leviticuslesson7

The people of Israel are on their way to the promised land. They are some years into the journey. The years of servitude in Egypt are behind them. The Lord has given them the legal system which is to govern their lives. They have constructed a large tent for worship services. Teams of workers have been designated for carrying it about with them. The content of the worship services has been explained to them. But now it is time to set aside those who are to conduct the services. The Lord has chosen Aaron and his sons for this purpose. They will be known as priests. Aaron’s brother Moses is called upon to conduct the ordination service. We find the story in Chapter 8 of Leviticus, the third book of the Hebrew Scriptures.

In the ordination service for Aaron and his sons we find much that is meaningful for us today. For the Scriptures refer to all Christian believers as priests—all are called to serve the Lord. Most of us on becoming Christians are called to serve the Lord in the context of our chosen careers but some of us may be called to serve in what may be termed a full time ministry. All Christians however, may see themselves in the ordination service for Aaron and his sons.

… for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Once you were not a people. Now you are the people of God. Once you received none of God’s mercy. Now you have received his mercy. (1 Peter 2:9b-10)

All praise to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us his kingdom and his priests who serve before God his Father. Give to him everlasting glory! He rules forever and ever! Amen! (Revelation 1:5b-6)

The names of those chosen for the special role of priest have been given to Moses by the Lord. Perhaps he was surprised to learn that those called to this ministry were from among members of his own family, his younger brother Aaron and Aaron’s four sons.

The LORD said to Moses “Now bring Aaron and his sons, along with their special clothing, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread to the entrance of the Tabernacle.” (vs. 1-3a)

The disciples also were reminded that their calling was from the Lord when he said to them,

“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.” (John 15:16)

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:28 NIV)

Some are called to special ministries like those but not everyone. On becoming Christians most of us are called to remain in the vocation we are following at the time. Paul offers this advice to new Christians.

You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in, and continue on as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches. For instance, a man who was circumcised before he became a believer should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised now. For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God’s commandments.

You should continue on as you were when God called you. Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, the Lord has now set you free from the awful power of sin. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ. God purchased you at a high price. Don’t be enslaved by the world. So dear brothers and sisters, whatever situation you were in when you became a believer, stay there in your new relationship with God. (1 Corinthians 7:17-24)

In offering the same advice in another letter Paul refers to the way this new relationship with God should affect the quality of our work.

Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. (Ephesians 6:6-7)

There always remains though, the possibility that the Lord may ask us to leave our present occupation in answering his call to some kind of full time ministry. Just as Peter and his brother were called to move on from their successful careers in the fishing industry.

One day as Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon[1] and his brother Andrew fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. Jesus called out to them, “Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and went with him. (Mark 1:16-18)

One of the factors to be considered if we feel that the Lord is calling us to follow him into a full time ministry is to think carefully about whether or not we are qualified to take on the role. The Lord has given each person certain gifts. We should not aspire to something that lies beyond what those gifts are designed for. This is why Paul writes …

As God’s messenger, I give each of you this warning. Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.

God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophecy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. (Romans 12:3-8)

On the other hand Paul also reminds us that we may sometimes be surprised to find the Lord calling us to something that we may feel totally inadequate for. It is always possible that we have gifts that we are unaware of at the time. Notice that Paul includes women among those who the Lord calls to serve him.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. Instead God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

The biblical historian simply tells us that Moses ‘presented Aaron and his sons’ (vs. 6a). But two aspects of his presentation may be understood as being referred to, presentation to the people and presentation to the Lord.

The Lord instructs Moses to bring the candidates forward, “Now bring Aaron and his sons, along with the their special clothing , the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread to the entrance of the Tabernacle. Then call the entire community of Israel to meet you there.” (vs. 2-3) As Aaron and his sons are presented to them, the people have the opportunity to affirm their acceptance of them as those called by the Lord for this special ministry. But as they take part in the ordination service, they are also challenged to renew their own dedication to the Lord.

