Hineni Reflections
Called for a Holy Purpose
Exodus 28:1–5
“Bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests.”
– Exodus 28:1 (ESV)
As we enter Exodus 28, the focus shifts from the structure of the Tabernacle to the people who would serve within it. God now speaks about Aaron and his sons, whom He has chosen to serve as priests before Him.
At first glance, Exodus 28 may seem like a chapter primarily about clothing. It contains detailed instructions about the ephod, the breastpiece, the robe, the turban, the sash and the other garments of the priest.
But behind all these details is a much deeper reality: God was preparing people for a holy calling. The garments were not merely clothes. They represented the holiness, responsibility and dignity of the ministry entrusted to the priest.
And before we look at the garments, we need to understand something more fundamental: “Why was a priest necessary in the first place?”
A Sinful People Before a Holy God
Israel had been brought out of Egypt and had entered into a covenant relationship with God. God desired to dwell among His people. But there was a profound problem.
The God who desired to dwell among them was holy, while the people were sinful. God’s presence was not something that could be approached casually.
The priesthood was therefore part of God’s provision for Israel. The priest would serve before God on behalf of the people. He would bring their offerings, intercede for them, and minister in the place where God’s presence was manifested.
The priest stood, in a representative sense, between the people and their holy God.
This does not mean that Aaron was an independent mediator who could forgive sins according to his own authority. God alone was the source of forgiveness and grace. The priest was an appointed servant within God’s covenant system.
And that distinction becomes essential when we look toward Jesus. The Old Testament priesthood was never the final answer. It was pointing toward someone greater.
God Is the One Who Calls
The first thing God says is not: “Find someone who wants to become a priest.” He says:
“Bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons…”
– Exodus 28:1 (ESV)
God Himself appoints them. Aaron did not create the priesthood. He did not campaign for the position. He did not establish himself as a spiritual authority.
This is an important principle throughout Scripture. God calls people for His purposes. Sometimes that calling is very clear and public. Sometimes it is understood gradually through circumstances, Scripture, gifts, opportunities and the confirmation of God’s people. And sometimes God’s reasons remain hidden from us.
The Mystery of God’s Calling
This raises a difficult question. Why does God choose one person for a particular purpose and another for something different?
We see this mystery in many places in Scripture. God chose Jacob rather than Esau before they were born. God chose Moses to lead Israel. He chose David from among Jesse’s sons. He chose the apostles. He chose Paul, who once persecuted the church, to become an apostle to the Gentiles.
We should be careful here. God’s calling does not mean that the person is inherently more valuable than someone else. It certainly does not mean that the person earned God’s choice through superior merit. The mystery of God’s sovereign purposes remains God’s own.
Paul reminds us:
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
– Romans 11:34 (ESV)
There are things about God’s purposes that we will understand only partially. And perhaps that is where humility begins. We do not need to understand every reason behind God’s calling in order to obey the calling He has given us.
The question is not always: “Why me?” Sometimes the more important question is: “Lord, since You have entrusted this to me, how should I be faithful?”
Calling Is Not a Reward
This is especially important when we think about Christian ministry. A calling should never become a reason for spiritual pride.
If God calls someone to preach, that does not make him more important than the person who quietly serves in the background. If God gives someone the gift of teaching, that does not make that person spiritually superior to someone with the gift of encouragement. If God calls someone to leadership, that leadership is not a reward. It is a responsibility.
The higher the responsibility, the greater the accountability. Jesus completely transformed the world’s understanding of greatness. When His disciples were concerned about who would be greatest, Jesus said:
“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant.”
– Matthew 20:26 (ESV)
Then He went even further:
“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
– Matthew 20:28 (ESV)
That is the model of Christian leadership.
A Minister Is Entrusted With People, Not Given Ownership of Them
This is perhaps one of the most important lessons we can draw from the priesthood. The priest was given responsibility for the people. He was never given ownership of the people. There is a significant difference.
A worldly leader may think: “These people belong to me.” A servant of Christ must remember: “These people belong to Christ, and God has entrusted them to me for a season.”
That changes the way we lead. We don’t manipulate people. We don’t use people to build our reputation. We don’t measure our worth by how many people follow us. We don’t make people dependent on us. Instead, we help people become increasingly dependent upon Christ.
John the Baptist understood this beautifully when he said of Jesus:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
– John 3:30 (ESV)
That should be the direction of every Christian ministry.
God Not Only Calls; He Equips
There is another detail in Exodus 28 that deserves our attention. God tells Moses:
“…whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom…”
– Exodus 28:3 (ESV)
The garments were to be made by people whom God had equipped with the necessary skill. This is remarkable. God did not simply give them a task and then leave them to figure it out. He gave them the ability necessary for the task.
The craftsmanship itself became part of God’s work. The Spirit of God was involved in the skills required to construct something beautiful and holy for God’s purposes.
This reminds us that God’s gifts are not limited to what we sometimes call “religious” abilities. Skill is a gift. Wisdom is a gift. Creativity is a gift. Leadership is a gift. Teaching is a gift. Encouragement is a gift. Practical service is a gift.
And in the New Testament, we see this principle expanded through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul writes:
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.”
– 1 Corinthians 12:4 (ESV)
He then describes different gifts given to different members of Christ’s body. Not everyone receives the same gift. Not everyone has the same responsibility. Not everyone serves in the same way. But the same Spirit gives the gifts.
