Leviticus 9: 1 – 24
They met with God
9 It came to pass on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. 2 And he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD. 3 And to the children of Israel you shall speak, saying, ‘Take a kid of the goats as a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering, 4 also a bull and a ram as peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today the LORD will appear to you.’” 5 So they brought what Moses commanded before the tabernacle of meeting. And all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. 6 Then Moses said, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded you to do, and the glory of the LORD will appear to you.” 7 And Moses said to Aaron, “Go to the altar, offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people. Offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as the LORD commanded.” 8 Aaron therefore went to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. 9 Then the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him. And he dipped his finger in the blood, put it on the horns of the altar, and poured the blood at the base of the altar. 10 But the fat, the kidneys, and the fatty lobe from the liver of the sin offering he burned on the altar, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 11 The flesh and the hide he burned with fire outside the camp. 12 And he killed the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled all around on the altar. 13 Then they presented the burnt offering to him, with its pieces and head, and he burned them on the altar. 14 And he washed the entrails and the legs, and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar. 15 Then he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and killed it and offered it for sin, like the first one. 16 And he brought the burnt offering and offered it according to the prescribed manner. 17 Then he brought the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar, besides the burnt sacrifice of the morning. 18 He also killed the bull and the ram as sacrifices of peace offerings, which were for the people. And Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled all around on the altar, 19 and the fat from the bull and the ram—the fatty tail, what covers the entrails and the kidneys, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver; 20 and they put the fat on the breasts. Then he burned the fat on the altar; 21 but the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved as a wave offering before the LORD, as Moses had commanded. 22 Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people, 24 and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
As I was preparing for this chapter I was led to focus on how after completing the anointing of the Tabernacle that Moses and Aaron met with God. Today our church is focusing on some military heroes. The church has scheduled two men to come to a special honor military veteran’s weekend. One of the speakers is a major who lost his eyes in Iraq due to a suicide bomber. The other is a retired General who was involved in a lot of conflicts. Both of these men have opening declared their love and loyalty to our Lord Most High. In the various situations in their hazardous military careers they personally met with God.
As a veteran I also was blessed to meet with God. It took me a while longer to surrender to Him but I am thankful that He did not quit on me.
I take enjoyment from the following poem written by another soldier who was in the trenches of war. I would like to share it with you. Here it is;
Look God, I have never spoken to you, but now I want to say, "How do you do".
You see, God, they told me you didn't exist, and like a fool, I believed all this.
Last night from a shell hole, I saw your sky. I figured right then, they had told me a lie.
Had I taken time to see the things you made, I'd would have known it was You Who came to my aid.
I wonder, God, if you'd shake my hand. Somehow I feel you will understand.
Funny, I had to come to this hellish place, before I had time to see your face.
Well, I guess there isn't much more to say, but I sure am glad, God , that I met you today.
I guess the zero hour will soon be here, But I'm not afraid since I know you're near.
The signal, well, God, I'll have to go, I like you lots and I want you to know.
Look now, this will be a horrible fight, why, who knows, I may come to your house tonight.
Though I wasn't friendly to you before, I wonder, God, if you'd wait by the door.
Look, I'm crying...Me, shedding tears; I wish I'd have known you better, these many years.
Well, God, I'll have to go now, goodbye... Strange, since I met you...I'm not afraid to die.
The seven days of consecration now being completed the priests are called on to conduct their first series of offerings in order to sanctify the people to Yahweh. It is noteworthy that the Priest’s purification for sin offering for him now offered does not follow the pattern earlier laid down. Its blood is not borne within the Holy Place. This may be because as yet he has not entered the Holy Place, nor has it yet become his own preserve, and thus the blood of his purification for sin offering is at this point applied to the altar of burnt offering, and not taken within the Sanctuary for he cannot yet have defiled the Sanctuary
But once he has entered the Sanctuary for the first time, conducted by Moses, and has re-emerged, God will seal His approval by miraculously burning up the whole burnt offering on the altar of burnt offering which usually took a considerable time to be consumed.