As we sit back to observe the presentation of Aaron and his sons to the Lord other such occasions may come to mind. For example when Moses presented Joshua to the Lord for his ordination to a leadership role.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “The time has come for you to die. Call Joshua and take him with you to the Tabernacle and I will commission him there.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the Tabernacle. And the LORD appeared to them in a pillar of cloud at the entrance to the sacred tent …

Then the LORD commissioned Joshua with these words, “Be strong and courageous! You must bring the people of Israel into the land I swore to give them. I will be with you.” (Deuteronomy 31:14-15, 23)

Another occasion that may spring to mind could be when Joshua brought the entire nation before the Lord to dedicate themselves to him.

Then Joshua summoned all the people of Israel to Shechem, along with their elders, leaders, judges, and officials. So they came and presented themselves to God. Joshua said to the people …

“So honour the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshipped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” …

Then the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God. We will obey him alone.” (Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-15, 24)

We may also remember how Hannah dedicated her newly born son to the Lord. It was after many long years of waiting that the Lord had answered her prayers.

So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.”

When the man Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfil his vow, Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD and he will live there always.”

… After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three year old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, “As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshipped the LORD there. (1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28 NIV)

We also think of Jesus himself, who likewise was dedicated to the Lord. It was Doctor Luke[2] who tells the story of his coming to planet earth by means of his miraculous conception and natural birth to the virgin Mary in Bethlehem, just as it was so accurately predicted several hundred years earlier[3]. Luke then goes on to tell us that …

Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child. So his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:21-24)

And later when Aaron and his sons needed to be given extra help in their ministry, we recall how an entire clan was presented for ordination after the Lord says to Moses …

“Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and present them as a special offering to the LORD. In this way you will set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel and the Levites will belong to me. After this they may go in and out of the Tabernacle to do their work, because you have purified them and presented them as a special offering.” (Numbers 8:13-15)

And now as Aaron and his sons are presented to the Lord, we observe the first part of the service …

Here at the beginning of the service proper, Moses “presented Aaron and his sons and washed them with water.” (vs. 6) This would most likely have taken place at the washbasin in the courtyard of the tabernacle. It was provided for in the construction plans for the Tabernacle.

And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a large bronze washbasin with a bronze pedestal. Put it between the Tabernacle and the altar, and fill it with water. Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and feet there before they go into the Tabernacle to appear before the LORD and before they approach the altar to burn offerings to the LORD. They must always wash before ministering in these ways or they will die. This is a permanent law for Aaron and his descendants to be kept from generation to generation. (Exodus 30:17-21)

Two pictures emerge from this scene of the ceremonial washing that speak to us today. The first is that …

For as Paul rightly says, “All have sinned. All fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23) And as the prophet of old writes ...

For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! You welcome those who cheerfully do good, who follow godly ways.

But we are not godly. We are constant sinners, so your anger is heavy on us. How can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:4-6)

Paul draws from the ceremonial washing ritual as he writes of our salvation, giving us the word pictures, ‘the washing of rebirth,’ and ‘’your sins have been washed away.’

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7 NIV)

Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers—none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God. There was a time when some of you were just like that, but now your sins are washed away, and you have been set apart for God. You have been made right with God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God have done for you. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Accepting the initial forgiveness of sins on the basis of the sacrifices presented to the Lord does not guarantee that a person will never again sin. The forgiveness he has made possible for us by his death is an ongoing forgiveness, necessary because we do not become perfect on becoming Christians. John reminds us of this when he writes …

This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus his Son, cleanses us from every sin.

If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world. (1 John 1:5-2:2)

The phrase ‘the blood of Christ’ is a word picture. For this phrase, as in the sentences above, always read, ‘the sacrificial death of Christ.’ Notice also that in the phrase ‘the blood of Jesus his Son, cleanses us from every sin,’ the verb ‘cleanses’, is in the present continuous tense. Our forgiveness is ongoing. This does not mean of course that we consciously go on sinning. But when we do, the forgiveness is there. Every Christian’s desire however, is to follow Micah’s advice …

The LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

And as we walk humbly with our God in the light of his Word, we experience what Paul refers to as ‘washing with water through the word.’ Paul is taking the word picture from the ceremonial washing scene of old.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle, or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27 NIV)

Then, forgiveness was made possible by means of animal sacrifice. Now, because of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. It was John the evangelist who made this clear to his listeners when he said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Paul also tells us, “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.” (1 Corinthians 5:7b) His once only sacrificial death replaces the former sacrificial system. As another writer explains …

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that great, perfect sanctuary in heaven, not made by human hands and not part of this created world. Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever.

Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ritual defilement. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. (Hebrews 9:10-14)

The old was but the shadow, the new the reality. Our writer continues his explanation …

The old system in the law of Moses was only a shadow of the things to come, not the reality of the good things Christ has done for us. The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship … Under the old covenant, the priest stands before the altar day after day, offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as one sacrifice for sins, good for all time. (Hebrews 10:1, 11-12)

The old tended to place the emphasis on external appearance, the new on the inner person. Jesus spoke of this to the religious leaders of his day.

“How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self indulgence! Blind Pharisees! First wash the inside of the cup and then the outside will become clean too.

How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. You try to look like upright people outwardly, but inside your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:25-27)

Jesus draws from this scene of the ceremonial washing for Aaron and his sons at their ordination service when presenting an object lesson to his disciples. Only hours remained before he would voluntarily take his place on a cross as the sacrificial offering for the sins of the world. He was with his disciples to eat the Passover meal with them, a meal to celebrate the nation’s deliverance from slavery Egypt. Tomorrow, at precisely the same time at which the sacrificial lambs for this meal would be presented in the Temple services, he himself would become the lamb, ‘one sacrifice for sins, good for all time.’[4] After the meal Jesus …

… got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him.

When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, why are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now why I am doing it. Someday you will.”

Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you are clean, but that isn’t true of everyone here.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’, and you are right, because it is true. And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” (John 13:4-11)

While Jesus was with his disciples the temple priests were preparing themselves for the Passover services. The ceremonial washing of Aaron and his sons had by now extended to the ritual as Alfred Edersheim[5] describes it.

It was a principle that none might go into the court to serve, although he were clean, unless he had bathed. A subterranean passage, lit on both sides, led to the well appointed bathrooms where the priests immersed themselves. After that they needed not all that day to wash again, save their hands and feet, which they had to do each time, however often they came for service into the temple. It was, no doubt, to this that our Lord referred in His reply to Peter: ‘A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean.’

We can sense from Jesus’ comments to his disciples something of his frustration with them. He knows that they are finding it difficult to comprehend all that is going on, slow to see the connection between what he is doing and what is happening at that very moment in the Temple. This is why he says to Peter, ‘You don’t understand now why I am doing it. Someday you will,’ and later to them all, ‘Do you understand what I was doing?’ It seems that the significance was beyond them at this point. Later, as Jesus indicated to Peter, the penny would drop, they would understand.

What Jesus was teaching his disciples was this. Just as the ordination of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood began with the washing ceremony, so now he was performing this same ceremony, confirming their ordination to the ministry he had called them to. They, and all Christian believers to come after them, as ‘a chosen people, a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession’[6] are to replace the former priestly service, just as his imminent sacrificial death would replace the former sacrificial system. Jesus’ reference to giving them ‘an example to follow’ was to encourage them as they as they served together, to minister the washing of forgiveness to each other, just as he had ministered the washing of forgiveness to them. This was something he had emphasised when talking to them on another occasion …

“I am warning you! If another believer sins, rebuke him. Then if he repents, forgive him. Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, forgive him.” (Luke 17:3-4)

When Paul heard about the trouble a fellow believer was causing in the church at Corinth he wrote to them with this advice.

I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt your entire church more than he hurt me. He was punished enough when most of you were united in your judgement against him. Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him. Otherwise he may become so discouraged that he won’t be able to recover. Now show him that you still love him. (2 Corinthians 2:5-8)

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behaviour. Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:30-32)

Paul also reminds the members of the church in Galatia of their responsibility to minister to each other in this way.

