Lev 8:18 | KingComments | STEP | Three offerings are brought for the ordination of Aaron’s sons: 1. a sin offering ( ), 2. a burnt offering ( ) and 3. an offering of ordination ( ). The offering of ordination is a special form of the peace offering. Aaron and his sons lay their hands on all three offerings. As we have seen before, laying on the hands means identification with that on which the hands are laid. If you want to be a priest, you must identify yourself with the work of the Lord Jesus. In relation to the sin offering it means that, in order to perform priestly service, I must be well aware that all my sins have passed to the Lord Jesus, that He has borne my sins and has been judged for them. Equally, I may and must be aware that I stand before God in all the pleasantness of the offering of the Lord Jesus that He brought to God as burnt offering . I derive my dignity to be a priest not from something in myself, but exclusively from Him. If I am now ordained for God as a priest, I can only accomplish my task as a priest dedicated to God if I see that the Lord Jesus is the great Priest, who is perfectly dedicated to God in everything. He has always perfectly done everything the Father has commanded Him to do ( ). It is remarkable that all the offerings here are brought by Moses. The priests are not yet able to do so, they are not yet ordained. Moses can do that. He doesn’t need ordination. He is a picture of the Lord Jesus as the Teacher of righteousness. We have already seen what happens to the sin offering and the burnt offering in Leviticus 4 and Leviticus 1, respectively. This also applies to the offering of ordination, although this has not been explicitly mentioned. The offering of ordination is a special kind of peace offering. In Leviticus 7 it is mentioned separately in the summary of the laws on sacrifices, but in connection with the peace offering ( ). The animal of the ordination offering is a ram, as is the burnt offering. This means that our ordination and dedication as priests must have the same character as the burnt offering. Our ordination and dedication must have the same characteristics as the ordination and dedication of the Lord Jesus (cf. ). That means the commitment of our whole person. That the ordination offering is a special kind of peace offering is evident from the special application of a part of the blood. The blood of the ordination offering is applied to three body parts ( ). The blood of Christ, His dedication to death, is the foundation of our dedication. The blood is first applied to the ear. The ear speaks of listening, hearing, obeying. This is where every true priestly service begins. First we must listen to know what the Lord asks of us, how He wants everything to be. Only then can we hold act (hand) and walk (foot), in accordance with the meaning and value of the blood.

‏ Leviticus 8:18

The Offerings for Ordination

Three offerings are brought for the ordination of Aaron’s sons:

1. a sin offering (Lev 8:14),

2. a burnt offering (Lev 8:18) and

3. an offering of ordination (Lev 8:22).

The offering of ordination is a special form of the peace offering.

Aaron and his sons lay their hands on all three offerings. As we have seen before, laying on the hands means identification with that on which the hands are laid. If you want to be a priest, you must identify yourself with the work of the Lord Jesus.

In relation to the sin offering it means that, in order to perform priestly service, I must be well aware that all my sins have passed to the Lord Jesus, that He has borne my sins and has been judged for them. Equally, I may and must be aware that I stand before God in all the pleasantness of the offering of the Lord Jesus that He brought to God as burnt offering. I derive my dignity to be a priest not from something in myself, but exclusively from Him.

If I am now ordained for God as a priest, I can only accomplish my task as a priest dedicated to God if I see that the Lord Jesus is the great Priest, who is perfectly dedicated to God in everything. He has always perfectly done everything the Father has commanded Him to do (Jn 6:38 ; Jn 10:18 ; Jn 14:31a).

It is remarkable that all the offerings here are brought by Moses. The priests are not yet able to do so, they are not yet ordained. Moses can do that. He doesn’t need ordination. He is a picture of the Lord Jesus as the Teacher of righteousness.

We have already seen what happens to the sin offering and the burnt offering in Leviticus 4 and Leviticus 1, respectively. This also applies to the offering of ordination, although this has not been explicitly mentioned. The offering of ordination is a special kind of peace offering. In Leviticus 7 it is mentioned separately in the summary of the laws on sacrifices, but in connection with the peace offering (Lev 7:37).

The animal of the ordination offering is a ram, as is the burnt offering. This means that our ordination and dedication as priests must have the same character as the burnt offering. Our ordination and dedication must have the same characteristics as the ordination and dedication of the Lord Jesus (cf. Eph 5:1-2). That means the commitment of our whole person.

That the ordination offering is a special kind of peace offering is evident from the special application of a part of the blood. The blood of the ordination offering is applied to three body parts (Lev 8:23-24). The blood of Christ, His dedication to death, is the foundation of our dedication.

The blood is first applied to the ear. The ear speaks of listening, hearing, obeying. This is where every true priestly service begins. First we must listen to know what the Lord asks of us, how He wants everything to be. Only then can we hold act (hand) and walk (foot), in accordance with the meaning and value of the blood.