📅 July 4, 2025
📖 DAILY BIBLE READING
✨ Exodus 29 – Consecration, Sacrifice, and Presence – God’s Path to Priestly Nearness
⛺ The consecration of the priests, the holiness of the altar, and the daily offering before the face of God
══════════════════════════════════════════════
📜 Bible Text – Exodus 29 (KJV)
1 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,
2 And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.
3 And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams.
4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:
6 And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.
7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.
8 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.
9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.
10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.
11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the Lord, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.
13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.
14 But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.
15 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.
17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.
18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the Lord: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
19 And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.
21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.
22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration:
23 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the Lord:
24 And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the Lord.
25 And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the Lord: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
26 And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the Lord: and it shall be thy part.
27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons:
28 And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’ by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the Lord.
29 And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons’ after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.
30 And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.
31 And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.
32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
33 And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.
34 And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.
35 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.
36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.
37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:
40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.
43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.
44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office.
45 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.
46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God.
══════════════════════════════════════════════
🔵 Introduction
Exodus chapter 29 gives detailed instructions for the ordination of the priests and the establishment of the daily sacrificial system. Amid rituals, animals, blood, and clothing, one thing becomes clear: God wants to be near His people. Yet this nearness is not arbitrary; it happens under conditions of purity, dedication, and divine order. The appointment of Aaron and his sons as priests and the sanctification of the altar express God’s desire to dwell among His people—and at the same time His holiness, which makes access to Him anything but casual.
══════════════════════════════════════════════
🟡 Commentary
1. The Consecration of the Priests (Verses 1–35)
God commands a multi-day, sacred consecration process to establish Aaron and his sons in the priesthood. The elements of the ceremony are multi-layered:
-
Purity and Preparation (v. 4): Washing with water before the Tent of Meeting.
-
Robing (vv. 5–6): The priestly garments signify dignity, responsibility, and belonging.
-
Anointing with Oil (v. 7): A sign of divine calling and spiritual empowerment.
-
Sin Offering and Burnt Offering (vv. 10–18): Animals are slaughtered to atone for sin and sanctify the altar.
-
“Filling the Hands” (v. 24): A symbolic act of placing the priestly calling into their hands.
-
Sprinkling with Blood and Anointing Oil (vv. 20–21): A powerful image of purification and empowerment by both blood and Spirit.
Especially significant is the combination of sacrificial blood and anointing oil—atonement and commissioning joined. This combination is foundational for any spiritual office.
2. The Consecration of the Altar (Verses 36–37)
The altar itself is to be “purified” and sanctified over seven days. The place of sacrifice must be as holy as the one offering. This emphasizes God’s demand for holiness—not just of the heart, but of sacred space.
3. The Daily Offering (Verses 38–42)
Twice daily, young lambs are to be sacrificed, along with grain and drink offerings. This regular practice serves as:
-
A daily reminder of dependence on God
-
A continual invitation to fellowship with Him
-
A basis for God’s self-revelation (vv. 42–43)
4. God’s Promise of Presence (Verses 43–46)
The goal of all consecration, ritual, and sacrifice is clearly stated:
“I will dwell among the children of Israel and be their God.” (v. 45)
The consecration is not an end in itself. God sanctifies people and place so that real communion between Creator and creature becomes possible. This is the climax: a God who dwells among His people—a glimpse of Immanuel, “God with us.”
══════════════════════════════════════════════
🟢 Summary
Exodus 29 gives a detailed description of the priestly ordination process and the establishment of the daily sacrificial service. The ritual washing, robing, anointing, and offerings all reflect God’s demand for holiness and His desire for nearness. The chapter closes with a divine promise: God wants to dwell among His people—but this nearness is tied to obedience, holiness, and ongoing dedication.
══════════════════════════════════════════════
📢 Message for Us Today
We live in a time when many seek God’s nearness—yet often without awareness of His holiness. This chapter reminds us:
-
God is holy – Access to Him requires cleansing and devotion.
-
Calling is not status, but service – The priests had their “hands filled” not to rule, but to serve.
-
God’s presence has a purpose – Not just inspiration, but transformation through relationship.
-
Spiritual rhythm matters – The daily offering shows us: spiritual life needs consistency.
Christ fulfilled all these sacrifices once and for all. But the call to holiness and daily fellowship still remains (cf. Romans 12:1).
══════════════════════════════════════════════
💡 Reflection Questions
“Where God wants to dwell, space must be prepared.”
Are you willing to shape your life as a place of meeting with God? What might need to be cleansed, dedicated, or reordered so He can truly dwell—not just on Sundays, but every day?
~~~~~⛺~~~~~
📆 June 28 – July 05, 2025
📆 WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING
📖 Ellen G. White │ Patriarchs and Prophets – Chapter 14
✨ Destruction of Sodom
📖 Read online here
══════════════════════════════════════════════
🔵 Introduction
Sodom was beautiful, wealthy, and cultured—yet it was lost in guilt, sin, and ultimately in God’s judgment.
The story of Lot and the destruction of Sodom is more than a historical event.
It is a warning, an invitation, and a mirror for our own time.
Amid prosperity, pleasure, and religious indifference, we still hear God’s voice today:
“Flee for your life! Don’t look back.” (Genesis 19:17)
══════════════════════════════════════════════
🟡 Commentary
1. The Allure of Sodom – Outward Wealth, Inward Decay
Sodom was “like the garden of the Lord” (Genesis 13:10)—fertile, beautiful, and convenient. But:
-
Abundance led to pride.
-
Idleness corrupted character.
-
Wealth fueled selfishness and moral decay.
Sodom was prosperous—but spiritually dead.
2. God’s Warning – Grace Before Judgment
God sent angels to rescue Lot.
Lot was righteous, but hesitant.
His family was attached to comfort and possessions.
God’s grace is real—but it has a window of opportunity.
3. Lot’s Wife – A Heart in Sodom
She was on the path of rescue, but her heart looked back.
One last glance cost her life.
It’s not about where your feet are—but where your heart is.
4. The Consequences of Wrong Choices
Lot’s descendants (the Moabites and Ammonites) became enemies of God.
One wrong step led generations into ruin.
Personal decisions can have consequences that span generations.
5. The Contrast: Abraham and Lot
Abraham lived by faith as a stranger and pilgrim.
Lot sought comfort—and nearly lost everything.
Faith chooses what is eternal, even when it is hard today.
══════════════════════════════════════════════
🟢 Summary
The downfall of Sodom is:
-
a testimony to God’s patience—but also His justice,
-
a mirror of today’s moral condition,
-
a call to repentance,
-
a reminder: wealth without God is dangerous,
-
a warning: do not delay when God calls!
══════════════════════════════════════════════
📢 Message for Us Today
We live in a world like Sodom—marked by prosperity, selfishness, and moral relativism.
God’s grace still calls today—not to condemn, but to save.
Don’t delay when God calls—the time of grace is limited.
Your choices affect your family, your descendants, and your eternity.
Seek the better homeland—the city whose builder and maker is God.
══════════════════════════════════════════════
💬 Reflection Question
Where is my “Sodom”? Where do I choose comfort over obedience?
Do I hesitate like Lot—even though I know God’s voice?
Is my heart more attached to possessions, career, and security—or to God’s will?
Do I live like Abraham—a guest in this world, waiting for the heavenly?
