Leviticus 8 ~ 20160710 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
07/10 Leviticus 8; Ordaining the Priests; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20160710_leviticus-8.mp3
Historical Narrative
We've come to Leviticus 8, which resumes a historical narrative after seven chapters of instructions for the different types of offerings. Leviticus 7 concludes this section:
Leviticus 7:37 This is the law of the burnt offering, of the grain offering, of the sin offering, of the guilt offering, of the ordination offering, and of the peace offering, 38 which the LORD commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, on the day that he commanded the people of Israel to bring their offerings to the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.
This is the historical setting. This is God's word to his people. God is speaking to Moses from the newly constructed tabernacle at Mount Sinai. God is giving instructions on what is to be done in his holy tabernacle. He has given instructions on the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, and the peace offering. And now he will give instructions in this next section on the ordination offering. In Exodus we have detailed instructions on how to build the tabernacle. In Leviticus 1-7 we have detailed instructions on what kind of offerings are acceptable in the tabernacle. Chapter 8 now answers the question 'who is authorized to serve in the tabernacle and to officiate these sacrifices?' What good is a place to meet with God, a sacrificial system that offers forgiveness of sins and communion with God, if no one is qualified to offer these sacrifices?
Leviticus 8:1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments and the anointing oil and the bull of the sin offering and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread. 3 And assemble all the congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” 4 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him, and the congregation was assembled at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 5 And Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing that the LORD has commanded to be done.”
Leviticus 8 is the public installation of Aaron and his sons in the role of priests for the nation. A priest is one who is responsible to guard the honor and glory of God, to instruct people on how God is to be approached, and to intercede in the presence of God for the people.
Exodus Context
God tells Moses 'take Aaron and his sons'. To fully appreciate this chapter, we need to step back and see it in the broader context of the book of Exodus. Leviticus really continues the story where Exodus left off. We could even consider Leviticus 8 as the chapter that is missing from the book of Exodus. Exodus 1-18 covers the divine rescue of God's people from their oppression in Egypt. Chapters 19-40 are God's covenant instructions to his people so that he can be their God and live in their midst. After the covenant is made, chapters 25-31 deal primarily with the instructions for the construction of the tabernacle. Chapter 28 gives detailed instructions for making the priestly garments, and chapter 29 gives instructions on how the priests are to be consecrated or set apart. But then we hit Exodus chapter 32 and everything comes unraveled.
Aaron's Record
Let me remind you of the events of that chapter. In chapter 24, the people agree to the ten terms of God's covenant. “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do” (24:3). God calls Moses up to the mountain.
Exodus 24:12 The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”
So Moses leaves Aaron and Hur in charge, and the LORD is speaking to him 40 days and 40 nights. Then in chapter 32,
Exodus 32:1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” 6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. 7 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”
Aaron is in charge. The people go to Aaron. Aaron takes a collection and makes an idol. Aaron was there affirming 'all the words that the LORD has spoken we will do', and this was in response to “I am the LORD your God... You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything...” (Ex.20:2-4). And now Aaron fashions a golden calf, builds an altar before it and proclaims a feast in its honor. The LORD is ready to destroy this people.
Exodus 32:21 And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” 25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies),
...35 Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.
Aaron was left in charge. Aaron is held responsible for bringing 'such a great sin upon them'. Aaron makes excuses. Aaron let the people break loose. Chapters 28 and 29 gave instructions on making garments for Aaron and his sons to serve as priests, and instructions on consecrating Aaron and his sons as priests, but in chapter 32, Aaron made a golden bull idol and promoted its worship. In chapter 33, Moses intercedes for the people, and in 34, God renews his covenant with his people. Chapters 35 -38 the tabernacle is constructed exactly according to the command of the LORD. Chapter 39 the priests garments are made exactly according to the LORD's commands. Chapter 40 the book closes with the tabernacle being assembled, and the glory cloud filling the tabernacle. But chapter 29 has no fulfillment in Exodus. The tabernacle is built and the priests garments are made, but there are no priests consecrated to serve in that tabernacle. Leviticus 1-7 outline the duties of the people and the priests in the sacrifices, but still there are no priests to officiate. Will there be? Will another family be chosen? Has Aaron utterly disqualified himself and his children from serving? Leviticus 8 answers this question.
Aaron Washed and Clothed
And it is clear this is not Moses taking the initiative. “Moses did as the LORD commanded him”. “This is the thing that the LORD has commanded to be done.”
