As The Lord Commanded (Leviticus 9)

As we read through the early chapters of Leviticus, is it important to note how often they did as the Lord commanded? Jesus gave over 300 commands. Do we still obey Him? Let’s look at Leviticus 9.

What happened after the ordination week was finished?

On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel, and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. And say to the people of Israel, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering, and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord, and a grain offering mixed with oil, for today the Lord will appear to you.’” (Leviticus 9:1-4 ESV)

Was this what the Lord had commanded or just an innovation by Moses?

They brought what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole community came forward and stood before the Lord. Moses said, “This is what the Lord commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” Then Moses said to Aaron, “Approach the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering; make atonement for yourself and the people. Sacrifice the people’s offering and make atonement for them, as the Lord commanded.” (Leviticus 9:5-7 HCSB)

Did Aaron also obey the commandment of the Lord, or just make up some human innovation?

So Aaron drew near to the altar and slaughtered the calf for a sin offering on behalf of himself. Next, Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him and he dipped his fingers in the blood and placed it on the horns of the altar. As to the rest of the blood, he poured it at the base of the altar. He incinerated the fat, the kidneys, and the appendage from the liver of the sin offering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. He also incinerated the meat and skin outside the camp. And so the burnt offering was slaughtered, and Aaron’s sons secured for him the blood, which he poured on the altar and around it. (Leviticus 9:8-12 ISV)

What offerings did Aaron and his sons present before the Lord?

And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar. And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar. And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first. And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner. And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning. (Leviticus 9:13-17 KJV)

Did they continue as Moses had commanded or just invent their own things?

Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings which was for the people; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him, and he splashed it around on the altar. As for the portions of fat from the ox and from the ram, the fat tail and the fat covering and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver, they now placed the portions of fat on the breasts; and he offered them up in smoke on the altar. But the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved as a wave offering before Yahweh, just as Moses had commanded. (Leviticus 9:18-21 LSB)

After all this did the glory of the Lord then appear to all the people?

Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Then fire went out from the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell face downward. (Leviticus 9:22-24 NASB)

As we read through the early chapters of Leviticus, is it important to note how often they did as the Lord commanded? Jesus gave over 300 commands. Do we still obey Him? You decide!