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Expositor's Bible Commentary Leviticus 8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, THE CONSECRATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS, AND OF THE TABERNACLE Leviticus 8:1-36 THE second section of the book of Leviticus {Lev 8:1 - Lev 10:20} is historical, and describes (chapter 8) the consecration of the tabernacle and of Aaron and his sons, (chapter 9) their induction into the duties of their office, and, finally (chapter 10), the terrible judgment by which the high sanctity of the priestly office and of the tabernacle service was very solemnly impressed upon them and all the people. First in order (chapter 8) is described the ceremonial of consecration. We read ( Leviticus 8:1-4 ): "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bullock of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; and assemble thou all the congregation at the door of the tent of meeting. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the tent of meeting." These words refer us back to Exodus 28:1-43 ; Exodus 29:1-46 in which are recorded the full directions previously given for the making of the garments and the oil of anointing, and for the ceremonial of the consecration of the priests. The law of offerings having been delivered, Moses now proceeds to consecrate Aaron and his sons to the priestly office, according to the commandment given; and to this end, by Divine direction, he orders "all the congregation" to be assembled "at the door of the tent of meeting." In this last statement some have seen a sufficient reason for rejecting the whole account as fabulous, insisting that it is palpably absurd to suppose that a congregation numbering some millions could be assembled at the door of a single tent! But, surely, if the words are to he taken in the ultra-literal sense required in order to make out this difficulty, the impossibility must have been equally evident to the supposed fabricator of the fiction; and it is yet more absurd to suppose that he should ever have intended his words to be pressed to such a rigid literality. Two explanations lie before us, either of which meets the supposed difficulty; the one, that endorsed by Dillmann, that the congregation was gathered in their appointed representatives; the other, that which refuses to see in the words a statement that every individual in the nation was literally "at the door," and further reminds us that, inasmuch as the ceremonies of the consecration are said to have continued seven days, we are not, by the terms of the narrative, required to believe that all, in any sense, were present, either at the very beginning or at any one time during that week. It is not too much to say that by a captious criticism of this kind; any narrative, however sober, might be shown to be absurd. The consecration ceremonial was introduced by a solemn declaration made by Moses to assembled Israel, that the impressive rites which they were now about to witness, were of Divine appointment. We read ( Leviticus 8:5 ), "Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded to be done." Just here we may pause to note the great emphasis which the narrative lays upon this fact of the Divine appointment of all pertaining to these consecration rites. Not only is this Divine ordination of all thus declared at the beginning, but in connection with each of the chief parts of the ceremonial the formula is repeated, "as the Lord commanded Moses." Also, at the close of the first day’s rites, Moses twice reminds Aaron and his sons that this whole ritual, in all its parts, is for them an ordinance of God, and is to be regarded accordingly, upon pain of death ( Leviticus 8:34-35 ). And the narrative of the chapter closes ( Leviticus 8:36 ) with the words, "Aaron and his sons did all the things which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses." Twelve times in this one chapter is reference thus made to the Divine appointment of these consecration rites. This is full of significance and instruction. It is of the highest importance in an apologetic way. For it is self-evident that this twelvefold affirmation, twelve times directly contradicts the modern theory of the late origin and human invention of the Levitical priesthood. There is no evading of the issue which is thus placed squarely before us. To talk of the inspiration from God, in any sense possible to that word, of a writing containing such affirmations, so numerous, formal, and emphatic, if the critics referred to are right, and these affirmations are all false, is absurd. There is no such thing as inspired falsehood. Again, a great spiritual truth is herein brought before us, which concerns believers in all ages. It is set forth in so many words in Hebrews 5:4 , where the writer, laying down the essential conditions of priesthood, specially mentions Divine appointment as one of these; which he affirms as satisfied in the high priesthood of Christ: "No man taketh the honour unto himself, but when he is called of God, even as was Aaron. So Christ also glorified not Himself to be made a high priest." Fundamental to Christian faith and life is this thought: priesthood is not of man, but of God. In particular, in all that Christ has done and is still doing as the High Priest, in the true holiest, He is acting under Divine appointment. And we are hereby pointed to the truth of which some may need to be reminded, that the work of our Lord in our behalf, and that of the whole universe into which sin has entered, has its cause and origin in the mind and gracious will of the Father. It was in His incomprehensible love, who appointed the priestly office, that the whole work of atonement, and therewith purification and full redemption, had its mysterious origin. The thoughtful reader of the Gospels will hardly need to be reminded how constantly our blessed Lord, in the days of His high priestly service upon earth, acted in all that He did under the consciousness, often expressed, of His appointment by the Father to this work. Thus, Aaron in the solemn ceremonial of those days of consecration, as ever afterward, doing "all the things which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses," in so doing fitly represented Him who should come afterward, who said of Himself, {Joh 6:38} "I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me." THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD AND TABERNACLE AS TYPES In order to any profitable study of the following ceremonial, it is indispensable to have distinctly before us the New Testament teaching as to the typical significance of the priesthood and the tabernacle. A few words on this subject, therefore, seem to be needful as preliminary to more detailed exposition. As to the typical character of Aaron, as high priest, the New Testament leaves us no room for doubt. Throughout the Epistle to the Hebrews, Christ is held forth as the true and heavenly High Priest, of whom Aaron, with his successors, was an eminent type. As regards the other priests, while it is true that, considered in themselves, and without reference to the high priest, each of them also, in the performance of his daily functions in the tabernacle, was a lesser type of Christ, as is intimated in Hebrews 10:1-39 ; Hebrews 11:1-40 , yet, as contrasted with the high priest, who was ever one, while they were many, it is plain that another typical reference must be sought for the ordinary priesthood. What that may be is suggested to us in several New Testament passages; as, especially, in Revelation 5:10 , where the whole body of believers, bought by the blood of the slain Lamb, is said to have been made "unto our God a kingdom and priests"; with which may be compared Hebrews 13:10 , where it is said, "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle"; words which plainly assume the priesthood of all believers in Christ, as the antitype of the priesthood of the Levitical tabernacle. As to the typical meaning of the tabernacle, which also is anointed in the consecration ceremonial, there has been much difference of opinion. That it was typical is declared, in so many words, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, {Heb 8:5} where