In Friday's study we began our look at the ordination ceremony of Aaron and his four sons. They've undergone a ritual bathing (perhaps something like a baptism). Then Moses supplied them with the priestly garments that God ordered to be made for them and then Moses sprinkled the tabernacle and everything in it with oil to consecrate it before also anointing Aaron's head with oil.
Today the offerings are presented that the Lord previously told Moses would need to be brought when He instructed him in Exodus regarding the ordination of the priests.
The "he" in these following verses refers to Moses. "He then presented the bull for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head." (Leviticus 8:14) You already know by now that the placing of the hands on the head symbolizes the transference of the person's sin to the animal standing in for them. Aaron may be high priest of Israel and all his sons may be priests but they are not sinless.
"Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood, and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar to purify the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. So he consecrated it to make atonement for it." (Leviticus 8:15) When the Lord gave instructions in Exodus for making atonement for the altar we discussed why an inanimate object like an altar needed any atoning. I was unable to find any reference materials about this but my opinion was, and still is, that the altar needed atonement made for it because it was fashioned by human hands. Though the altar itself could not sin, the hands that made it weren't pure of sin, and therefore the altar itself needs to be consecrated before it is fit for use.
"Moses took all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys and their fat, and burned it on the altar. But the bull with its hide and its flesh and its intestines he burned up outside the camp, as the Lord commanded Moses." (Leviticus 8:16-17) You'll recall from our study a few days ago regarding the handling of the sin offering that when a sin offering is made for a priest none of it can be retained. Moses next makes the burnt offering for the priests. "He then presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. Then Moses slaughtered the ram and splashed the blood against the sides of the altar. He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces and the fat. He washed the internal organs and the legs with water and burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses." (Leviticus 8:18-21) By now you know that a burnt offering is always wholly given up to God. By placing their hands on the ram's head, Aaron and his sons are signifying their full submission to God. Just as the ram is wholly given to God with nothing held back, Aaron and his sons are expressing their desire to give themselves to God and to His work without holding anything back. In a sense it's a vow to do their very best for the Lord and for the Lord's people.
One more offering is made at this ceremony. "He then presented the other ram, the ram for the ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of Aaron's right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. Moses also brought Aaron's sons forward and put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet." (Leviticus 8:22-24a) The Lord described this procedure for Moses back in Exodus 29. These men are being anointed in this way to symbolize their willingness to keep their ears open to the Lord's voice and to use their hands and feet in the service of their God.
"Then he splashed blood against the sides of the altar. After that, he took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys and their fat and the right thigh. And from the basket of bread made without yeast, which was before the Lord, he took one thick loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf, and he put these on the fat portions and on the right thigh. He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they waved them before the Lord as a wave offering. Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar on top of the burnt offering as an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord. Moses also took the breast, which was his share of the ordination ram, and waved it before the Lord as a wave offering, as the Lord commanded Moses." (Leviticus 8:24b-29) As "payment" for his hard work during this ceremony, the meat from the breast of the ordination ram belongs to Moses.
"Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments." (Leviticus 8:30) Here we have mixed together the blood of sacrifice (a thing that sanctifies from sin) and the oil (which symbolizes the Holy Spirit). We see a picture in this of what our salvation in Christ looks like. When we accept Christ as our Savior we are sanctified by the blood He shed and we begin to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The blood cleanses us from our sin and the guidance of the Holy Spirit helps us to live lives that honor the One who gave His life for us.
To conclude the ceremony the priests are to observe a feast from the ordination ram and the bread and then they must remain at the entrance to the tabernacle for seven full days. After that they will be ready to begin their work at the tabernacle. "Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, 'Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded: 'Aaron and his sons are to eat it.' Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread. Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days. What has been done today was commanded by the Lord to make atonement for you. You must stay at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and do what the Lord requires, so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded.' So Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord commanded through Moses." (Leviticus 8:31-36) After spending seven days in this holy place, the men will be in the right frame of mind to begin the Lord's work. They will be acclimated to the tabernacle environment. It will feel like home to them. This personal connection to the Lord's house will help them to feel closer to Him and will help them to warmly welcome the people into His house.
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