Leviticus 9:1-24
1 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;
2 And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.
3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering;
4 Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for to day the LORD will appear unto you.
5 And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.
6 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you.
7 And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded.
8 Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:
10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses.
11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.
12 And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.
13 And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar.
14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar.
15 And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.
16 And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner.a
17 And he brought the meat offering, and tookb an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,
19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:
20 And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon 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, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
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 unto all the people.
24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
2. The Functions of the Priesthood Exercised
CHAPTER 9
1. The new offerings of the priests (Leviticus 9:1)
2. The people's offerings (Leviticus 9:15)
3. The fulness of blessing and glory (Leviticus 9:22)
A service follows the consecration of the priests, in which they officiated; hitherto Moses had acted by divine command. The service ordered is of great significance. For seven days, during the days of their consecration, a bullock had been offered for Aaron and his sons, and yet at the beginning of the eighth day a young calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering are needed. This reminds us of Hebrews 10:4, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” But there is a deeper meaning here. In connection with these new offerings on the eighth day the promise is given “today the Lord will appear unto you,” and “the glory of the Lord shall appear unto you.” We must look for a prophetic, dispensational foreshadowing. And such we have here.
We have seen that Aaron and his sons typify a heavenly priesthood, Christ, and those who are priests with Him. But Aaron and his sons also typify the nation Israel. While the seven days of the consecration feast foreshadow the present age in which believers in Christ feast and exercise the functions of their spiritual priesthood, the eighth day stands for the beginning of the coming age in which the Lord will appear unto His people Israel and when His glory is manifested. Then Israel will become the kingdom of priests. The sin offering and burnt offering brought again shows that it is in virtue of the blessed work of Christ. Then “all Israel,” the remnant of that day, will be saved and “there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (Zechariah 13:1). The offerings for the people in our chapter suggest this prophetic application. When the seven days, the present age, is ended, then Israel will look upon Him, whom they have pierced and mourn for Him (Zechariah 12:10).
A still more interesting event is given in the close of our chapter. Aaron came down from the altar where he had brought the offerings to bless the people. Immediately upon that he withdrew and entered with Moses into the holy place. Moses and Aaron were then invisible to the people. But they came forth, and a second blessing was pronounced upon the people. Nothing is said of how long both were in the holy place. We have here the beautiful types of the work of Christ and the blessing, which results from it for His people. As Aaron came forth the second time, so Christ will come the second time to bless His people Israel with peace. Moses, the leader of the people, typifies kingship, and Aaron the priesthood. Both coming out of the holy place foreshadow the second coming of Christ, the King-Priest. Melchisedek was king of righteousness and king of peace and priest as well, the type of Christ. When Christ comes again He will receive His throne and be a priest upon that throne. All this will mean glory for Him, glory for the church, glory and blessing for Israel, and glory for the earth. Then the glory of the Lord will appear, as it appeared when Moses and Aaron blessed the people. The fire came out from before the Lord. The Shekinah-Glory appeared and the flashing fire falling upon the altar consumed the offerings and the fat. The Lord thereby showed His approval of all that had been done. Jewish tradition claims that the fire which was never to cease burning was started in this divine act.