servants of all.
The cleansed
Exodus 30:17-21 (KJV)
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [18] Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. [19] For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: [20] When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord: [21] So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
Another requirement to come to worship was that of cleansing for the Nation of Israel, and is equally important for New Testament believers.
A laver of brass—øåéë kiyor sometimes signifies a caldron, 1 Sam. 2:14; but it
seems to signify any large round vessel or basin used for washing the hands and feet.
Again, we see that the outer court works are of brass, the metal becoming ever more precious as one drew nearer and nearer to God. Just in the same manner that we are being remade into the precious pure image of Jesus Christ.
They shall wash with water, that they die not…washing was essential for anyone drawing close to the holy place of God. If they were not properly cleansed they would die.
You and I as New Testament believers must also be washed with the precious, precious blood of Jesus Christ, lest we would die also. Not only die but then be condemned to an eternity of damnation and Hell.
This washing was needful because at this time the priests all ministered barefoot; and it was equally important because of the guilt they might have contracted, for the washing was emblematical of the putting away of sin.
We are continually in need of cleansing as New Testament believers.
Zech. 13:1 (KJV) In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
Psalm 24:3-4 (KJV) Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? [4] He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Titus 3:5 (KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
You see the cleansing continues to this day to all who come before Christ for access to God.
Can you sing happily today;
“Have you been to Jesus for the cleaning power, are you washed in the blood of the Lamb…”
And it shall be a statute for ever…You and I are in need of continually insuring our cleanliness and worthiness as ministers “set apart”, “peculiar” unto God.
This is an important lesson each of us who are called to teach the people who minister the Gospel of Christ!
The anointed
Exodus 30:22-38 (KJV)
Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [23] Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, [24] And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: [25] And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. [26] And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, [27] And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, [28] And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. [29] And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. [30] And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office. [31] And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. [32] Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. [33] Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.
[34] And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: [35] And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: [36] And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy. [37] And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord. [38] Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.
Specific spices of anointing were required by Israel to have proper worship and to be allowed to come before God.
We also are a sweet savor because of our relationship to Christ.
By your faithful actions in accomplishing and experiencing God, how would you smell to God today? Would you be a sweet savor or a fowl stench?
Take—unto thee principal spices—From this and the following verse we learn that
the holy anointing oil was compounded of the following ingredients:—
Pure myrrh, øåøã øî mar deror, 500 shekels, 48 lbs. 4 oz.
Sweet cinnamon, íùá ïîð÷ kinnemon besem, 250 shekels, 24 lbs. 2 oz..
Sweet calamus, íùá äð÷ keneh bosem, or sweet 250 shekels, 24 lbs. 2 oz.. Calamus aromaticus.
Cassia, äã÷ kiddah, (cassia lignea), brought 500 shekels, 48 lbs. 4 oz..
Olive oil, úéæ ïîù shemen sayith, one hin, about 5 quarts.
As the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit are termed the anointing of the Holy Ghost,
therefore this holy ointment appears to have been designed as emblematical of those
gifts and graces.
Acts 1:5 (KJV)
For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Acts 10:38 (KJV)
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
2 Cor. 1:21 (KJV)
Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
1 John 2:20 (KJV)
But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
1 John 2:27 (KJV)
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
How were they to be made?
After the art of the apothecary—The original, ç÷ø rokeach, signifies a
compounder or confectioner; any person who compounds drugs, aromatics…except these were to be made by God’s direction. How did God intend it to be used?
Thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons…For the reason of anointing.
The anointing oil was an emblem of Divine teaching, and especially of those influences by which the Church of Christ was, in the beginning, guided into all truth; as is evident from the allusion to it by the Apostle John:
“Ye have an unction from the HOLY ONE, and ye know all things. The anointing which ye have received from him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but as
the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it
hath taught you, ye shall abide in HIM; 1 John 2:20, 27.
And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord. [38] Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people...THE Israelites were most strictly prohibited, by the most awful of penalties, from making any anointing oil or perfume similar to those described in this chapter.
If anyone made this as perfume they would be cut off, that is, excommunicated from God’s people, and so lose all right, title, and interest in the promises of God and the redemption of Israel.
We can plainly see how careful God was in preserving the sacredness of HIS worship that HE handed down to the nation of Israel through HIS truth, so as to prevent them from being adulterated by human inventions. It is God who set’s apart, God who saves, for HE will save men in HIS own way, and upon HIS own terms.
Most human inventions in religion, are worthless, and in general deceptive and ruinous.
God alone is able to make the way that is right unto man. Have you come to the point that you want to know this way.
First you must admit to God that you are a sinner, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Second, you must believe that Jesus is truly God’s only begotten son, who came to this world to offer himself as the only worth sacrifice for all sin of those who call upon HIS name.
Next, you are called to commit your life to the Lord above, in so doing HE will start to fill you with HIS “Agape” love so that you may start the transformation process of becoming more Christ-like on a daily basis.
You have been redeemed, cleansed, and anointed by accepting Jesus Christ. If you would like to pray the sinners prayer please come forward at this time.
If you have any prayer needs are concerns please let us know, we would love to pray for you and your important needs. Closing Prayer.
