Synod Emphasis Regulative Principle
By Rev. James Hakim A
s I write, our congregation is in the midst of a preaching series through Leviticus. In the two
most recent passages, we heard that God has established the rhythms of the believers’ lives around calling them to- gether (Lev 23) to shine His face upon them in blessing and bring them into the shared life of His fellowship (Lev 24:1–9).
One of the most glorious things that
living God has redeemed you to bring you under the smile of His glory and into His fellowship. And He has done this for an innumerable multitude who will enjoy Him forever in a new heavens and new earth. By His pre- scribed public worship, He punctu- ates their earthly lives with foretastes of this glory. Even now, in time, the Lord pro- vides His people a way of coming to Him to enjoy the shining of His face upon them as they are brought into fellowship with Him. He did this in those gatherings of the church that He established under Moses. And He has done it in our gatherings of the church that He has established under Christ.
6 In both ages in the life of the church, the Lord emphasizes to His people
the greatness of the end of their redemption by what they experience in public worship.
Leviticus begins with the calling (its name in Hebrew) of God from inside the tent of the meeting. This was necessary because Exodus ended with Moses unable to enter it (Ex 40:35). Even he who had been with the Lord on the mountain could not enter the tabernacle indwelt by God’s glory. So God would prescribe for them a way to meet Him. Step by step, He introduced the ascension (Lev 1, often called the “burnt offer- ing”), the drawing-near of tribute (Lev 2, often called the “grain offering”), and the drawing-near of peace (Lev 3, often called the “peace offering”). He even made pro- instructions for how priests could prepare to enter the tent itself (Lev 4–7). Finally, He consecrated the priests (Lev 8) and brought their ministry to fruition
this glorious sentence, “And Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting. And they came out. And they blessed the people. And the glory of YHWH was displayed unto all the people” (9:23). They entered! They blessed the people! And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people! Hallelujah! The tabernacle indwelt by God’s glory was now a tent of meeting, where they would be called to gather to that glory in blessing and fellowship.
Though wonderful, even this was a mere copy and shadow of the heavenly things (Heb 8:5), into which Christ has now entered (Heb 9:23–24). Christ is the Prophet that Moses prophesied (Deut 18:15–19, 34:10; Jn 1:1–2, 17–18). But He is also the Great High Priest, with Whom new prescriptions for the approach of God have come (Heb 7:11–12).
Our High Priest has passed through the heavens (Heb 4:14, cf. 10:23). And we enter the Holy of Holies by our union with Him (Heb 10:19). We pass through the
The Associate Reformed Presbyterian
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