9 It came to pass on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.
The seven days of consecration being completed Moses now calls on Aaron, his sons and the elders of Israel for the next stage in these solemn events. The whole of Israel is now to be involved. Aaron and his sons are beginning the ministry that will take up the remainder of their lives, and they will now make their first offerings on behalf of the people.
For us the eighth day occurs once we have come to Christ and put our trust in Him, and are sanctified in Him. Then we too are set apart for His service for the remainder of our lives.
2 And he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.
It is noteworthy that instead of the mature bull ox Aaron is to offer a bull calf for his own purification for sin offering. This is the only time when a calf is offered. It is possible that this is done having in mind his failure with respect to the golden calf (Exodus 32.4) which is now especially atoned for. But the significance may rather lie in the fact that this is not for a particular sin, nor is it to cleanse the Holy Place. His priesthood is yet in its infancy. He has not yet failed as a priest, and he has not yet entered the Holy Place, and a bull ox has already been offered for him in 8.14.
With it he will offer a ram for a whole burnt offering as in his consecration. Both are to be without blemish. They are to be offered to Yahweh.
When we consider the process of consecration that he and the priests have already gone through it makes us recognize that none of these sacrifices could really deal with the problem of sin. Continually therefore the fact of his sinfulness has to be brought before God, and the means provided by which he can find ceremonial purification and atonement. Really, like all who were accepted in Old Testament days, they were accepted by the unmerited love and compassion of God, with in mind the Great Sacrifice yet to come. And as Aaron and his sons had to offer purification for sin and whole burnt offerings for themselves constantly before Yahweh God, so are we to come continually into His light and seek for the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1.7), and to continually rededicate ourselves to His service. It is a reminder that while on earth none of us are wholly free from the tyranny of sin. The one who thinks that he stands, should ever take heed lest he fall.
3 And to the children of Israel you shall speak, saying, ‘Take a kid of the goats as a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering, 4 also a bull and a ram as peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today the LORD will appear to you.’”
Having offered for himself he can then offer for the people, ‘the children of Israel’. For the people the offerings are to be a he-goat for the purification for sin offering, a year old calf and lamb for a whole burnt offering, and a bull ox and a ram for peace sacrifices, together with a grain offering mingled with oil. And being on behalf of the whole people they are male.
For the whole burnt offering there was here a calf and a lamb. This was probably in order to indicate that their new status and need for atonement was in its infancy. But it was also because the lamb was also for the morning sacrifice, for the regular morning and evening sacrifices were to be of a similar lamb (Exodus 29.38).
The third group of offerings was to be of a bull ox and a ram for their peace sacrifice. Here they would be partaken of and represented Israel’s present well being and position of peace with God which was full developed. Thus the constituents are carefully selected.
5 So they brought what Moses commanded before the tabernacle of meeting. And all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.
The priests and the elders brought to Moses in front of the tent of meeting all that he had commanded. Then all Israel gathered and ‘stood before Yahweh’. That is they stood, rank after rank, looking towards the door of the tent of meeting behind which was the Sanctuary which included the earthly resting place of Yahweh as King. Here for the first time would their new Representative make these offerings on their behalf, an assurance of God’s provision for the future if they remained faithful to His covenant.
6 Then Moses said, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded you to do, and the glory of the LORD will appear to you.”
Moses then informed them that The Holy Lord Yahweh intended to manifest Himself to them. As long as they followed his instructions closely, the glory of Yahweh would appear to them. We can imagine the awe and expectancy and reverence with which they watched that day. And if we would know the presence of God with us it can also only be by full obedience.
7 And Moses said to Aaron, “Go to the altar, offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people. Offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as the LORD commanded.”
Then Moses commands Aaron to carry on and for the first time fulfill his function as the Priest. Imagine the situation. Aaron had watched Moses do it time and again, but now the responsibility was his. From now on Moses would no more engage in priestly duties, the onus would be on Aaron and his sons.
