Only the sons of Aaron

                                                              1 Chronicles 6: 49-60

 

February 15, 2023

 

But Aaron and his sons made offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense for all the work of the Most Holy Place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.  These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,  Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,  Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,  Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.

These are their dwelling places according to their settlements within their borders: to the sons of Aaron of the clans of Kohathites, for theirs was the first lot, to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands,  but the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.  To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah with its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands, Hilen with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands,  Ashan with its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasturelands;  and from the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon, Geba with its pasturelands, Alemeth with its pasturelands, and Anathoth with its pasturelands. All their cities throughout their clans were thirteen.

O how we need Aaron and his sons to make atonement for the United States of America.  To lead us in the calling of being a holy people before God and man,  So who are those Aarons?  Let me introduce you to them and you may be shocked at who they are, they are identified in 1 Peter 2:1-9.

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 

 

 

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,  you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”^[ and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense  They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

This addresses all who have entered Christ and He has entered into them by faith.  They are the Church, not those who show up every Sunday, and try to in their own abilities to live out the Christ Life.  I hope you understand that only one person has lived that life and it requires Jesus to do it all for you, without Him, you can do nothing.

Many people have never left infancy, for one reason they have not spent time in prayer and in God’s Word, and have not grown up into Salvation.  Also many do not see themselves as God sees them as Priests, they do not want that responsibility.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Now that you understand your identity in Christ, it is time for action.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice