Levítico 8
G. Campbell Morgan · Citado em PreceptAustin
Levítico 8
Morgan - Lev. 8:36 - These concluding words of a chapter make us look back over it. It is the account of the consecration of Aaron and his sons; that is, of the High Priest and the priests. Let us remind ourselves of the sequence of ceremonies. First Aaron and his sons were washed. Then the High Priest was robed in his garments of beauty and glory. This was followed by his anointing with the holy oil. After that his sons were robed. Before there could be exercise of their priestly function, two offerings were sacrificed to Jehovah; first, the sin offering for pollution; and then, the burnt offering as a sign of complete dedication. Then on the right ear and right thumb, and great toe of right foot, of Aaron and each of his sons, blood was put; the symbol of cleansing of sin, in order to the fulfilment of priestly functions. Next the wave-offering signified the rights and privileges of the priests, all offered to God. Again they were anointed with blood and oil. Their sustenance was provided, and they were completely separated to God and His service. Every detail was suggestive. Into the spiritual significance the reader will enter. We desire only to stress the teaching that the way of entrance to service in holy things is the way of obedience to the Divine ordinance. Nothing must be omitted which Jehovah commands. His priests must be washed, robed, anointed, sustained, separated, and all in His way, or they cannot exercise their functions in His service. To neglect any-thing, is to invalidate ministry. (Life Applications from Every Chapter of the Bible) LEVITICUS 8 - SOMEONE’S HERE TO HELP YOU Rob Morgan The new Spiderman movie tells the story of Peter Parker, a young man who has spider-like qualities. In one scene, Peter’s abilities are fading, and he desperately wants to be Spiderman once again. He wants to be able to leap from building to building. So he decides to practice. He stands atop a tall building and concentrates all his energy on leaping to the adjacent roof. He says to himself “Strong focus on what I want.” Then he runs across the roof, his face set in grim determination, and as he approaches the edge of the rooftop he begins screaming, “I'm back! I'm back!” He leaps into the air, but almost instantly he realizes he wasn’t going to make it to the other side. He tumbles from the sky — striking clotheslines along the way. He grabs one, which breaks his fall and sends him careening into the side of the building and onto the ground with a heavy thud. In obvious pain, he manages to get up and limp away, groaning, “My back! My back!” We live in a world that places a high value on “positive thinking” and having a “can do” attitude. We believe that if we just focus on what we want and take a strong leap of faith, that we can achieve it. But it takes more than will power to get to the other side. A positive outlook alone will not carry us far enough. We need someone to help us. In biblical terms, we need a great high priest. Now the word “priest” brings us a lot of different images for different people. But in essence and in its biblical sense, a priest is a go-between between heaven and earth. A priest represents our needs to God, and he represents God’s grace to us. Let me give you some other words. A priest is an intermediary, a connecting link, a go-between, a liaison, a mediator. One of the best verses in the Bible on this subject is 1Timothy 2:5 • For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (NIV). • There’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free (the Message). • God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together (Living Bible). Now, I want to take you to two places in the Bible today to show you how this is portrayed for us. The first is in Leviticus, as we continue our summer sermon series from that book. In Leviticus 1-7, we have the descriptions of the five great Levitical sacrifices that were offered on the Tabernacle altar. All five of these teach us various aspects of the life and ministry and death of Jesus Christ. They are prophetic in nature—prophetic object lessons, types or prototypes of the coming Messiah. Now, pressing deeper into Leviticus, we come to chapters 8 and 9, and the subject of these chapters is the ordination of the priests. And here we find the second great truth about Jesus Christ in the book of Leviticus. He is not only our sacrifice, He is our priest. The grand purpose of the Levitical priests was to portray for us in advance aspects of the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as we see Jesus in the sacrifices, so we see Him in the priesthood. I’m not going to read both of these chapters, but let’s dip into some of the verses found here: And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, a bull as the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; and gather all the congregation together at the door of the tabernacle or meeting.” So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. And the congregation was gathered together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And Moses said to the congregation, “This is what the Lord commanded to be done.” Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. And he put the tunic on him, girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the intricately woven band of the ephod, and with it tied the ephod on him. Then he put the breastplate on him, and he put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate. And he put the turban on his head. Also on the turban, on its front, he put the golden plate, the holy crown, as the Lord had commanded Moses. Also Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the laver and its base, to consecrate them. And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him (Leviticus 8:1-12). The rest of chapter 8 and the first part of chapter 9 describe a lengthy process of sacrifice and preparation involved in the installation of the Aaronic priesthood, and then we come to Leviticus 9:22ff: Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. All of this speaks of Jesus Christ. The clothing of the High Priest was designed to teach us lessons about Jesus Christ. I preached two sermons on this subject a year or two ago. The anointing and ordination and functions of the high priest all speak of Christ. I could try to explain it to you, but I don’t need to; God has given us His own explanation of all this. He has preached His own sermon on these chapters, and He did so in the book of Hebrews. One of the great themes of Hebrews is the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ—what it means to us that Jesus is our High Priest. I was surprised when I looked it up to discover that the word “priest” occurs 32 times in the book of Hebrews. I think the best way for us to understand this passage in Leviticus is not to try to plunge into it and interpret every detail, but to look at it through the prism of Hebrews 2:16 – 3:1. So for the third time today I’m going to ask you to turn to a new portion of Scripture as we continue to trace out this uplifting theme. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus. Notice that last sentence. This is a commandment. The God of the Bible is telling us to consider—to think about and ponder—the High Priestly ministry of Jesus Christ. There’s something about this subject that is needed by our souls. Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus. As we consider this subject, you’ll notice that in this text there are two descriptions of Jesus as our High Priest, and there are two functions (two things He does for us). So that’s our outline: the two descriptions of our Great High Priest, and His two functions in our lives. What He is to us, and what He does for us. 1. What Our Great High Priest Is To Us First, He is merciful. