Day 19: Exodus 27:1-31:18

To be completely honest, I dozed off a few times during this reading. It was a reference section for the priests of Israel to construct the Tabernacle, the elements of the Tabernacle, and the clothing that Aaron and his sons were supposed to where as part their duties.

The Altar of Burnt Offering, the Courtyard, the Oil for the Lampstand, the Ephod, the Priestly Garments, the Breastpiece are all described in this passage. What I thought was interesting was that the garment that Aaron wore as the chief priest had so much symbolism. His shoulders had badges with the names of six tribes of Israel on one shoulder and the names of the other six on the other shoulder. He represented the whole nation whenever he entered the Tabernacle. He wore a plate on his turban whenever he entered the Tabernacle that read, "HOLY TO THE LORD". As a representative of the entire nation of people, he had to be holy before God, lest he be struck dead by God's holiness. Everything about this whole process- the strict blueprints for the tabernacles and the rituals to consecrate the priests and to atone for the sins of the people, the type of yarn to use for the garments- seems to me to be a huge lesson in re-orienting the people to the LORD, to set them apart for Him, to develop in them other-worldly focus.

I do find today's passage brutal at times. I do not know how often offerings were to be given yet. That part has not been discussed in the Scripture, but the the way in which this animals were killed, their blood drained, then sprinkled or burned, their fat burned, and their flesh consumed, was part of the reading. I kept thinking about how much blood shed and death must have hung over the Tabernacle. The sounds and cries of slaughtered animals, the smell of death, the smoke coming from the burnt offerings. The suffering and death of these animals was the atonement for the people. That death and suffering was the LORD ordained consequence of and remedy to their sinful actions. My assumption is that, at least for the entire duration of their stint in the desert, animals would have been slaughtered and their bodies and blood would have been used in these rituals daily. If that is not a powerful allegory/teaching tool, I am not sure what is.

Well, I am tired, and I need to sleep.

1817 pages to go.