Exodus 28:36-38 (ESV)

“You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the LORD.’ And you shall fasten it on the turban by a cord of blue. It shall be on the front of the turban. It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.”

This plate is attached to the turban with blue cords.

They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, “Holy to the LORD.” And they tied to it a cord of blue to fasten it on the turban above, as the LORD had commanded Moses. – Exodus 39:30-31 (ESV)

This forms a diadem (the type of crown mentioned in “Crown Him with Many Crowns”).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diadem

And he set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden plate, the holy crown, as the LORD commanded Moses. – Leviticus 8:9 (ESV)

The crown symbolizes power and authority. It declares that it’s all the LORD’s. It also keeps anyone from thinking that Moses is supposed to be the king.

But the big deal here it what this crown does. The holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts have guilt, which must be “borne” by Aaron so that they may be accepted before the LORD.

Their gifts have guilt? That’s depressing (if you think that people are capable of offering an acceptable gift). The truth is that the gifts are flawed – because of their sin. Without this special presentation, the gifts will not even be accepted before the LORD. Ouch.

They need a Messiah.

So does everyone. Too bad they don’t know it.

The great tragedy of Christianity – we love people we cannot save.

We can pray; we can preach, but it’s ultimately God’s job and God’s choice and we cannot control that.

But there’s something especially glorious about our efforts on their behalf. The pain we suffer is a holy pain – a sacrifice we offer up on the altar of God’s sovereignty. Never stop praying.

And keep your eyes open for God’s response. Sometimes He might grant your request in His own time, but there are many ways that He may give a more complex answer.

Be especially ready to have your prayers redirected. The Holy Spirit does that a lot.

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies