For the accidental or new reader of my blog: this post is part of a series that started with this blog. I would advice you to start reading there for foundation.
We have reached the last piece of the priestly garment on the third and last layer – the curious girdle. The curious girdle was made from the same materials and colors as the Ephod and the veil in the Tabernacle:
- Gold – speaking of the character of God
- Blue – the Holy Spirit
- Purple – the King
- Scarlet – the Blood
- White – Righteousness
Why is it called the curious girdle? The word in Hebrew means girdle or ingenious work, and is taken from a root meaning to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count. God thought out, planed, imagined this girdle and gave wisdom to the artist that made it.
This is the outward girdle, the one seen by the people, in opposition to the girdle on the first layer that is not seen. The first girdle we learned means inner strength, and this one, given by God, means outer strength. Strength coming from a sending, a calling, an appointment from God. As the garments were given for ministry, it is an apostolic ministry.
Let’s look at some attributes of it: Moses put the girdle on Aaron, as he did with all other pieces of the garments. Jesus, as the mediator of the New Covenant, girds us through His Spirit.
Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you grow old, you shall stretch forth your hands and another shall gird you and carry you where you do not wish. He spoke this signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, Follow Me.
(John 21:18-19 MKJV)
When we were young, little children, immature, nepios (Gal 4:1), we decided ourselves, what kind of ministry we would do, what we were willing to do for God, how tight our girdle should fit.
We in Passover decided to pull it real tight, going back under the law almost, with rules for dress, hair, behaviour, outward demeanour.
Then, in Pentecost, we loosened the belt to the degree that our pants almost fell down, we had freedom. Did you see that there is no belt on the second layer of garments?
But now, another decides on how tight the belt should be. He even decides on the design of the belt. He decides on the kind of ministry we are to live.
Is it getting tighter around your waste? This has two reasons: first you are pregnant with His cause for your life. And then He is tightening the belt. Things that were OK in Passover and Pentecost, cannot be done in Tabernacle.
The same happened to Paul, when Agabus prophecied to Him:
We had been in Caesarea for several days, when the prophet Agabus came to us from Judea. He took Paul’s belt, and with it he tied up his own hands and feet. Then he told us, “The Holy Spirit says that some of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. They will also hand him over to the Gentiles.” After Agabus said this, we and the followers living there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But Paul answered, “Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I am not only willing to be put in jail for the Lord Jesus. I am even willing to die for him in Jerusalem!”
(Acts 21:10-13 CEV)
The belt Agabus took was Paul’s. The ministry is yours. But another will decide on what will happen with it. Here the prophet attributed it to the leaders of the Jews, but they were but the tools of the Spirit to bring forth the will of God.
Paul told them that only saw the natural outworking: “Why are you breaking my heart. I’m willing to do God’s will. He decides how tight the belt is going to be and what it is going to be used for.”
A third apostle had an experience with a girdle. When John saw the Lord on Patmos on the Lord’s day, he saw him girded with a golden belt around his breast. The breastplate has been called the breastplate of righteousness and judgment and faith and love (Ex 28:15, Eph 6:14, 1Th 5:8). The girdle, the ministry moved to the breast calls the ones underdeveloped in this area to mature and become feeders of righteousness, judgment, faith, and love.
Are you ready to invest yourself in others?
This series consists of