What does it say?
Instructions were given to Moses regarding the ordination ceremony of his brother Aaron and Aaron’s sons as priest. A bull is to be sacrificed during the ordination ceremony as a sin offering. Then a ram is to be sacrificed as a burnt offering to the Lord. A second ram is sacrificed and the blood of this lamb is to be used for anointing Aaron and his sons and their garments. The fat of the ram, with the liver, the kidneys, the right thigh, a cake of bread, a cake mixed with oil, and one wafer of unleavened bread from the basket set before the Lord is to be put in the hands of Aaron and his sons as a wave offering which they will offer up in smoke on the altar before the Lord. The breast and the thigh of the ram are to be eaten by Aaron and his sons; this portion is theirs forever of the heave offerings. Aarons holy garments are to be passed down to the generations of his sons. The meet of the ram is to be boiled and eaten with the bread in the basket by Aaron and his sons at the doorway of the tent of meeting; no one else may eat of these things offered before the Lord. For seven days in a row a bull is to offered to make atonement for the altar and consecrate it; after which, anything that touches the altar is considered holy. There will be continual sacrifices made on the altar in the morning and the evening throughout the generations. The Lord will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.
What does it mean?
There seems to be much falderal with this ceremony and with the daily ritual sacrifices. The truth is that there was not enough fuss being made. The purpose of all of this is given in the last verse of this chapter:
“They shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God.” (Ex 29:46)
The Lord is holy and all of this ceremonial fuss is to bring attention to that fact. The Lord cannot be approached by the will of man but only as the Lord wills and commands. The third commandment says, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” This means that the Lord is to be revered at all times and in every way.
What shall I do?
Jesus has given me the right to approach God as a son approaches his father; therefore, I address God as Father. I can approach God because I have been consecrated by the blood of Jesus Christ through faith. I have audience with God as my heavenly Father in prayer because of the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God who is Jesus Christ the Lord. I cannot approach God in my flesh because there is nothing good in me that is in my flesh. I can approach the Father God, through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord. It is in the name of Jesus Chris that I pray to God as my Father.
