Christ in all the scriptures The inauguration of the priesthood

 Christ in all the scriptures

The inauguration of the Priesthood  Exodus chapter 29

"Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope"-Romans 15v4.

At first reading of this chapter, we cannot but be impressed with the meticulous detail expected by God from the first priestly family.  It would be a fair question to ask, what has any of this to do with the world of 2024, in which, by Divine declaration, there is no more sacrifice or ritual associated with worship?  The answer, of course is in the above quote from the Roman epistle.  The Old Testament is God's picture book to illuminate spiritual truth, and we can apply the principles today.  We have established that all God's people serve Him as priests and there are lessons to be learned in our service from these Old Testament rituals. 

A fair overview of the chapter, gleaned from a number of commentators, which assists our memory and broadens our understanding, is as follows:

29v1-3       THE CALLING OF THE PRIESTHOOD

29v4          THE CLEANSING 0F THE PRIESTHOOD

29v5-9       THE CLOTHING OF THE PRIESTHOOD

29v10-30   THE CONSECRATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD

29v31-37   THE COMMUNION OF THE PRIESTHOOD

29v38-42   THE CONTINUITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD

29v43-46   THE COVENANT OF GOD TO THE PRIESTHOOD

Some points from each of the above will make it easier to track the New Testament equivalent, and so illuminate our service today.

The calling of the priesthood v1-3  People are privileged in life who have a "calling", an occupation which sets them apart from their fellow men.  Verse 1 says this is a call from God to Aaron and his sons "...to minister unto me in the priest's office".   There is no higher calling than this, to serve the Supreme Being in the interests of men.  We must be persuaded of the dignity of our role in life, as at the first mention of priesthood in the bible (Genesis 14v18-19) Melchisedek is the "priest of the most high God...possessor of heaven and earth". No mere mortal could offer you a higher rank!  C H Spurgeon once said of the high calling of the Christian believer, "If God has called you to be a missionary, don't you demote yourself by becoming a king!"  Such is the dignity of our calling.  

They were to take with them animals for sacrifice, and baskets of bread for communion.  It was not the done thing to come empty handed in approaching God, neither should we.  After all He is the God who gives us all things richly.   It is certain that the young bullock, the two rams without blemish, the basket of unleavened bread, the unleavened cakes tempered with oil, and the wafers anointed with oil, all made of wheaten flour, speak of Christ in various aspects.  We can expand on these in later studies; the principle being that what we bring is of Christ.  "Ephesians 5v20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"; 1st Peter 2v5 "...an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ".   We have already referred to the calling of God in Peter's writings, and they are relevant again here: a call to holiness 1st Peter 1v15; a call out of darkness into marvellous light-2v9; a call to suffering-2v21; called to a life of blessing-3v9; called to eternal glory-5v10; called to glory and virtue (excellence of living)-2nd Peter 1v3.

The cleansing of the priesthood-v4  Refer also chapter 40v12.  This refers to inaugural cleansing for the office, and further cleansing would be necessary at the laver, while engaging in holy service, which is a later separate study.  While Paul in Titus 3v5 speaks of initial cleansing for the Christian-"the washing of regeneration", Jesus makes a distinction in John 13 between "bathing" and "washing of feet".  He said, "He that is bathed (washed all over) needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean every whit"-v10.  This answers to the initial cleansing of the priesthood.  Daily cleansing would be required at the laver to remove the defilement of the desert, while engaged in service to God.  

The clothing of the priesthood  v5-9   Chapter 28 spelt out the different clothing required in priestly work.  Now they have to dress themselves in the proper clothing to operate as priests.  It is one thing to have the clothing, which speaks of character; it is another to actually wear it.  This is the constant appeal of the N/T epistles; discard the old (put off), wear the new (put on)-Ephesians 4v22-25 and Colossians 3v8-14.  Peter asks that they be "clothed with humility"-1st Peter 5v5.  Elsewhere scripture speaks of behaviour which becomes those professing Christ-Ephesians 4v1 walking worthy of the calling; Ephesians 5v3; 1st Timothy 2v10, Titus 2v1.  Priestly service requires proper character, and it is within our reach, as we have been supplied with all the resources.

The consecration of the priesthood  v10-37  Consecration, which is the major subject of these verses, simply means to "fill the hands".  A modern equivalent would be "keeping busy", or "fully employed".  These priests were to be occupied in Divine service.  Paul appeals for the same to the Christian churches-1st Corinthians 15v58, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord".  It is a fair question for each of us to ask, am I busy, indeed abounding, in the work of the Lord?  Are my hands filled with His service?  

