Leviticus 8-10: Holy Priesthood

I.  Introduction

Leviticus 8-10 is about:

a) The anointing of the Priesthood

b) Fleshes out and expands the laws from Exodus 28-29 regarding worship, sacrifices, and priestly duties.

c) A continuation of the narrative from Exodus 40:9, 12-16 vs. Lev 8:1-4

d) Occurred when the tabernacle was erected. 

Chap 8 - An Ordination Service

Chap 9 - First inaugural worship service for the Israelites

Chap 10 - Tragic events where Aaron's sons were struck dead

Why is this relevant to us today? 

a) Consecration of Aaron and his sons shows that we need a mediator between God and us. Without the mediator no one can be drawn to Christ. Christ is the ultimate priest, the ultimate mediator as well as the sacrifice. 

b) Israel was chosen to become God's "Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation" (Exo 19:6) and the entire tribe of Levi was set apart to serve as Priests and Levites in the Tabernacle ... and so are we! 1st Peter 1:5, 9-10 - we are the holy priesthood and royal priesthood, so that we can "tell others of the night-and-day differences he made for you" (The Message Bible)

2. Chapter 8: Our Consecration need to be wholehearted - Sacrifices for the Priests.

In 8:6, Aaron and his sons were washed with water. They did not wash themselves, but was washed by Moses. Some say this first washing was by immersion, as was required of the high priest on the day of atonement (Leviticus 16:4).  This complete washing was a one-time thing. Subsequently they just need to clean their hands and feet. (Eph 5:26; Titus 3:5; Rev 1:5) (v5)

This washing looks forward to the time when believers are washed by blood of Christ, in order to have eternal life and made a spiritual priests. Thereafter, they only need to "wash their hands and feet" through the Word and Holy Spirit in the process of sanctification. 

The priestly garment has colors of :

Blue (Tekhelet): Represented the heavenly realm and divine communication. It pointed to Christ as the heavenly prophet.

Scarlet (Tolaʿat Shani): Symbolized blood and sinlessness. It alluded to Christ’s perfect human life and his death.

Purple (Argaman): A rare and expensive color, it was associated with royalty and leadership. In the high priest’s attire, it signified his role as a leader and mediator.

Gold: Represented divine glory and purity. The gold threads woven into the fabric emphasized the holiness of the priestly garments.

Every Christian is clothed with Christ and His righteousness (Rev 3:5). Spurgeon said: "And you, dear child of God, are to put on the garments which Jesus Christ has provided for you, at his own cost, and freely bestows upon you out of boundless love.”

The garment has a breastplate containing 12 jewels that represent the 12 tribes of Israel. He was given two stones called Urim and the Thummim. Each stone indicated a “yes” or “no” from God. The high priest would ask God a question, reach into the breastplate, and pull out either a “yes” or a “no” (Exodus 28:30). (v8)

There is a turban on the priest's head, and a golden plate in front of the turban, inscribed with the words "Holiness to the Lord" (v9) (Exodus 28:36-38)

Moses anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and consecrated them. He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times. He also anointed Aaron's head to consecrate him. (v10-12)

Then Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. Moses killed the bull and put the blood on the horns of the altar and consecrated it to make atonement for it. Moses burned the fat and long lobe of the live and two kidneys on the altar. The bull and its skin, its flesh and its dung was burned up with fire outside the camp. (v14-v17)

Then Moses presented the ram of the burnt offering and also the ram of ordination. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the rams. Moses threw the blood of the burnt offering ram to the sides of the altar, and the blood of the other ram were put on Aaron's right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and the big toe of his right foot. He did the same for Aaron's sons. (v18-25)

In Leviticus 14:14, it says that the blood of the trespass offering are put on the restored leper's right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the toe of his right foot. This symbolizes that he has transition from death to life, and his life is consecrated and purified. 

Moses 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 of the ram of ordination. He put these in the hands of Aaron and his sons to wave them them as a wave offering before the Lord. Moses burned them of the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. Moses also did a wave offering as commanded by the Lord. (v26-29)

Moses took the anointing oil and the blood from the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garment, and also his son's, to consecrate them. (v30)

Aaron and his sons are to boil the flesh at the entrance of the tent of meeting and eat them with the bread in the basket or ordination offering. The remains will be burnt with fire. 

They shall not go outside the tent of meeting for seven days, as it takes seven days to ordain them. If they did not do what the Lord has commanded Moses, they will die. (v31-36)

In summary, chapter 8 sacrifices were made by Moses on behalf of the High Priest, Aaron and his sons, the priests. The sin offering for the High Priests and priests was a bull (8:14-17.) The two ram, or goats, was for burnt offering and for ordination offering. (8:18-24).

