We have been discussing how God instructed Moses to consecrate the wilderness tabernacle and ordain the priests who would be serving in that ministry.  We left off our last study with thoughts about an ancient ritual used in ordination.

Aaron was the designated High Priest and his sons were his fellow ministers.

AN UNUSUAL RITUAL

A strange activity happens in the ordination of Aaron as High Priest; Moses puts the blood from the sacrifice behind the lobe of his right ear, the thumb of his right hand and the big toe of his right foot.

What was that all about?

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to today’s on-line bible study called COME AS A CHILD; where we are studying the scriptures from the perspective eyes of a child (with no pre-conceived notions) in order to learn how to better love and follow the ways of our Father.

If you missed last week’s lesson you may find it here:  https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/ordination-and-consecration/

Today we will continue in Leviticus Chapter 8 where we are pondering the importance of the ordination of the priests.

THINKING OF THE FUNCTION OF AN EAR

Let’s look at why Moses placed blood from the sacrifice behind the lobe/ridge of Aaron’s right ear.

We will begin with a logical question.

What do you do with your ears?

You listen of course.

Do you think it would be very important for the High Priest to have the ability to listen well and hear correctly?

Most of us think that would be an excellent trait for a High Priest.

The placing of the blood of the sacrifice behind the right ear lobe was like a prayer to request that God help Aaron to always hear correctly.

We all have these voices of the world that are constantly screaming out at us. As children of God we are not to listen to these false voices that tell us wrong things. Aaron needed to only be listening to the voice of God and nothing else. This would be what made his priesthood good and acceptable to God and helpful to the Children of Israel.

The blood on the ear lobe was a prayer for Aaron to be a good listener.  As the High Priest of Israel he must be able to hear God’s instructions clearly and be able to relay what he hears to the people.

THINKING OF THE FUNCTION OF A THUMB

Okay; so we get why the blood was placed behind the right ear-lobe; but why the right thumb?

The thumb resides on the hand. What do you use your hands for?

Many use their hands to help others and to be active in good service to God and His Kingdom.

Hands can carry food to the hungry; hands can grasp other hands in unity and agreement; hands can be used in greetings, but most importantly; clean, pure and holy hands can be lifted up to God in worship.

When one uses their hands; the thumb plays a vital role in how the hand can grasp and hold things.  The fingers would be useless without the use of the thumb; they would not be able to do as many vital things.

Placing a drop of blood on Aaron’s right thumb was like a prayer for his hands to always be lifted up in worship of God.

It was like a prayer for his hands to always be serving both God and his fellow man.

The same hands that say the prayers and bring the food are the hands that slaughter the sacrifices and provide the way for atonement. Holy hands are laid upon others to transmit God’s healing powers.

Hands are a very important part of the ministry of the High Priest.

Placing the blood on Aaron’s right thumb was like a prayer for him to always worship and serve properly.

THINKING ABOUT THE FUNCTION OF THE BIG TOE

Now we understand why the blood was applied to the ear and the thumb; but why put it in the silly place of the right big toe?

Have you ever noticed how your big toe allows you to stand with the proper balance?

It is very hard to maneuver without the use of your big toe.

It is not only useful in standing firm; but in walking straight. A High Priest of God must always stand firm and walk straight.

The placing of the blood on the right big toe was like a prayer to help the High Priest to stand firm and walk straight and maintain the proper balance before God in all of his ways.

WHY THE RIGHT SIDE?

So we see how important these three strategically placed prayers of ordination are to the development and guidance of the High Priest.

These prayers will give Aaron the strength that he needs from God to do the things that he must do as High Priest of Israel.

It wasn’t an easy job!

That brings us to the reason why all of these symbolic acts of ordination were on the right side of the body of Aaron.

The right side has always been a symbol of God’s strength.  We read in Psalm 17:7 that God saves by His right hand:  “Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.”  

Isaiah 41:10 speaks of God’s right hand in this way:  “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

We all know that eventually Jesus went back up to heaven to take a seat beside God on His throne.  Jesus sat down on the right side of God so that he could be our advocate and speak to God in our place.  He is God’s “right-hand.”

WHY WAS BLOOD REQUIRED?

But why was blood required?

On top of the fact that the blood of the sacrifice appeased God and kept Him from seeing the sins that had been covered by its atonement; blood has always represented the essence of life.

At the first Passover blood was smeared on the lintels of a person’s home and the angel of death “passed-over” them. The blood becomes the transferring factor between death and new life.

The High Priest is transformed because of the life found in the blood of the sacrifice.

In the moment of the application of the blood Aaron passes through the state of an ordinary citizen and becomes transformed into the state of the head of God’s Holy Priesthood. A transition is taking place. It is the power of the blood on the right side of the person that symbolically shows the spiritual changes taking place within the heart and spirit of the priest.

After Aaron; his sons were ordained in a similar way.

APPLY THIS TO TODAY

If the blood of a ram could be used sacrificially in this physical ordination that God instructed Moses to perform on the High Priest of Israel; how much more power and strength should be available to our priests of today; since Christ our High Priest has more perfectly atoned our sins?  1 Peter 2:9 speaks of the eternal priesthood with Christ as the Head in this way:  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  

This speaks of you and me!  Those who come to God today belong to an eternal priesthood and this ancient priesthood of Israel was a type and shadow of these things to come.   We together make up the Body of Christ and/or The Church of The Living God.  Our ears, thumbs and toes are all parts of one huge body with Christ as the Head.  As the holy priesthood of today and tomorrow, we must function properly together in unison with God’s ways.

Let us all take note of God’s instructions to Moses and His requirements of His holy priesthood; that they listen correctly and understand; that they worship and serve with clean hands; and that they stand firm and walk straight before God.

This was the calling of the ancient priest of the wilderness tabernacle; this is the same calling that you and I have today.

Let us be about our Father’s business!