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful…High Priest in things pertaining to God. This comes from the Greek word éleos, which is usually translated mercy. It conveyed the idea of looking at someone, seeing their need, and having compassion and sympathy for them. I want to quote you three times when this work occurs in the New Testament. Luke 1:58 says about Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist: When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. Luke 1:78 says that John the Baptist came to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God. 1 Peter 1:3 says: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Notice those three adjectives: His great mercy, His tender mercy, His abundant mercy. He is a merciful High Priest. Someone told me the other day about a new term that’s becoming popular in the United States. It’s called “Dumpster Driving.” People go from dumpster to dumpster, pulling out things that other people have thrown away and restoring them to use. Sometimes we feel like we’ve been thrown into the dumpster of life. We feel worthless. We feel tossed aside. We feel dirty and broken. But we have a merciful High Priest who recovers, reclaims, and restores. I think the best thing I’ve ever read about the mercy of our Great High Priest is a hymn, a poem, written by Charles Wesley. Even though this is a very old hymn, it still conveys the mercy of God with such vivid imagery: Depth of mercy! Can there be Mercy still reserved for me? Can my God His wrath forbear, Me, the chief of sinners, spare? I have long withstood His grace, Long provoked Him to His face, Would not hearken to His calls, Grieved Him by a thousand falls. There for me the Savior stands, Shows His wounds and spreads His hands. God is love! I know, I feel; Jesus weeps and loves me still. Now incline me to repent, Let me now my sins lament, Now my foul revolt deplore, Weep, believe, and sin no more. The Bible tells us to consider and study and think about Jesus in as our merciful High Priest. The second adjective that is used to describe Him is Faithful. Look at verse 17 again: Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest. The word faithful just means that He is going to keep every single promise and obligation He has made. At the end of the book of Joshua, there is a remarkable testimony about this. After the Exodus, the years of wandering, and the conquest of the land of Canaan, after Joshua had led his nation and fought and claimed the land, as he was finishing his course, he said, “Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass” (Joshua 21:45). Two chapters later, Joshua said, “You know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14). Centuries later, when Solomon was dedicating the Temple in Jerusalem, he said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses” (1 Kings 8:56). Psalm 89:33 says that God will not allow His faithful to fail. Lamentations 3:22 says that His compassions fail not. I was reading again the other day about what hymn writer Frances Havergal said on her deathbed: “Splendid to be so near the gates of heaven! I am lost in amazement! There has not failed one word of all His good promises!” I’ve been thinking a great deal recently about that wonderful promise in Romans 8:28: All things work together for good to those who love Him, for those who are the called according to His purpose. If we really believed that, it would virtually banish all sustained discouragement or frustration in life. It would alter our mood and impart optimism for every day. He is not only a merciful High Priest, He is a faithful High Priest. Those are His two adjectives. Those are the two attributes that characterize His ministry to us as He represents us before the Throne of a Holy God. 2. What Our High Priest Does for Us That’s who our High Priest is to us, and the remainder of this text tells us what our High Priest does for us. Just as there are two adjectives in the first part of this passage, there are two activities in the last part. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God… Why? First, …to make propitiation for the sins of the people. I’m reading from the New King James Version, and some of you are saying, “What in the world is propitiation?” It is a sacrifice that turns away or averts the wrath of God. I’m so glad that God is a God of wrath, because there would be something very insufficient about a God who could look at the evils that torment this world and be passionless about it. There was a very interesting article this week about a new exhibit that will go on display soon at a museum in Baghdad, sponsored in part by the International Olympic Committee. It is made up of certain instruments of torture that Saddam Hussein used on Iraq’s Olympic athletes who didn’t win any medals. They were taken to a prison outside of Baghdad and tortured, along with their coaches and managers. To hear of that, to see that, to be aware of that, and to have no emotion, no anger would be wrong. The problem, of course, is that some of that evil is inside of you and me. There is none righteous, no not one. And so we all face the holy and pure and perfect wrath of an Almighty God. And the Bible says that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God. But there is one thing in the universe—one substance in heaven and earth—that will avert the judicial wrath of God, and that is the blood of the Lamb of God, the crimson blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It averts the wrath of God. And Jesus Christ had to be made like His brethren (that is, He had to become a human being) that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. That’s the first thing our High Priest does. The second thing is given in the next verse, verse 18: For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who art tempted. He helps us in our times of trials and temptations. He comes alongside as a pastor, as a priest, as a comforter and counselor and friend. He knows and He understands and He helps. The other night I attended a reception for Mrs. Vonette Bright, the wife and widow of Bill Bright who was the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. She told us about her husbands home going, and then she gave us a copy of his last book, a book that he wrote while he was dying, called The Journey Home. I’ve been reading that book, and it has been such a blessing. When Bill and Vonette entered the doctor’s office some time ago, the doctor told Bill that he had only a short time to live. He was suffering from a lung disease. Bill’s response was, “Thank you, Lord.” The doctor said, “You don’t seem to realize what’s happening to you. You’re dying. It’s worse than cancer. It’s worse than heart trouble. We can deal with those in some measure, but nobody can help you with pulmonary fibrosis. You are going to die a miserable death. Bill’s response was, “Well, praise the Lord. I’ll see the Lord sooner than I had planned.”[1] In this final book The Journey Home, he said that when he was a boy growing up in Oklahoma, a school bus took him to class each day, but he often had sports practice or drama rehearsal afterward, and that would mean a five mile walk home. The sun would set before he had finished the journey, but his dear mother always came to walk with him the last mile of the way. Just the knowledge of her presence turned that part of the journey into something to look forward to. And when they got about a quarter mile from the house, he could see the light of home. He said, “It always buoyed my spirit and put strength in my pace…. My father and the rest of our family soon would welcome me.” Now, he said, “I am on the last mile, but I am not alone. The Lord Jesus by His Holy Spirit is with me, and the knowledge of His presence dispels the darkness and allays any fears. We have tender conversations. I can see the light of my real home, heaven, and it beckons and buoys me more than ever, the nearer I draw to it. It is a glorious sight. My precious heavenly Father and loved ones in the great family of God are open-armed, and I can barely wait to get home at last.” That’s Jesus, our High Priest. He is our Propitiation and He is our Preoccupation. He is merciful and faithful. He atones for sin and gives us strength in our weakness. Jesus, my great High Priest, Offered His blood, and died; My guilty conscience seeks No sacrifice beside: His powerful blood did once atone, And now it pleads before the throne. Exodus 28 Dress Rehearsal: What the High Priestly Garments of Aaron Teach Us About Christ Rob Morgan March 10, 2002 Years ago I read a book titled Dress for Success, and I tried for a while to be a well-dressed executive. One of the rules, as I recall, was to avoid on all occasions the color green. I suppose that book is out-of-date, but a plethora of other books are written each year on the same subject, such as the currently popular Your Executive Image: How to Look Your Best and Project Success for Men and Women. Most of us don’t want to be “slobs,” but neither do we want to spend a fortune on our wardrobes. Jesus told us not to be overly concerned about apparel, for not even Solomon in all his glory could arrange to be clothed as beautiful as the lowly lilies of the field. So it came as some surprise to me when I realized that there are three separate chapters in the Old Testament devoted to one man’s wardrobe. There is one man in Scripture who had to be dressed for success in the truest sense of the word, and even the details of the fabrics used in his apparel are specified. That man was Aaron, the High Priest of Israel, and here are the three chapters: In Exodus 28, his high priestly garments are described. In Exodus 39, his high priestly garments are manufactured; and in Leviticus 8, the high priestly garments are fitted for size and worn. Why would three chapters of Scripture be devoted to such a subject as this? Many Bible readers would shrug, say “Who knows?” and mark these chapters down as some of the more mundane and boring passages of the Bible. But today and next Sunday I’d like for us to take a closer look at them. One scholar, Paul Kiene, wrote: “The details of the high priest’s garments speak of the Lord Jesus in His glory. They help us better recognize His incomparable qualities and the worth of His person, in order that we will love and honor our Lord more.” Dr. Stephen Olford added: “Each part of his attire speaks eloquently of the glories, virtues, and excellencies of our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Let’s see if this is true. We’ll begin in Exodus 28, the description of the High Priestly Garments of Aaron. 