The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Transfiguration Church, Rome NY
Leviticus 8:1-13
Preparing the Priests, part 1
•The first thing that Moses does to his brother in order to prepare him for service is to wash him. Although this was done with water it was strictly ritual in order to symbolize the inner cleansing that has to take place.
•The breastplate that’s placed on Aaron has twelve precious jewels on it that symbolize the 12 tribes.
•What are the Urim and Thummim? No one really knows. We do know that in Hebrew Urim starts with the first letter of the Hebrew Alphabet (Aleph) and that Thummim starts with the last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet (Taw). They were held in a pouch in the priest’s breastplate and were used to determine God’s Will.
•Urim is generally translated “curses” and Thummim is generally translated “perfections”.
•One theory for how these helped determine God’s Will is suggested that they were flat stones that displayed “Urim” on one side and “Thummim” on the other and before throwing them the priest would ask a question. If both came up Urim it was a definite no and if both came up Thummim it was a definite yes.
•Anyway, all speculation. Their use fell out of favor when the prophets came around and then totally not used any more after the return from Babylonian exile.
•The first thing that Moses does to his brother in order to prepare him for service is to wash him. Although this was done with water it was strictly ritual in order to symbolize the inner cleansing that has to take place.
•The breastplate that’s placed on Aaron has twelve precious jewels on it that symbolize the 12 tribes.
•What are the Urim and Thummim? No one really knows. We do know that in Hebrew Urim starts with the first letter of the Hebrew Alphabet (Aleph) and that Thummim starts with the last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet (Taw). They were held in a pouch in the priest’s breastplate and were used to determine God’s Will.
•Urim is generally translated “curses” and Thummim is generally translated “perfections”.
•One theory for how these helped determine God’s Will is suggested that they were flat stones that displayed “Urim” on one side and “Thummim” on the other and before throwing them the priest would ask a question. If both came up Urim it was a definite no and if both came up Thummim it was a definite yes.
•Anyway, all speculation. Their use fell out of favor when the prophets came around and then totally not used any more after the return from Babylonian exile.
Leviticus 8:14-36
Preparing the Priests, part 2
•After being ceremonially washed in the bronze basin Aaron and his sons place their hands on the head of a bull that was a sin offering. This was to atone for all of their sins.
•Next there is a ram sacrificed as a burnt offering. This ram is sacrificed and burned as worship and to please the Lord.
•Finally there is an ordination ram sacrificed and some of the blood is taken from this lamb and placed on Aaron’s ear, thumb, and toe. Putting blood on these extremities signified that all of Aaron’s being belonged to God.
•After being ceremonially washed in the bronze basin Aaron and his sons place their hands on the head of a bull that was a sin offering. This was to atone for all of their sins.
•Next there is a ram sacrificed as a burnt offering. This ram is sacrificed and burned as worship and to please the Lord.
•Finally there is an ordination ram sacrificed and some of the blood is taken from this lamb and placed on Aaron’s ear, thumb, and toe. Putting blood on these extremities signified that all of Aaron’s being belonged to God.
Leviticus 9:1-14
Aaron Sacrifices for Himself
•After sitting in front of the Tent for 7 days because of the ordination Aaron was ordered to make two sacrifices for himself.
•From lesson 1, a sin offering was “A purification offering designed to purify the sanctuary from sin”, but we are told that this sin offering was made on Aaron’s behalf.
•The burnt offering is a worship offering and Aaron offers it on his behalf as well.
•After sitting in front of the Tent for 7 days because of the ordination Aaron was ordered to make two sacrifices for himself.
•From lesson 1, a sin offering was “A purification offering designed to purify the sanctuary from sin”, but we are told that this sin offering was made on Aaron’s behalf.
•The burnt offering is a worship offering and Aaron offers it on his behalf as well.
Leviticus 9:15-24
Show me your Glory!
•After Aaron makes atonement for himself through his offerings Aaron must make offerings on behalf of the people.
•4 out of 5 of the types of offerings (burnt, sin, grain, and peace offerings) are all made here.
•The burnt offering for worship, the sin offering as atonement for the people, the grain offering as thanks for their food, and the peace offering as thanks for their blessings.
•After the people’s offerings are made God’s glory is seen and then fire from the glory comes down and consumes the offerings.
•After Aaron makes atonement for himself through his offerings Aaron must make offerings on behalf of the people.
•4 out of 5 of the types of offerings (burnt, sin, grain, and peace offerings) are all made here.
•The burnt offering for worship, the sin offering as atonement for the people, the grain offering as thanks for their food, and the peace offering as thanks for their blessings.
•After the people’s offerings are made God’s glory is seen and then fire from the glory comes down and consumes the offerings.
Leviticus 10:1-20
Nadab and Abihu
or Keeping what is Holy, Holy
•Aaron’s 2 oldest sons, after watching their father offer numerous sacrifices, decide that they will join in on the action.
•The censer is an object that held coals from the altar and when a priest put incense on it a cloud of sweet smelling smoke would come out as an offering.
•Nadab and Abihu offered “unauthorized fire” and the fire of the Lord consumed them.
•What made it unauthorized? Aaron had just been commanded to make multiple sacrifices but we do not read of any commands to Nadab and Abihu. Or maybe the incense that they offered was not of the priestly recipe (yes, Exodus gives a precise priestly recipe)
•More than likely Nadab and Abihu did not come and make their sacrifices with the right frame of mind.
•A new era had begun and Yahweh wanted to set an example. The entire theme of Leviticus so far has been proper worship and atonement for sins. Nadab and Abihu went outside the lines and didn’t have the proper frame of mind when they approached.
•The priests who bring the dead sons out aren’t allowed to join the mourners, they must act like priests.
•The Hebrew people are supposed to be called out and the priests are called out from the people. In order to distinguish Hebrews from foreigners the priests are told,
"You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.” (Lev 10:10).
or Keeping what is Holy, Holy
•Aaron’s 2 oldest sons, after watching their father offer numerous sacrifices, decide that they will join in on the action.
•The censer is an object that held coals from the altar and when a priest put incense on it a cloud of sweet smelling smoke would come out as an offering.
•Nadab and Abihu offered “unauthorized fire” and the fire of the Lord consumed them.
•What made it unauthorized? Aaron had just been commanded to make multiple sacrifices but we do not read of any commands to Nadab and Abihu. Or maybe the incense that they offered was not of the priestly recipe (yes, Exodus gives a precise priestly recipe)
•More than likely Nadab and Abihu did not come and make their sacrifices with the right frame of mind.
•A new era had begun and Yahweh wanted to set an example. The entire theme of Leviticus so far has been proper worship and atonement for sins. Nadab and Abihu went outside the lines and didn’t have the proper frame of mind when they approached.
•The priests who bring the dead sons out aren’t allowed to join the mourners, they must act like priests.
•The Hebrew people are supposed to be called out and the priests are called out from the people. In order to distinguish Hebrews from foreigners the priests are told,
"You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.” (Lev 10:10).