Section II Consecration of the Priests

Leviticus 8:1—10:20

The opening chapters (1—7) of Leviticus deal with the sacrifice demanded by the Lord in His worship. This section (8—10) gives instructions concerning the agents of mediation, the priests. The entire Levitical system assumes this mediatorial role of the sons of Aaron. In this it foreshadows the NT picture of true worship based upon the mediatorial role of Christ. The importance of correctness in performance of these matters is made evident by the continual emphasis that all is done according to the command of the Lord to Moses (cf. 8:4-5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 29, 34, 36, et al. ).

Chapter 8 tells of the consecration of the priests, and c. 9 pictures the inauguration of the worship at the Tabernacle. Chapter 10 gives the story of Nadab and Abihu, and underscores the danger of failing to observe the worship of the Lord according to His own demands. The Lord is to be sanctified in those who come near Him, and this is to be done according to His good pleasure.

A. MOSES CONSECRATES AARON AND HIS SONS, 8:1-36

The stipulations concerning the rites, sacrifices, and ceremonies in the installation of the priests commanded in Exodus 28—29 and 40 were now to be performed by Moses. It should be noted that Aaron and his sons were not selected by Israel. They were chosen by God (cf. Heb. 5:4-5). Nor did they consecrate themselves. Moses, as God's representative, performed this for them. Here is seen the limited character of the Levitical priesthood. The priests were not to control Israel but to minister before the Lord for Israel. The separation of the offices of prophet, priest, and king is affirmed here and was to be maintained until the Messiah should come, who could fill all three roles simultaneously.

1. The Preparation (8:1-9)

The gravity of the events recorded here is indicated in every detail. The consecration was to be done publicly in the presence of all the congregation together at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation (3). Aaron and his sons were never again to be looked upon as ordinary Israelites. They were washed (6), for uncleanness in the holy precincts could bring death (Exod. 30: 19-21). They were clothed with special garments. Carelessness or disobedience in dress when serving in the divine presence could be fatal (Exod. 28:35, 43).

A word should be spoken about the ephod and the Urim and Thummim (7-8). The description of the ephod is given in Exod. 39:22-26. It was an upper garment that extended from the shoulders downward to the hips and was tied about the waist. It was of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. An object of great value and beauty, it had attached to it a breastplate of similar material into which were worked precious stones. In the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim were found.

The Urim and the Thummim were the means by which the priest could declare the will of God (Num. 27:21; Deut. 33:8, 10). Perhaps as plausible an explanation as any as to the character of these is the suggestion that they were two flat pieces; on one side of each was written Urim (from 'arar, “to curse”) and on the other side of each was written Thummim (from the root tamam, “to be perfect”). Thus affirmative, negative, or indecisive answers could be secured. This type of oracular device was extremely common in the ancient world. Perhaps it is most significant that the references to this practice are very limited, cease with Saul, and do not reoccur until the postexilic period, when prophecy had ceased in Israel (Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:65).

2. The Anointings (8:10-13)

The priests and Tabernacle furnishings were anointed with oil. In the OT, the prophet (I Kings 19:16), the king (I Sam. 9:16; 10:1), and the priest were thus anointed. The Hebrew word for “anoint” (mashach) is the root from which our word Messiah (“the anointed one”) comes. The Messiah was to be anointed not just with oil but with the Holy Spirit (Isa. 11:2; 42:1; Luke 3:22). The anointing here symbolizes the separation of the priests unto God and the enduement with the divine power (charisma) necessary for the exercise of their holy ministry. Micklem says: “The priests under the old covenant were anointed with oil, symbolizing the Spirit, and with blood, symbolizing the atoning sacrifice, which were to come. The priests under the new covenant are symbolically anointed with oil and with blood, but not literally, for now the reality has come.”1

Even the Tabernacle and all that was in it were anointed, indicating their separation unto the Lord and their ceremonial acceptance. Those who handled the vessels (Isa. 52:11) and the Tabernacle were to be holy. The distinction between persons and things was not as great in Israel as among modern men. Both could be holy and unholy.

3. Three Sacrifices (8:14-29)

The priests and the Tabernacle were to be atoned for also (15, 34). A sin offering (14), a burnt offering (18), and consecration (22, also ordination) offerings were made for Aaron and his sons. They, like the people whom they were to represent, needed atonement. The blood of the ram of consecration (22) was placed upon the tip of the right ear, the right thumb, and the right large toe (23). The priest was to hear the word of God, fill his hands with the ministry of holy things, and walk in holy places. It would seem that to the ancient Israelite no man should or could perform such ministry without the sprinkling of sacrificial blood and complete separation to holy things.