There was also the wave offering, made of the fat of the rams and unleavened bread, which were burned on the altar after they waved them. Aaron and his sons were anointed with oil and some of the blood on the altar. Then Moses told them to boil the meat and eat them at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. 

As Aaron is set apart for God was there to bring others to meet God, so should we. All of us are the holy priesthood. We need to be wholehearted, and not halfhearted, when we obey God and serve God. Jesus was wholehearted when he proceed to the cross for us, despite he knows the torture and the most painful way to die. 

3. Chapter 9: Sacrifices from the Congregation

 

In Chapter 9, another sacrifice was done on the 8th day, after the priests have been ordained. Now they are told by Moses to go ahead with the sacrifices for the Israelites. 

The Israelites must offer a goat for sin offering, and a calf or lamb for burn offering, and an ox or ram for peach offering to sacrifice before the Lord. The grain offering is mixed with oil. (v1-6)

Aaron approached the altar and sacrificed his own sin offering (a bull, as on day 1) and burnt offering,  and to make atonement for yourself and the people's offerings were to make atonement for themselves. He presented his own offering in v7-14, and the people's offering in v15-21.

Aaron then lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. His tasks were complete, and he stepped down. (v22)

Moses and Aaron enter the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. When the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown. (v23-24)

4. Chapter 10: Our Violation will be Costly

Lev 10:1-7 recorded that the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, put unauthorized fire on the new incense, contrary to His command. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them. 

"The fire on the altar of burnt offering was sacred because it was kindled by God Himself (Leviticus 9:24). Nadab and Abihu offered a fire of their own making. Perhaps they thought that all fire was the same, and an undiscerning person may have agreed with them. But all fire isn’t the same and there is a huge difference between the fire kindled by God and a fire conjured up by man."  (Guzik)

Moses reminded Aaron, that the LORD has meant this when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’ ”   (v1-3)

In Lev 16:1-2, there was a reminder to Aaron about his sons, not to go into the Holy Place inside the veil at any time he choses. This may indicate that his sons also went into the Holy Place before the fire consumed them. 

This meant that when we approach God, we need to approach Him in the way that He instructed.  He is much more holier than we think; therefore we must do exactly as He said. You can see that Moses have given every single details from God to Aaron and his sons, and they must obey it precisely. Only then can we show His holiness and reveal His glory, and not ours. 

Today, His instruction if to have faith in Christ's sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. Only when our sins are forgiven, then we can approach God. We approach God now through prayer, but when we passed away, we can approach Him at his throne. 

Moses told Aaron and his other sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, not to mourn or go out of the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, for they will die and the Lord will be angry at the whole congregation. To mourn means they have to carry out certain rituals that will make them unclean. And therefore this is not the time to mourn as they have already been consecrated to enter into the Tent of Meeting. 

You see, what the priests do was to represent the community in worshipping and sacrificing to God on their behalf. They must be perfect in what they do, so that God can accept the sacrifice perfectly. Jesus was the only one who was the perfect sacrifice, and therefore God were able to forgive our sins. 

Moses told Aaron that his brothers and the rest of Israel can mourn for his sons now, but he can mourn for them after his duties are done. So Aaron obeyed Moses. (v4-7)

5. The Priest Refused To Eat The Sin Offerings

Moses added that they should not drink wine when they enter the Tent of Meeting, or they may die. They need to distinguish what is holy and common, and what is clean and unclean, so that these can be thought to the Israelites as statutes of the Lord. (v8-11)

Moses reminded them to eat the grain offering without leaven beside the altar, because they have to eat them in a holy place. The breast and thigh of the wave offering should also as these portions are assigned to them for the peach offerings of the sons of Israel. (v12-15)

Later on, Moses saw that the goat of the sin offering had all been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, why they didn't eat the goat, for it was a holy thing to do, for it was given to them to take away the guilt of the congregation by making atonement for them before the Lord. Since the blood of the goat was not brought inside the holy place, they should eat it in the sanctuary area. (v16-18)

This sin offering of goat were meant for the people, as described in Chapter 9:15. Aaron and his sons were to eat it together with his own sacrifices described in Chapter 8:31. However, Aaron replied Moses and said while they have presented the people's sin and burnt offering, they are filled with grief of the death of his two sons. Aaron understood that if they eat with grief in their hearts, God may not accept it. 

When Moses hear the explanation, he was satisfied. And so did God. While God was very strict with His rules and took away Nadab and Abihu's life, He showed grace and mercy on Aaron as He understand his circumstances and his sincere heart. He doesn't just look at what we have done or not done, but he looks into the motivation of our hearts. 

We will never be perfect in following God's law stated in the Old Testament. However, we are living in the period of Grace, because Jesus had come and sacrificed himself for us. Because we are forgiven, God gave us mercy that we are unworthy of.