the Levitical priests are said to have served "that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things"; as also Hebrews 9:24 , where we read, "Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us." But when we ask what then were "the heavenly things" of which the tabernacle was "the copy and shadow," we have different answers. Many have replied that the antitype of the tabernacle, as of the temple, was the Church of believers; and, at first thought, with some apparent scriptural reason. For it is certain that Christians are declared {1Co 3:16} to be the temple of the living God; where, however, it is to be noted that the original word denotes, not the temple or tabernacle in general, but the "sanctuary" or inner shrine-the "holy of holies." More to the point is 1 Peter 2:5 , where it is said to Christians, "Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house." Such passages as these do certainly warrant us in saying that the tabernacle, and especially the inner sanctuary, as the special place of the Divine habitation and manifestation, did in so far typify the Church. But when we consider the tabernacle, not in itself, but in relation to its priesthood and ministry, the explanation fails, and we fall into confusion. As when the priests are considered, not in themselves, but in their relation to the high priest, we are compelled to seek an antitype different from the Antitype of the high priest, so in this case. To identify the typical meaning of the tabernacle, considered as a part of a whole system and order, with that of the priesthood who serve in it, is to throw that whole typical system into confusion. Furthermore, this cannot be harmonised with a number of New Testament expressions with regard to the tabernacle and temple, as related to the high priesthood of our Lord. It is hard to see, for example, how the Church of believers could be properly descried as "things in the heavens." Moreover, we are expressly taught, {Heb 9:24} that the Antitype of the Holy Place into which the high priest entered every year, with blood, was "heaven itself," "the presence of God"; and again, His ascension to the right hand of God is described, {Heb 4:14, R.V} with evident allusion to the passing of the high priest through the Holy Place into the Holiest, as a passing "through the heavens; and also {Heb 9:11} as an entering into the Holy Place, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle." These expressions exclude reference to the Church of Christ as the antitype of the earthly tabernacle. Others, again, have regarded the tabernacle as a type of the human nature of Christ, referring in proof to John 2:19-21 , where our Lord speaks of "the temple of His body"; and also to Hebrews 10:19-20 , where it is said that believers have access to the Holiest "by a new and living way, which He dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh." As regards the first of these passages, we should note that the original word is, again, not the word for the temple in general, but that which is invariably used to denote the inner sanctuary, as the special shrine of Jehovah’s presence: so that it really gives us no warrant for affirming that the tabernacle, as a whole, was a type of our Lord’s humanity; nor, on that supposition, does it seem possible to explain the meaning of the three parts into which the tabernacle was divided. And the second passage referred to is no more to the point. For the writer had only a little before described the tabernacle as a "pattern of things in the heavens"; words which, surely, could not be applied to the humanity in which our Lord appeared in His incarnation and humiliation, -a humanity which was not a thing "of the heavens," but of the earth. The reference to the "flesh" of Christ, as being the veil through which He passed into the Holiest {Heb 10:19-20} is merely by way of illustration, and not of typical interpretation. The thought of the inspired writer appears to be this. Just as, in the Levitical tabernacle, the veil must be parted before the high priest could go into the Holiest Place even so was it necessary that the flesh of our Lord should be rent in order that thus, through death, it might be possible for Him to enter into the true holiest. The thought has been happily expressed by Delitzsch, thus: "While He was with us here below, the weak, limit bound, and mortal flesh which He had assumed for our sakes hung like a curtain between Him and the Divine sanctuary into which He would enter; and in order to such entrance, this curtain had to be withdrawn by death, even as the high priest had to draw aside the temple veil in order to make his entry to the Holy of Holies." Not to review other opinions on this matter, the various expressions used constrain us to regard the tabernacle as typifying the universe itself, measured and appointed in all its parts by infinite wisdom, as the abode of Him who "filleth immensity with His presence," the place of the Divine manifestation, and the abode of His holiness. In the outer court, where the victims were offered, we have this world of sense in which we live, in which our Lord was offered in the sight of all; in the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies, the unseen and heavenly worlds, through the former of which our Lord is represented as having passed {Heb 4:14; Heb 9:11} that He might appear with His blood in the true Holiest, where God in the innermost shrine of His glory "covereth Himself with light as with a garment." For this cosmical dwelling place of the Most High God has been defiled by sin, which, as it were, has profaned the whole sanctuary; for we, {Col 1:20} that not only "things upon the earth," but also "things in the heavens," are to be "reconciled" through Christ, even "through the blood of His cross"; and, still more explicitly, to the same effect, {Heb 9:23} that as the typical "copies of the things in the heavens" needed to be cleansed with the blood of bullocks and of goats, so "it was necessary that the heavenly things themselves should be cleansed with better sacrifices than these." And so, at this present time, Christ, as the High Priest of this cosmical tabernacle, "not made with hands," having offered His great sacrifice for sins forever, is now engaged in carrying out His work of cleansing the people of God, and the earthly and the heavenly sanctuary, to the uttermost completion. With these preliminary words, which have seemed essential to the exposition of these chapters, we are now prepared to consider the ceremonial of the consecration of the priesthood and tabernacle, and the spiritual meaning which it was intended to convey. Leviticus 8:6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. THE WASHING WITH WATER Leviticus 8:6 "And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water." The consecration ceremonies consisted of four parts, namely, the Washing, the Investiture, the Anointing, and the Sacrifices. Of these, first in order was the Washing. We read that "Moses"-acting throughout, we must remember, as Mediator, representing God-"brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water." The meaning of this act is so evident as not to have been called in question. Washing ever signifies cleansing; the ceremonial cleansing of the body, therefore, in symbol ever represents the inward purification of the spirit. Of this usage the Biblical illustrations are very numerous. Thus, the spiritual purification of Israel in the latter day is described {Isa 4:4} by the same word as is used here, as a washing away of a the "filth of the daughters of Zion" by the Lord. So, again, in the New Testament, we read that Christ declared unto Nicodemus that in order to see the kingdom of God a man must be born again, "of water and the Spirit," and in the Epistle to Titus {Tit 3:5} we read of a cleansing of the Church "with the washing (marg., laver) of water, by the Word," even the "washing of regeneration." The symbolism in this case, therefore, points to cleansing from the defilement of sin as a fundamental condition of priesthood. As regards our Lord indeed, such cleansing was no more needed for His high priesthood than was the sin offering for Himself; for in His holy