Today’s passage says this: “Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments in which they minister, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they go near the places that are for the people.”
Approaching our holy God must not be taken lightly. The Bible teaches us that the holy garments the priests were required to wear may symbolize the importance of having a holy and pure heart when approaching God. Indeed, the priests had to wear special clothes in order to minister in the inner rooms of the Temple. My brother, my sister, God is in His temple and His Spirit dwells in us… and He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Besides, because their garments were holy, the priests had to change their clothes before going back out to the public garments. What does that teach us?
Through Jesus’ sacrifice we “are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9). Through Jesus’ sacrifice too, we now all have direct access to God. Yet, one thing has not changed: unless our garments are pure and holy, this is not possible. The Bible tells us this “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes” (Zechariah 3:3-4). The Good News about this is that we don’t need to do anything to deserve God’s mercy: the Lord will remove filthy clothes (our sins), then provide us with fine new clothes (the righteousness and holiness of God) to allow us to get closer to Him. My friend, when Satan tries to make you feel dirty and unworthy, remember that the clean clothes of Christ’s righteousness make you worthy to draw near God. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.