MESSAGES
"Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor;
and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son;
for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there"
- Numbers 20:25-26 -
Prior to Aaron, the High Priest, death, God had told Moses, "strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son." Here God is speaking of Aaron's priestly garments, which are very symbolic of the attributes and characteristics of God. Aaron was to leave behind to his son, Eleazar, all his priestly articles of clothing. He was told not only to take them off of himself, but to put them on his son. Afterwards he would go to the top of Mt. Hor, and there he would die.
Aaron's son, Eleazar, would then wear the garments as a remembrance to his priestly father, as well as a reminder of his duties and responsibilities as the new High Priest.
We might say that Eleazar was now, "the man of the hour." He was now responsible to present the sin offerings and the burnt offerings to the Lord on behalf of the people. He was now the person accountable to make atonement for God's people. It was now his responsibility to set forth a godly example for the people of Israel to follow just as his father Aaron had done.
Here's my point. Though Aaron went home to be with the Lord, he left behind to his son, as well as to the people, a life that exemplified his God. He left behind a godly legacy, and his son, Eleazar, would follow in his father's footsteps.
In the Old Testament God's people had a priesthood, but today God's people are a priesthood. Peter says, "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:5,9; emphasis added).
As Christians, we are royal priests united with the Royal Priest, Jesus Christ. As God's priest we are to, minister and serve in such a way that it will always bring praise, honor and glory to the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus says that we're to, "let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16; emphasis added).
In the Old Testament the priest would offer up animal sacrifices (dead sacrifices) to the Lord. Today, because of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice, Old Testament sacrifices are no longer of any effect (Hebrews 9:11-12). Today, we His priests are to, "present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God…" (Romans 12:1; emphasis added). Our bodies, our lives are the only sacrifice that God will accept. Our lives are epistles known and read by all men (2 Corinthians 3:2). People read us by what we say and how we live.
My question to each of you is this: When the Lord decides to take you home, what type of garments will you have left behind to those who know you? In other words, what will be your legacy? How will people remember you? Will they remember not only the words they heard you say, but also the deeds they saw you live? Will they simply remember you as a good police officer or firefighter? Or will they remember you as a godly police officer or firefighter?
I'm reminded of the words on the tomb of Chinese philosopher Confucius, "He taught for 10,000 years." I pray that it will say on your tomb and my tomb, "He taught for eternity."
God bless you,
Pastor Steve |
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