incarnation, though He took our nature indeed with all the consequences and infirmities consequent on sin, He was yet "without sin." But all the more it was necessary in the symbolism that if Aaron was to typify the sinless Christ of God he must be cleansed with water, in type of the cleansing of human nature, without which no man can approach to God. And in that not only Aaron, but also his sons, the ordinary priests, were thus cleansed, we are in the ordinance significantly pointed to the deep spiritual truth that they who are called to be priests to God must be qualified for this office, first of all, by the cleansing of their human nature through the washing of regeneration, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Leviticus 8:7 And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. THE INVESTITURE Leviticus 8:7-9 "And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the cunningly woven band of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. And he placed the breastplate upon him: and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim. And he set the mitre upon his head: and upon the mitre, in front, did he set the golden plate, the holy crown; as the Lord commanded Moses." The next ceremony of the consecration was the Investiture of Aaron with his official high priestly robes, as they had been appointed of God to be made. {Exo 28:1-43} The investiture of the sons of Aaron significantly takes place only after the anointing of the tabernacle, and of Aaron as high priest. Of the investiture of Aaron we read in Leviticus 8:7-9 , above. As these garments were official, we must needs regard them as symbolical; a thought which is the more emphasised by the very minute and special directions given by the Lord for making them. Nothing was left to the fancy of man; all was prescribed by the Lord. The official robes of the high priest consisted of eight pieces, four of which, the coat, the girdle, the turban (or "mitre"), and the breeches, were, with the exception of the turban, of white linen, and identical in every respect with the official dress of the ordinary priests. Four pieces more were peculiar to himself, the special insignia of his office, and unlike the dress of the ordinary priest, were richly made in gold and various colours, "garments for glory and for beauty." These were: the robe of the ephod, made all of blue, with a border of pendant pomegranates and golden bells in alternation; the ephod itself consisting of two pieces, broidered in gold and blue, purple, scarlet, and fine white linen, the one hanging in front, the other behind, over the robe of the ephod, and joined on the shoulders with two onyx stones, on which were graven the names of the twelve tribes, six on the one shoulder and six on the other; it was girt about him with a girdle of the same material and colours. The third was the breastplate, which was a double square of the same material and colours as the ephod, within the fold of which, as it hung from his shoulders by golden chains, was placed the Urim and the Thummim, whatever these may have been, and upon the front of which were set twelve precious stones, on which, severally, were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. And the fourth and last article of his attire was "the golden plate, the holy crown"; a band of gold bound about his forehead over the turban, with blue lace, on which were engraven the words, "Holiness to Jehovah." This dress of the high priest represented him, in the first place, as the appointed minister of the tabernacle. The number of pieces, twice four, like the four of the common priests’ attire, answered to the four which was represented in the ground plan of the tabernacle, quadrangular both in its form as a whole and in its several parts, the Holy of Holies being a perfect cube; four being in Scripture constantly the number which symbolises the universe, as created by God and bearing witness to Him. So also the garments of the high priest marked him as the minister of the tabernacle by their colours, also four in number, and the same as those of the latter, namely, blue, purple, scarlet, and white. But the official robes of the high priest marked him, in the second place, as the servant of the God of the tabernacle, whose livery he wore. For these colours, various modifications of light, all thus had a symbolic reference to the God of light, who made the universe of which the Mosaic tabernacle was a type. Of these, the blue, the colour of the overarching heaven, has been in many lands and religions naturally regarded as the colour symbolising God, as the God of the heaven, bowing to the earth in condescending love and self-revelation. In like manner, we find it repeatedly recurring in the symbolic manifestations of Jehovah in the Holy Scriptures, where it always brings God before us with special reference to His condescending love as entering into covenant with man, and revealing for their good His holy law. The purple, as will occur to everyone, is everywhere recognised as the colour of royalty, and therefore symbolised the kingly exaltation and majesty of God, as the Ruler of heaven and earth. The scarlet reminds us at once of the colour of blood, which stands in the very foreground of the Mosaic symbolism as the symbol of life, and thus points us to the conception of God, as the essentially Living One, who is Himself the sole primal source of all life, whether physical or spiritual, in the creature. No one can mistake, again, the symbolic meaning of the white, which, not only in the Scripture, but among all nations, has ever been the symbol of purity and holiness, and thus represented the high priest as the minister of God, as the Most Holy One. By this investiture, therefore, Aaron was symbolically constituted the minister of the tabernacle, on the one hand, and of God, on the other; and, in particular, of God as the God of revelation, in covenant with Israel; of God as the Most High, the King of Israel; of God as the God of life, the Giver of life in the redemption of Israel; and, finally, of God as the Most Holy, the God "who is light," and "with whom is no darkness at all." The "robe of the ephod" was woven in one piece, and all of blue. In that it was thus without seam, was symbolised the wholeness and absolute integrity necessary to him who should bear the high priestly office. In that it was made all of blue, the colour which symbolised the God of heaven as manifesting Himself to Israel in condescending love, in the holy law and covenant, this robe of the ephod specially marked the high priest as the minister of Jehovah and of His revealed law. The ephod, which depended from the shoulders before and behind, according to the usage of Scripture, was the garment specially significant of rule and authority; a thought which reached full expression in the breastplate which was fastened to it, which contained the Urim and Thummim, by which God’s will was made known to Israel in times of perplexity, and was called "the breastplate of judgment." The ornamentation of these garments had also a symbolic meaning, though it may not be in each instance equally clear. In that the high priest, as thus robed, bore upon the ephod and the breastplate of judgment, graven on precious stones, the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, he was marked as one who in all his high priestly work before and with God, presented and represented Israel. In that the names were engraven upon precious stones was signified the exceeding preciousness of Israel in God’s sight, as His "peculiar treasure." In that, again, they were worn upon his shoulders, Aaron was represented to Israel as upholding and bearing them before God in the strength of his office; in that he wore their names upon his breast, he was represented as also bearing them upon. his heart in love and affection. The symbolic meaning of the pomegranates and golden bells, which formed the border of the robe of the ephod, is not quite so clear. But we may probably find a hint as to their significance in the Divine direction as to the border of blue which every Israelite was to wear upon the bottom of his garment. {Num 15:39} The purpose of this is said to be that it might be for a