Morning

February 17

Exodus 28:35-37 ³⁵Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die. ³⁶"Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. ³⁷Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban.

Once a year the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of the Atonement Lamb. There he would sprinkle the blood before the Lord. Around the bottom of his robe were bells that sounded as he walked to remind him that he was ministering before a holy God who was aware of his presence. A tradition says that the other priests would tie a rope around his ankle in case they had to drag out his dead body. If the priest was not right with God or did not function according to God's command, he might be struck dead!

On the turban and over the priest's forehead was a gold plate that read 'Holy to the LORD'. As the priest entered, he would be in the presence of the glowing ball of light, the Shekinah Glory, which hovered over the ark. It was a visible manifestation of the invisible God.

When Jesus died, the great curtain that the priest went through to enter this place was torn from top to bottom. We now have free access to God. We do not need to fear sudden death because of our sin in the presence of a Holy God, for the atonement blood of Jesus is over us. That blood is the blood all the other sacrifices looked forward to. Our minds are dedicated to God as His instruments, and so, God sees the same golden sign over our foreheads, 'Holy to the LORD'. We are made priests unto God (1Peter 2:5).

Meditation: God has made a way for you to come into His presence through Jesus. Enter in!