Fireside: No Sweat

“They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.”

Ezekiel 44:18

The persistent inventor of the light bulb, Thomas Edison, is credited with saying: “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Speaking of genius and discovery, he is absolutely true. But speaking of Godliness and worship, he could not be farther from the truth.

Elementary, my dear Edison

Anyone who has ever put on a wool sweater over a t-shirt in winter weather knows the tingly feeling of static electric sparks when you try to take it off. The funny sensation was the least of the priests’ worries under the Old Testament when it came to serving the Lord. God had given strict instructions how His ministers were to dress: “Neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee.” (Leviticus 19:19) No mixing, no layering.

“He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with a linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.” (Leviticus 16:3b-4)

Only fine linen was allowed on a priest offering the sacrifices of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. This strange requirement is not explained until the declining years of Israel when Ezekiel is shown the future Temple of God that will be built for the millennial Kingdom. In that vision, we are told the reason for the strict style: to keep it cool.

No wool, fool

I believe it was A.W. Tozer who preached from this text: “God did not want those priests to think that perspiration was inspiration.” How easy it is to sub in effort where the Spirit of God is absent. To substitute function for unction. To be a little quicker on your feet instead of stay a little longer on your knees. God has always used men in His service, but the operation has always rested in God’s hands. A car is not alive just because it moves, neither does the swirl of activity mean that God is in the midst.

"Brethren, we have met to worship and adore the Lord our God;
Will you pray with all your power, while we try to preach the Word?
All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down!
Brethren, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around."

Sweat in God’s eyes always reminds Him of the fall of man. We sweat because we have to, in order to survive. The worship of God ought not to be forced. We may worship. We get to worship. We must worship. But under no circumstance should we pull the wool over our eyes and think we have no choice. We not only have choice, we have the Divine invitation to worship personally delivered to us at Calvary.

Worthy is the Lamb

So, don’t sweat it when it comes time for the worship service to begin. Do your best for Christ’s sake, in Christ’s power. Covering up in extra activity won’t make you any more saintly than if you were buried with a lambskin apron on your corpse. Best to remember that the Lamb is worthy– because we never could be.

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