continual reminder of the law: "It shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them." If then this border in the garment of each individual member of the priestly nation was designed symbolically to mark them as the keepers of the law of the God of heaven, we may safely infer an analogous meaning in the similar border to the official garment of the high priest. And if so, then we shall perhaps not be far out of the way if in this case we follow Jewish tradition in regarding the pomegranate, a fruit distinguished by being filled to the full with seeds, as the symbol, par excellence, of the law of commandments, the words of the living God, as "incorruptible seed," endowed by Him with vital energy and power. As for the bells, we naturally think at once of the common use of the bell to give a signal, and announce what one may be concerned to know. So we read of these golden bells, {Exo 28:35} "the sound thereof shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord that he die not." These golden bells in the border of his garment, between each pair of pomegranates, thus announced him as officially appearing before God as the fulfiller of the law of commandments, and as, for this reason, acceptable to God in the execution of his high priestly functions. As to the Urim and Thummim, "Light and Perfection," which were apparently placed within the fold of the breastplate of judgment, as the tables of the law within the ark of the covenant, there has been in all ages much debate; but what they were cannot be said to have been certainly determined. Most probable appears the opinion that they were two sacred lots which on solemn occasions were used by the high priest for determining the will of God. So much, in any case, is clear from the Scripture, that in some way through them the will of God as the King of Israel was made known to the high priest, for the direction of the nation in doubtful matters. Most fitly, therefore, they were placed within the breastplate of judgment, which, indeed, may have received this name from this circumstance. The high priest, therefore, as the bearer of the Urim and Thummim, was set forth, in accordance with the meaning of these words, as one who in virtue of his office received perfect enlightenment from God as to His will, in all that concerned Israel’s action. The plate of graven gold, called the "holy crown" was bound by Moses with a lace of blue upon the mitre of Aaron in front. The precious metal here, as elsewhere in the official garments of the high priest, and in the tabernacle, was symbolic of the boundless riches of the glory of the God of Israel, whose minister the high priest was. The special significance, however, of this holy crown, is found in the words which appeared upon it, "Holiness to Jehovah." This was a continual visible mark and reminder of the fact that the high priest, in all that he was, and in all that he did, was a person in the highest possible sense consecrated to Jehovah, the heavenly King of Israel, whose livery he wore. And in that this golden plate with this inscription is called his "crown," it is further suggested that in this last-named fact is found the crowning glory and dignity of the high priest’s office. He is the minister of the God of Israel, Jehovah, whose own supreme glory is just this, that He is holy. In the directions given for this crown in Exodus 28:36-38 it is said that in virtue of his wearing this, or, rather in virtue of the fact thus set forth, "Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord." That is, even Israel’s consecrated things, their holiest gifts, are yet defiled by the ever abiding sinfulness of those who offer them; but they are nevertheless graciously accepted, as being offered by Aaron, himself "holy to the Lord." Such then appears to have been the symbolic meaning of these "garments for glory and for beauty," with which Moses now robed Aaron, in token of his investiture with the manifold dignities of the exalted office to which God had called him. But we must not forget that we are not, in all this, dealing merely with matters of antiquarian or archaeological interest. Nothing is plainer than the teaching of the New Testament, that Aaron, as the high priest, not by accident, but by Divine intention, prefigured Christ. In all the directions given concerning his investiture with his office, and the work which, as high priest, he had to do, the Holy Ghost intended to prefigure, directly or indirectly, something concerning the person, office, and work of Jesus Christ, as our heavenly High Priest, the Fulfiller of all these types. As Aaron appears in his fourfold high priestly garments of four colours, which represented him as the minister, on the one hand, of the tabernacle, and, on the other, of the God of Israel, the Inhabitant of the tabernacle, so are we reminded how Christ is appointed as the "Minister of the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands," {Heb 9:11} the earth, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, to reconcile, by the offering of His blood, "both the things which are on earth and those which are in the heavens". {Col 1:20} We look upon the blue robe of the ephod, and remember how Christ is made a minister of "a better covenant, enacted upon better promises," {Heb 8:6} representing, as that old covenant did not, the fulness of the revelation of God’s condescending love and saving mercy. So also the inwoven scarlet reminds us how Christ, again, as the great High Priest, is the minister of the God of life, and is also Himself life and the Giver of life to all His people. We look upon the high priest’s purple and gold, and are reminded again that Christ, the High Priest, is also invested with regal power and dominion, all authority being given unto Him in heaven and on earth. {Mat 28:18} Again, we look on the ephod of fine linen, inwoven with blue, and scarlet, and purple, and gold, with its girdle, symbolising service, and its pendant breastplate of judgment, and are reminded how Christ in all the relations thus pertaining to Him as High Priest, is the Ruler and the Judge of His people, who, as the bearer of the true Urim and Thummim, is not only Priest, and King, and Judge, but also, and in order to the salvation of His people, their Prophet, continually revealing unto those who seek Him, the will of God for their direction and guidance in every emergency of life. The girdle, the symbol of service, brings to mind, again, how in all this He is the Servant of the Lord, serving the Father in Saving us. The symbolism of the pomegranates and the golden bells reminds us, for the strengthening of our faith, how our exalted High Priest, who appears before God in our behalf in the Holiest, appears there as the great Preserver and Fulfiller of the Divine law, supremely qualified, no less by His supreme merit than by Divine appointment, to urge our needs with prevalence before God, His very presence in the heavenly sanctuary vocal with sweet music. Did Aaron bear the names of the twelve tribes of Israel on his shoulders and on his breast before God continually? Even so, does his great Antitype bear continually all His people before God, as He executes His high priestly office; and this, too, not merely in a vague and general way, but tribe by tribe, community by community, each with its peculiar case and special need; nay, we may say even more; each individual, as

