A QUICK REVIEW

Before we discuss the consecration of the priests serving in the wilderness tabernacle; let’s take a moment to review. Up to this point we have been discussing the facts around the dress code of the Priests of God in the days of Moses.

One strange thing I noticed was the verse given at the end of Exodus 28, verse 43.  I’ll just quote it here and let you ponder this last statement of the Chapter on your own:  It says:   “This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.”

At first glance I thought maybe God had decreed that the Aaronic priesthood dressed with this form of dress we have studied should last forever.

The key to most passages like this that are confusing for those of us on this side of the cross lies within the translation of the Hebrew into English.  The English words that indicate “forever” in English translate to the word “olam” in the Hebrew.

Olam does not actually mean “forever” as we understand the word in English; but it means lasting a long time or “long-lasting.”

The time of the Aaronic priesthood was declared by God to Moses to be long-lasting.

Now it is becoming clearer to me.  I can better understand how the Melchezedek priesthood happened way back in the days of Abraham and the Aaronic priesthood happened much later.  Then I can understand that the Aaronic priesthood was to be “long-lasting” but not “forever.”

That would make sense given that we can now claim Christ’s Order of Melchezedek Priesthood that is eternal and forever on this side of the cross too; which is a higher and better priesthood than the Aaronic priesthood and it DOES last forever!

THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD WAS VERY NECESSARY AND VERY SIGNIFICANT

The fact that the Aaronic Priesthood would not last forever did  NOT make the Aaronic Priesthood insignificant!

God had a very distinct purpose for Aaron and His descendants; they were types and shadows of things that God wanted to teach us about the priesthood that would evolve after the coming of Christ.

God used the descendants of Aaron to teach those who would come after him.   The Aaronic priesthood set the patterns to help us better understand the whole nature and concepts of the priesthood in general.

AN IRONIC NOTE ABOUT TODAY’S PROGRESS

Of course, why should people of today’s world, (thinking about the many who haven’t even paid attention to the fact that the ten commandments are still relevant;) take notice of the fact that today’s priest might not be clothed properly (as is the case with those who misinterpret the word “forever”) or the fact that they all might not be direct descendants of Aaron?

These things might seem trivial compared to the way the world is set on overlooking and misinterpreting the commandments of God.  But; I digress.  I guess I’m just trying to bring out the fact here that perhaps we should be paying more attention to “spiritual” dress of those ministering to our congregations today than their “physical” dress.

If the inside isn’t right; the outside isn’t going to matter.

One must be in the proper spiritual state to be TRULY ordained, and ordination blessings cannot be passed on if they are fake.  To make a long story short -if there is no true faith in Christ – there is no true message to deliver.

Do those serving in the priesthood of our churches today have the proper covering for their souls?   This is of the utmost importance.  It matters now more than ever.

Are they covered in the blood of Christ?

Are they saved?

Do they have the ordination from God and the message of salvation to pass on to those in need?

Perhaps this is a good place to focus our attention today.  There are many wolves in sheep’s clothing for sure.  We must all be praying for more sincere shepherds to be tending the flocks.

With this fact out in the open and out of the way; we should just move on to today’s topic.

INTRODUCTION
So; welcome to today’s Thursday bible study called COME AS A CHILD. If you missed last week’s lesson you can find it here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/belt-truth-dress-code-god/. Today’s lesson speaks of the instructions from God to Moses for the consecration of the new and soon to be very well dressed; priests.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES CONCERNING THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD

Moses was told to take a young bull and two rams without defect. He was to make thick round loaves of bread from olive oil which contained no yeast. He also was instructed to make some thin loaves of bread that contained no yeast that was brushed with olive oil.

Moses was to put the loaves into a basket and to present them to God with the bull and the two rams.

ONE NEEDS TO BE WASHED BEFORE THEY ARE CONSECRATED

Aaron and his sons were to stand at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. They were to be washed with water.

Have you ever been washed with water?  I hope this helps you to recall your own Baptism.

ONE NEEDS TO BE PROPERLY DRESSED BEFORE THEY ARE CONSECRATED

Moses was to take the priestly garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe and the Ephod with the breastpiece.  The ephod was to be fastened on Aaron by the waistband. The turban was to go on Aaron’s head and the sacred emblem was to be fastened to the turban.

When one comes into the Kingdom of God through faith in Christ; it is very similar to what these Aaronic priest experienced.  The old robes are removed and the new clothes are put on.  Upon entering God’s Kingdom one is first baptized, then the old man is put away, burried beneath the submersion of many waters.  When the candidate arises again from the water it is as if he has put on new clothes.  He has put on a NEW MAN.  The old things are passed away, the new things are what matter now.  His sins are washed away and he arises a new creature in Christ.

The new spiritual wardrobe  of a person professing Christ is very similar to  a white robe worn by an ordinary priest that is signifying that he is now clean and pure before God.

The Ephod worn over the priest’s heart was like the Word of God that a new believer learns to spiritually put over his heart.  He has hidden God’s word inside his heart; he becomes a lot like the priest wearing the ephod.  He gains discernment and he knows things he would not otherwise have known because he is listening to God’s Holy Spirit as he walks through life.

The breastpiece that holds the ephod of the priest in place and protects it is symbolic of the protection of God upon the new believer.

The turban of white linen and the golden crown the priest wore that said “Holy Unto The LORD” across the front was symbolic of how a new believer fills his mind with the pure things of God; and how he becomes sanctified as he begins to walk with God through the Kingdom of God.  The more he walks with God the purer and holier his new life becomes.

These are the things that concentrated the Aaronic priesthood; and these are the things that concentrate a new Christian and sets them apart in order for God’s work to take place in their lives.

ONE IS ANOINTED WHEN BEING CONSECRATED

Moses was to take the anointing oil and anoint Aaron by pouring it on his head.

