Imagine a doctor who lectures patients on the dangers of smoking but takes cigarette breaks between appointments. The same could be said of the religious leaders in the Bible.
In Matthew 23:1-26, Christ condemned hypocrisy stating that the religious leaders prioritized outward appearances over genuine intimacy with God. The most disturbing part was that they didn’t care about the most important thing; the souls of men. They stood as hindrances to those who wanted to have a relationship with God; neither did they know God themselves.
In Exodus 29-30, God gave detailed instructions of consecration for the priests and even the Israelites. It ranged from how to carry out burnt offerings, and recipes for both anointing oil and incense. All these were to be done as means of consecration of God’s people, setting them apart from others.
As believers, consecration now means dedicating our lives to God as that is the sacrifice that is pleasing to him (Romans 12:1). This we do by honouring him with our lives thereby giving him glory.
Reflection: What steps have you put in place to ensure your consecration to God?
Today’s reading
Exodus 29-30
And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without blemish,
and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil (you shall make them of wheat flour).
You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, with the bull and the two rams.
Matthew 23: 1-26
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,
saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.