First he is to offer purification for sin offering for him, followed by a whole burnt offering. Cleansing from sin for him must come first, and then atonement, reconciliation, dedication and tribute. But even as he offers these for himself he will be obtaining a level of atonement for the people, for it was to be ‘for you, and for the people’. As ‘the Priest’ even in this he represents the people. Any offering for himself is therefore also on behalf of all.
But then he is to offer the people’s oblation (their ‘required offering’) finalizing their atonement and the covering before God of all their sin so that it is no more. It would be a process that would begin here and go on daily until sacrifices themselves ceased.
8 Aaron therefore went to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
Aaron accordingly drew near to the altar and as the suppliant slew the calf of purification for sin, which was for himself. He first had to be purified
9 Then the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him. And he dipped his finger in the blood, put it on the horns of the altar, and poured the blood at the base of the altar. 10 But the fat, the kidneys, and the fatty lobe from the liver of the sin offering he burned on the altar, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Then he switched roles, for he moved to the altar ready to receive the necessary parts of the sacrifice from his sons who had meanwhile been acting as priests. His sons, who had caught the blood in a vessel when Aaron slew the calf, then, brought the blood to Aaron, who dipped his finger in the blood and applied it to the horns of the altar to purify the altar which would offer up his purification for sin offering.
11 The flesh and the hide he burned with fire outside the camp.
The remainder of the purification for sin offering was then taken outside the camp (to a clean place) and burned so as to take it out of reach of earth. It was so holy that it went up to God outside the camp.
12 And he killed the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled all around on the altar.
Then similar procedures were observed for the whole burnt offering. It was for his atonement and dedication, as well as that of the people. Aaron slew it, his sons caught the blood, and Aaron sprinkled it on all four sides of the altar. Atonement was made and he was thereby dedicated to God.
13 Then they presented the burnt offering to him, with its pieces and head, and he burned them on the altar.
Then his sons handed him ‘piece by piece’ the parts of the sacrifice.
14 And he washed the entrails and the legs, and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar.
Then Aaron washed the innards and the legs and burnt them also on the altar. Thus was purification and atonement made for him. In the same way our Lord Jesus too was offered ‘piece by piece’ as through His earthly life He suffered many things, and would suffer worse at the end. But thereby His offering when it was made was sufficient for the whole world.
15 Then he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and killed it and offered it for sin, like the first one.
Now he was in a position to offer the people’s oblation (gift which they were obliged to make) and Aaron then offered the purification for sin offering in accordance with the required method, as he had done with his own purification for sin offering, which had also been on behalf of the people because he was their representative.
16 And he brought the burnt offering and offered it according to the prescribed manner.
Then he presented their whole burnt offering and offered it ‘according to the ordinance’, that is, as laid down in the Law.
17 Then he brought the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar, besides the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
After this he took a handful of the grain offering as a memorial and burned it on the altar ‘besides the whole burnt offering of the morning’. This presumably meant the whole burnt offering that he had just offered. It was the morning offering on behalf of the people.
18 He also killed the bull and the ram as sacrifices of peace offerings, which were for the people. And Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled all around on the altar, 19 and the fat from the bull and the ram—the fatty tail, what covers the entrails and the kidneys, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver; 20 and they put the fat on the breasts. Then he burned the fat on the altar; 21 but the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved as a wave offering before the LORD, as Moses had commanded.
Aaron then offered the bull ox and the ram which were to be the sacrifices of peace offerings on behalf of the people. He slew them, his sons caught the blood, and then they passed it to him for its application to the sides of the altar.
After this he burnt on the altar the fat and the vital parts, while the breasts and the right thighs he waved as a wave-offering before Yahweh. But while they belonged to Yahweh, as the waving indicated, for it was an offering made to Him, these were to be retained for the benefit of the priests. In this case because all the priests were involved in the peace sacrifices all would partake equally.
