Bread and meat…now those are two requirements for my kind of meal. In Exodus 29 I was reading about the ordination ceremony for Aaron and his sons. When I came upon Exodus 29:33, it was either my mind or my stomach decided to camp on this verse. It may be a stretch, but here’s what went through my thoughts:
Verse 33 says, “They alone may eat the meat and bread used for their purification.”
When we go out to dinner, Tim often reminds me to not fill up on the bread that most restaurants bring to the table before the meal. I could make a meal off of bread. But in Matthew 4:4 we read about Christ’s response to Satan when the devil was trying to tempt Christ; “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” So in my crazy attempt to intertwine the scriptures so that we all can relate, without taking anything away from God’s original plan, I pondered on the verses from Exodus and Matthew and said to myself:
“When we become a Christian, we are much like Aaron and his sons. We are priests. Not in the sense that we then stand behind a podium and preach God’s word, but we all do stand up for God and share His word and love. We do indulge in some bread. We are told by Jesus in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Amen and Yummy! I can fill up on Jesus anytime. But, going back to Matthew 4:4, my mind contemplated on…it’s all good to “fill up on Jesus”, but we all need to get to the “meat of the matter” and spend time in the bible, God’s words. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,…” When we combine the “meat and bread” of our Christian walk, we fill cleansed (purified).
When we continue in verse 33 from Exodus it says, “…for these things are set apart and holy”. Guess what…We are set apart and made holy! 1 Peter 2:9 reminds us Christians, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 1:15-16, “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
So, don’t just fill up on bread, indulge in some meat, and lots of it!
Blessings to you.
February 13