Dear friends, if a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back on the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s troubles and problems and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody. (Galatians 6:1-3)

One further element of Jesus’ teaching in this object lesson remains for us to see. When Jesus said to the disciples ‘not all of you are clean,’ he was referring to Judas who would betray him. But at this point Jesus is extending the washing of forgiveness to him as well. He has the opportunity to turn away from the thoughts of betrayal that are then dominating his mind and allow the Lord’s forgiveness to flow through him as the cleansing waters were flowing over his feet. But he lets the opportunity pass and chooses instead to remain on the path he has chosen.

Turning our attention again to the ordination service for Aaron and his sons, we come now to …

After the presentation and washing ceremonies were completed Moses brought out the items to be placed on Aaron, setting him apart as the High Priest. We read …

He clothed Aaron with the embroidered tunic and tied the sash around his waste. He dressed him in the robe of the ephod, along with the ephod itself, and attached the ephod with its decorative sash. Then Moses placed the chest piece on Aaron and put the Urim and the Thummin inside it. He placed on Aaron’s head the turban with the gold medallion at its front, just as the LORD had commanded him. (vs. 7-9)

The tunic was a long garment with sleeves made from fine linen cloth worn by the priests. But for the high priest it was embroidered with gold thread. The specially embroidered tunic was an indication of the important role he played in the ministry of tabernacle.

This was to be made ‘entirely of blue cloth, with an opening for Aaron’s head in the middle of it. The opening will be reinforced by a woven collar so it will not tear.’ Durham[7] suggests that the attached pomegranates, made ‘out of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn’ and attached ‘to the hem of the robe with gold bells between them,’[8] would remind people of god’s plenteous provision and closeness. For the new land that they were travelling towards was ‘a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with springs that gush forth in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley, of grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, olives, and honey.’[9]

As Moses was instructed, it ‘must be made of fine linen cloth and skilfully embroidered with gold thread and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. It will consist of two pieces, front and back, joined at the shoulders with two shoulder pieces.’[10] The IVF Dictionary tells us that ‘this part of the dress reached from the breast down to the hips.’[11]

‘The sashes were made of fine linen cloth and embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.’[12]

This was ‘made of two folds of cloth, forming a pouch nine inches square. Four rows of gemstones will be attached to it.’ It contained the Urim and the Thummin, two oracular stones used to solicit divine guidance. It was attached to the ephod by ‘braided cords of pure gold,’ threaded through ‘gold rings.’ The twelve different gemstones represented the twelve tribes of Israel. The biblical writer explains he symbolism for us when he adds. ‘In this way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the chest piece over his heart when he goes into the presence of the LORD in the Holy Place. Thus, the LORD will be reminded of his people continually.[13]

Like the tunics, the headdresses, and the underclothes, the turban was made ‘from fine linen cloth’ … ‘Finally, they made the sacred medallion of pure gold to be worn on the front of the turban. Using the techniques of an engraver, they inscribed it with these words: SET APART AS HOLY TO THE LORD. This medallion was tied to the turban with a blue cord, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.’[14]

Then, it was the striking beauty of the garments which gave dignity to the priests and drew respect from the people.

Your brother Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar will be set apart from the common people. They will be my priests and will minister to me. Make special clothing for Aaron to show his separation to God—beautiful garments that will lend dignity to his work … Weave Aaron’s patterned tunic from fine linen cloth. Fashion the turban out of this linen as well. Also make him an embroidered sash. Then for Aaron’s sons, make tunics, sashes and headdresses to give them dignity and respect. (Exodus 28:1-3, 39-40)

But the servants of the Lord today have been given a different set of clothing. Zechariah is given a vision of this new clothing. In his vision he sees Jeshua being given these garments. Jeshua was the High Priest at the time of Israel’s return to their home country after seventy years exile in Babylon. When he comes before the Lord he soon realises that his own splendid priestly garments are inadequate.

Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”

Then I said, “Please, could he also have a clean turban on his head?” So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the LORD stood by. (Zechariah 3:3-5)

I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)

The salvation referred to is that which the angel of the Lord announced to the shepherds watching over their sheep in the fields just outside Bethlehem.