Leviticus 8:6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. 7 And he put the coat on him and tied the sash around his waist and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him and tied the skillfully woven band of the ephod around him, binding it to him with the band. 8 And he placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim. 9 And he set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden plate, the holy crown, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Aaron is washed with water and then clothed with the high priests garments that were detailed in Exodus 28 and 39. This is amazing! What did Aaron do? He broke the LORD's commands, led the people into great sin, and then made excuses. He was responsible for the death of 3000 people. But here in Leviticus 8, it is as if nothing had happened. In Exodus 33 the people mourned. And Moses prayed. No sacrifice was made. In Exodus 34, God revealed his character “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love... forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...” (Ex.34:6-7). Here in Leviticus 8, Aaron stands washed and clothed in holy garments. No record of wrongs is remembered! No sacrifices have yet been offered. How can this be?
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, ...the Lord has anointed me... 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
...10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.
Anointing Oil
Leviticus 8:10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. 11 And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its utensils and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. 12 And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to consecrate him. 13 And Moses brought Aaron's sons and clothed them with coats and tied sashes around their waists and bound caps on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.
The tabernacle and all that was in it is anointed with oil, setting it apart to be exclusively for God. Aaron was anointed with oil, setting him apart exclusively for God. Aaron's sons were also clothed in holy garments.
Sin Offering
Leviticus 8:14 Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. 15 And he killed it, and Moses took the blood, and with his finger put it on the horns of the altar around it and purified the altar and poured out the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it to make atonement for it. 16 And he took all the fat that was on the entrails and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat, and Moses burned them on the altar. 17 But the bull and its skin and its flesh and its dung he burned up with fire outside the camp, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Put yourself for a moment in Aaron's bare feet (shoes were not part of the priests garments; they were on holy ground). What would be going through your heart and your head, if Aaron's history were your history, as you led that bull near the altar, and laid your hands on its head? What would you be saying in silent prayer to the LORD? What would you feel as you took the knife and reached down and slit the throat of that animal? This was the first blood to be shed in the tabernacle. This was the first animal to be sacrificed. Shame, guilt, fear, a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, 'I don't deserve to be here,' 'I don't deserve to be dressed like this,' 'I deserve what this animal is getting,' confession, humble awe, wonder, amazement, relief, release, freedom. There is forgiveness for sins.
Whole Burnt Offering
Leviticus 8:18 Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19 And he killed it, and Moses threw the blood against the sides of the altar. 20 He cut the ram into pieces, and Moses burned the head and the pieces and the fat. 21 He washed the entrails and the legs with water, and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering for the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
First a bull for the sin offering of the anointed priest, then a ram for a whole burnt offering
Ordination Peace Offering
Leviticus 8:22 Then he presented the other ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23 And he killed it, and Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 24 Then he presented Aaron's sons, and Moses put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. And Moses threw the blood against the sides of the altar. 25 Then he took the fat and the fat tail and all the fat that was on the entrails and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat and the right thigh, 26 and out of the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD he took one unleavened loaf and one loaf of bread with oil and one wafer and placed them on the pieces of fat and on the right thigh. 27 And he put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons and waved them as a wave offering before the LORD. 28 Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. 29 And Moses took the breast and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD. It was Moses' portion of the ram of ordination, as the LORD commanded Moses.
The ram of the ordination peace offering was killed and blood was applied to Aaron's right ear, right thumb, and right toe. His ears were set apart to hear the word of the LORD. His hands were set apart to do acts of grace and mercy. His feet were set apart to walk in the ways of the Lord and follow his path. His hands were then filled with an offering to the LORD that was a pleasing aroma.
Consecrated with Oil and Blood
30 Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments, and also on his sons and his sons' garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments, and his sons and his sons' garments with him. 31 And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the flesh at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’ 32 And what remains of the flesh and the bread you shall burn up with fire. 33 And you shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for it will take seven days to ordain you. 34 As has been done today, the LORD has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. 35 At the entrance of the tent of meeting you shall remain day and night for seven days, performing what the LORD has charged, so that you do not die, for so I have been commanded.” 36 And Aaron and his sons did all the things that the LORD commanded by Moses.
Aaron was consecrated with oil and blood. Anointed with oil which represents joy in the Holy Spirit, and the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all sin. Made fit to enter God's presence. Allowed to enjoy fellowship with God. Does this amaze you? That someone with a record like Aaron's could have his sins forgiven, forgotten, washed away? Do you think that what you have done is worse, and can never be forgiven? You are wrong! Do you know someone who you think has gone too far and is beyond the reach of God's grace? You are wrong!
1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Such were some of you! Have you been washed, set apart, clothed in his righteousness by the blood of Jesus and by the Spirit of God?
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org