Ordaining The Priests (Leviticus 8)

What did Aaron’s special clothing portray? What did the anointing oil suggest? Were priests also sinful and in need of a sacrifice? What did their meal foreshadow? What would be the purpose of an ordination week? Let’s look at Leviticus 8.

How different was the ordination of Aaron and his sons from a modern ordination ceremony?

The Lord spoke to Moses: “Take Aaron, his sons with him, the garments, the anointing oil, the bull of the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, and assemble the whole community at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” So Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the community assembled at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Moses said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.” (Leviticus 8:1-5 HCSB)

How different was the priestly clothing to anything worn by elders and overseers of modern churches?

Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. Then he clothed Aaron with the tunic, girded him with the band for priests, clothed him with the robe, placed the ephod on him, girded him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and bound it on him. He set the breastplate on him, placed the Urim and Thummim on top of the breastplate, then he set the turban on his head. On the turban at the front he set the golden plate, the sacred crown that the Lord had commanded. (Leviticus 8:6-9 ISV)

How different and similar was the application of anointing oil compared to its use in a modern ordination ceremony?

And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them. And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the Lord commanded Moses. (Leviticus 8:10-13 KJV)

What was the purpose of a sin offering during the ordination ceremony?

Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. Next Moses slaughtered it and took the blood and with his finger put some of it around on the horns of the altar and purified the altar. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and set it apart as holy, to make atonement for it. (Leviticus 8:14-15 LSB)

Is Jesus’ sacrifice pictured by burning part of the sacrifice outside the camp? Did He too suffer outside the gate (Hebrews 13:12)?

He also took all the fat that was on the entrails and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat; and Moses offered it up in smoke on the altar. But the bull and its hide, its flesh, and its refuse he burned in the fire outside the camp, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. (Leviticus 8:16-17 NASB)

What was the purpose of the priests laying their hands on the burnt offering?

He then presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. Then Moses slaughtered the ram and splashed the blood against the sides of the altar. He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces and the fat. He washed the internal organs and the legs with water and burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses. (Leviticus 8:18-21 NIV)

What was the purpose of a second ram during this ordination ceremony?

And he brought the second ram, the ram of consecration. Then Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, and Moses killed it. Also he took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. Then he brought Aaron’s sons. And Moses put some of the blood on the tips of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. And Moses sprinkled the blood all around on the altar. (Leviticus 8:22-24 NKJV)

What was the purpose of offering the fat and a cake of unleavened bread?

Next Moses took the fat, including the fat of the broad tail, the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat around them, along with the right thigh. On top of these he placed a thin cake of bread made without yeast, a cake of bread mixed with olive oil, and a wafer spread with olive oil. All these were taken from the basket of bread made without yeast that was placed in the Lord’s presence. He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and he lifted these gifts as a special offering to the Lord. (Leviticus 8:25-27 NLT)