The character of this separation is indicated by the Hebrew word for consecration (millu'im), which is from the root male', “to fill.” Where our text reads, “Shall he consecrate you” (33), the Hebrew text literally says, “He will fill your hands.” In 27, Moses took the wave offering (cf. 25-26) and filled the hands of Aaron and his sons, who in turn waved them before the Lord. The “filled hands” seem to symbolize the fact that the life of the priest was to be filled with nothing except holy things. He was not to own property nor support himself. He was to live from the Tabernacle service (31-32), and his life was to be devoted exclusively to the service of God for Israel. Is this not a pictorial way of saying that the priest, like Christ at 12 years of age (Luke 2:49), was to “be about” his “Father's business”?

4. Consecration of the Priests (8:30-36)

The separation from the rest of Israel and from normal pursuits to the Tabernacle and to the Lord was sealed by seven days (33) in which the priests were forbidden to leave the environs of the Tabernacle. Failure to observe this enforced separation would have brought death. Thus is given the great OT picture of consecration to the service of the Lord.

B. AARON ASSUMES THE PRIESTLY OFFICE, 9:1-24

This chapter is an OT pattern for worship. It records the first public sacrifices of Israel under the Levitical priesthood. In c. 8, sacrifices were offered in the ordination of Aaron and his sons, but the people only observed; they did not participate. Now the priests began their mediatorial ministry. This was a high day for Israel. The Lord himself appeared to crown this occasion (4, 23-24).

To prepare for God's appearance Aaron offered a sin offering and a burnt offering for both himself (7-8) and his sons. Aaron's sin offering was a calf (2, 8), and his burnt offering a ram (2). This is the only instance (with 3) in the sacrificial legislation where a calf is demanded. Rashi says concerning the calf: “This animal was selected as a sin offering to announce to him that the Holy One, blessed be He, granted him atonement by means of this calf for the incident of the golden calf which he had made.”2

Traditional Jewish thought has always seen significance in every detail here. Snaith points out that the ram was a reminder of Abraham's obedience in binding Isaac (Gen. 22:9).3 He also cites the significance attached to these offerings by the Jerusalem Targum where the goat (15) is seen as a reminder of the goat that Joseph's brethren killed (Gen. 37:31); the calf (8), of the golden calf (Exod. 32:4); and the lamb (3), of Isaac bound like a lamb for sacrifice (Gen. 22:7). The very eagerness to see significance in every detail indicates how important for ancient Israel these events were. According to the manner (16) means “in the regular way” (Moffatt) or “according to directions” (Berk.).

The presentation by Aaron of the sin offering and the burnt offering for himself and for his sons reveals the Old Testament's self-understanding of the limitations in its own sacrificial system. No man, not even the high priest, Aaron, was prepared to serve God or to worship God until atonement had been made for him. The writer of the Hebrews (7:27) takes this as proof of the superiority of the new covenant and of Christ, the true High Priest.

The offerings of Aaron for the people formed a pattern for Israel's worship of the Lord. He here offered the sin offering, the burnt offering (3), the peace offerings, and the meat (meal) offering (4). The omission of the trespass offering confirms the fact that this offering was primarily for occasions where damage had been done and reparation was being made.

The order of the sacrifices reveals the Levitical understanding of the proper approach to God in worship. Keil says:

The sin-offering always went first, because it served to remove the estrangement of man from the holy God arising from sin, by means of the expiation of the sinner, and to clear away the hindrances to his approach to God. Then followed the burnt-offering, as an expression of the complete surrender of the person expiated to the Lord; and lastly the peace offering, on the one hand as the utterance of thanksgiving for mercy received, and prayer for its further continuance, and on the other hand, as a seal of covenant fellowship with the Lord in the sacrificial meal.4

The appropriate conclusion for such worship is the presence of the living God manifest in His glory to the people (23). The word glory is a peculiarly biblical term. The root idea in the Hebrew (kabed) is “to be heavy, weighty.” The noun form is used in the ancient world of the outward appearance of splendor accompanying a great personage. Brockington says that in the Scripture it refers to “that which men can apprehend, originally by sight, of the presence of God on earth.”5 Note the use of the term in Ezekiel 1. The word speaks of the experience of Israel at Sinai, of Solomon and the people when the Shekinah filled the house of God, of Isaiah in the Temple, of the shepherds outside Bethlehem, and of the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration.

