In today’s passage we learn about consecration. Becoming holy. The LORD gave his Priests several instructions. Consecrated Priests had blood on themselves when they were finished. The blood made them holy to the LORD.
The LORD is giving a series of laws associated with the tabernacle and worship.
29 “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests.
Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour.
3 You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. (Ex 29:1–3)
In order for the priests to minister in the LORD’s presence they must be consecrated. That is set apart and made holy.
4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.
5 Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 6 And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban.
7 You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.
8 Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, 9 and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. (Ex 29:4–9)
They had to wash themselves and put on various garments and items.
Aaron consecrated as high priest
10 “Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. 11 Then you shall kill the bull before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting,
12 and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar.
13 And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar.
14 But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering. (Ex 29:10–14)
Trained butchers, they probably slit its throat and knew exactly how to kill it quickly with a minimum of fuss. Then they would have had to cut the sacrifice. Fat, entrails, liver, and kidneys all had to burn on the altar. Flesh, skin and dung were burned outside the camp.
1000 Bible Images. (2009). Stuttgart, Germany: German Bible Society.
15 “Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, 16 and you shall kill the ram and shall take its blood and throw it against the sides of the altar.
17 Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head, 18 and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. (Ex 29:15–18)
They do a similar thing with one of the rams, but this time its a burnt offering and a food offering to the LORD. The whole ram is burned.
Throw the blood against the sides of the altar.
19 “You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, 20 and you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar.
21 Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons’ garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him. (Ex 29:19–21)
They anoint themselves with the blood and oil and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar.
Consecration is required because God is holy. The law of Moses frequently commands that God’s people consecrate themselves for him (Lev 11.44; 20.7-8; 22.32).
There are different kinds of consecration. Inward and outward. Inward consecration to God is symbolised by outward cleansing (Ex 19.10,14; 1 Sam 16.5; 2 Chr 30.17; 35.6).
Even Jesus was consecrated. He was the firstborn. But he wasn’t an ordinary firstborn. Special things happened when he came to be purified.
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord” 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” (Lk 2:22–24)
We’ve been learning about how priests consecrated themselves so they could be set apart from the world, be close to the LORD and serve him.
In Jesus’ consecration we see something greater. Soon afterward we learn His consecration involved an announcement of who he is – the Lord’s Christ (Lk 2.26) and what he would do – bring salvation to the nations (Lk 2.29-32).
He is our holy king. He is our sanctified priest. He is able to save. Come and pray to him today.
In today’s passage we learn about consecration. Becoming holy. The LORD gave his Priests several instructions. Consecrated Priests had blood on themselves when they were finished. The blood made them holy to the LORD.