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared among them and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!’ he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David. (Luke 2:9-12)

The righteousness Isaiah speaks of is the righteousness of Christ in which those who accept him are clothed. As Paul explains …

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ … you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. (Galatians 3:26-27 NIV : 1 Corinthians 1:30b NIV).

Clothed now in the garments of salvation and the righteousness of Christ, Christians also need to put on the clothes of right conduct. It is these that that give dignity to the wearer and earn the respect of others. Paul confronts us with the necessity to put on these clothes …

Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3:12-14)

But I don’t need to write to you about the Christian love that should be shown among God’s people. For God himself has taught you to love one another. Indeed, your love is already strong toward all the Christians in all of Macedonia. Even so, dear friends, we beg you to love them more and more. This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others to meet your financial needs. (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)

With Aaron and his sons clothed in the appropriate garments we come now to witness …

The purpose of the commissioning service was that the tabernacle, everything in it, and those who served in it might be …

The ceremony of anointing by oil symbolised the setting apart for service. “Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the Tabernacle and everything in it, thus making them holy … Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, thus anointing him and making him holy for his work.” (vs. 10, 12) It was then, as it is for us today, the Holy Spirit who commissioned the priests for their ministry. The pouring of the anointing oil was the symbol of the anointing by the Holy Spirit. Ross[15] explains …

The next step in the ceremony was the anointing for consecration. (māšah ‘to anoint’—it may be pointed out in passing that this verb has the same root as the adjectival form māšîah, ‘anointed one’, which is the word that comes into English as ‘Messiah’) Moses anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, then the altar and its utensils, and then Aaron the high priest. Throughout the Old Testament both people and things could be consecrated with anointing oil—they were all set apart or made distinct for the service of the Lord.

... the oil represents the Spirit of God, even though the text here does not provide that explanation. There is however, sufficient evidence in Scripture that anointing with oil was representative of the special calling and empowerment or enablement by the Spirit of God.[16]

Today the symbol for the anointing of the Holy Spirit is the ‘laying on of hands.’ We have an example in the setting aside of Paul and Barnabas for a special work.

Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called ‘the black man’), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work I have for them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

Sent out by the Holy Spirit, Saul and Barnabas went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus. There, in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. (John Mark went with them as their assistant.) (Acts 13:1-5)

What can we see pictured in this commissioning service that is especially meaningful for us today? We notice firstly that …

A sin offering and burnt offering are presented on behalf of those being commissioned for service. “Then Moses brought in the bull for a sin offering … Then Moses presented the ram to the LORD for the whole burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.” (vs. 14, 18) The servant identifies with the sinfulness of the people. He also is a sinner and in need of God’s forgiveness. The setting apart of the priests for their ministry did not provide the forgiveness of sins for them. They too must come to the Lord in repentance and accept the sacrificial offerings presented for their forgiveness. Matthew Henry[17] must be seen to be stating the obvious when he says …

Those to whom is committed the ministry of reconciliation[18] must first be reconciled to God themselves.

Ross[19] offers this reminder for all who are commissioned in the service of the Lord.

The blood of the burnt offering, given as a ransom for their sins, made it possible for them to enter the sanctuary at peace with God. The point is that whoever represented God in ministry surely must have experienced full atonement—forgiveness of sin and acceptance with God.

Paul always identified in this way with those he ministered to. Notice as he writes to Timothy how he includes himself in this reference to the way of salvation though Christ.

It is God who saved us and chose us to live a holy life. He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan long before the world began—to show his love and kindness to us through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the coming of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who broke the power of death and showed us the way to everlasting life through the Good News. And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News. (2 Timothy 1:9-11)

He also identified with the people in Rome as he admitted his sinfulness in a letter to them.

Oh what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 7:24-25a)

Peter also identified with those he ministered to. Like those he is writing to, he is in need of God’s forgiveness for his sins. He includes himself in this reference to God’s mercy.

All honour to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is by his boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being born again. Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

This is the message he has given us to announce to you. God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin.