It was true of the early priests, every day they were occupied.  They had to learn the ritual of the sin offering (v10-14); of the burnt offering (v15-18); of the peace offering (v19-22).  Each of these offerings typify different aspects of the death of Christ, the full details of which we can study in Leviticus chapters 1-5.  These were all blood offerings necessary for worship service.  They also had to perform the wave and the heave offerings of grain, which were sweet savour offerings to the Lord (v23-28) and were always offered in conjunction with the blood sacrifices.  In the death of Christ there was always the effect of the blood offering which took away sin; there was also that which brought pleasure to God in the perfection of His suffering.  The meticulous distinction of these various offering reflect the finely detailed aspects of His death.  We can trace these details in the gospels at the outset of the N/T.  It is by marrying the O/T with the N/T we learn the intricacies of His sacrifice.  There are two outstanding features here which summarise the ritual: identification with the blood sacrifice-Aaron and his sons put their hand on the animal (v10, v15, v19; secondly sanctification for service-the horns of the altar was daubed with blood (v15); the priests were daubed from head to foot, the tip of the ear, the right thumb, the big toe, for a whole of body separation to the service of God.  John McArthur, the bible teacher says, "Daubing blood on the right ear, hand and big toe symbolically sanctified the ear to hear the word of God, the hand to do the work of God, and the foot to walk in the way of God", all of which points us to Romans 12v1, "that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service".   Blood was also sprinkled on the garments of Aaron and his sons.  Isaiah 1v6 says that from head to foot, Judah was corrupt; Romans 3v13-18 says that from head to foot, the whole of humanity is corrupt.  Here we have the priesthood from head to foot sanctified, ready for holy service.

The communion of the priesthood  v31-37  "Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation".  It is important that those who serve God, also commune with God, as their strength for service.  It is recorded that the priests used the skins of animals for clothing and the flesh of animals for food.  They also took for themselves a handful of meal from the grain offering, and the shewbread every seven days.  God does not expect His priests to serve Him without benefit to themselves.  This is a broad biblical principle; whether we think of it for evangelists or teachers, who are fully occupied in service.  The Lord has ordained that evangelists should live of the gospel in the material sense, (1st Corinthians 9v14), and that local teachers who are fully occupied in teaching should be counted worthy of double honour ( material and spiritual-1st Timothy 5v17).  All of us need spiritual refreshment, and we get that from the Lord above through the resident Holy Spirit within.  Christ is the living bread and the water of life for our sustenance, and we need to feed on Him regularly.   An important command in this section is that the priests were to eat of "those things wherewith the atonement was made"-v33, that is those offerings which speak of the various aspects of the death of Christ. We know what food is to our bodies, we need it every day.  Likewise our souls need to be fed, and He is our food.  Sometimes we transgress and "feed on the faults of others", which only panders to our own delusion.  If we feed on Him we "grow in grace", and this is the greatest inspiration.  We commune with Him by reading and meditating on the word which reveals Christ.

The continuity of the priesthood  v38-42   Twice in this section is the thought of the continuity of the priesthood: v38 "Now this is that which thou shalt offer on the altar, two lambs of the first year day by day continually".  Again v42, "This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord".   Note the time markers in the verses 36-42: v36 every day, v37 seven days, v38 two lambs day by day, v39 in the morning...in the evening, v42 throughout your generations.  NOW THAT IS BUSY!

The covenant of the priesthood  v43-46   When we serve God, we are not alone, and He stands by us at all times.  He does not expect us to serve in highest dignity without His support.  He is a covenant-keeping God, and we can depend on Him.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians and some of his opening words were, "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord-1 Cor.1v9.  Here we have the Divine word "I will" repeated many times.  The God who cannot lie makes guarantees to His people, and He will fulfil it according to His promises.  No less than 1535 times does God say "I will" in scripture, 88 times alone in Genesis.  The Gospels record Jesus said it 8 times.  Also in the book there are many "clusters" of promises such as Genesis 12v1-3; here in Exodus 29; Isaiah 41v10; Isaiah 43v2-6, and many more.  No wonder Peter spoke of "exceeding great and precious promises".  God's covenant to the priesthood was manifold.  He promises to meet them; to sanctify the tabernacle and the altar; to sanctify the priests; to dwell among them; to be their God; to demonstrate His power  among them.  Highest service indeed!