Exodus 28-29; Psalm 22:1-10; Acts 7

Exodus 28-29

28:1ff - Vestments for the Priesthood
Nothing but the best for the "glorious adornment of your brother Aaron: gold with blue, purple and crimson yarns, fine twisted linen, skillfully worked."

28:35 - The bells at the bottom of Aaron's robe would prevent him from dying as he entered and left the holy place.

29:1ff - Ordination of the Priests
A lot of gore and smoke and blood--some of it sprinkled on the priests and on their vestments of gold and fine linen. Oil and blood would stain these fine garments (v. 21), which were to pass from generation to generation (vv. 29-30). Any significance in this?


29:38-46 - Daily Offerings

1. Morning - lamb with flour, oil and wine
2. Evening - lamb with grain and wine (drink offering)

Psalm 22:1-10 Messianic Psalm of David

v. 1 - "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" [See Mark 15:34 for fulfillment.]

v. 8 - In derision: "Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver -- Let him rescue the one in whom he delights!" [See Mark 15:29-33 for fulfillment.]

Acts 7 Stephen's Speech to the Council: Succinct history of Israel, beginning with Abraham

Note vv. 19, 21 - The cruel Egyptian leader "forced our ancestors to abandon their infants so they would die...when [Moses] was abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter...." [NRSV] A different take on Moses' bulrushes story -- he was laid there not to be rescused, but die." Reading the Exodus 2 account gives no different indication.

v. 35 - Those we reject as unworthy God sometimes chooses to use for His purposes.

v. 35ff - "It was this Moses" who

• Was rejected by his own - "Who made you a ruler and a judge?"
• God sent as both ruler and liberator
• Led his people out of Egypt
• Said to the Israelites, "God will raise up a prophet for you from your own people"
• Was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai
• Received the living oracles to give to us [the Jewish nation]
• Our ancestors pushed aside

v. 51ff - Stephen's accusations [Any wonder why they wanted to kill him?]

• You are stiff-necked
• You're uncircumcised in heart and ears
• You're forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors did
• Your ancestors killed those who foretold of the coming of the Righteous One
• Now you have become his betrayers and murderers
• You received the law as ordained by angels, yet you have not kept it

v. 54ff - Stephen's Vision and Prayer - Faithful to the end.

• "I see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
• "Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit."
• "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."