Sanctified Aaron... and his sons. Leviticus 8:2-30 Aaron and his consecration J. A. Seiss, D. D. The chapter before us gives a description of the ceremonies by which the priests were consecrated and formally inducted into their high office. These ceremonies were, for the most part, the same for Aaron and his sons; but it is the case of the high priest more particularly that I propose to present now. The case of the common priests is reserved for another occasion. I. Fixing attention, then, upon Aaron, as about to be set apart for the high priesthood, the first thing I notice is THE PUBLICITY WITH WHICH THE CONSECRATION WAS PERFORMED. The whole congregation of Israel had to be gathered together to witness the solemn transaction. The creation of so high an officer for the whole people required to be done in open daylight and in the view of all concerned. And the scene presented an imposing spectacle. But, through this scene in the Hebrew camp, I ascend at once to the contemplation of a more glorious spectacle. There rises up before me, in awful grandeur, the mount of Almighty Holiness. Around it, in serried orders, lie the princedoms and principalities of heaven. Myriads of holy ones, who looked on when the world was made, stand in compact throngs to watch in solemn silence the development of that new thought which has been thrown into their Celestial contemptations. The four-and-twenty elders, with their crowns of gold glittering in the sublime effulgence of the great white throne, wait in impressive seriousness; when out upon the glassy sea, spanned by emerald bows, and radiant in jewelry of Gods head, steps the blessed Son, saying, "Lo! I come to do Thy will, O God!" "I will redeem them from death: I will ransom them from the power of the grave!" and the Father from His everlasting seat lifts up His hand in solemn oath and says, "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek!" II. The first thing to be done after the appearance of Aaron before the congregation as the designated priest, was TO WASH HIM WITH WATER. It was meant to impress the idea of cleanness in him who was to act as an attorney between man and his Maker. And Aaron in his outward purification shows us our great High Priest in the sublime purity which He brought to His mediation work. Jesus "was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." It was partly in token of this pureness and separation that John, as another Moses, baptized Him in Jordan vale. He needed no cleansing. He always was pure. But, to indicate this purity, and to enter upon His priesthood in the regular way, He consented to be washed, as was Aaron. His baptism was part of His priestly installation. III. The next thing done for Aaron's consecration was THE PUTTING OF THE SACRED VESTMENTS UPON HIM. The priest was to be endowed with grace and glory as well as purity. He had to be clothed in righteousness, and girt for active obedience. He needed covering for those shoulders, which were to bear the people's guilt, and for that brow, which was to be lifted up in confession. A rich, curious, graceful, and imposing suit was therefore provided for him — a suit which received its pattern from God, and was made according to specific Divine directions. A glorious High Priest is Jesus. Fold upon fold of glory and beauty encompass Him. With round upon round of heavenly excellency and celestial praise is He girded. Purity, and holiness, and power, and grace, and majesty, and ten thousand indescribable attractions, cluster upon Him, and surround Him with flames of perfection and light, which only the most costly jewelry can typify, which angels bend to contemplate, and which archangels cannot find words competent to express. IV. The next thing in this impressive service was THE HOLY CHRISM, OR THE ANOINTING WITH OIL This was not common oil, but the sacred, fragrant, and costly compound used only in solemn consecrations. It was "precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his garments," enveloping him in aroma as grateful to the smell as his garments were to the eye. It was the symbol of Divine gifts and unction. It pointed to that solemn chrism or christing of Jesus, by the pouring out upon Him of the Holy Spirit and energy of God "without measure." V. BUT STILL, CHRIST WAS NOT YET "MADE PERFECT." Moses had yet to mark and sprinkle Aaron with the blood of sacrifice; and, as the Captain of our salvation, Christ had to be "made perfect through sufferings." He needed to have upon Him the marks of blood. And as He was both the sacrifice and the priest, He had to give Himself to death before He could enter the Holy Place as our availing intercessor. We read that "Moses took of the blood, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. And he took of the anointing oil, and of the blood upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron and upon his garments." It was the picture of "the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God," marking our great High Priest with the final touches of His installation as the Saviour of the world. Thus "being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him." ( J. A. Seiss, D. D. ) The spiritual signification of Aaron's anointing A. Willet, D. D. 1. Some will have it to signify the power of consecration, which from the high priest was diffused upon others — as the oil ran down from the head to the inferior parts. 2. Some refer it to the graces of God's Spirit upon ministers, whereby their ministration is made acceptable unto God. 3. Some that this abundance of oil poured upon the high priest's head would have thereby expressed that he should excel others in the fragrant smell of good works. 4. But it is better referred to Christ, in whom there was a perfection of gifts, who is said to be anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows; and the Evangelist saith, " God giveth Him not the Spirit by measure." So also Rupertus understandeth it for the fulness of grace in Christ, whereof all have received, as again the Evangelist saith, "Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." 5. Hesychius taketh this unction also for the incarnation of Christ, who was anointed in His blessed flesh with the Spirit of grace. He anointeth, as He is God, in respect of His Divine nature, and is anointed in His humanity. God the Father anointed Him, as it is said in the Psalms, "God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee"; and the Holy Spirit anointed Him, as the Prophet saith, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; therefore He hath anointed Me." ( A. Willet, D. D. ) The consecration of Aaron's sons A. Willet, D. D. I. These sons of Aaron, as well as Aaron himself, had been PREVIOUSLY AND DIVINELY CALLED TO BE PRIESTS. They had not been erected by men, but designated of God. Even so our calling and election to be priests of God and of Christ has come not from any workings of nature, but from the supernatural interposition of Divine grace. God, by His word and Spirit, has come forth, and nominated every one of us to the high service of ministering at His altar. He has sent forth His ministers and commissioned them to set apart all men whom they can reach, to be His priests. II. Aaron and his sons OBEDIENTLY ASSENTED TO THEIR DIVINE APPOINTMENT. Would to God that I could say as much for all who are called to be priests under the new and better covenant! But it cannot be said. Though God calls, many refuse. They prefer to be priests of sin and self to being priests of God and of Christ. They choose rather to minister for iniquity and Satan than minister at the pure altar of Him who made them. III. Aaron and his sons were CONSECRATED ACCORDING TO SPECIFIC DIVINE DIRECTIONS. As Moses proceeded to attend to it, he said, "This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done." No wisdom or ingenuity of man can set apart priests for God. No rites that we can devise, no observances which this world's sages may invent, can ever induct a man into Christian offices. Not even Moses had any right to proceed a single step, or to do one thing, except as God directed him. And everything which God commanded had to be done. Nor is it different now. We can only be set apart as priests of God and of Christ by the ceremonies which God Himself, by His Son, has prescribed. No rites of human make, no decrees of councils, or commands of earthly sovereigns, in Church or State; no liturgies; no manual impositions; no services, however solemn or dignified; nothing can avail one feather's weight toward making any one a priest of God. His own clear and specific appointments alone can do this. It must be done by means of God's own unmutilated prescriptions, or it cannot be done at all. IV. The consecration of Aaron and his sons was A PUBLIC AND OPEN TRANSACTION. The command of God was, "Gather thou all the congregation together"; and the history says, "the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation," around the spot where the solemn deed was done. We cannot secretly be inducted into the holy priesthood to which the gospel calls us. If there is any such a thing as secret discipleship, it is a very imperfect discipleship. Christ requires of us to confess Him before men. He demands of us an open and unreserved following of Him. He exacts submission to all His holy ordinances, some of which are essentially public. And if we are not willing to be openly known as God's consecrated priests, I doubt whether our secret religion is of a sort that will avail in the Great Day. We come now to consider the particulars of the consecration itself. 