Consecrated to Serve

Notes
Transcript
Moses meeting with the LORD on Mount Sinai has been given details for the clothing of both Aaron and his sons, clothing that reflect the glory and beauty of the Lord and appropriate for Their ministry to God and for Israel. Now Aaron and his sons must be prepared spiritually for the service they will render, through a series of sacrifices to consecrate them for this service.

I. Preparation for consecration, 29:1-9a.

This is what the Lord is saying to Moses here in verse 1. the word “Consecrate” is to set apart as holy, separate to God. This consecration can be either the person, the place of service, or both. For Aaron and his sons they are set apart for the priestly service of God and Israel.
It is only when holy priests are functioning as God intends within the holy place will the Holy God come to dwell in the midst of the holy nation.
The last of verse 1 through verse 3 speak of the needful ingredients for their consecration with some instruction.
Moses, as God’s representative, is to then bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tabernacle and wash them with water. This is the only time that the priests are washed by another. They will daily wash before their daily service .
The significance of the washing is two-fold: 1) it signifies their regeneration so they can serve, cf. Titus 3:5
Titus 3:5 NASB95
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
2) the cleansing from daily sins. John 13:10
John 13:10 NASB95
Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.
Here the Greek text uses to words for wash, seen in the NASB translation; the first is to completely bathe the body, symbolizing the spiritual regeneration, the second is to wash hands and feet, symbolizing daily cleansing.
Verse 5-6 we see Aaron dressed by another, Moses. In this we recognize that we do not outfit ourselves for God’s service; it is God who calls, directs, and enables believers to serve Him.
John 15:16 NASB95
“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
We are equipped by God for the tasks we are called to perform by the indwelling Holy Spirit, even to being outfitted to stand against the onslaught of Satan (Eph. 6:13-17).
Verse 7 gives Moses instructions the anoint Aaron for his task. Again , Aaron does not anoint himself, but he is anointed by God’s representative. The anointing oil was unique, special and not to be used for any other purpose; its components are described in Exodus 30:22-25.
Then we see in verse 8 and the first part of verse 9 the dressing of Aaron’s sons. Aaron and his sons shall have the priesthood by a perpetual state.
The last part of verse 9 is the heading which describes the events to be done in order to ordain Aaron and his sons for ministry.

II. The sin offering of consecration, 29:9b-14.

The words “you shall ordain” in verse 9a literally means “you shall fill the hand of,” which here is a metaphorical expression which is expressing the right to serve in this office as a priest.
The placing of the hands in verse 10 is a sustained pressing down upon the head of the bull (and the other sacrificial animals), which speaks to identification and substitution.
The altar mentioned in verse 12 is that one in the courtyard.
verses 13-14 describe the parts offered up in smoke on the altar and distinguishing those parts which were taken outside the camp and burn outside the camp.
It is called a sin offering.
The sacrifice of Christ was acceptable in God’s sight for our sins, Isa. 53:10
Isaiah 53:10 NASB95
But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
Also, Christ is He who took our judgment upon Himself, being crucified “outside the camp,” Hebrews 13:11-12.
Hebrews 13:11–12 NASB95
For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
Without a sin offering, there was no chance for holiness or consecration:
Hebrews 9:22 NASB95
And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB95
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
1 Peter 2:24 NASB95
and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

III. The burnt offering of consecration, 29:15-18.

This second offering again required Aaron and his sons to lay their hands on the head of the ram. After the ram was slaughtered, the blood was to be “sprinkled;” the Hebrew word means “cast.” Rabbinic tradition says the blood was thrown from the basin is was collected in.
verse 18 reveals that the whole ram was offered up in smoke, a burnt offering to the Lord and picturing complete, voluntary surrender to God.
It is called a soothing aroma … . Christ’s sacrifice was a soothing aroma in two ways, 1) He was completely devoted to doing the Father’s will; 2) His sacrifice was completely accepted by God the Father as an atonement for sin.
There was a third sacrifice offered with a second ram.

