The Ordination of Aaron And His Sons
August 24, 2022
Commentary
The Lord said to Moses (v. 1): Send for Aaron and his sons, as well as their priestly clothes for ordination, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and a basket of bread made without yeast (v. 2). Then bring the whole community of Israel together at the entrance to the sacred tent (v. 3). Moses obeyed the Lord, and when everyone had come together (v. 4), he said, “We are here to follow the Lord’s instructions (v. 5).” After Moses told Aaron and his sons to step forward, he had them wash themselves (v. 6). He put the priestly shirt and robe on Aaron and wrapped the sash around his waist (v. 7). Then he put the sacred vest on Aaron and fastened it with the finely woven belt. Next, he put on Aaron the sacred breast piece that was used in learning what the Lord wanted his people to do (v. 8). He placed the turban on Aaron’s head, and on the front of the turban was the narrow strip of thin gold as a sign of his dedication to the Lord (v. 9).
Moses then dedicated the sacred tent and everything in it to the Lord by sprinkling them with some of the oil for ordination (v. 10). He sprinkled the bronze altar seven times, and he sprinkled its equipment, as well as the large bronze bowl and its base (v. 11). He also poured some of the oil on Aaron’s head to dedicate him to the Lord (v. 12). Moses dressed Aaron’s sons in their shirts and tied sashes around them (v. 13).
Moses led out the bull that was to be sacrificed for sin (v. 14). After it was killed, Moses smeared some of it’s blood on each of the four corners of the bronze altar, before pouring out the rest at the foot of the altar (v. 15). This purified the altar and made it a fit place for offering the sacrifice for sin. Moses then took the fat on the bull’s insides, as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat, and sent them up in smoke on the altar fire (v. 16). Finally, he took the skin and the flesh of the bull, together with the food still in its stomach, and burned them outside the camp, just as the Lord had commanded (v. 17).
Application
I am glad that I did not have to go though this ritual to be ordained by God to tell people about Jesus.
Leviticus 8:1– 17 (NET)
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, the sin offering bull, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, 3 and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.” 4 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded him, and the congregation assembled at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. 5 Then Moses said to the congregation: “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.”
6 So Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water. 7 Then he put the tunic on Aaron, wrapped the sash around him, and clothed him with the robe. Next he put the ephod on him and placed on him the decorated band of the ephod, and fastened the ephod closely to him with the band. 8 He then set the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim into the breastpiece. 9 Finally, he set the turban on his head and attached the gold plate, the holy diadem, to the front of the turban just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 11 Next he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and so anointed the altar, all its vessels, and the washbasin and its stand to consecrate them. 12 He then poured some of the anointing oil on the head of Aaron and anointed him to consecrate him. 13 Moses also brought forward Aaron’s sons, clothed them with tunics, wrapped sashes around them, and wrapped headbands on them just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
14 Then he brought near the sin offering bull and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the sin offering bull, 15 and he slaughtered it. Moses then took the blood and put it all around on the horns of the altar with his finger and purified the altar, and he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and so consecrated it to make atonement on it. 16 Then he took all the fat on the entrails, the protruding lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, and Moses offered it all up in smoke on the altar, 17 but the rest of the bull—its hide, its flesh, and its dung—he completely burned up outside the camp just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Illustration: Candidate For Ordination Into The Ministry
I read of a candidate for ordination into the ministry. He was having an interview with the bishop before the ordination service. Feeling his unworthiness he said, “Bishop, if you knew how unworthy I am to be ordained by you, you would never lay hands on me.” The dear bishop replied, “If you knew how unworthy I am, you wouldn’t let me do it!” We’ve got to recognize that in the sight of God we’re but sinners saved by grace. We need to come again and again to the Cross of our Saviour. (Owen Bourgaize – Sermon Central)