Here we have more details about the anointing, consecrating and sanctifying of the priests for their service. This was the setting them apart for service.
For consecration they were to take a young bull and two rams without blemish with unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers made of wheat flour and anointed with oil, bring them in one basket with the young bull and the two rams (v1-3). For consecration there had to be bloodshed and fellowship with God.
Moses was to bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle and wash them with water (v4). This was special for the priests, but it was in full view of the people outside the meeting place. Note that they did not wash themselves, they were to be washed publicly (v4-8)
We too, as believers, are washed by the work of God’s word (Ephesians 5:26) and by the work of Jesus on the cross and his eternal work (Revelation 1:5).
They were instructed to dress Aaron and his sons with the approved clothing, to anoint Aaron with oil and consecrate them all. The garments were stipulated by God and provided for them. We are all to be clothed in garments of righteousness (Revelation 3:5,18) provided by God.
The oil speaking of The Holy Spirit with whom we, as believers, are anointed. (1 John 2:20)
The bull they brought (v1-3), Aaron and his sons were to put their hands on the head of the bull, and it was to be killed at the door of the tabernacle before The LORD. Some of the blood was to be put on the horns of the altar and the rest poured beside the base of the altar. The fat on the entrails, on the liver and on the kidneys were all to be burned on the altar, but the flesh, skin and offal were to be burned outside the camp, this was the sin offering. (v10-14)
The best of the animal was offered before The LORD the rest outside the camp. Placing their hands on the bead of the bull was transferring their sin to the animal.
All this a picture of The Lord Jesus who takes away our sin by bearing it on himself.
They were to take one of the rams and Aaron and his sons were to place their hands on its head, to kill it and take its blood and sprinkle it around the altar. They were to cut it in pieces, wash its entrails and legs and put them with its pieces with its head and burn the whole ram on the altar as a burnt offering to The LORD. It will be a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to The LORD (v15-18).
The other ram was to be taken, Aaron and his sons were to place their hands on its head, kill it and take some of its blood and put it on the tips of Aaron and his sons right ears, on their right thumbs and big toe of their right feet, and sprinkle the blood around on the altar (v19-21). They were mix some of the blood with the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his sons and on their garments and they shall be hallowed. As we said earlier, the oil speaks of the Holy Spirit, thus the blood of sacrifice was mixed with the work of the Holy Spirit, speaking of the complete work of God in cleansing from sin and purifying us for service. This ram was used as the consecration of the priests for service to God.
The fat of that second ram, together with certain other fatty parts, the kidneys and right thigh with a loaf of bread, a cake made with oil and a wafer from the basket of unleavened bread, Aaron and his sons were to take them and wave them as a wave offering before The LORD. After doing this they were to be burned on the altar as a burnt offering made by fire to The LORD. They were then to take the breast of the consecration ram, wave it as an offering before The LORD and the priests were allowed to eat it.
In verses 29-37 they were instructed regarding the holy garments of Aaron, they were to be for his sons after him, to be anointed and consecrated in them. The son who follows Aaron and becomes priest shall wear them for seven days when he entered the tabernacle to minister in the holy place. The sons were consecrated like Aaron was and the consecration took seven days in all. The LORD’s part was consumed by fire on the altar, but the priest’s part was eaten with the bread from the basket by them for the seven days of consecration. If any of the consecration offering or the bread was left over until morning it must be burned, it could not be eaten by the ordinary people because it was holy.
On each of the seven days of the consecration a bull had to be offered as a sin offering for atonement. The altar had to be cleansed, it was holy and whoever touched it must be holy.
Of course, we must remember that these were pictures of the true sacrifice, our Lord Jesus Christ and we who have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus can come to The Most Holy at any time.
There was to be continual sacrifice and offering – two lambs of the first year, every day continually. One in the morning the other at twilight both with grain and drink offering. These offerings made by fire to The LORD (v38-41)
The daily sacrifices and burnt offerings were to continue through their generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before The LORD (v42,43). God promised to speak with the priests there and with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle would be sanctified by His glory.
What a wonderful promise for mere mortals to have the presence of God with them just as we have through His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. We don’t need to offer sacrifices; Jesus is the One Final Sacrifice for us for sin. The barrier represented by the curtain in the tabernacle has been torn down and we have constant access to our God. All that is required of us is our total obedience, not to gain salvation, which has already been paid for by Our Lord Jesus Christ, but to show our devotion to Him.
God promised His consecration of the tabernacle and the altar, Aaron and his sons as priests to minister to God, and that He would dwell with the people and be their God. He also wanted them to know that He is The LORD their God who brought them out of Egypt (v44-46).
There is no doubt that the work of consecration is by God Himself not us. What a privilege to know that God does His work in us and that He wants to be our God and us to be His people.