IV. The ram of consecration, 29:19-21.

For the thrid time, Aaron and his sons were to lay their hands on this second ram, which was then slaughtered. Some of the blood was to be placed on the right earlobe of Aaron and his sons, some placed on the thumb of their right hand, and some placed on the big toe of their right foot.
The ear symbolized that the priest’s ear was consecrated to God and attentive to God’s voice and Word.
The thumb symbolized the power and skill of each individual priest, whose hands are now sanctified for God’s work. Cf. James 4:8
James 4:8 NASB95
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The toe symbolized the priest’s need for a sanctified walk before the Lord. We have the same need. We are to walk as children of light, not as the world walks, walking worthily of our calling. we are to walk as witnesses in godly love and in godly wisdom by appropriating and applying God’s Word rightly (Eph. 4:17-32; 4:1-3; John 13:35; Eph. 5:8, 15).
Some of the blood of the offering was to be mixed with some of the anointing oil was to be sprinkled on Aaron and his sons, and on the garments they wore to consecrate both them and the garments for service. This is symbolic of the combined work of the blood, which justifies, and the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies each believer.
With this final sprinkling, the consecration is complete
The parts of this ram were used for another offering

VI. The wave offering of consecration, 29:22-43.

There are a lot of steps in preparation for the wave offering.

A. Procedural items, 29:22-34.

This ram of verses 19-21 is called the ram of ordination here in verse 22. The fat from the ram, the fat tail,the fat covering the entrails, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and fat on them and the right thigh were brought to Aaron and his sons, as well as one cake of bread without oil, one cake of bread mixed with oil and one wafer from the basket of unleavened bread. These items shall be placed in the hands of Aaron and his sons as a wave offering before being offered up in smoke on the altar on the burnt offering for a soothing aroma before the LORD.
Of the parts of this ram that remain, there was to be a wave offering of the breast of this ram before the LORD, then it would be Moses’s portion for him to eat. All the remaining flesh of this ram were to be boiled at the Tabernacle door, and then eaten there along with the unleavened bread that remained. Only the priests were to eat this; it was not to be eaten by a layman. Any of this meat or bread left until the morning was to be burnt by fire. This was holy food, not for everyone.

B. Purifying the altar, 29:35-37.

They were to perform this same rite for seven days. Seven is the number of completion; this speaks of a complete consecration of the priests who were to represent their fellow Israelites before God.
We are to be living sacrifices, Romans 12:1
Romans 12:1 NASB95
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
“living” - we are ready be used in God’s will and for God’s glory.
“holy” - we are set apart for God’s service to be used in a righteous manner.
“acceptable” - God is well-pleased.
“reasonable” - we as believer -priests are to place our body on the altar to worship and serve God.

C. Perpetual daily sacrifices instructions, 29:38-42.

The LORD establishes the daily sacrifices for the nation, once in the morning and once in the evening for Israel. This would not include offering brought by individual Israelites.
All of this was to make the Tabernacle acceptable for the LORD to meet with His people, and to speak to Moses at the doorway of the Tabernacle. It is to enable such meetings that God Himself will consecrate both the priests and this place for His own glory

D. Promises of the LORD, 29:43-46.

God Himself graciously will consecrate the tent of meeting (Tabernacle) and the altar (Tabernacle courtyard), Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to Him.
God promises the divine presence: “I will dwell among the sons of Israel”
God promises covenant commitment: “I … will be their God.”
God promises revelational intention and identity. They shall know not only the historical fact of being brought out of Egypt, but the redemptive history of that event.
God reveals His purpose, to dwell among the people He has chosen, so that their experience with the LORD is ongoing—not just a moment in time, but that Israel will go on knowing God.
Israel will know the LORD their God as both the One who had redeemed them out of slavery in Egypt and as the One who dwelt in their midst.
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