1 Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. Aaron was the older brother of Moses whom we first meet in the fourth chapter of Exodus. He was appointed by God as High Priest of Israel, and as such he foreshadowed the High Priestly ministry of Jesus Christ Himself. This is the great theme of the book of Hebrews: For this reason He (Jesus) had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people—Hebrews 2:17 In this regard, we would say that Aaron is a “type” of Christ. That is, Aaron is an Old Testament prefiguration of the coming Messiah, the ultimate and eternal High Priest on our behalf before God. The Lord planned and designed Aaron’s role as a prototype to teach us about the great High Priesthood of Jesus Christ. In other words, Aaron and the High Priesthood of Israel were great, divinely-planned Old Testament object lessons designed to teach us about a vital aspect of the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, let’s make a small step in logic. If Aaron and the High Priesthood were prefigurations of Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest, and if three chapters of the Old Testament are devoted to detailed information about their priestly garments, shouldn’t we assume that those garments have Christological significance? That they, too, can teach us something about the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, let’s read on: 2 Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honor. 3 Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. 4 These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. Today and next Sunday I’m going to go through Aaron’s wardrobe, describe and explain each garment, and look at what that garment tells us about Jesus Christ. There are basically five garments that we want to deal with: · The high priest wore something like an apron on the outside of and over his other robes. This colorful apron was called an ephod, and it had a sash in the front of it. The front and back of the ephod were connected at the shoulders by clasps to which were attached two onyx stones, one per shoulder. · Tied to the ephod with twisted cords of gold was a breastplate inlaid with twelve precious stones. Inside this breastplate were two very mysterious stones called the Urim and the Thummim. · Beneath the ephod was a blue robe. · Beneath the blue robe was a seamless white robe. · On the high priest’s head was a turban with a gold plate bearing the words “Holy to the Lord.” The Ephod The most colorful and obvious garment was the ephod. Let’s read about it in Exodus 28:6-8: 6 “Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of a skilled craftsman. 7 It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. 8 Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen. For the remainder of our time today, let’s begin with the ephod. First, look at the word itself; it isn’t a word we use in English. The word ephod is a transliteration of the Hebrew word ‘êphôwd (ay-fode’), mentioned 50 times in the Bible. It became a symbol of the priesthood. In other words, sometimes instead of saying the word “priest,” the Old Testament says, “He who wears the ephod.” In that sense, it was sort of like the word “crown” which is sometimes used a synonym for the king himself. Here in Exodus 28, the ephod is described. Now, turn over to Exodus 39 where its actual manufacture is described: 1 From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. They also made sacred garments for Aaron, as the LORD commanded Moses. 2 They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 3 They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of a skilled craftsman. 4 They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened. 5 Its skillfully woven waistband was like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the LORD commanded Moses. There are several things to notice about the ephod. It’s Majesty First, it’s dignity and majesty. This was designed to be a colorful and beautiful garment. Now all of us know that out clothing identifies us in certain ways. If you go to the ballpark and see someone in a baseball uniform you know that he or she is on one of the teams. If you’re walking down the street and see someone in a police uniform, you know that person has authority to enforce the laws of the land. When you saw the High Priest going about His priestly duties, you saw this colorful, beautiful, one-of-a-kind garment called the ephod. Its very appearance conveyed the idea of majesty. Earlier we read this verse in Exodus 28 that tells us the reason for these garments, to give the priest dignity and honor. And majesty is a word that befits the Lord Jesus Christ. · Psalm 45 says that when the Messiah comes He will be clothed in majesty. · Psalm 93 says, “The Lord reigns, He is robed in majesty. The Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.” · Psalm 104 says, “O Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps Himself in light as with a garment.” · The Psalmist said: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth.” · First Thessalonians 1:8 talks about the majesty of Christ’s power. · Peter wrote, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” · The book of Jude closes with this doxology: “To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” The hymn says: Majesty! Worship His Majesty! Unto Jesus Be all glory, honor, and praise. Our Savior was and is a High Priest of dignity, honor, and majesty. It’s Material Second, notice the materials from which the ephod was made. Exodus 39:2 says, “They made the ephod of gold and of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen” And verse 3 tells us how the gold thread was manufactured and used: “They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of a skilled craftsman.” In other words, the ephod was made of fine linen into which were woven golden threads. The linen represents our Lord’s sinless humanity and the gold represents His deity. He is the God-Man. As you read through the Gospels, you become aware that our Lord was comfortable with His deity. He just assumed the fact that He was, is, and always would be God. This self-perception is seen, for example, in Mark 2, when a group of men lowered a paralytic through the roof of a crowded house in which Jesus was teaching. The Lord’s first response was to tell the man that his sins were forgiven. The scribes, standing around and listening, knew the implications of this statement, for only God could forgive sin. “Who can forgive sin but God alone?” they complained. But Jesus seemed abundantly comfortable exercising that divine privilege. In Matthew 14, after Jesus has stilled the winds and calmed the waves of the sea by His divine power, it says that those in the boat worshipped Him. And He received their worship, though among the Jews only God was to be worshipped. Just as the ephod was made of golden strands in fine linen, so our Lord’s humanity and deity were woven together in one seamless personality. He was both man and God. Its Colors Next, look with me at the colors of this ephod. Exodus 39:1 says it was to be interwoven From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn…. And verse 2: They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. In the last half of Exodus, we have the description of the building of the Tabernacle, the meeting place between Jehovah and the children of Israel. This Tabernacle is filled and surrounded by curtains, and they are all of these same colors. Over and over, we read the words “blue, purple, and scarlet.” In my library I have a collection of books about the Tabernacle. Without exception, each of these books say that the Tabernacle is an architectural rendition of the Lord Jesus Christ, that every element in this heavenly tent represents some truth about our Lord. And with equal unanimity, they stress the significance and importance of these colors that cover the Tabernacle and which make up the ephod of the High Priest. The blue stands for our Lord’s heavenly origin. Blue is the color of the sky, and on clear days when we look heavenward, we see an ocean of blue. In the human sense, our Lord was born in Bethlehem like any child, but as it relates to His divine nature, He has always existed at Bethlehem. He came down from heaven to dwell among men. John