It Starts Small

I was suprised to learn my sister has pomagranate trees growing in her yard. It’s funny because they dont really care for the fruit. I’ve been sharing a little something I have learned in Exodus 28. God gives the Isrealites the custom and command of what the priests and chief priest, Aaron is suposed to wear while ministering in the Tabernacle. I’ve focused in on Aaron, because he was the Chief Priest. Everyday I praise my Heavenly Father I am born in this age after CHrist’s finished work on the cross!

When Aaron entered into the Holy of Holies he had to be wearing a certain robe. AS Christians we are blessed that we no longer have to follow after the tradition and rules of the law, but it is there to teach us. Aaron’s robe represented the finished work of CHrist and how we are to no longer sweat. We can wear fresh linen everyday and rest in our Savior and let him do all the work. Then we learned it was adorned with bells. The golden bells represent the sounding of our confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. Today, we learn about the pomegranants.

³³ And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: ³⁴ A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. Exodus 28:33-34

I chuckled when I first read this. I was imagining actual pomegranates hanging from the bottom of his robe between golden bells. I can not say for certain if they were actual or perhaps embroidered, but it was comical to me. I wondered if they were real if they had to be changed every day or every other day as you didn’t want stinky smelly fruit hanging off your robe.

Many people will ring the bells of Christ but have no fruit in their lives. They give lip service to God, but do not stop toiling nor do they have any fruit to show. Some people show up to produce fruit but do not ring the bells. I believe the fruit is a picture of us and what we truly are. Not only do we need to rest and surrender our lives to Christ, but we need to ring the bells AND we wear the fruit as evidence to other when we ring the bell, that it is truth we proclaim.

When we rest in Christ, two manifestations happen:

#1 Testimony
#2 Fruit

IF there is no testimony and no fruit, you’re not a priest. You are not ready to worship and come into the Holy of Holies, the presence of God if these are not actively present in our lives.

So what do I mean by fruit?

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

These are nine characteristics evident in our daily lives. Notice God says fruit, and fruits. Often you hear teachers and pastors say fruit’s’, but there are not nine different fruits, there is only one and they encompass all nine characteristics. These fruit are made manifest by the Holy Spirit. The only way to have these characteristics present in our lives is through the Holy Spirit. Others will know when you are speaking truth by the fruit you display in your life.

You can not have or wear this fruit without the Holy Spirit. Our lives and who we are on the outside is linked to who we are on the inside who has control over our heart. You can not ring the bells of Christ or have the fruit of the Spirit manifest in your life if you are wearing wool. The sweat of evil works and sin will not bring a testimony of Christ or the fruit of the Spirit.

When we enter into the presence of God, we need to make sure we are properly dressed.

Are you dressed right?
Does your heart desire to ring the bells for Christ?
In there evidence of fruit in your daily living?

Do not just ring the bells and live a life without laying it down to Christ. Do not expect fruit to exist without wearing the linen. Only by wearing all three can we then enter into the presence of our Heavenly Father.