Surely the people who enter into the very presence of God are holier than say those who don’t. Surely they are smarter or wiser or more knowledgeable in the ways of Yahweh. There is a danger lurking here. We, as God’s people can begin to believe we are God’s people because, well, we understand what there is to understand about God. We studied and we know. And they, well they don’t know. We can almost begin to think that it is our holiness that brings us into contact with God. We may even be tempted to stand on the mountain top and thank God that we are sooo much better than all those slobs in the valley with their ugly morals and crass ways.
Exodus 29:10-37 is all about Aaron and his sons – and all high priests and priests who followed in their footsteps – being consecrated and ordained. So, we probably want to look at those two words again. To be consecrated means to be set apart; to be dedicated to God. The word ordained and its cognates means to be filled or to fill the hand. And how were Aaron and his sons set apart and how were their hands filled? With a series of sacrifices. We would almost expect them to have to pass a test of some kind. I mean, who wants a stupid in the ways of Yahweh priest? Or you would think that God could have created a “holiness” detector. Moses could have taken his staff and held it over their heads or brandished it around their bodies. And if the person in question was not holy enough, it could have beeped at them.
The first offering is a sin offering. They were to bring a bull before the Tabernacle, lay their hands on its head and slaughter the beast. The blood was placed on the horns of the altar with the finger and the rest of the blood was poured at the base of the alter. The entrails and fat and the organs were to be burned on the altar and everything else was to be taken outside of the camp and burned up. It is a sin offering and the flesh had become unclean. But why do the priests have to offer a sin offering and that for seven days? Because they are not better than the people; they are not free from sin; they are not special in any way other than they happen to belong to the family of Aaron.
The second offering is a whole burnt offering of a ram. Once again the priests lay their hand on the head of the animal and then slaughter it. The purpose of the whole burnt offering seems to be to symbolize the soul of the worshiper (or in this case the soul of the priest being ordained) ascending up to heaven. This offering is said to be a soothing fragrance to Yahweh. Do you think God is in the heavenly realms being quieted or soothed by the literal smoke of the sacrifice? Or is it the obedient heart demonstrating their willingness to lift up their soul to the Lord?
The third sacrifice is said to be and ordination offering. It is also called a wave offering. And it includes the sacrifice of a second ram and the three kinds of grain offerings mentioned in verse 2. Once again the priests lay their hands on the head of a ram and then slaughter it. All three offerings mention the laying on of hands, so there may be something important here. Some have suggested that the priests are identifying with the animal. It seems more likely to be symbolic act that shows that the animal is about to be sacrificed in their place. The priests are to take the fat, organs and the right thigh of the ram along with the grain offerings and wave them before the face of Yahweh. This seems to be a waving of the items toward the altar and then back toward the priests. Some of this sacrifice is burned and some of it is boiled and then eaten by the priests. There is also placing blood on the priests right ear lobe; right thumb; and right big toe. The right side symbolizes action and the ear thumb and toe may represent listening, serving and walking in holiness. Not sure really. The important thing about all of this is that in order to set apart the priests; in order to fill their hands; God commands them to have these glaring reminders that they are sinners and in need of sacrifice.
There is something in us that wants to be holier, smarter, wiser, than the godless. But the reality is that what sets us apart; what fills our hands so that we can serve God has nothing to do with us. It is still about sacrifice; it is still about blood, but not ours. I am not better able to serve in the Presence of Yahweh than the murderer. Nope! I am consecrated, washed clean and set apart by the only once for all perfect sacrifice that is my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. My hands are made full not with a college degree or an understanding of original languages. Nope! My hands are made full by the Holy Spirit. Grace, Walter