FAKE NEWS ABOUT THE BIBLE PART 1: ROPE BURNS ON THE HIGH PRIEST’S ANKLE
Always demand evidence, evidence is the elementary courtesy that is anyone’s due. — Paul Valéry
God gives you His telephone number in Jeremiah 33:3, ‘Call to me and I’ll answer you, and will tell you about great and hidden things that you don’t know.’ It is not necessary to play the telephone game with other Saints to learn about Theology.
Brace yourself! This is more of a teaching post than an entertaining one. It may not be an easy read because there is more here than a normal, well adjusted person would normally want to know but it will be worth it. It is the detail which makes me a boring person that brings the Bible alive for me.
But if you happen to like what you read, there’s more to be found here.
[NOTE: Important words analysed below are identified with Hebrew/Greek transliterations into English,and Strong’s Numbers so that whoever wants to can check them out — it is strongly recommended that you do. I use the Blue Letter Bible (https://www.blueletterbible.org/ )]
Mythinformation.
One of the common myths is that the priests had bells on the hem of their robe, and a rope around their ankle, when they went into the Most Holy Place. This was in case they had not cleansed themselves of impurity and were struck dead by the Holy God. When the bells could not be heard, the priest was dead and had to be dragged out. Don’t mess with God!
While it is absolutely true that God will not be messed with, this is not what is written in the Written Word of the Living Word of God. It is yet another embarrassing instance of L-O-R-E superseding L-A-W in the pews.
Who could enter the Holy of Holies?
Only the High Priest, and only once a year — Yom Kippur. (You can easily find the supporting verses.)
What was his prescribed attire when he entered?
It is written in Leviticus 16:4, “He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on.”
No mention of ropes around the ankle.
No mention of a robe with bells on the hem. That was for all the priests in the Holy Place.
Were the bells a negative alarm to show that the priest was dead?
I’m open to correction but the evidence points me toward, “No.”
It is written in Exodus 39:24–26, “They made on the hem of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, and of fine woven linen. And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates on the hem of the robe all around between the pomegranates: a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe to minister in, as the Lord had commanded Moses.”
It can be seen that the alternating pomegranates were made of linen. There is a teaching that the different colours represented the Holy Spirit, the Royal Robes of the Father on the Throne of Majesty, and the Blood of Christ, respectively. These would prevent the gold bells from clanging together. The design of the hem is explained in 1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14. Chapters 12 and 14 speak of spiritual gifts (bells) while chapter 13 is Agapē, which is the most excellent way. [Agapē contains a series of posts in itself.]
Who could approach the Ark of the Covenant ?
Only the Sons of Aaron — the priests. Not all Levites were priests.
Uzzah was struck dead (2 Samuel 6:1–7 and 1 Chronicles 13:9–12) because he was not authorised to.
Wasn’t God being harsh?
It depends if your view of sin is in line with God’s. You are quite capable of searching Torah and finding the Instructions given by God. David and the High Priest should have known better about how to move the Ark. Uzzah paid the price of their lack of Fear of the Lord. (Does that remind you of today’s church?) The leader carries great responsibility. (Does that remind you of today’s church?) David corrected his error and things then went well.
God says what He means and means what He says.
In the Book of Leviticus, the Instructions on Holiness, God gave precise teaching about the Ceremonies of the Tabernacle and the duties of the priests. However in Leviticus 10, Nadab & Abiu, Aaron’s sons did not follow the Instructions and, for some reason decided to do it their way. The result was Holy Fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified (H3513 — kāḇaḏ).’ ”
Boring grammar: H3513 — kāḇaḏ meaning to be made heavy, be honoured, enjoy honour, be made abundant. Imperfect verb meaning a continuing, open-ended action that never stops.
So?
A person with a reasonable level of Bible Literacy could be forgiven for deducing that NO mortal that God did not want would survive trying to enter the Most Holy Place. He just wouldn’t make it. It would never happen.
What if a priest did die in the Holy Place?
I’m open to correction but, from what can be gleaned from what is written in Numbers 19:11–15, priests could remove the dead body but would be ceremonially unclean for seven days.
The forgoing evidence has not been presented to convince any reader but to allow a personal decision to be made. There is much more to know about this subject. Perhaps you’ll pay another visit, sometime.
All Glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
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