the Baptist called Him, “The One who comes down from heaven.” Jesus Himself said the same on many occasions. To Nicodemus, during their famous nocturnal meeting in John 3, Jesus said: “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” On another occasion, He said: “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” He said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” Paul called Him, “The man from heaven.” Can you think of any other historical figure who made such a claim? The Israelites revered Abraham more than any other person, but no one claimed that Abraham came down from heaven. No one in human history has a more remarkable and fascinating story than Alexander the Great, the youth who conquered the world. But Alexander never claimed to have come down from heaven. There is no figure in American history more revered than George Washington. We call him the “father of our country,” but he never claimed to have come down from heaven for the work he did. Jesus told His Jewish critics: “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.” Our Savior is of heavenly origin. The second color is purple, the universal color of royalty. In 331 B. C. the aforementioned Alexander the Great found 190-year-old purple robes when he conquered Susa, the ancient Persian capital. They were in the royal treasury as part of the wardrobe of the kings. In Roman and Byzantine history, this was the color worn by emperors. There have been periods in human history when people were executed for wearing the color purple; it was considered treasonous. Why was this a color reserved for kings? Because only kings could afford it. Purple dye was extremely rare in the ancient world because it was produced by harvesting tiny bits of mucus from various sea mollusks! The city of Tyre was famous for the production of purple fabric, and estimates are that it took 8,500 shellfish to produce 1 gram of the dye. One account I read said, “In processing the dye, workers had to crack the shell and dig out a vein located near the shellfish head with a small pointed utensil. The mucus-like contents of the veins were then mixed together and spread on silk or linen. The saturated fabric was then placed in the sun, where the colors changed from light green to blue to purplish red.” Demand for this purple dye reached such proportions that certain species of Mediterranean shellfish became almost extinct in the ancient world. No wonder it was the color of royalty. The Pharaohs highly valued this purple yarn, and when the Israelites left they plundered the Egyptians, taking not only their sliver and gold, but also their precious yarns and fabrics. The purple in the robe of the High Priest was rare and beautiful and it represented the royalty of the Messiah. When the Magi came to Bethlehem looking for the Christchild, they asked, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews.” When they crucified Jesus, over His head hung the words: “King of the Jews.” The Bible says, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17). And the book of Revelation tells us that when Jesus comes again, He will have this name written on His robes: “King of kings and Lord of lords!” The third color is scarlet. That represents the blood of Christ. The High Priest, by the very definition of his role, dealt in blood, in the sacrifices offered to atone for sin. Hebrews 4:11-12, picking up on that truth, says, “When Christ came as high priest … He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Emmanual’s veins. And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains. So in the majesty of it’s appearance, materials, and colors, the ephod taught the people about the coming Messiah. The Onyx Stones The last thing I’d like us to notice is the two onyx stones that fastened the ephod together at the shoulders of the High Priest. Look at verse 4: They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened. In other words, the High Priest slipped the ephod over his head and attached it at the shoulder straps, and at the spot where it fashioned on either shoulder was an onyx stone. Those onyx stones are described more fully in Exodus 28:9ff: 9 Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel 10 in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. 11 Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings 12 and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD. So we read in Exodus 39:6: They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings and engraved them like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel. Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses. It was like a general’s uniform with four or five stars on the shoulders, except in this case it wasn’t stars denoting rank and power, it was stones denoting those whom he represented before God. The High Priest always bore the names of children of Israel on his shoulders. He carried them. When he knelt to pray, the Lord looked down at His shoulders and saw there the names of those whom he bore. What does that tell us about our Great High Priest? Deuteronomy 33:1 says, “The one the LORD loves rests between His shoulders.” Deuteronomy 1:31 says, “There you saw how the LORD your God carried you….” Isaiah 46:3 says, “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 63:9: “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” Jesus told about the shepherd who left the nine-nine in the fold and went out, searching for that one lost lamb. And when He found it, He joyfully put it on His shoulders and went home, calling his neighbors and saying, “Rejoice with me. I have found my lost sheep.” Do you have a load too heavy to bear this morning? Are your burdens too great? Is the way too hard? We do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. We have one who bears us on His shoulders, who carries us, who shoulders our load. He is the Man of Majesty. He is the God-Man. He is the man from heaven, the man of royalty, the man who shed His blood for you and me. This is your great High Priest. He represents you before God, and He is always bearing you on His shoulders. He carries you. I must tell Jesus all of my trials; I cannot bear these burdens alone; In my distress He kindly will help me; He ever loves and (carries) His own.
Levítico 8
Morgan - At this point the second section of the book commences dealing with the laws of mediation. It opens with a brief historical account of the actual ceremony of the consecration of the priests and Tabernacle and the commencement of worship. In the sacred rites of consecration it is noticeable that Moses acted. It is an arresting thing to see him thus exercising all the functions of the priestly office, although he was not permanently appointed thereto. The explanation is that he was acting as in the very place of God. God, through His servant, anointed Tabernacle and priests. Thus at the initiation of the order the intermediary between God and the people was a man who, sharing no priestly appointment, was in direct communication with God. The final movements in the sacred rite of the consecration of the priests describes the offering to God, their acceptance through fire, and a fresh anointing of those called to the office of mediation and intercession. In the fullness of time, the one great Priest did not approach on the basis of sacrifice for Himself, but He did appear as Mediator through sacrifice for the people in the fullness of spiritual power. (Leviticus 8 Commentary - G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible) Bush - The sacred writer here passes from sacred things to sacred persons. The present chapter describes the ceremonies previously ordained which marked the induction of Aaron and his sons into the priestly office. Most of the rites, however, peculiar to this occasion, are the same with those commanded Ex. 29 and which are there explained at length.... It may suffice simply to remark, that the priesthood was originally appointed to remain in Aaron’s family through all succeeding generations, and no one who was not of that lineage might on any account intrude into the sacred office. Aaron was succeeded by Eleazar, his eldest surviving son, after the death of Nadab and Abihu, and it continued in his family through seven generations, till the time of Eli. On his death it was removed from, that branch for the wickedness of Eli’s son, and given to the descendants of Ithamar, Aaron’s other son. In the time of Solomon it returned again into the line of Eleazar, in which it continued till the Babylonish captivity. Jeshua, the first high priest after the return of the Jews, was of the same family; but after his time the appointment became very uncertain and irregular; and after Judea became a Roman province, no regard whatever was paid to this part of the original divine institution. The office was in fact in process of time so far desecrated in the general corruption, that it was often sold to the highest