SCRIPTURE: EXODUS 29
BIBLE VERSES:
“So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” (Exodus 29:44-46)
CONSECRATION OF THE PRIESTS (vs. 1-46)
God gave instruction on how to consecrate priests who will serve Him.
Aaron and his sons were brought to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. they were being washed. Aaron was dress with tunic and the robe of the ephod, the breastplate and sashes.; Turban was put on his head and he was anointed with oil on his head. His sons were dressed in tunic, headbands and sashes. Aaron and his sons shall be ordained as a lasting ordinance of priesthood.
Bull was slaughtered. It’s blood put on the horns of the altar, its fat burned as sin offering. Slaughter a ram, sprinkle its blood against all siders of the altar and burn the ram on the altar as a burnt offering to the Lord. Slaughter another ram and put some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and on the big toes of their right feet. Then sprinkle blood against the altar on all sides. Take some of the blood on the altar and
Take some anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.Take some fat from the ram for ordination.
From the basket of bread made without yeast, take a loaf and a cake made with oil and a wafer Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.Israelites will give the breast and thigh part of the ordinated ram as their share in the fellowship offering. Only Aaron and his sons could eat them and its left over must be burned up because it is sacred.
It took 7 days to ordain Aaron and his sons and make atonement for the altars for consecration. The burn offering was to be made at the entrance of at the Tent of Meeting regularly for the generations to come. Then the Lord shall dwell among them and the Israelites will know that the Lord is their God who brought them out of Egypt.
THOUGHTS;
God has chosen Aaron and his sons to be the priesthood. There was a cleansing ceremony to be observed. Today, we have been cleaned by the blood of God if we confess our sins. We are being clothes with his righteousness. Therefore we have to put off the grave cloth and put on the grace cloth. We are empowered by the Spirit of God to serve Him.
In the Old Testament law, there were 3 agents for cleaning: water, blood and fire. The first ram was served as a burnt offering, a picture of total dedication for God. The second ram applied for the right earts, thumb and toes of Aaron and his sons, picturing their consecration to hear God’s Word and to do god’
s will and walk in God’s way. It became a wave offering and then a burnt offering. Part of the second rame belonged to the Priests as payment for their ministry to the people. Today, we have to offering our body as a living sacrifice to the Lor for his use. We have also to support God’s servant’s needs.
The ministerial duties of the priests were to be offered morning and evening each day… They had to remove the old ashes from the altar, keep the fire burning and offer a lamb to the Lord. This is a picture of the necessity of having a “devotional time:” with God daily in order the fire will keep burning on the altar of our hearts so that we won’t become cold or lukewarm.
A detailed rituals in connection with sacrifices was presented to the Israelites from joining the Canaanites in their immoral religious practices. A centralized and standardized form of worship will present problems of belief arising from individuals creating their own worship.
The priests, the cloths, the tabernacle and the sacrifices had to be cleaned and consecrated when they prepared to meet God. When we worship God, come before him with respect, reverence and repentance.
God wanted to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt and protected them.. He wanted to be their God and dwell among them. Let God live in your heart. Don’t exclude Him from you life. Obey His word and communicate with Him in prayer.