1. "And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water." This was the first item in the service. And what does it typify, but that " washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour"? 2. "And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them." This was the second item in the service. After their cleansing they had to be clothed with ornaments "for glory and for beauty." We must be pure, and we must be holy. Our native deformities must all be covered. We must "put on the Lord Jesus Christ," and be arrayed in His loveliness. His own glorious attirements are to be reflected in ours. 3. A third item in this consecration service, was the leaning of hands upon the head of the sin-offering. Everywhere, even in our holiest moods and most sacred doings, there still flashes out the stern and humiliating accusation — "O man, thou art a sinner! All thy goodness is but abomination apart from Christ!" There must, therefore, be a habitual recurrence of our minds to this fact. Our hand must be ever kept on the brow of the atoning Lamb. 4. "And Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet." The whole person is visibly dedicated to the Lord. Every faculty and power is consecrated with the blood of the Lamb. 5. "And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him." Even after their setting apart to be priests, they needed to be yet further sanctified as priests. Not only themselves, but their very garments also, were marked as holy. The sacred oil was emblematic of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. And so the Holy Ghost, in conjunction with the blood of the Lamb, sanctifies and endows us for holy services. Sprinkled with these sacred elements — touched with moral unction and constrained by the dying love of Jesus, we become equipped for duty, and qualified "to show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvellous light." 6. Still another item in the consecration of God's ancient priests was that they had to eat the boiled flesh of the offered lamb with unleavened bread, at the door of the Tabernacle. This boiled lamb of course typifies the Saviour as offered for our sins. It calls to mind the great sufferings which He endured as our Substitute and Sacrifice of consecration. And now that He is thus made an offering for our sanctification, it appertains to us to put forth our hands, and eat of that offering, as the life and feast of our souls. He is the bread of life, and upon that bread we must feed to be God's priests. 7. Aaron and his sons, having attended to these several particulars, were further required to "abide at the door of the Tabernacle day and night seven days," before they could enter fully upon the high offices to which they had been consecrated. The number seven is very often used in the Scriptures as the type of perfection and completeness. The consecration period was a complete period — a full measure of time. It was not only the fact of completeness, but a duration through which this fact was brought out. We are not only to be completely consecrated to a complete spiritual priesthood, but it is to take a complete period of time in which this completeness is to be effected. We must yet wait the revolution of a complete period before we can come into the Holy of Holies. That complete period can be nothing short of our entire earthly life. It is necessary to complete our glorious installation as priests of God and of Christ. And it will soon be over. It is only "seven days" — the shortest o! all the complete periods of human reckoning. Before we think of it, it will have passed. For some of us, much of it has already gone. ( A. Willet, D. D. ) The calling of the priests W. H. Jellie. I. THE PRIESTLY CALLING. 1. Intimate access with God. 2. Fullest knowledge of God. 3. Holy service fur God. II. A CALLING OF HIGHEST HAPPINESS AND PRIVILEGE. III. A CALLING HARMONIOUS WITH A CHRISTIAN'S SACRED INSTINCTS AND ENERGIES, IV. A CALLING INTO A WONDROUS LIFE. ( W. H. Jellie. ) Priests versus priestism W. H, Jellie. I. PRIESTS MINISTERED IN ISRAEL WITH THE HIGH SANCTION OF GOD. He — 1. Created the office, and defined its solemn functions, which were of the loftiest character. 2. Invested the person of the priest with splendour, majesty, and beauty, to command admiration and awe. 3. Determined the mediatorial intervention of the priest between man and God; set one man in this august and solemn supremacy among his fellows. 4. Refused any other than the priest to come direct to His altar and stand in His most holy presence. II. THE PRIESTHOOD WAS A PROVISIONAL ARRANGEMENT ANTICIPATORY OF CHRIST'S GLORIOUS OFFICES. 1. In the personal excellence and piety of individual priests, the faultless being always chosen, Christ's perfect humanity was foreshadowed. 2. In the splendid attire with which the priests were adorned, Christ's majestic attributes and Divine qualities were represented. 3. In the imposing ministries before and within the veil, Christ's offices as atoning and mediating Priest were pourtrayed. 4. In the sacred and exclusive privileges the priests enjoyed, Christ's entire acceptableness and God's great delight in Him were impressively and constantly intimated. III. CHRISTIAN MINISTERS INHERIT MANY OF THE MOST AUGUST AND RESPONSIBLE SPIRITUAL FUNCTIONS OF THE PRIESTHOOD. 1. They have no priestly calling, yet are as distinctly commissioned and Divinely consecrated to their work. 2. Their solemn trust places them in highest ministries and responsibilities as mediators between God and human souls. 3. The Christian Church is commanded to maintain them in their ministry and esteem them very highly in the discharge of their sacred commission. 4. As bishops and shepherds of Christ's flock they are put in trust with the souls of their people; "they watch for souls." IV. MODERN PRIESTLINESS PERVERTS AND PROSTITUTES THE SACRED OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 1. Its offensive assumption of spiritual supremacy is in defiance of Christ's law of equality and brotherhood among believers. 2. Its officious intrusion between God and men is an affront to the unfettered liberty and right of every one to seek God for himself, and is an infringement upon the mediatorship of Jesus which always avails for all. 3. Its daring pretensions of altar ministries is a perversion of New Covenant doctrines; neither altar nor sacrificial rites remaining now within the Church. 4. Its appalling misleading of seduced souls, who rest on such beguiling priestliness for spiritual safety, instead of wholly trusting Christ, is sufficient to fill Christian hearts with indignation and to cover the very name of "priest" with anathemas. There is now no priest but Jesus Christ. ( W. H, Jellie. ) Qualifications and ministries of. God's priests W. H. Jellie. I. CONSECRATION WHOLLY THE WORK OF ANOTHER. II. PERFECT CLEANNESS THE INITIAL REQUIREMENT. III. INVESTITURE IN HOLY ATTIRE. To Moses it had before been said, "Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and beauty." Those garments had been made. 1. All the adornments of grace have been prepared for us; wait in readiness for us. 2. A moment of intensest joy to Moses when he brought forth those prepared garments for adornment. Nor less to Christ when He clothes the soul "with the garments of salvation." 3. Attire symbolic of sacred qualities. They were of blue, purple, scarlet, fine-twined linen, with connecting chains and ouches or settings of gold, indicating: (1) Heavenliness of character (typified by the blue). (2) Purity (typified by the white linen). (3) Official dignity (typified by the scarlet and purple). (4) Divine power of sustaining others (typified by the chains and ouches of gold); gold being used in the Tabernacle as a symbol of Deity. IV. ADORNED WITH THE CROWN OF HOLINESS. On his head was placed "the holy crown, the golden plate."