bidder, whether of the family or not; and so things continued, till finally the nation had filled up the measure of its iniquities, and priest, altar, and temple were all swept away in the abolition of the Jewish economy and the dispersion of the race (Leviticus 8) And so Leviticus 8 records God's prescription for the holy priesthood. Prior to this time men had offered sacrifices to God but there was no formal priesthood. See Cain and Abel (Ge. 4:3-4), Noah (Ge 8:20-21), Job (Job 1:5). It is interesting that prior to Leviticus 8-10, Moses (from the Tribe of Levi) functioned as the provisional priest for the sons of Israel, but with the inauguration of the Levitical priesthood, Moses' role as Israel's priest comes to an end and is passed on to his brother Aaron and his lineage. For parallel descriptions and supplemental background on Leviticus 8-9 see Ex 28:1-43; Ex 29:1-46; Ex 30:1-38. Exodus 29 records the command God gave to Moses to carry out this consecration ceremony with Aaron and his sons. It begins by stating the purpose of the ceremony... NOW this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them to minister as priests to Me: take one young bull and two rams without blemish, (Ex 29:1) COMPARISON OF EXODUS 29 & LEVITICUS 8 EXODUS 29 LEVITICUS 8 Present one bull, two rams, unleavened bread, cakes, oil (Ex 29:1-4a) One bull, two rams, basket of unleavened bread brought to tent of meeting (Lev 8:1-5). Aaron and sons to be washed, clothed with priestly garments (Ex 29:4b-9) Aaron and sons washed and clothed with priestly garments (Lev 8:6-9) Bull to be offered as a sin offering (Ex 29:10-14) Bull offered as sin offering (Lev 8:14-17) First ram to be offered as burnt offering (Ex 29:15-18) First ram offered as burnt offering (Lev 8:18-21) Second ram to be offered as an ordination offering (Ex 29:19-28) Second ram offered as an ordination offering (Lev 8:22-29) Moses to anoint Aaron and sons (Ex 29:29-30) Aaron and sons anointed (Lev 8:30) Commands related to the eating of the ram of ordination (Ex 29:31-34) Moses instructs Aaron and sons concerning the eating of the ordination ram (Lev 8:31-36) That Aaron should be appointed High Priest is a manifestation of God's amazing grace, for it was Aaron who was a central player in the making of a golden calf in Exodus 32:1-5 even building an altar to worship the idol! That Aaron was not struck dead speaks of "the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience" (Ro 2:4). One is reminded of Paul the persecutor, who was transformed by grace into Paul the proclaimer of the Gospel. Wenham - God's grace and forgiveness are such that even a sinner like Aaron [who apostatized by building the golden calf Ex 32:1-5] may be appointed to the highest religious office in the nation. Perhaps the closest biblical parallel to Aaron's experience was that of Peter. In spite of his threefold denial of his Lord at Christ's trial, he was reinstated as leader of the apostles after the resurrection. (NICOT) This teaching is clearly applicable to New Covenant believers who in Christ are holy priests to the Lord... And coming to Him (Messiah) as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1Pe 2:4-5-note) But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD (hierateuma from hierós = sacred), A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION (KJV = "a peculiar people"), that you may proclaim (exaggello "indicates a complete proclamation - declare abroad, make widely known, report widely, proclaim throughout, tell everywhere) the excellencies (arete - preeminence) of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1Pe 2:9-note) TODAY IN THE WORD - Leviticus 8 Universal Guilt: Consecrating the Priests Men and women of humility rarely write on the subject. A pastor of a large American church wrote a book on humility a number of years ago. He’s since been under the discipline of his church for sins of pride, having mounted a track record of resisting correction and refusing accountability. It’s one more example that even the "strongest" among us are vulnerable to sin. We are all wrecked; every day we fall to our own pride and selfish desires. None of us is immune to the contagion of sin. The ordination ceremony in Leviticus 8 pictures these truths of human frailty and depravity. The construction of the tabernacle has been completed, with its holy furniture and ornamentation. We’ve come to the moment when Aaron and his sons are consecrated for their priestly work. They will have charge of maintaining the tabernacle and offering the sacrifices brought by the people for expressions of atonement, thanksgiving, obedience, and worship. This is a holy work commended to an unholy people. Moses presented offerings on behalf of the priests; they also needed atonement. Blood must be spilled on their behalf, for the sins they’d committed and will yet commit, for the good they’d already failed to do and will yet neglect. The sacred vestments in which Aaron and his sons were clothed were cleansed and consecrated. Water was the means of purification, and oil the means of consecration. Every detail illustrates the need for mercy and forgiveness. We cannot approach or serve God by our own merits. The ordination was a public assembly for all to observe. Every detail was prescribed by God. Worship is serious business. He is holy and requires reverence. Apply the Word - It can be devastating when our spiritual leaders fail. We often unreasonably expect perfection from them. Let today’s reading be a reminder that none of us is perfect, even those called into the ministry. Commit to praying for your pastor and the ministry leaders at your church, that they grow in humility and in the practices of confession and accountability. Comparative Study of Three Biblical Priesthoods Old Testament Levites Christ Great High Priest New Testament Believers APPOINTMENT Divinely Chosen 1 Pet 2:9* Anointed 1 Jn 2:20, 27 Sanctified Set Apart MINISTRY Receiving Keeping Revelation Deut 33:8, 10 Teaching † Deut 33:10a Offering Sacrifices Deut 33:10b Heb 9:11–10:18 Interceding Ex 28:12, 29** 1Sa 7:5, 12:23 Judging Controversies Entering the Holy Place Heb 9:12, 24 SOURCE: CHART FROM DR WILLIAM BARRICK * With regard to the change over of the priesthoods and their relationship to God’s program, compare Exodus 19:6 and Hosea 4:6 with 1 Peter 2:9-10. †“Law” (tôrâ) = “instruction.” It is interesting to note Aaron’s relationship to God’s instruction in Leviticus. Compare “And the LORD called/spoke to Moses” (Lev 1:1; 4:1; 6:1; 8:1) with “And the LORD spoke to Aaron/to Moses and Aaron” (Lev 10:8; 11:1; 13:1; 14:33; 15:1). However, note that “after the death of the two sons of Aaron” (16:1) the remainder of Leviticus employs the formula, “And the LORD spoke to Moses” (Lev 16:2; 17:1; 18:1; 19:1; 20:1; etc.) ** Israel’s high priest bore the names of the tribes of Israel on his garments as a “memorial.” In other words, he represented the people. Such representation was part of his intercessory ministry. Exodus 40:13 "You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me." William MacDonald Notes on Leviticus 8 - In Exodus 28 and Ex 29, Clod gave Moses elaborate instructions for consecrating Aaron and his sons as priests. Now, in Leviticus 8—10, we read how Moses carried out these instructions. Calling of the assembly—priests and people (Lev 8:1-5). Priests washed with water (Lev 8:6). Aaron clothed with high-priestly garments (Lev 8:7-9). Tabernacle anointed with oil (Lev 8:10, 11). Aaron anointed with oil (Lev 8:12). “The anointing oil was not sprinkled but was ‘poured’ on Aaron’s head, a picture of the Spirit poured without measure upon Jesus, our High Priest.” Aaron’s sons clothed with priestly garments (Lev 8:13). The sin offering for Aaron and his sons (Lev 8:14-17). The burnt offering for Aaron and his sons (Lev 8:18-21). The consecration offering for Aaron and his sons (Lev 8:22-29). This was also called the rain of consecration (or the ram of the fill offering, literally), it differed from the customary peace offerings as to the application of the blood (Lev 8:23, 24), and also as to the burning of the right shoulder and bread cakes (Lev 8:25-28), which ordinarily would have been eaten. Moses received the breast as his portion, since he officiated (v. 29). The blood was placed on the ear, hand, and foot of Aaron and his sons (Lev 8:23, 24), reminding us that Christ’s blood should affect our obedience, service, and walk. Aaron and his sons anointed by Moses with blood and oil (Lev 8:30). Eating of the peace offering by the priests (Lev 8:31, 32). Repetition of the above consecration ritual for seven days (Lev 8:33-36). In commenting on this chapter, Matthew Henry discerns the one thing that is missing; “But after all the ceremonies that were used in their consecration, there was one point of ratification which was reserved to be the honor and establishment of Christ’s priesthood, which was this, that they were made priests without an oath, but Christ with an oath (Heb. 7:21), for neither such priests nor their priesthood could continue, but Christ’s is a perpetual and unchangeable priesthood.”46 Leviticus 8:2 "Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments and the anointing oil and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread, Aaron: Ex 29:1-4 garments: Ex 28:2-4,40-43 Ex 39:1-31,41 anointing: Ex 30:23-37 Ex 40:12-15 bull: Ex 29:1,2 Heb 7:27 Leviticus 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries The garments - In Ex 28:2 these were designated "holy garments," set apart for service in the tabernacle and later in the temple. Hess comments that regarding all the things need for the ordination ceremony - Together these elements form the essentials for the consecration of the priests. All of them carry a high price in ancient Israel. They form some of the most valuable commodities available. This reflects the importance of giving one’s best possessions to God (cf. Lk 7:37–50). Allen Ross - With the laws of the sacrifices in place, the next section of Leviticus focuses on who has the right to offer sacrifices in the holy place and in what way such people were qualified to do so. A. Noordtzij - As was the case with all ancient peoples, religion did not exist in Israel apart from external, cultic forms. Offerings and priests everywhere occupied the central position in religious life. A fundamental difference nevertheless appears in the fact that outside of Israel, the priests, although there were physical or bodily conditions they had to satisfy, were recruited from among the people at large, and a person could thus become priest without having to be entitled to this by birth or by his position within society. In contrast, once the Israelites had become a nation and the covenant of the Lord had taken definite form as the pattern for their life, only members of the tribe of Levi were authorized to function as temple servants, while the right of serving in the Lord's offerings was reserved exclusively to members of the family Aaron. There is also a second point of difference. Whereas outside of Israel the priest primarily offered the sacrifices that sought to bring peace between human beings and the mysterious forces by which they imagined themselves to be surrounded, within Israel the tasks of counselor and teacher stood at the center of the priestly functions. The priest's foremost duty was to give direction to the Israelites in the subjection of their life to the ritual and ethical requirements of the service of the Lord." (Leviticus- Bible Students' Commentary) Three chapters in the Bible are devoted to describing his clothing, the elaborate regalia that he wore on official occasions. · In Exodus 28, his priestly garments are described. · In Exodus 39, his priestly garments are manufactured. · In Leviticus 8, his priestly garments are fitted and worn. (Rob Morgan) Aaron -gives us a picture of Jesus and what He can do for us in the New Covenant. Aaron and his sons - This is the priestly line. Not all Levites were priests but only those from the line of Aaron. Stephen Olford noted that “Each part of his attire speaks eloquently of the glories, virtues, and excellencies of our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Nelson's Bible Dictionary - LEVITES [LEE vytes] were descendants of Levi who served as assistants to the Priests in the worship system of the nation of Israel. As Levites, Aaron and his sons and their descendants were charged with the responsibility of the priesthood—offering burnt offerings and leading the people in worship and confession. But all the other Levites who were not descended directly from Aaron were to serve as priestly assistants, taking care of the tabernacle and the temple and performing other menial duties (Nu 8:6). (Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary. Nashville: T. Nelson) A C Myers - In the Genesis accounts the role of a priest was assumed by the head of the clan (e.g., Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob). The first Israelites to be formally identified as priests were Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar (Ex. 28:1)....From the period of the wilderness wanderings through the postexilic era, the Levites were given the task of assisting the priests in place of the “firstborn in Israel” who were to have been set apart for Yahweh’s service (Nu 3:5-13). Yet it was the privilege of the Aaronic house alone to serve in the official capacity as priests...Besides being descendants of Aaron, Israelite priests were to be free from physical deformities (Lev 21:17-23) and were to meet stringent demands regarding marriage and cultic purity (Lev 21:1-22:33). The high priest was subject to even more demanding regulations (Lev 21:10-15). The impact of the holiness laws was to reinforce the holiness of God before Israel, just as the institution of the priesthood underscored the need for a mediator between God and Israel....In their sanctuary service the priests were charged with maintaining holiness. They alone were to tend to the golden incense altar, the lamps, the Bread of the Presence, and the altar of sacrifice. But the primary role of a priest was that of a mediator representing God before mankind, and mankind before God. Representing God before mankind, the priest instructed the people in God’s laws concerning conduct and worship (Dt. 33:11; cf. 2Chr 17:7-9) (Eerdmans Bible Dictionary) Unger - the tribe of Levi was specially chosen by God for the purpose of entrusting to it the care and administration of holy things (Nu 3:5–13; 8:14–19). They were consecrated to Jehovah as His peculiar property, instead of the firstborn (which see) of the whole nation, these latter being replaced by the Levites, while all over and above the number required were ransomed at the rate of five shekels a head (Nu 18:15-16)... A Levite’s period of service was from twenty-five to fifty years of age (Nu 8:24-25); after the latter age he ceased from work and merely “assisted” his brothers...The functions of the whole tribe of Levi were to preserve the law of Jehovah in all its integrity and purity, to see that its requirements were duly complied with, to dispense justice in accordance with its enactments, and to transmit it to posterity (Lev 10:11; Dt 17:18; 31:9-13; 33:10; cf. 2Chr 17:8-9; Neh 8:9; Ezek 44:23; Mal 2:7-8). The Levites, apart from their priestly portion, were to act as assistants to the sons of Aaron “for all the service of the tent” (Num. 18:4), but they were forbidden to touch any sacred furniture or the altar until it had been covered by the priests (4:5–15)...When the people settled in Canaan it was the duty of the Levites, acting as police, to guard the sanctuary, to open and close it, to look after the cleaning of it and the furniture, to prepare the bread of the Presence and to do whatever other baking was needed in connection with the sacrifices, to lead the music (which see) during worship, to assist the priests in slaughtering and skinning the animals for sacrifice, to examine the lepers according to law, to look after the Temple supplies, and so on. (The New Unger's Bible dictionary) Warren Wiersbe sums up Leviticus 8 (and Leviticus 9) noting that "Altar is a key word in these chapters (Ed: 23 times in 19 verses!) ; it is used twenty-three times. Without an altar, there can be no acceptable sacrifice; without a sacrifice, man cannot approach a holy God. But there must also be a priesthood to serve at the altar. In the Old Testament, God’s people had a priesthood, but in the New Testament, God’s people are a priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5, 9)." Ray
Levítico 8
Morgan: It’s clear from the book of Hebrews that Aaron was a “type” or a foreshadowing of Christ. The Old Testament High Priesthood found its fulfillment in the Lord Jesus, our great High Priest. With that in mind, we have made a little step of logic. If the Old Testament priest is a prefiguration of Christ, and if three chapters in the Old Testament are devoted to his wardrobe, we might assume that his clothing has Messianic or Christological implications. There are five different garments we should look at here. The first was the ephod, which we studied last week. See his two messages on Priestly Garments... Dress Rehearsal- What The High Priestly Garments of Aaron Tell Us About Christ (1) Dress Rehearsal- What The High Priestly Garments of Aaron Tell Us About Christ (2) THE PRIESTLY CONSECRATION CEREMONY David
Levítico 8
Morgan - “Ephod” isn’t a word or a garment we’re very familiar with, but it was quite important in the Old Testament where it is mentioned about 50 times. It was the outermost garment, and it resembled an elaborate apron. It came to represent the priesthood itself. Last week we noticed four things about the ephod: 1. It’s majesty, which speaks of the honor and majesty of Christ. 2. It’s materials—white linen interwoven with threads of solid gold, representing the sinless humanity of Christ interwoven with His divinity. 3. It’s colors—blue, representing our Lord’s heavenly origin; purple, representing his royalty; scarlet, representing his shed blood. 4. Its onyx stones, which held the garment together at the shoulders. On these stones were inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, reminding us of how our Lord bears us on His shoulders day and night. (Dress Rehearsal- What The High Priestly Garments of Aaron Tell Us About Christ 2) Rob Morgan - Harry A. Ironside was an exacting Bible student who took painstaking care in correctly interpreting and teaching the Word of God. Usually. There was one occasion, however, when, using a story, he stretched the meaning of a text to the breaking point. But even then, he got it right. It was in a sermon from Leviticus 8:8 about the Urim and Thummim. This mysterious device was attached to the priest’s breastplate and somehow served to reveal God’s will in certain matters. Some believe it was a pouch containing two stones, one indicating “Yes” and the other signifying “No.” Others believe it was composed of jewels attached to the priest’s breastplate and which somehow indicated God’s will in various matters. Ironside gave it all a different twist as he told of a young British minister well-versed in all matter of theology. In his church sat a poor cobbler who, though uneducated, knew the Bible through and through. One day the minister, wanting to impress the cobbler, asked, “Can you tell me what the Urim and the Thummim were?” “I don’t know exactly,” replied the cobbler at length. “I understand that the words apply to something that was on the breastplate of the high priest. I know that through the Urim and Thummim the high priest was able to discern the mind of God. But I find that I can get the mind of the Lord nowadays just by changing two letters.” “By changing two letters?” asked the minister. “Yes. I take this blessed book, and just by usin’ and thummin’ I get the mind of the Lord.” Ironside, laughing, endorsed the cobbler’s view. Use the Word of God daily, he told his audience. Thumb through it frequently, for it reveals the mind of Christ. (From this verse: 365 scriptures that changed the world) Leviticus 8:8 He then placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim. breast piece: Ex 28:15-29 Ex 39:8-21 Song 8:6 Isa 59:17 Urim: Ex 28:30 Ezra 2:63 Leviticus 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE URIM AND THUMMIM The breastpiece - "This piece was worn on top of the ephod (Ex 28:5-14, 39:2-7) and was attached to it by gold cords on the shoulders of the ephod. These gold cords were attached to gold rings (Ex 28:22–27). The breastpiece was something like a pouch, nine or ten inches square." (Rooker) NET Note - The breastpiece was made of the same material as the ephod and was attached to it by means of gold rings and chains on its four corners (Exod 28:15–30; 29:5; 39:8–21). It had twelve stones attached to it (representing the twelve tribes of Israel), and a pocket in which the Urim and Thummim were kept Breastpiece (02833)(hosen - Arabic cognates mean beauty) is an ornamental chest covering made of the same material as the ephod and worn only by the high priest. It was also used to hold the Urim and Thummim. On it were twelve gems on which were engraved the names of the tribes of Israel. Gold cords fastened the upper rings to the gems on the shoulders of the ephod. Harrison - The ‘breastpiece’ was an elaborately embroidered square of cloth set with four squares of stones. Since it was essentially a small bag, the rendering of hosen by ‘breastplate’ (KJV, RV), ‘breastpiece’ (RSV, NEB) is entirely conjectural. (Ibid) Hosen - 21v - Ex 25:7; 28:4, 15, 22-25, 26, 28-30; 29:5; 35:9, 27; 39:8-9, 15-17, 19, 21; Lev 8:8 TWOT - The breastplate symbolized the unity of the nation, the dependence of the people on the person and ministry of the high priest, their presence before God as a beloved people, and the channel of the revelation of God's will. With it were the Urim and Thummim whereby the will of God was conveyed to the people (Ex 28:15-30). The LXX designates it as the "oracle of judgment" for "breastplate of judgment" or "breastplate of the (oracular) decision," in Hebrew. It was considered the most important item among the distinctive garments of the high priest. Josephus's account of the breastplate is elaborate, but not entirely reliable (Josephus - Antiquities of the Jews 3.7.5) Hatfield on breastpiece - A piece of elaborate embroidery about nine inches square worn by the high priest upon his breast. It was set with twelve stones with the name of one of the 12 tribes of Israel engraved on each stone (Ed: The names of the tribes were also written on the two stones that were on the shoulder of the ephod = Ex 28:11; 39:6); The breastplate was a special item worn by the high priest as he ministered in the tabernacle or Temple. Made like a purse, the breastplate was constructed of gold metal, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen. It was securely tied to the ephod. See Leviticus 8:8 ). The breastplate was called breastplate of judgment (Exodus 28:15 ) because these stones were the means of making decisions (Exodus 28:28-29 ). See Exodus 28:2 ); (2) to be a means of making decisions (Exodus 28:30 ); and (3) to be a continuing memorial before the Lord (Exodus 28:29 ). (Breastplate - Holman Bible Dictionary) Merrill - In Exod. 28:15 this breastplate is said to be fashioned "for making decisions." The Urim and Thummim were apparently the reason why the breastplate was designated "the breastplate of decision" (Exod. 28:2930). While some feel that the Urim and Thummim are descriptive terms for the 12 stones of the breastplate, they appear to be distinct from them here (see below). The first-century Jewish historian Josephus assigned oracular characteristics to the 12 stones of the breastplate claiming they would shine when Israel was to be victorious in war (Antiquities, 3.8.9). Later Talmudic tradition suggests that God's glory would illuminate the various letters of the tribes engraved upon the stones in an order that would spell out a message (Yoma, 73, a-b). Besides there being no indication in Scripture that this occurred, 5 of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet do not appear in these 12 tribal names. The breastplate was made from the same material as the ephod and was attached to the ephod by means of chains and gold rings at the four corners of the breastplate (Exod. 28:15-30; 29:5; 39:8-21). The 12 stones attached to it apparently represented the 12 tribes of Israel as the high priest went before the LORD. There must have been some non-described pocket in which the Urim and Thummim could be held. (The Bible Knowledge Word Study - Gen-Deut) In the NT as noted all believers are priests and we too have a breastpiece (breastplate) as described by Paul... Eph 6:14-note Stand firm (command - every divine command includes divine enablement by the Spirit) therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 1Thess 5:8-note But since we are of the day, let us be sober (nepho), having put on (enduo) (When? At the time of our new birth we were clothed with) the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. Joseph Parker - The Urim (light) and the Thummim (perfection). What the Urim and the Thummim actually were no man has been able to find out. But whatever they were, there can be no doubt as to what our Urim and Thummim are. We are not left without light and perfection.… Our Urim and Thummim are the Old and New Testaments. Keep these in the heart; be at home with them in all their wondrous variety of speech, of doctrine, of song, of inspiration, and of instruction of every kind; and then you never can stray far from the path providential that makes its own course straight up to the God who started the mysterious Outgoing. Ex 28:30 “And you shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually. Urim (0224)(urim possibly the plural of ur = flame, light, fire - Isa 31:9, Ezek 5:2) masculine plural noun which some lexicons state means light or fire. John
Levítico 8
