Chapter 8

1 Moses consecrateth Aaron and his sons. 14 Their sin offering. 18 Their burnt offering. 22 The ram of consecrations. 31 The place and time of their consecration.

2. Take Aaron and his sons. Chronologically this chapter follows the last chapter of Exodus, in which the erection of the tabernacle is recorded. The seven intervening chapters contain instruction Aaron and his sons would need before they began their ministration in the sanctuary.

The first qualification for the priesthood was descent from Aaron. Genealogical registers were kept with great care (2 Chron. 31:16–19). One who could not submit legal proof of Aaronic descent was not permitted to minister in the priest’s office (Ezra 2:62; Neh. 7:64).

The second qualification was freedom from physical deformity. Any defect or injury was sufficient to prevent a son of Aaron from approaching the altar or even entering the sanctuary. Aaronic descent entitled him to support; he might eat of the priest’s portion of the sacrifices and receive a portion of the tithe (Lev. 21:17–23). The priest was, furthermore, to be free from any ceremonial uncleanness and to abstain from wine and strong drink (ch. 10:8–10).

The special function of the priests was to approach God on behalf of the people (Lev. 10:3; 21:17; Num. 16:5). They were to stand, as it were, between a Holy God and a sinful people. Hence, they must themselves be holy. The matter of holiness is repeatedly emphasized in the description of the work of the priests. The high priest, in whom the priesthood centered, is called the “saint of the Lord” (Ps. 106:16). On the golden plate attached to his miter were inscribed the words, “Holiness to the Lord” (Ex. 28:36), and it is expressly stated that he was to “bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts” (Ex. 28:38).

But before the high priest and his sons could begin their ministration in the sanctuary, they were to be solemnly set apart for the task. Aaron was to be anointed with the holy oil and his sons were to be sprinkled with it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, where the inauguration was to take place.

6. Washed them. This was a symbol of regeneration (Titus 3:5). They were not to wash themselves, for the purity God required of them was not something they could provide for themselves. Someone else must do the washing for them.

As the two brothers proceeded to the laver their minds must have been occupied with the significance and importance of what they were doing. This was more than an ordinary bath; it was a spiritual cleansing. Aaron could not cleanse himself from sin. Someone must do that for him.

7. Put upon him the coat. After the washing came the investiture of Aaron with the holy garments, his insignia of office. This also was a symbolic act; hence he was not permitted to clothe himself.

By this time Aaron must have felt completely helpless. Was there nothing he could do for himself? Must everything be done for him? Could he not even put on the miter himself? He could do that better than Moses. But no, Aaron must submit to the command of God. He must be made to feel his own insufficiency. He must learn that nothing he could do would be acceptable to God. He must learn the lesson of entire dependence. It was God who was fitting and preparing him for service. It was God who was clothing him with divine righteousness (Ps. 132:9).

Aaron was now fully clothed. He had on the long blue robe, with the bells and the pomegranates, the ephod with the names of the children of Israel engraved upon its 2 beautiful onyx stones, the breastplate with the 12 stones and the Urim and the Thummim, and the miter with its golden crown and the inscription, “Holiness to the Lord.”

10. Anointed the tabernacle. Before anointing Aaron, Moses anointed the tabernacle and its furniture, including the ark, in accordance with God’s command (Ex. 30:26–29).

12. He poured. Having anointed the tabernacle and its contents, Moses then anointed Aaron. This was his coronation as high priest (see Lev. 21:12; cf. Zech. 6:11–13). The anointing was so copious that the oil ran down upon Aaron’s beard and garments (Ps. 133:2).

14. The bullock for the sin offering. This sin offering was not for Aaron and his sons alone, but for the altar also. The altar had a most important function to perform in the ministry of reconciliation, and a special anointing and purification was therefore accorded it.

Throughout the consecration ritual Moses acted as priest. He took the blood and put it upon the horns of the altar; he poured out the rest of the blood at the bottom of the altar; he burned the fat upon the altar; he disposed of the bullock by burning its body outside the camp. Aaron had not yet begun his work, and Moses therefore functioned not only as priest but even as high priest. He went into the most holy to anoint the ark of the testimony (Ex. 30:26; Lev. 8:10).

22. The ram of consecration. The ceremony with the ram of consecration was the last act in the consecration of Aaron and his sons. With it the dedication was completed, and they were empowered to perform the various priestly mediatorial services.

23. Aaron’s right ear. The application of the blood to the ear signified its consecration to the service of God. Henceforth Aaron must hearken diligently to God’s commands, and must close his ears to evil. This lesson is profitable for minister and layman alike. Well would it be were it heeded, for “to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22).

The thumb. The placing of the blood upon Aaron’s right thumb signified that henceforth his every act should be righteous. The hand stands for the lifework, the various outward acts, the doing of righteousness. Of Christ it was written, “Lo, I come … to do thy will, O God” (Heb. 10:7). “My meat,” He said, “is to do the will of him that sent me” (John 4:34).

The great toe. Placing the blood on the toe has a similar meaning. It signifies walking in the light, running on God’s errands, standing for truth and righteousness. Every faculty of the being is to be dedicated to God.

24. The altar round about. The altar had previously been anointed with oil. The blood of the sin offering and the blood of the burnt offering had also been applied to it (ch. 8:10, 15, 19, 24). Now it was sprinkled with the blood of the ram of consecration. It received more attention than any other part of the sanctuary. This was doubtless because of its importance to the atonement. For practically every sacrifice it played an important role.

31. Eat it. This ritual meal concluded the ceremony of consecration. The eating of the flesh of the ram of consecration is in contrast to the eating of the flesh of the sin offering. The eating of the flesh of the ram was to consecrate the priest that they might eat the flesh of the sin offering and bear the sin of the people (ch. 10:17).

35. Seven days. The service for the day was ended, but Aaron and his sons were not permitted to leave until after seven days. This was a time for study, for prayer, for meditation, for going through the ritual again and again, that they should make no mistake when the time came for them to officiate.

Ellen G. White comments

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