(1) A "crown" is the symbol of kingship; it declares the royalty of consecrated souls, "kings unto God."(2) Holiness inscribed on the crown it declares that the highest dignity of man is moral rectitude, spiritual sanctity. That plate bore the inscription, "Holiness to the Lord." It implied that — 1. The vindication of that "holiness" was the avowed object of his priestly service. 2. Bearing that inscription on his brow among the people, during his priestly ministries, asserted that God's holiness had been and was being adequately maintained. 3. Entering into God's presence with that inscription was evidence that God acknowledged the fact of His holiness being maintained. V. THE BADGE OF MEDIATORSHIP. "Breastplate." Bearing others' names is the crowning glory of the Lord Jesus. VI. SPIRITUAL ANOINTING. That "holy oil" is the "unction from the Holy One." 1. The plentitude of the Spirit; and — 2. The graces of the Spirit; and — 3. The efficient power of the Spirit, are essential to a priestly life of sanctity and service. VII. QUALIFICATION BASED ON SACRIFICE. 1. The scene suddenly changes, and the gloriously attired and anointed priest stands as a sinner by the sin-offering. For sin must be expiated even for the most privileged souls.(1) Its blood sprinkled upon the altar indicated that appeasement was demanded or ever they could approach that altar in ministry.(2) Its body being consumed without the camp declared what their doom would be did justice exact its due.(3) But the blood on the altar and accepted, announced complete propitiation and acceptance.(4) While the choice inward parts consumed on the altar fire, testified that God's claim of inward perfectness was satisfied. 2. The burnt-sacrifice summoned them to absolute self-devotion; for God will receive no less in any who avowedly become His. "His zeal must consume us." 3. But in the consecration-offering they yielded themselves up to God with gratitude and gladness: as those who reach towards the self-devotion of Jesus — "I delight to do Thy will; yea, Thy law is within my heart." VIII. APPLIED SACRIFICIAL GRACE. "Moses took the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's ear," &c. 1. The value of sacrifice, which had before been accepted for them, was now applied to them. 2. The meaning of sacrifice, also, was now urged upon them: all life laid out for God, and in His service. IX. SYMBOLIC OFFERINGS PRESENTED TO GOD. 1. Inward perfectness: perfectness in the reins, and in the heart; indicating the bringing, on their part, into God's employ of their purest affections, and highest virtues, and noblest intelligence. 2. Outward developed perfectness of character; represented in the unleavened anointed bread that constituted the meat-offering. It is only in Christ's perfectness — a perfectness to be appropriated by us — that we can present such offerings before God. X. SIGN OF DIVINE ACCEPTANCE. 1. Being sprinkled by the blood which first bad been sprinkled and accepted upon the altar conveyed the fact that God received their consecration: that themselves, their office, and all its various functions were placed under the sanction and the acceptableness of the blood. 2. The sprinkling of the holy anointing oil symbolically connected the Holy Spirit's grace with those offices into which God was, and is, pleased to call His people. 3. Their feeding upon the sacrifice signified the communication of strength, for we are nourished by food; and suggested the fellowship now established between them and God. ( W. H. Jellie. ) Clothed and anointed for service Moses having, in obedience to the Lord's command, gathered all the congregation to the door of the Tabernacle (vers. 3, 4), "brought Aaron and his sons, and — I. WASHED them with water (ver. 6). We must bear in mind that in this ceremonial Aaron is made to be representatively what Christ is intrinsically, while Aaron's sons represent the Church, as she is in Christ. This ceremonial was "to hallow," sanctify, or set apart — Aaron and sons "to minister unto" the Lord "in the priest's office" ( Exodus 29:1 ). Jesus, "sanctified" of Father ( John 10:36 ; Hebrews 5:4-6 ), did also sanctify Himself for His people's sake ( John 17:17-19 ). 1. Aaron's sons must be "clean," to "bear the vessels of the Lord" ( Isaiah 52:11 ). By nature all are "as an unclean thing " ( Isaiah 64:6 ); nor can any wash himself ( Jeremiah 2:22 ); but God can cleanse the vilest ( 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ), and does so in His grace and mercy. Jesus sanctifies "the Church" "with the washing of water by the Word" ( Ephesians 5:26 ; John 15:3 ); and none can draw nigh to God without such "washing" ( Hebrews 10:22 ; Titus 3:5 ). 2. Clothed (vers. 7-9). In the holy garments made for Aaron, "for glory and for beauty" ( Exodus 28:2 ; see Isaiah 4:2 , marg.), Christ is shadowed forth as the God-man, Priest, Saviour, King; able to meet His people's every need for time and for eternity. Moses put on — II. AARON — 1. The coat. The Lord clothes ( Isaiah 61:10 ; Zechariah 3:4, 5 ). "Body," "prepared" ( Hebrews 10:5 ); "the Word... made flesh" ( John 1:14 ). 2. Girdle, emblem of service ( John 13:4 ; Luke 12:37 ). Jesus, Servant ( Isaiah 42:1 ; Isaiah 49:6 ; Isaiah 53:11 ). 3. Robe; blue, heavenly, Jesus, "the Lord from heaven." There, even when on earth, returned thither; will come from thence ( 1 Corinthians 15:47 ; John 3:13 ; Mark 16:19 ; Philippians 3:20 ). Heavenly in nature, character, all. Where Jesus is, there is heaven. 4. Ephod. Same materials as glorious inner covering of Tabernacle.(1) Gold and blue, betokening the Divine and heavenly Man Christ Jesus. God "manifest in the flesh" ( John 3:31 ; 1 Timothy 3:16 ; Luke 1:35 ).(2) White and scarlet. Of spotless purity, and obedient unto death ( Hebrews 7:26 ; Philippians 2:8 ).(3) Purple. "King of glory"; "King eternal" ( Psalm 24:7-10 ; 1 Timothy 1:17 ; Zechariah 9:9 ; Luke 19:34-38 ). 5. Curious girdle, like ephod. "Righteousness " and "faithfulness" of our "Great High Priest" ( Isaiah 11:5 ; Hebrews 4:14 ). 6. Breastplate. Jesus bears His people on His heart, proof of love. He loves to end ( John 13:1 ). "Gave Himself" for Church, and now appears "in the presence of God for" His people ( Ephesians 5:25 ; Hebrews 9:24 ). 7. Urim and Thummim in breastplate, by which the mind of God was made known. Literally, "Lights and Perfections." Jehovah Jesus, in the midst of His chosen ones, is "the Light" and outshining of the Father's glory ( John 8:12 ; Hebrews 1:3 ); the Manifestation of His love ( 1 John 4:9 ); the Declarer of His mind and will ( John 1:18 ). 8. Mitre and crown (see Zechariah 3:5 ; Zechariah 6:11, 13 ). Essential holiness and purity of our High Priest and King, who bare the " iniquity of the holy things" of His people ( Exodus 28:38 ; Isaiah 53:11 ). Next see — III. AARON'S SONS clothed (ver. 13) in coats, girdles, bonnets "of fine linen" ( Exodus 28:40 ; Exodus 39:8, 9, 27, 29 ). 1. Coats. Putting on "the Lord... Christ" ( Romans 13:14 ). 2. Girdles. Serving Him ( Colossians 3:24 ; Hebrews 12:28 ). 3. Fine linen. Death and resurrection with quickened "seed" ( 1 Corinthians 15:36 ; John 12:24 ). 4. Bonnets. Mind, intellect. A "royal priesthood" purified. Every thought brought "into captivity" ( Ephesians 4:23, 24 ; 2 Corinthians 10:5 ). 5. "For glory and for beauty" ( Exodus 28:40 ); which His people to share with their risen Lord ( John 17:10, 22 ; Romans 8:30 ; 2 Corinthians 3:13, 18 ; Psalm 90:17 ; Ezekiel 16:14 ); as they shine for Him and reflect His image; "for as He is, so are," &c. ( 1 John 4:17 ). 6. Woven. Righteousness wrought out ( Romans 3:22, 25, 26 ; Ephesians 1:20 ; Psalm 132:9 ; Revelation 19:8 ); by the Head, Christ, who directs His "members" in the service of God. IV. ANOINTED. Moses having "anointed the Tabernacle, and all therein" (vers. 10-12), where Aaron was to minister, as type of Jesus, "minister" of "true Tabernacle" ( Hebrews 8:2 ); then "poured" anointing oil on Aaron's head ( Psalm 23 . 