How does Exodus 29:32 emphasize the importance of consuming holy offerings today? Setting the Verse in Context Exodus 29 describes the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests. Verse 32 commands, “At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting they are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket”. This meal came after the sacrificial blood was applied and the priests were anointed, underscoring that fellowship with God follows atonement. Key Themes Highlighted by the Command • Holy food must be consumed by holy people. • Eating signifies identification with the sacrifice—what is offered to God now sustains the priest. • The act occurs “at the entrance,” bridging God’s dwelling place and Israel’s camp; holiness flows outward through obedient consumption. Why Consuming the Offering Matters for Believers Today 1. Priestly Identity • 1 Peter 2:5—“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.” • Because every believer is now a priest in Christ, the pattern of priests eating what is sacrificed speaks to our ongoing call to partake of what is holy. 2. Continual Dependence • John 6:51—Jesus calls Himself “the living bread that came down from heaven.” Just as Aaron’s sons needed daily sustenance, we feed on Christ by faith, the One prefigured by the ram and bread. 3. Communion and Fellowship • 1 Corinthians 10:16—“Is not the bread we break a participation in the body of Christ?” • Participation requires ingestion; communion is not a spectator event but a personal, inward reception. 4. Covenant Renewal • Hebrews 13:10—“We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.” In Christ, believers possess a better altar, yet the principle persists: covenant people renew fellowship by eating what God provides. Practical Implications • Approach the Lord’s Table with the seriousness Aaron’s sons showed when eating consecrated food. • Feed on Scripture daily; God’s Word is holy provision (Jeremiah 15:16). • Guard from trivializing worship—holy things are meant to be received with reverence and gratitude. Summing Up Exodus 29:32 teaches that once sin is dealt with, God invites His priests to eat what has been made holy. Today, cleansed by Christ’s sacrifice, believers demonstrate ongoing fellowship and dependence by consuming the holy—Christ in communion, His Word in study, and His presence in daily life. |
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