The name of the OT sanctuary, the tabernacle of the congregation (5), in the Hebrew is called “the tent of appointment.” It is where God keeps His appointment with sinful man to meet Him when man has met the divine conditions. God does not fail to keep this appointment. The divine fire came and climaxed this day of worship and consumed the burnt offering upon the altar (24). God communed with His covenant people, Israel.

With the end of this chapter the role of Moses as mediator begins to change. Here it is he who leads Aaron into the Tabernacle. The subordination of the Aaronic priesthood is clearly demonstrated. At this point, however, Moses transmitted all priestly functions to Aaron and his sons.

Aaron and Moses returned from within the tabernacle and lifted their hands in blessing over the people (23) as the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people. The blessing may have been that found in Num. 6:24-26. In His presence, the people shouted, and fell on their faces (24).

C. A CASE OF SACRILEGE, 10:1-20

1. Nadab and Abihu (10:1-7)

In c. 9 the proper way to approach the Lord and the gracious consequences of that proper approach are pictured. In c. 10 the scene changes to one of tragedy. Israel sees the inevitable consequences of presumptuous drawing near to the Lord. The joy and awe at the appearance of God's glory in c. 9 are now replaced by the terror that comes when God moves in judgment against sin.

The nature of the sin of Nadab and Abihu (1) is not recorded. The commentators have suggested that the incense was not made according to Moses' instructions (Exod. 30:34-38), that fire other than that from the altar was used (Lev. 16:12), that the offering was at the wrong time (Exod. 30: 7-8), that the wrong censers (their own) were used, that Nadab and Abihu assumed a role to be retained exclusively for the high priest, or that they were under the influence of alcohol (cf. 8-11). It is impossible to speak with certainty here. The main thing is that the two priests performed priestly functions in a manner contrary to that commanded by the Lord. Moses makes it clear that the Lord must be sanctified (3) in them that draw near to Him, in order that He may be glorified before all the people. This is an illustration that obedience was far more important in the OT than sacrifice (I Sam. 15:22).

The people of Israel were permitted to mourn this great tragedy (6), but Aaron and his two remaining sons were forbidden to show the normal marks of grief by uncovering their heads and loosing their hair or by tearing their clothes. They must not give the appearance before Israel of questioning or lamenting the judgment of God. Moses reminded them that the anointing oil (7) was upon them. The service of God cannot defer to personal matters. The burning (6) would be “the flame which the Lord has kindled” (Berk.; cf. v. 2).

2. Strong Drink Forbidden (10:8-11)

The seriousness of the role of a priest is indicated in the proscription of wine for the priest before his service in the Tabernacle. The priest was to distinguish for Israel between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean (10). This Nadab and Abihu had failed to do and apparently with presumption. The seriousness of such failure is impressed here upon Israel. There is a proper way to approach God (c. 9). That approach brings blessing. Man dares not come to God on his own terms and in his own way if he expects to find acceptance. Attempts to do this bring destruction. Cf. the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11).

The proscription of alcohol for the priests when in divine service is applicable to the Christian today. The Christian is in perpetual need of the ability to think clearly in terms of the holy and the unholy. It is now statistically certain that a high percentage of automobile accidents involving fatalities are the result of impairment of human judgment due to alcohol. If the whole story of the damage done both spiritually and physically by this evil could be told, it would make us see the divine wisdom in such a command.

3. Instructions to the Priests (10:12-20)

Moses now spoke to Aaron about the portions of the offering that were to belong to the priests for their own consumption (12). The meal offering, the breast (called the wave offering), and the shoulder (which was called the heave offering, 14) were to be eaten by the priests and their families. The sin offering of the people (not that offered by the priests for themselves) was to be eaten by the priest in the holy place (12-13). It was given to the priest by God that he might bear the iniquity of the congregation (17).

Aaron, due to the sad events of this day (19), had felt unworthy to eat the offering and had burned it upon the altar. Moses rebuked him for his failure (16-18) but was content (20) when Aaron explained his motive. As c. 9 tells of a gloriously instructive day, c. 10 records a tragic one.