5; 133:2). Here Aaron stood alone, nor were his sons clothed till after his anointing. Jesus, holy from birth, yet anointed for service ( Luke 3:21, 22 ). "God anointed Jesus," &c. ( Acts 10:38 ; Luke 4:18 ); "above" those He graciously deigns to call His "fellows" ( Psalm 45:7 ; Hebrews 1:9 ). He must "have the pre-eminence" ( Colossians 1:18 ); being "above all," and "the Head" ( Ephesians 1:21, 22 ). Oil poured. "God giveth not the Spirit by measure," &c. ( John 3:34 ), but in sevenfold power ( Isaiah 11:2 ; Isaiah 61:1, 2 ; Revelation 3:1 ); for service, death, resurrection ( Acts 2:22 ; Acts 4:27 ; Hebrews 9:14 ; 1 Peter 3:18 ). But the Spirit could not be given to His people till His atoning work was accomplished and Himself "glorified" ( John 7:39 ). Hence, till the sacrifices were offered, Aaron's sons were not anointed (ver. 30). Then, together with Aaron, because Head and "members" one ( Hebrews 2:11 ). First, blood was put on ear, hands, feet (ver. 24), then Moses "sprinkled " it "upon the altar." After which, following the "wave-offering" (ver. 27) — typifying resurrection with Christ — "Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled" upon them and upon their garments. Oil and blood, blood and oil ( Exodus 29:21 ); significant of justification and sanctification, which are inseparably connected ( 1 Corinthians 6:11 ; 1 Peter 1:2 ). Sealing and sanctifying ( Ephesians 1:13 ) are the work of the blessed Trinity. God not only cleanses and clothes, but anoints ( Ezekiel 16 . 9, 10; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 ). Here see in type the sanctifying power of Jesu's blood shed for us, and Holy Spirit's work within, when the Father draws to Jesus those whom He has given Him ( John 6:37, 44, 45 ). Thus, behold Aaron and sons, washed, clothed, anointed — V. CONSECRATED, or set apart for service of God. The oneness of Christ and His people seen in Aaron and sons laying hands on head of each victim (leaning with weight, as word implies); Jesus — Antitype of offerings. His people partakers of the benefits resulting from His great work. 1. Sin-offering. Pardon and justification. 2. Burnt-offering. Acceptance and worship. 3. Ram of consecration. Consecration and devotedness, all in and through Christ. VI. FILLING THE HAND. See marginal reading of "consecrate" ( Exodus 28:41 ; Exodus 29:9 ). The personal reception and appropriation of the Father's Gift of love (vers. 25-28; 2 Corinthians 9:15 ), even Christ. His rich preciousness (fat and inwards), His life (cakes), His death (ram slain), His strength (shoulder). "All things are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's" ( 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 ); and all given back to God as burnt-offering, "a sweet-smelling savour" ( Ephesians 5:2 ; Romans 12:1 ). VII. FEEDING AND COMMUNION (vers. 31-36) are needed to maintain the life given and consecrated to God. No fitness of service without. Seven days, complete cycle of time, as appointed by God. Some would rush into service directly the heart — through the operation of the Holy Spirit — has opened to receive Jesus; but ofttimes God sees fit to give long training. Only let God feed, strengthen, and fit for the service to which He calls, and then go forth in His strength. ( Lady Beaujolois ,Dent. ) Lessons A. Willet, D. D. 1. Of the office of the law, which prepares for the gospel 2. A good life much available unto the understanding of God's Word. 3. None should take upon them the office of the ministry, but thereunto called. 4. Without the knowledge of God, all other science is vain and unprofitable. 5. No laws or doctrine to be brought into the Church, but by warrant from God in His Word. 6. That every good gift is of God, and that we can do nothing of ourselves. 7. No sacrifice, sacrament, nor priesthood out of the Church. ( A. Willet, D. D. ) The separation of Aaron and his sons J. M. Gibson, D. D. We are already familiar with the use that has been made of separation in the third age to inculcate the absolute necessity of holiness in order to intercourse with God. Abraham was separated from an idolatrous and wicked world, to be the head of a family and a nation that should be holy to the Lord; and accordingly, in comparison with the heathen world Israel as a whole was a priesthood, as is set forth in Exodus 19:6 : "Ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Observe now how the same principle is further carried out. From the entire nation one tribe, the tribe of Levi, is set apart to be, above all the others, holy unto the Lord. From the tribe of Levi, one family, that of Aaron, is set apart to be, above all the other families of the tribe, holy unto the Lord. And finally, from the family of Aaron a single individual, the high priest, is set apart to be, above all the other members of the family, holy unto the Lord. The washing with water (ver. 6) led the mind still farther in the same direction. The effect of this on the minds of the people may perhaps be illustrated in this way: Suppose you wish to give the idea of perfectly pure water to some person who has never seen it, and you have no means of showing him the genuine article; by taking water in different degrees of impurity, and leading him to look at the different specimens, beginning with that which is most impure and going on to that which is least, you will at all events set his mind in the direction of the conception which you wish him to attain. And in the same way, though there was no way open of showing Israel at this time a genuine specimen of that holiness without which no man can see the Lord, yet by these successive separations of officially (or, if you choose, artificially) holy persons, the mind of Israel was set in the direction of that holiness up to which the Lord was educating them. It must be remembered that they had the moral law to help them to translate the symbolical holiness into the reality, of which it was the mere expression in language addressed to the eye. While Aaron and his sons represented Israel, they typified Christ and His Church. ( J. M. Gibson, D. D. ) Divine institution of ministry Bp. Babington. The reasons why the Lord thus precisely appointed these priests, and would not leave it to every man to perform this office, were these and such like. 1. It was to be known that not every man — no, not any man but the Man Christ Jesus could appease God's wrath, satisfy His justice, and take away the sins of the world, reconciling us to God and putting us in assurance of eternal life. This could not be figured out better than by secluding all the whole host of Israel from this office and choosing but Aaron and his sons as types of Christ, this only able Priest, and therefore they only were chose

8:1-13 The consecration of Aaron and his sons had been delayed until the tabernacle had been prepared, and the laws of the sacrifices given. Aaron and his sons were washed with water, to signify that they ought to purify themselves from all sinful dispositions, and ever after to keep themselves pure. Christ washes those from their sins in his own blood whom he makes kings and priests to our God, Re 1:5,6; and those that draw near to God must be washed in pure water, Heb 10:22. The anointing of Aaron was to typify the anointing of Christ with the Spirit, which was not given by measure to him. All believers have received the anointing. 8:14-36 In these types we see our great High Priest, even Christ Jesus, solemnly appointed, anointed, and invested with his sacred office, by his own blood, and the influences of his Holy Spirit. He sanctifies the ordinances of religion, to the benefit of his people and the honour of God the Father; who for his sake accepts our worship, though it is polluted with sin. We may also rejoice, that he is a merciful and faithful High Priest, full of compassion to the feeble-minded and tempest-tossed soul. All true Christians are consecrated to be spiritual priests. We should seriously ask ourselves, whether in our daily walk we study to maintain this character? and abound in spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Christ? If so, still there is no cause for boasting. Let us not despise our fellow-sinners; but remembering what we have done, and how we are saved, let us seek and pray for their salvation.