Leviticus8

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 2 Take Aaron and his sons with him, the garments, the anointing oil, a bull for the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; 3 And gather all the congregation together to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 5 And Moses said to the congregation, This is what the LORD commanded to be done.

• The door of the tabernacle of the congregation was the door to God’s house on earth.
• What follows is the ceremony that began the priest’s service to God.
• Priests represent man to God and God to man since the time at Mt. Sinai that the people were too afraid to deal directly with God.

7 And he put on him the tunic, girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, put the ephod on him, he wrapped him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and tied it to him. 8 And he put the breastplate on him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. 9 Then he put the turban on his head; and on the turban, in front, he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses. 10 And Moses took the anointing oil, anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and sanctified them. 11 And he sprinkled it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, both the basin and its stand, to sanctify them. 12 And he poured of the anointing oil on Aaron's head, and anointed him to sanctify him.

• The breastplate was worn on the chest, therefore close to the heart.
• The stones represented the tribes of Israel, so they were close to the heart of the high priest.
• The Urim and Thummim were also called lights and perfections.
• It was God’s divine system of answering questions.
• The oil in scripture portrays the Holy Spirit. God has washed us and He has clothed us.

• Zechariah 3:3-5 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 4 And he answered and spoke to those that stood before him saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And to him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with a change of clothing. 5 And I said, Let them set a fair turban on his head. So they set a beautiful turban on his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

• 1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

• John 15:3 Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

• Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

• Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things that we have spoken, this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.
  
  

13 And Moses brought Aaron's sons, put coats on them, wrapped them with sashes, and put caps on them as the LORD commanded Moses. 14 And he brought the bull for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull for the sin offering. 15 And he killed it and Moses took the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar round about with his finger, purified the altar, poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it. 16 And he took all the fat that was on the insides, the midriff above the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and Moses burned it on the altar. 17 But the bull, its hide, its flesh, and its dung, he burnt with fire outside the camp as the LORD commanded Moses.

• Jesus purified us with Himself. Each sacrifice portrayed Christ’s atoning death for the sins of mankind.
• It has to be applied to each person by faith.

• Revelation 1:5-6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

18 And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19 And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar. 20 And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, the pieces, and the fat. 21 And he washed the insides and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram on the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet fragrance, and an offering made by fire to the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses. 22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23 And he killed it; and Moses took of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron's right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot.

• The unspeakable beauty of God’s love is shown by these sacrifices. Each one says to each of us ‘This is how much I love you because I am going to do this for you.’ Laying the hands on the ram said to the ram, you are standing in my place.

• John 15:13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

24 And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood on the tip of their right ear, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar. 25 And he took the fat, the rump, all the fat that was on the insides, the midriff above the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and the right shoulder.

• The ear dedicated all that they would hear to the Lord.
• The thumb dedicated what they would do to the Lord.
• The foot dedicated where they would go to the Lord.

26 And out of the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and on the right shoulder: 27 And he put them all on Aaron's hands, and on his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD. 28 And Moses took them from off their hands and burned them on the altar on the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet fragrance: it is an offering made by fire to the LORD. 9 And Moses took the breast and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD: as for of the ram of consecration it was Moses' part as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 And Moses took from the anointing oil, and from the blood that was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron and on his garments, and on his sons and on his sons' garments with him; and sanctified Aaron and his garments, his sons and his sons' garments with him.

• 1Peter 1:18 you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your vain behavior received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

31 And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded saying, Aaron and his sons will eat it. 32 And burn with fire what remains of the flesh and of the bread. 33 And you are not to go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation for seven days, until the days of your consecration are at an end: he will consecrate you seven days. 34 As he has done this day, so the LORD has commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. 35 Therefore you are to stay at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the watch of the LORD, that you not die: for I am commanded this. 36So Aaron and his sons did all things that the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

• God is wholly for us.
• Letting nothing remain portrayed that He gave all to save us.
• He fully cleansed and cancelled our sins.
• The word ‘atonement’ means to cleanse, purge, to cancel. _

• Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

• John 15:4 Stay in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you stay in me.

• Exodus 19:6And you will be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.

• Revelation 1:6 And has made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

                                             Leviticus 9

1 And it happened on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel. 2 And he said to Aaron, Take a young calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD. 3 And speak to the children of Israel saying, Take a kid of the goats for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; 4 Also a bull and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a food offering mingled with oil: for today the LORD will appear to you. 5 And they brought what Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. 6 And Moses said, This is what the LORD commanded you to do: and the glory of the LORD will appear to you.

• Imagine going to a worship service and actually seeing the glory of God.
• One full week had passed since the consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons as priests to God (Leviticus 8).
• Aaron and his sons had stayed for seven days at the door God’s dwelling.
• God is perfect, the sacrifices portrayed what He was going to do for us. They had to be without blemish.
• In Malachi the people were bringing the sick and lame animals, giving a false impression of God.

• Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

7 And Moses said to Aaron, Go to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering to make an atonement for yourself and for the people: offer the offering of the people and make an atonement for them as the LORD commanded. 8 So Aaron went to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering that was for himself. 9 Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:

• Aaron and his sons needed cleansing again before approaching God.
• God removes what separates us from Him.
• The word ‘atonement’ means to cover or cancel.
• When that which has separated us is removed then we can see God in our hearts.

• Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

• Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

10 But he burned the fat, the kidneys, the midriff above the liver of the sin offering on the altar as the LORD commanded Moses. 11 But the flesh and the hide he burned with fire outside the camp. 12 And he killed the burnt offering and Aaron's sons presented the blood to him, which he sprinkled around on the altar. 13 They presented the burnt offering to him with its pieces and the head: and he burned them on the altar. 14 And he washed the innards and the legs and burned them on the burnt offering on the altar. 15 And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat that was the sin offering for the people, and killed it and offered it for sin, like the first. 16 And he brought the burnt offering and offered it in the prescribed way. 17 And he brought the grain offering, took a handful of it and burnt it on the altar beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.

• The grain offering or food offering expressed thanks to God for the food that sustains us, physical and spiritual.
• Christ’s work on our behalf was so complete that sins are fully gone when we confess them.
• We aren’t forgiven because we confess but because of what Christ did.
• If we forget to confess one or don’t remember one, we are still totally forgiven.

• John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that come to me will never hunger; and he that believe on me will never thirst.

18 He also killed the bull and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings that was for the people: Aaron's sons presented the blood to him which he sprinkled around on the altar, 19 The fat of the bull and of the ram, the rump, and what covers the innards, and the kidneys, and the midriff above the liver: 20 they put the fat on the breasts, and he burnt the fat on the altar: 21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the LORD as Moses commanded. 22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.

• Numbers 6:23 Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, In this way you are to bless the children of Israel, saying to them. 24The LORD bless you, and keep you: 25The LORD make his face shine on you, and be gracious to you: 26The LORD lift up his countenance on you, and give you peace.

God’s glory is awesome

23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. 24 And fire came out from before the LORD, and consumed on the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

• God’s sign of acceptance of an offering was when He sent fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice.
• God’s glory is the visual representation of all that He is—His infinite and eternal knowledge, power, righteousness, goodness and love.
• We are sinful and do not deserve to see such glory, but God loves us and has made a way. It costs us nothing, It cost Him everything.

• Ezekiel 1:26 And above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, like a sapphire stone: and on the throne was the likeness of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the color of amber, like the appearance of fire around inside it; from his loins upward and from his loins downward I saw the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain was the appearance of the brightness around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

                                             Leviticus 10

1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his fire pan, put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered strange fire before the LORD that he did not command them. 2 And fire from the LORD went out and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

• Fire was to be taken from the altar where the cleansing sacrifices were made.
• These 2 priests took fire from in the camp.
• “They plotted revolt in their tent, dressed in priestly robes, took a torch, passed the brazen altar representing salvation and went straight to the golden altar and received the ‘sin unto death’ on the spot.” Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 4, p. 67.
• Like the Garden of Eden, this was about obedience. It was about deferring to our holy Creator who knows more than we do and has a better way. It’s about deferring to the One who gives us life and breath rather than doing it ‘our way.’
• Our way comes from pride and is not acceptable to God.
• This is God’s attitude toward, “I did it my way.”

God is to be sanctified by those that come near to Him

All will glorify Him

3 Then Moses said to Aaron, This is it that the LORD spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and I will be glorified before all the people. And Aaron held his peace. 4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron and said to them, Come near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp. 5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp as Moses said. 6 And Moses said to Aaron, to Eleazar, and to Ithamar, his sons, Do not uncover your heads, or tear your clothes; so that you not die, and so that wrath not come on all the people: but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, grieve the burning which the LORD has kindled. 7 You are not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, so that you not die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

• If we were not sinners we would not need such vivid warnings to respect God’s holiness.
• Moses told Eleazar and Ithamar to remain consecrated before God and not defile their cleansing as priests.
• This focused attention on God as most important. He is our life.

• Psalm 72:19 Blessed be his glorious name forever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen.

• Acts 17:24-25 God that made the world and all things in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, since he gives to all life, and breath, and all things;

8 And the LORD spoke to Aaron saying, 9 Do not drink wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation, so that you not die: this will be a statute forever throughout your generations: 10 That you may put a difference between the holy and the unholy, and between the unclean and the clean; 11 And that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.

• God didn’t allow intoxicated servants serving in His house.
• This command suggests to us that Nadab and Abihu were drunk when they brought this judgment on themselves.
• I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and I will be glorified before all the people. We are to maintain the utmost respect for God.

• Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, which is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

• Matthew 28:19 Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.

12 And Moses spoke to Aaron, to Eleazar, and to Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the food offering that remains from the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy: 13 You are to eat it in the holy place because it is your portion, and your sons' portion from the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: this is what I am commanded. 14 And you are to eat the wave breast and heave shoulder in a clean place; you, your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are your portion, and your sons' portion, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel. 15 They will bring the heave shoulder and the wave breast with the offerings made by fire from the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it will be yours and your sons' with you, by a statute forever; as the LORD has commanded.

• Like wages, the priests and Levites were to feed their families from certain offerings of the children of Israel.

16 And Moses carefully looked for the goat of the sin offering and saw it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron that were left alive saying, 17 Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, since it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? 18 Behold, its blood was not brought within the holy place: you truly should have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded. 19 And Aaron said to Moses, Behold, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have happened to me: if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD? 20 And when Moses heard that, it was good in his eyes.

• Aaron and his remaining sons were grieving in their hearts.
• That’s what God sees when He looks at us.
• He sees what’s going on in our hearts. Their worship would not have been acceptable at that time.

• 1 Samuel 16:7…for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.

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SUMMARY: Leviticus 8-10

• Christ has made us clean
• We put on Christ
• He appears to us in His word
• His glory is awesome
• He is to be respected
• All will glorify Him