So, having been consecrated, Aaron’s next immediate responsibility had been first for himself and then for God’s people. We too when consecrated to God through salvation must watch for our own lives and then for the lives of others. We will need daily cleansing, but it should be followed by daily service. Our lives as His priests are to be wholly His, and to have ‘all the people’ in mind.
22 Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
Then having satisfactorily completed the offerings and sacrifices Aaron lifted up his hands and blessed the people. It is probable that he had seen Moses do it time and again, but now it was his responsibility. He was their mediator and representative, and God’s mediator towards them. Then he ‘came down’. This may suggest that in order to bless the people he had mounted some kind of dais so that he might be seen by all.
23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people,
Moses and Aaron, the veteran and the new boy, then went into the Holy Place through the entrance curtain. Here the two of them met with the Commander of the Lord’s army. They met with God in His Holy Place.
On coming out they once again blessed the people. And then as promised the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the people. The One Who had led them up to this point, Who had appeared to them in a pillar of cloud and fire, Who had revealed His glory on Mount Sinai, Whose glory at this time filled the tent of meeting (Exodus 40.34), now let His glory break forth through the cloud that covered the tent of meeting, and so that He could appear before all the people. They beheld the glory of God. But even so it was no doubt through the cloud, or else they would have been unable to bear it.
24 and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
God then sent forth a streak of fire from the tabernacle and consumed on the altar the whole burnt offering and the fat. Of course there was much more than that on the altar. On top of the whole burnt offering of the morning sacrifice had been piled the parts of the sacrifices of peace offerings. Thus they too would be wholly consumed in a moment by this fierce flame. But the point being emphasized is that God was making clear His acceptance of the whole burnt offering for atonement, dedication and tribute.
For we must recognize that these offerings did not usually all burn up instantly. In 6.6 we saw that the evening whole burnt offering was expected to continue burning through the night until the morning. Thus what God consumed was the burning carcases that were still burning away through the morning. They had offered them by fire, now He revealed by His act that He had personally received them through fire. He too was participating in the ceremony.
The appearance of the glory of Yahweh, and the flame coming to consume the whole burnt offering, produced an immediate reaction in the crowd. They yelled out in wonder, awe and fear, and fell on their faces. This was the full prostration offered to a powerful Lord God of Heaven and earth, but it was also the reaction of those who could not bear the sight of what had appeared to them. Like the seraphim in the presence of the glory of God (Isaiah 6.2) they had to hide their faces. Once again they had beheld something that they would never forget (or at least for short time). In the face of this how could there be opposition to the appointment of Aaron and his sons? We will soon see.
So was the priesthood established, and so did God reveal His satisfaction at what had taken place. The procedure had been long and to some extent repetitious, but surely that would mean that lessons had been learned. Who now could do anything but walk in awe of the Holy One of Israel, and obey Him implicitly?
It is a reminder to us as Christians that our position before God was also not bought lightly and without a price. Our Master and King Jesus Christ came as our High Priest, appointed by God and carried through the offering and sacrifice necessary for our salvation, for our purification, for our atonement, for our reconciliation, and so that He might sanctify us as His priests. And the road for Him was long and arduous, but He succeeded at last, and His work on our behalf now continues as He acts as our Leader in Heaven (Hebrews 2.10). And we too, if we would serve with Him, must go through a divinely appointed period of sanctification so that we might be useful in His service, first accepted in the Beloved, and then brought to full dedication, and then shaped by Him in accordance with His will (Philippians 2.13). For some it takes longer than others, but until we have come as Aaron did, laying aside all else that we might serve Him, our lives will not be fruitful in His service. But when we do, then the glory of the Lord will break forth upon us, and we will shout and throw ourselves at His feet.
In closing I want you to take some time this week to meet with God. I am not saying that you will experience the awesome interaction with our Holy Lord God but again you never know what will occur.