The people are one in spirit with those being ordained as the service continues. They identify with the offerings being made. They watch reverently as “Moses presented the second ram, which was the ram of ordination. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head as Moses slaughtered it. Then Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, the thumb of his right hand, and the big toe of his right foot.” (vs. 22-23) The action is repeated for all of those being ordained.

The application of the sacrificial blood to the earlobe, thumb and toe, covers all that they will be required to do in their ministry—the people problems they will need to offer a listening ear to, the situations they will be called on to handle, every aspect of their walk with the Lord, people they will meet, places they will visit. The ceremony was to continue for seven days. “Do not leave the Tabernacle entrance for seven days, for that is the time it will take to complete the ordination ceremony. What has been done today was commanded by the LORD in order to make atonement for you. Remember, you must stay at the entrance of the Tabernacle day and night for seven days, doing everything the LORD requires. (vs. 33-35a) It was a joyous occasion for the ordinands. The years of preparation for Aaron and his sons are now behind them. The long held hopes and dreams of service have now become a reality as they accept the ordination offered them.

The idea of fulfilment is contained in the Hebrew word used to express the concept of ordination The word is millu ‘a setting, an installation’. It comes from the verb mala ‘to be full, to fill’. The food eaten during the week long activities symbolises the spiritual fullness they are experiencing. This is a fullness enjoyed by Christians today, for they too are an ordained people, as Jesus explained to those first disciples …

“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed[20] you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love one another.” (John 15:16)

Peter takes us further in the application for us today when he affirms believers to be ‘a kingdom of priests’ or, as another translation puts it, ‘a royal priesthood.’[21]

… you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. (2 Peter 2:9)

This spiritual fullness, inherent in ordination, is symbolised for Christians today in the taking of the elements representing the sacrificial death of Christ on our behalf. Paul explains …

For this is what the Lord himself said, and I pass it on to you just as I received it. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body which is given for you . Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, “This cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

In accepting Christ we receive a fullness, a fulfilment, a satisfaction, a completeness, that we can never receive from any other source. John tells us that …

The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ” From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (John 1:14-18 NIV)

And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body. It is filled by Christ who fills everything everywhere with his presence. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

And I pray that Christ will become more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

And so it was that “Aaron and his sons did everything the LORD had commanded through Moses.” (vs. 36) Ordination week was a period of transition for the ordinands. They are ready to take the next step in their spiritual pilgrimage as they move on to begin their ministry.

[1] Later renamed Peter by Jesus. Refer to Mark 3:16.
[2] Luke 2:1-20.
[3] Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7. Micah 5:2.
[4] Hebrews 10:12.
[5] Edersheim, Alfred. THE TEMPLE – Its Ministry And Services At Time Of Christ. Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing. 1980. p.149.
[6] 1 Peter 2:9.
[7] Durham, John I. WORLD BIBLICAL COMMENTARY - EXODUS. Texas: Word Books. 1987. pp. 389-390.
[8] Exodus 28:31-33.
[9] Deuteronomy 8:7-9.
[10] Exodus 28:6.
[11] THE ILLUSTRATED BIBLE DICTIONARY. J. D. Douglas. Organizing Editor. England: Inter-Varsity Press. 1980. p. 397.
[12] Exodus 39:29.
[13] Exodus 28:16-17, 22-28, 29.
[14] Exodus 39:27-28.
[15] Ross, Allen P. HOLINESS TO THE LORD. A Guide To the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus. Michigan: Baker Academic. 2002. p. 211.
[16] See for example, 1 Samuel 10:1, 9-16, 16:13, Isaiah 61:1, Zechariah 4:1-6.
[17] Henry, Matthew. COMMENTARY ON THE WHOLE BIBLE. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House. 1961. p.121.
[18] Refer to 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
[19] Ross. ibid: p. 212.
[20] The Greek word is τιθημι [tithēmi] ‘to place, lay, set’, corresponding to the Hebrew word millu 'a setting, an installation', used to express the concept of ordination.
[21] 1 Peter 29, NIV.