Aaron’s sons were to be brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and dressed in tunics with caps fastened on their heads.

Sashes were to be tied on Aaron and his sons.

God declared the priesthood to be theirs by a long-lasting ordinance.

Moses was to ordain Aaron and his sons.

ONE IS TO OFFER A SACRIFICE BEFORE THEIR CONSECRATION TAKES PLACE

Consecration cannot happen without a sacrifice.  Moses was told to bring the bull to the front of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron and his sons were to lay their hands on its head. Moses was to slaughter it in the LORD’s presence at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Christ became the perfect sacrifice for all believers.  We all at some point during the days God has granted to us have a need to go to Him and fall before Him and ask forgiveness.  We must ask Him who is perfect to go before God  in our place.  We are unacceptable without His atonement that covers us.  We must come to believe with all our hearts that Christ has finished this for us; once for all.

Do you believe?

As Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the bulls head, we are to place our trust in Jesus.  He is our atonement.  We release our sins to Him and He is witness before God at the entrance to The Temple in Heaven; that He bore the pain of our sins on the cross.  His still nailscared hands testify of our atonement.

Do not be afraid!  Jesus has overcome death and the grave.  He has paid the price for our redemption.  It is written and signed in blood for all the world to know.

Moses was to take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with his finger. He was to pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.  The wages of sin is death but life is in the blood and it covers the altar giving mercy and atonement even to those who do not deserve.  This isn’t about achievements and deserving; it is about something greater.  It is about so much love that a man would lay down his life for another.

After that Moses was to take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver and both kidneys with the fat on them and burn them on the altar.

THE FLESH OF THE SIN OFFERING WAS TO BE TAKEN OUTSIDE THE CAMP

He was to take the bull’s flesh and it’s hide and it’s intestines outside the camp. This was to be a sin offering.

Then Moses was to take one of the rams and have Aaron and his sons to lay their hands on its head. Moses was to slaughter this ram and take the blood from it and splash it against the sides of the altar. He was to cut the ram into pieces and wash the internal organs and the legs, putting them with the head and the other pieces, then burn the entire ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD.

This pleasant offering is what God sees when our sins are removed and covered by the blood of Christ.  God sees them no more and He is now pleased with what is placed before Him as we offer the flavors of our lives to His service.

Moses was to take the other ram and have Aaron and his sons to lay their hands on its head, then slaughter it, taking some of its blood and putting it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then Moses was to splash blood against the sides of the altar.

This is symbolism that speaks of what we should be listening to, what we should be doing with our hands, and where we should be walking as we carry Christ around with us as we pass through the world daily.

Next Moses was to take some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments.

THE CONSECRATION IS COMPLETE

At that point Aaron and his sons and their garments were consecrated.

To be consecrated means “to be set aside for the glory of God.”

Moses was to take from this ram the fat,the fat tail, the fat on the internal organs and the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys with the fat on them and the right thigh from this last ram. This was the ram for the ordination.  Until a priest is consecrated he cannot be ordained.

THE WAVE OFFERING

Moses was to take from the basket of bread made without yeast which was before the LORD, one thick round loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf.

Moses was to put all of these into the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them wave them before the LORD as a wave offering.

Then Moses was to take these loaves from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the Lord, a food offering presented to the LORD.

God told Moses after he took the breast of the ram for Aaron’s ordination to waive it before the LORD as a wave offering.

God told Moses to consecrate these parts of the ordination ram that belonged to Aaron and his sons. The breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented would be the contribution of the Israelites before the LORD from their fellowship offerings.

Then God said that Aaron’s sacred garments would belong to his descendants so that they could be anointed and ordained in them. The son who was to succeed Aaron as priest, and who would come to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, was to wear them for seven days.

A FELLOWSHIP MEAL WITH GOD MADE POSSIBLE AT THE DOOR TO THE TABERNACLE

So God told Moses to take the ram for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place. Aaron and his sons were to eat the meat of the ram and the bread from the basket at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Consider this in light of the present day.  Have you ever been offered a fellowship meal from God?

Have you tasted the sacred Bread of Heaven?

If you have you know the joy of fellowship with God; just as these ancient priest did.

They were to eat the offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. No one else was to eat of them. They were sacred. If any meat or bread was left over until morning it was to be burned up. It should not be eaten because it was sacred.

God told Moses to do all of these things for Aaron and his sons and to take seven days to ordain them.

Moses was to sacrifice a bull every day as a sin offering to make atonement. The altar was to be purified by the making of atonement for it, and anointed to consecrate it. This too was to last for seven days as consecration of the altar. Then the altar would be most holy and whatever touched it would be holy.

Also Moses was to offer each day two lambs a year old, one in the morning and another at twilight. A tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering was to be offered with the first lamb. The other lamb to be offered at twilight would have the same grain and drink offering and it would be a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD.

Study these words carefully.  Is it not God just retelling the story of the Passover to His priest?  How many times must He paint the portriat of salvation before His people understand?

What about us?

Do we really see and believe?

Then God commanded that the generations to come would make this burnt offering regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting; before the LORD.

Everything was to be passed on to the next generation.

Everything was to take place before the entrance.

The entrance was a doorway.

The “door” is Christ.  God was foretelling His story even before it happened.  He was again speaking of Messiah and salvation for the people.

God promised to meet them there at the door and to speak to them. He promised to meet with the Israelites and said that the place would be consecrated by God’s glory.

So it was that God consecrated the Tent of Meeting and the Altar and Aaron and his sons to serve as priests in the Wilderness Tabernacle.

God promised to dwell among the Israelites and be their God. He said that they would know who He was and they would understand He was the One who brought them out of Egypt so that He could dwell among them and be their God

So it was with them.

So it is with us.