The Gift Does Not Make the Person Greater
This is another important connection. If God gives someone an extraordinary gift, that gift is not evidence that the person is superior. It is evidence that God is generous.
Paul asks:
“What do you have that you did not receive?”
– 1 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)
That question destroys spiritual boasting. If my ability came from God, then I cannot boast as though I created it myself. If my opportunity came from God, I cannot treat it as my personal achievement. If my ministry came from God, I cannot turn it into my personal kingdom.
Everything returns to the Giver.
The Calling Carries Weight
There is another side to God’s calling that we should not overlook. The priest’s ministry was serious. He was entering the presence of a holy God.
The instructions concerning the garments were extraordinarily detailed because God was teaching Israel something: Holy things must not be treated casually.
The priest could not simply approach God’s presence according to his own preferences. He needed to follow God’s instructions. This should create reverence in anyone who serves God. Ministry is not a hobby. It is not a platform for self-expression. It is not primarily a career. It is an entrusted responsibility before God.
James gives a sobering warning:
“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
– James 3:1 (ESV)
The privilege of teaching God’s Word comes with responsibility.
The Servant Must First Belong to God
The priest’s garments ultimately communicated something about his identity. He was set apart for God. His ministry began with his relationship with God.
This principle remains true for Christian servants. Before we ask: “What can I do for God?” we should ask: “Do I belong to God?”
Before public ministry comes private surrender. Before preaching to others comes allowing God’s Word to speak to us. Before leading others comes allowing Christ to lead us. Before carrying people comes allowing Christ to carry us.
That is why the New Testament places such importance on the character of those who lead God’s people. Paul tells Timothy:
“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.”
– 1 Timothy 4:16 (ESV)
Notice the order: yourself → teaching. The servant’s life matters.
Aaron Points Beyond Aaron
Everything in Exodus 28 ultimately points us toward someone greater than Aaron. Aaron was a priest. But he was an imperfect priest. He needed sacrifices for himself. He eventually died. His priesthood passed to others. His ministry was temporary.
But Jesus is different. Hebrews calls Him:
“a great high priest”
– Hebrews 4:14 (ESV)
Jesus did not need to offer a sacrifice for His own sin. He was perfectly holy. He did not merely represent a temporary covenant. He established the new covenant through His own blood. He did not repeatedly offer sacrifices. He offered Himself once for all.
And He does not eventually die and leave His priesthood to another. Hebrews 7:24 says:
“He holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.”
– Hebrews 7:24 (ESV)
And verse 25 gives us one of the most comforting truths in Scripture:
“He always lives to make intercession for them.”
– Hebrews 7:25 (ESV)
Aaron served before God on behalf of Israel. Jesus continually intercedes for His people.
Aaron’s calling was temporary. Jesus’ priesthood is eternal.
Aaron was a servant. Jesus is the perfect High Priest and Lord of His servants.
What Does This Mean for a New Testament Servant?
Exodus 28 therefore gives us several questions to carry into our own lives.
If God has called me, am I treating that calling seriously? Not as a position, but as a responsibility.
If God has given me a gift, am I using it for His glory? Not for recognition.
If God has entrusted people to me, am I serving them or controlling them? Not building my kingdom, but Christ’s.
If God has given me influence, am I becoming more humble? Not more important in my own eyes.
If God has entrusted me with His Word, am I handling it faithfully? Not changing it to make myself popular.
If God has given me people to care for, am I bringing them before Him? Not merely managing them.
The Calling of Every Servant
Not everyone will be called to be a pastor. Not everyone will teach publicly. Not everyone will stand behind a pulpit. But every believer is called to belong to Christ and to serve according to the gifts God has given.
Some are called to teach. Some to encourage. Some to give. Some to serve quietly. Some to lead. Some to care for the suffering. Some to disciple young believers. Some to use their professional skills for God’s purposes. Some may never receive public recognition at all.
But heaven does not measure ministry by visibility. Faithfulness is what matters.
The question is not: “Did everyone see what I did?” The question is: “Was I faithful with what God entrusted to me?”
Exodus 28 begins with God calling people into a holy responsibility. It reminds us that God’s calling is not something we should take casually. We may not understand why God gives one person one responsibility and another person something completely different. We may not understand all the reasons behind His choices. But we can know that every gift comes from Him, every calling belongs to Him, every person belongs to Him, and every ministry should ultimately bring glory to Him. So perhaps the appropriate response is not: “Lord, make me important,” but “Lord, make me faithful.” Not “Give me a position,” but “Give me a servant’s heart.” Not “Let people follow me,” but “Let my life lead people to Christ.” Not “Why did You choose me?” but “Since You have entrusted this to me, how can I serve You faithfully?” Hineni, Lord. Here I am. If You have called me, help me not to take Your calling lightly. If You have given me a gift, keep me from using it for my own glory. If You have entrusted people to me, teach me to serve them with humility. If You have given me influence, make me more dependent upon You, not less. And when I do not understand why You have chosen me for a particular responsibility, help me trust Your wisdom. Let Your calling never become a reason for pride. Let it become a reason to bow lower, serve better, love deeper, and depend more completely upon You. Hineni. Here I am, Lord.
Hineni