Chapter 8
One of my struggles early in life was trying to understand church. I would sometimes visit my dad’s church in Texas. I remember the preacher standing at a fancy, decorated pulpit, wearing a long black robe with a colorful stole around his shoulders. The choir also wore robes, and there were a lot of shiny, special items at the front of the church.
There was a long table that held a big Bible, a bowl with bread, and a beautiful gold cup. As a child, all of this felt mysterious. It just looked very formal and fancy. I also remember how my siblings and I had to stay very quiet when we entered the sanctuary. And it always felt cold in there. (But, since it was Texas, I can now say I appreciate the air conditioning! Ha.)
Maybe you have memories like this too. In some ways, church has changed a lot over the years, but we still hold on to many old traditions. The key is finding a healthy balance. Our Christian faith is rich in symbolism, and remembering the past can help encourage our faith today. Some traditional practices can still be meaningful—if we understand them.
But sometimes traditions become the focus, and we lose sight of the real purpose. When that happens, it becomes just a religious routine. Friends, don’t do something just because it’s always been done. Instead, try to understand why it’s done. If it honors God, it’s a good thing. If it’s only about keeping tradition for tradition’s sake, it may be time to take a second look.
I bring this up because the chapter we’re looking at has created a lot of tradition in the church—specifically around setting apart and ordaining priests. But I want us to take a step back and look at it from a higher view. Put on your “Jesus glasses” and see it as a shadow of something greater.
We have the New Testament, and we know that every person who has given their heart to Jesus is a priest in God’s eyes. Yes, there are people in full-time ministry—but they aren’t the only priests. They are ministers, which literally means “servants.” We are ministers too.
This is where a lot of confusion happens. Many people think paid church staff are somehow more spiritual. But they’re not. Don’t sell yourself short. You are just as much a priest and minister as they are. The only difference is where and how you serve, compared to where and how they serve.
I’m thankful for my pastors. They encourage and build me up so I can go out and do the work God has called me to in my job, my life, and my relationships.
If you look closely at this chapter, you’ll see a picture of your own ordination as a priest. You have been set apart for God’s service. You’ve been washed clean through the water and blood of Jesus. You’ve admitted your sin, trusted in Jesus’ sacrifice, committed to follow Him, and are learning to listen for His voice.
This chapter is actually a beautiful one. It shows the transformation and calling God gave to the priests back then—but it also points to the same transformation and calling He gives each of us through Jesus.
The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Bring Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams and the basket containing bread made without yeast, 3 and gather the entire assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” [True service begins with God’s call on one’s life. It is not something that can be achieved through human ambition or determination.] 4 Moses did as the LORD commanded him, [Seven times this phrase will be repeated. Moses demonstrates the right posture of heart toward God.] and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
5 Moses said to the assembly, “This is what the LORD has commanded to be done.” 6 Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water. [Service to God begins with us being cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb and the baptism with the Holy Spirit.] 7 He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him. He also fastened the ephod with a decorative waistband, which he tied around him. 8 He placed the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece. 9 Then he placed the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred emblem, on the front of it, as the LORD commanded Moses.
10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them. 12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him. 13 Then he brought Aaron’s sons forward, put tunics on them, tied sashes around them and fastened caps on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.
14 He then presented the bull for the sin offering, [No one is above needing the grace and forgiveness of God. No matter how high we go, or how many we lead – our sin needs to be reconciled with God.] and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. [Confession / acknowledgement] 15 Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood, and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar to purify the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. So he consecrated it to make atonement for it. 16 Moses also took all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys and their fat, and burned it on the altar. 17 But the bull with its hide and its flesh and its intestines he burned up outside the camp, as the LORD commanded Moses.
18 He then presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. [transferring and acceptance] 19 Then Moses slaughtered the ram and splashed the blood against the sides of the altar. 20 He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces and the fat. 21 He washed the internal organs and the legs with water and burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
22 He then presented the other ram, the ram for the ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. [commitment] 23 Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 24 Moses also brought Aaron’s sons forward and put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. [Not only do we see a glimpse of Jesus on the cross here, but symbolically it shows the power of his blood to open our hearing/listening to God, strengthen our hands for Gods work/act, and guide us in our walk (relationship) with God.] Then he splashed blood against the sides of the altar. 25 After that, he took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys and their fat and the right thigh. 26 And from the basket of bread made without yeast, which was before the LORD, he took one thick loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf, and he put these on the fat portions and on the right thigh. 27 He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they waved them before the LORD as a wave offering. [symbolizing what we receive from God, we acknowledge and give back to God] 28 Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar on top of the burnt offering as an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD. 29 Moses also took the breast, which was his share of the ordination ram, and waved it before the LORD as a wave offering, as the LORD commanded Moses.
30 Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments.
31 Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, “Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded: ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ 32 Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread. 33 Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days. [Our service, our life, our dedication to God is not a part-time venture. This shows perfect separation from the world, showing that we too make a full life commitment when we give our hearts to Jesus. He set us apart. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9] 34 What has been done today was commanded by the LORD to make atonement for you. 35 You must stay at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and do what the LORD requires, so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded.”
36 So Aaron and his sons did everything the LORD commanded through Moses.
