Leviticus

Leviticus 8: Aaron and his sons consecrated

Begin in prayer

Before we read Leviticus 8, where Moses washes, clothes, anoints and consecrates Aaron and his sons at God's command, let us bow our heads. Ask the Lord to show us Jesus, our sinless High Priest.

I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh! My soul will be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Isaiah 61:10

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us how Aaron and his sons needed washing, holy garments and blood to serve You, and lead us to trust Jesus, our great High Priest. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

After giving the offering laws in chapters 1 to 7, the LORD commands Moses to consecrate Aaron and his sons before the congregation. At the door of the Tent of Meeting, Moses washes Aaron and his sons with water. He puts the holy garments, ephod, breastplate, and turban with its golden crown on Aaron, anoints the tabernacle and Aaron, and clothes Aaron's sons. Next, Moses offers the bull of the sin offering to purify the altar, and burns the bull outside the camp. He burns the first ram as a burnt offering, and kills the second ram, the ram of consecration. He puts its blood on their right ear, right thumb, and right big toe, and they stay at the Tent door seven days.

As you read Leviticus 8, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God appoints and cleanses His priests through blood, pointing to Christ our sinless High Priest.

No man could make himself a priest, so Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded to be done” (verse 5). Notice that Aaron and his sons did not wash or dress themselves. Moses washed them, clothed Aaron in the robe, ephod, breastplate and golden crown, anointed him, and dressed his sons (verses 6 to 13). Before offering any gift for Israel, they laid their hands on a sin offering bull and a burnt offering ram (verses 14 and 18). Next Moses killed the ram of consecration and put its blood on their right ear, thumb and big toe (verses 22 to 24). That blood set their ears, hands and feet apart for God. Seven times this chapter repeats that everything was done as the LORD commanded Moses. Weak men needed atonement for themselves, pointing to God's sinless Son, who is consecrated forever (Hebrews 7 verses 26 to 28).

How does Leviticus 8 show us that God appoints and cleanses His priests through blood, pointing to Christ our sinless High Priest?

Moses washes Aaron and his sons, clothes them, and anoints Aaron with oil.

Before the whole congregation at the door of the Tent, Moses washed Aaron and his sons with water (verses 4 and 6). He put the coat, robe, ephod, breastplate, and turban with “the holy crown” on Aaron, and anointed him (verses 7 to 12). Aaron could not make himself fit for God. Only God can wash sinners and clothe them with the garments of salvation.

A sin offering bull and a burnt offering ram are offered for them.

Even in his glorious garments, Aaron was still a sinner. He and his sons laid their hands on the sin offering bull and the burnt offering ram (verses 14 and 18). Moses put the bull's blood on the horns of the altar and burned the bull “outside the camp” (verses 15 and 17). Unlike Aaron, Jesus our High Priest is holy and undefiled, needing no sacrifice for Himself (Hebrews 7 verses 26 and 27).

Blood goes on their right ear, thumb and toe for seven days.

Moses killed “the ram of consecration” and put its blood on their right ear, thumb, and big toe (verses 22 to 24). Then he sprinkled oil and blood from the altar on them and their garments (verse 30). They stayed seven days to “keep Yahweh’s command, that you don’t die,” obeying all God commanded (verses 35 and 36).

Memorise

What has been done today, so Yahweh has commanded to do, to make atonement for you.

Leviticus 8:34

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, am I trying to dress myself in good deeds, or trusting Jesus my High Priest?

In Leviticus 8, Aaron and his sons could not step up to the altar on their own. Moses had to wash them with water, clothe them in holy garments, and anoint Aaron with oil. They had to lay their hands on a sin offering and a burnt offering, and have blood put on their right ears, thumbs and toes. As verse 34 says, all of this was done “to make atonement for you.”

Why did Israel's high priest need so much washing and blood before he could serve? Because Aaron was a sinner just like us, and no sinner can stand before a holy God on his own. That is why God sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, the true Anointed One. Jesus had no sin of His own, so He offered Himself on the cross to bear His people's guilt and died in their place. God raised Him from the dead, and He lives forever as the one High Priest whose sacrifice is enough.

You cannot wash your own heart or dress yourself to please God. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. Everyone who comes to Him is washed in His blood, forgiven, and clothed in His righteousness.

Parent's note

Tell your children that Aaron needed blood as a sinner, while Jesus is the sinless High Priest who died for sinners. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for appointing His sinless Son to be our High Priest forever, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the law appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

Hebrews 7:28

Lord God, thank You that while the law appointed weak and sinful men as priests, You appointed Your own sinless Son forever. Please forgive us for trusting our own goodness. Wash us in the blood of Jesus, clothe us in His righteousness, and help us listen to Your Word and obey You with our hands and feet this week. Amen.