Morgan: The words “Holy to the Lord” means that the High Priest was devoted and dedicated exclusively to Jehovah. The Lord looked upon this High Priest as Holy. In the Old Testament, if a man who was a sinner brought an offering to the Lord, it could not be accepted because the man was riddled with sinfulness. His motives were sinful. His mind was sinful. His whole life was sinful. But he could give it to the High Priest, and as God looked at that High Priest He saw someone who was proclaimed holy in His sight. And so the man’s offering was accepted, not in his own name, but in the name of the High Priest. When we approach God we can never do so in our own righteousness. Our motives are sinful. Our mind is sinful. Our whole lives are riddled in sin. But when we come in the name of our great High Priest, we are accepted for He is holy and He alone is holy. Romans 3:20-25 says: Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. 21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:8-9 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. This is our great High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us, robed in majesty, clothed in splendor, the one who ever loves and lives for His own. Do you know Him? Have you received Him? Does He represent you before the Throne in heaven? Jesus, my great High Priest, Offered His blood, and died; My guilty conscience seeks No sacrifice beside: His powerful blood did once atone, And now it pleads before the throne. Isaac Watts Leviticus 8:10 Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. Ex 30:23-29 Ex 40:9-11 Leviticus 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ANOINTING OF TABERNACLE AND AARON Moses then took the anointing oil, etc - It is interesting that these passages have no record of any words being exchanged between Moses and Aaron regarding the institution of the priesthood, or of any blessing being pronounced upon the new high priest. Anointing oil - This special oil was not to be duplicated in the camp, nor was it to be used on anyone but a priest (Ex. 30:22-33). The phrase Anointing oil occurs 22x in 21v - Ex 25:6; 29:7, 21; 30:25, 31; 31:11; 35:8, 15, 28; 37:29; 39:38; 40:9; Lev 8:2, 10, 12, 30; 10:7; 21:10, 12; Num 4:16; Ezra 6:9. Ross - There is sufficient evidence in Scripture that anointing with oil was representative of the special calling and empowerment or enablement by the Spirit of God (see 1 Sam. 10:1; 16:13; Isa. 61:1; Zech. 4:1–6)....This ancient custom also symbolized God’s often choosing this occasion as the time to manifest the giving of his Spirit to the one being anointed. This was brought out very clearly in later prophetic writings. When Saul was anointed, Samuel said, “The Spirit of the LORD shall come upon you” (1 Sam. 10:6). When David was anointed, the Spirit came upon him and departed from Saul (16:13–14). With the anointing came the Spirit to bring enablement for leadership. This idea is found in the prophecy of Isa. 61:1, where “the Spirit of the LORD God” was upon the prophet because he was anointed to preach good tidings. In that context the prophet referred to his being set apart to minister and realized that the empowerment came from the Holy Spirit. When Zechariah saw the vision of the steady flow of oil into the temple, he received the interpretation: “Not by might, and not by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD” (Zech. 4:6). (Ibid) Anointed (masah/maschah) the Tabernacle (mishkan) (04908) - Not just the priest but his "workplace" were consecrated to Jehovah. Harrison describes the holy anointing oil - This particular mixture was restricted to the anointing of priests, and any other use constituted a capital offence (Exod. 30:32–33) because the substance was holy. The ingredients consisted of liquid myrrh, probably expressed from the shrub Commiphora myrrha; sweet cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum); sweet calamus, one of the plant species of the genus Cymbopogon, perhaps C. schoenanthus L., which has been recovered from tombs in Egypt; cassia, most probably Cinnamomum cassia, a tree closely related to the sweet cinnamon; and olive oil as the vehicle. (Ibid) Tabernacle (04908)(mishkan from verb shakan = to settle down, to abide, to dwell) is a masculine noun which means dwelling place or sanctuary and is most often translated "tabernacle." And in over half of the uses mishkan was preceded by the definite article which conveyed the sense that it was "the tabernacle," not just any tabernacle, but is the one where Jehovah dwelt. In the first use Jehovah declares His intent to dwell (Hebrew = shakan) among Israel (Ex 25:8, Lev 26:11), for which He instructs them to construct the tabernacle (Ex 25:9). Addressing Israel Jehovah says "Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you." (Lev 26:11) Mishkan is often found in parallel with or described by the Hebrew word for tent (Ex. 26:35; Jer. 30:18). In one of the saddest verses in the OT, we read "For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the LORD our God, and have forsaken Him and turned their faces away from the dwelling place (mishkan; Lxx = skene) of the LORD, and have turned [their] backs." (2Chr 29:6) The Lxx translates mishkan here with the noun skene which describes a temporary lodging place. The related verb skenoo is used to describe Jesus "tabernacling" with men - "And the Word (Jn 1:1-3) became flesh, and dwelt (skenoo) among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn 1:14-note) Skene is used in the Septuagint (Lxx) to translate the Hebrew noun mishkan which was the dwelling place of God. The verb from which mishkan is derived is shakan which gives rise to the term Shekinah (wikipedia), not found in the Bible but introduced in the Talmudic literature to describe the cloud of glory over the Holy of holies in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple), which was the visual manifestation of the presence of Jehovah (See on site discussion of the Shekinah glory cloud) Mishkan as it related to God's Dwelling place had at least two names - (1) Tent of meeting - First Chronicles we read "they ministered with song before the tabernacle (Lxx = skene = generally used to describe a transitory, movable lodging place for nomads, pilgrims, etc) of the tent (Heb = ohel) of meeting (See discussion of "tent of meeting"), until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem; and they served in their office according to their order." (2) Tent of Testimony - (Ex. 38:21; Nu 9:15) because the the Ten Commandments (God's "Testimony") were kept in the Holy of Holies. Of note is that once Solomon's Temple was finished, the word mishkan was almost never used of that structure. Merrill - This is the first use in Leviticus of mishkan. It occurs also in Lev. 15:31-note, Lev 17:4-note, and Lev 26:11-note. Up to now in Leviticus, the word used for the place where God met with his nation has been "tent of meeting" (see Lev. 1:1-note). The present term is related to the verb skn (shakan) meaning "dwell, settle down, live among" (Ex 29:45). The tabernacle is described in detail in Ex 25-31 and Ex 35-40, an amazingly large amount of space that indicates the crucial nature of this structure. Moses anointed "the tabernacle and everything in it" so that it could become, paradoxically, the earthly dwelling place of the transcendent and omnipresent God. The glory of God (Shekinah glory) that was on Mount Sinai and that now filled the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34) indicates there was continuity between the original giving of the law and the proper carrying out of the law in ritual. This same glory was about to appear once again to all the people after the consecration of the priests (see Lev 9:23-note). In Lev. 26:11-note the NIV indicates that the Hebrew noun could be translated "my dwelling place" or "my tabernacle." This term is used in a unique way here. Earlier (Lev 8:10; Lev 15:31; Lev 17:4) it is clear that it is used to refer to the physical, portable, collapsible place of worship that had been built at Mount Sinai as recorded in Exod. 36-40. Lev. 26:4-13-note lists the blessings that the nation could expect in the land as a result of obedience to the law of the LORD. Obviously, the tabernacle would not be present in the land only when they were obedient since part of the purpose of the tabernacle was to allow restoration of fellowship after they had been disobedient. The dwelling place here must not be merely the external, portable place of worship but rather the living presence of God in blessing upon the obedient nation. This, of course, was what the tabernacle was to picture all along. (Ibid) Mishkan (NAS) = dwelling(1), dwelling place(8), dwelling places(9), dwellings(9), resting place(1), tabernacle(109), tents(1), where...dwells(1). Mishkan - 129v - Ex 25:9; 26:1, 6f, 12f, 15, 17f, 20, 22f, 26f, 30, 35; 27:9, 19; 35:11, 15, 18; 36:8, 13f, 20, 22f, 25, 27f, 31f; 38:20f, 31; 39:32f, 40; 40:2, 5f, 9, 17ff, 21f, 24, 28f, 33ff, 38; Lev 8:10; 15:31; 17:4; 26:11; Num 1:50f, 53; 3:7f, 23, 25f, 29, 35f, 38; 4:16, 25f, 31; 5:17; 7:1, 3; 9:15, 18ff, 22; 10:11, 17, 21; 16:9, 24, 27; 17:13; 19:13; 24:5; 31:30, 47; Josh 22:19, 29; 2 Sam 7:6; 1 Chr 6:32, 48; 16:39; 17:5; 21:29; 23:26; 2 Chr 1:5; 29:6; Job 18:21; 21:28; 39:6; Ps 26:8; 43:3; 46:4; 49:11; 74:7; 78:28, 60; 84:1; 87:2; 132:5, 7; Song 1:8; Isa 22:16; 32:18; 54:2; Jer 9:19; 30:18; 51:30; Ezek 25:4; 37:27; Hab 1:6 Here are all the uses of mishkan in the Psalms with comments by C H Spurgeon... Ps 26:8 O LORD, I love the habitation of Thy house, And the place where Thy glory dwells (Lxx = skenoma = tent like dwelling, Act 7:46).