The Consecration Of The Priest

by MCILREE, A. | Category: Garments For Glory | Feb 2009

Exodus 28:1-2; 40:1-2,12-13; Leviticus 8

On that memorable first day of the first month, shortly before commemorating the Passover, Moses fulfilled a sevenfold ministry for Aaron. Before the lamb was taken and slain, Aaron was installed as high priest so that Israel's Passover remembrance would have a priestly association with the dwelling place of God. In this he prefigured how those who are redeemed by 'the precious blood of Christ' (1 Pet. 1:19) are able to remember the Lord together and worship in the place where their High Priest leads the praise (Heb. 2:12). He is the opposite of Aaron who became high priest then kept the Passover, for Christ offered Himself as the Passover (1 Cor. 5:7) then became High Priest. With His cross-work finished, He went home to begin His work as Priest. Almost forty years after Aaron's consecration, Moses stood again at his side. Together they went up the mountainside where Moses stripped him and there Aaron ended his priestly work and died (Num. 20:28). How different from our Lord Jesus Christ who died and then entered His priestly work!

'Take...brought'

Leviticus chapter 8 begins with the Lord's words, 'Take Aaron ...' ... Then Moses brought Aaron'. We would use them almost interchangeably, but God was careful to indicate their real meaning. First of all, Moses received Aaron; then they drew near. Had anyone enquired where they were going, Moses would have said, 'We're drawing near.' God had drawn near to His people through Moses the mediator, and now the people would draw near to God through Aaron the priest. What about us? How can we draw near to God through our High Priest? First of all, we need to experience God drawing near to us. Unless we appreciate that Jesus the mediator drew near to bring God in touch with us, we will never know the joy of our High Priest bringing us near to be in touch with God. When He told Moses to 'gather all the congregation'' His 'church in the wilderness' was about to experience something new (Acts 7:38).

As Moses assembled the tabernacle from the Most Holy Place to the gate, from the mercy seat to the altar, the mediator was opening up the way for the priest. He could never stand at the holy ark or at the altar unless the footprints of the mediator had been there before him, and God was showing that His Son would never serve on the throne for His saints unless His feet had stood at Calvary for sinners. Before He could ascend to offer His people's worship to God, He must descend to be God's offering for sin. Jehovah's flame must consume our better Sacrifice before we could draw near 'to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ' (Heb. 9:23; 1 Pet. 2:5). The Mediator must open up the way for the Priest and for the priesthood! We must, first of all, be 'accepted in the Beloved' (Eph. 1:6) before we could be accepted through our High Priest.

'Washed'

Purity was God's essential foundation for garments that speak of the holiness, glory and beauty of Christ. In washing his brother head to foot with water from the laver, Moses recognised that Aaron was an ordinary man with fleshly weaknesses (Ex. 40:11,12). No other man but the mediator could prepare him for his priestly work, just as no-one could prepare the Lord for His. As Mediator, He did it for Himself. He needed no cleansing for He alone is 'without blemish and without spot'; outwardly and inwardly pure (1 Pet. 1:19). This went beyond the expected standard of the Passover lamb in Exodus 12 which was to be 'without blemish'. Many a shepherd has evaluated the quality of a sheep by spreading his hand across its back or by gripping it by the tail near to the backbone, but he could never look inside. God does both, and He sees the untainted perfection of His Son. Paul, Peter and James wrote their triple testimony: 'He knew no sin ... He committed no sin ... and in Him there is no sin'. In His manhood, He healed the fevered, yet never contracted fever; He touched the leprous, yet never became a leper; and by being made sin offering He never became a sinner. Just as the laver cleansed defilement without becoming defiled, so does He. The cleansing of Aaron was necessary, in the same way as the inwards and legs of the burnt offering had to be washed (Lev. 1:9). Both were washed to produce greater resemblance to Christ; and for the same reason so are we (John 3:5; 13:10; Titus 3:5). Would we presume to handle spiritual things with defiled hands or tread the 'new and living way' whilst tolerating a defiled walk? Those who have clean hands, clean hearts and clear consciences are most suited to the presence of their High Priest, and most ready to enjoy the atmosphere of heaven without distraction.

'Clothed'

It's hard to think that God's watching people made no response. Did they not gasp as the coat of white linen made their man match with the surrounding screen of the tabernacle court; as blue, purple and scarlet linked him so clearly with the gate; or as gold reminded them of the things Moses had taken into the Holy Place? They must have sensed that their priest belonged there: a man fitted for the dwelling place of God. And what was their talk in every tent that night? Surely each conversation was an excited commentary on the impact made on their spirits. Did God hear something which He longs more fully to hear among His people today as we enjoy the glory and beauty of our great High Priest, knowing that He needs no external garments, for all His glories are within?

'Anointed'

Clothes were not enough. They must be sanctified, and it was for this purpose that Moses anointed them with 'holy anointing oil' (Ex. 30:22-33; 40:9-13). He must observe the divine requirement: 'It shall not be poured on man's flesh' for it is the garments that speak of Christ and fit Aaron for priestly service, not any feature of his own character or worth. Lavishly displaying God's provision, Moses poured the oil on Aaron's turbaned head and it flowed in such abundance that it ran down on his beard and on to the collar of his garments. How beautifully this sets Christ before us as the Spirit-filled Man on earth! His names reveal His character; for Messiah and Christ both mean 'anointed'. The anointed Mediator had come to present Himself on earth and was rejected by men, yet Hebrews 9:14 assures us that 'through the eternal Spirit [He] offered Himself without spot to God'. As He sat down, His Father gave Him heaven's highest accolade. Having seen Him anointed with spikenard by some and with spittle by others, the One who 'anointed Him with the oil of gladness' (Heb. 1:9) set Him apart for a continuing work above. The Man, permeated by the Holy Spirit as Mediator, had made Himself ready to be our Priest.

'Killed it...took the blood'

As each animal stood before him, Aaron laid his hands on its head, which implies that he leaned his weight on them. The Hebrew word 'cawmak' is translated as 'lies heavy' in Psalm 88:7, so this was no casual association with these offerings, but one which meant utter dependence upon them. With empty hands turned downward, Aaron showed one necessary aspect of his priestly service, but that wasn't enough. There had to be a second complementary aspect: his hands had to be turned upward. Into those waiting hands went the fat, the inwards, the right thigh along with an unleavened loaf, a cake made with oil and a wafer (Ex. 29:22-23; Lev. 8:25-26). The hands that formerly were depending are now proved to be dependable; the man who was relying is now seen to be reliable. And Jesus, infinitely more so! As the Apostle, He depended on His finished work satisfying a holy God. As High Priest, He is our dependable man in the presence of God.

All your anxiety, all your care,

Bring to the mercy seat, leave it there;

Never a burden He cannot bear,

Never a Friend like Jesus. (E.H.Joy)

In bringing us to Christ, God has called us to be dependent upon Him, but He also asks that we will be dependable for Him; reliable as well as relying. We can put the weight of our spiritual security on Him, but can He put the weight of spiritual responsibility on us? First, the leaning of our hands, and then the loading. He wants us to fill His hands, but how full are ours?

Bible quotes from NKJV

MCILREE, A. | Feb 2009
Garments For Glory