Sin, Burnt and Ordination

I have to admit, Leviticus is a book I don't know very well, so as I read it, I find I learn new things about the Lord that I serve.

Today I read from Leviticus 8, therein I read about how Aaron and his sons were made into the priestly class of Israelites. (I think I have that terminology right). They were the tribe of Levi, dedicated to serving the Lord.

I found it interesting how first a sin offering had to be made, then a burnt offering, and finally an ordination offering.

Makes me consider then the importance of installing leaders into our own congregations.

First Aaron and his sons had to be cleaned and well-dressed.

5And Moses said to the congregation, "This is the thing that the LORD has commanded to be done." 6And Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. 7And he put the coat on him and tied the sash around his waist and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him and tied the skillfully woven band of the ephod around him, binding it to him with the band. 8And he placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim. 9And he set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden plate, the holy crown, as the LORD commanded Moses.

They were then anointed, so they could be consecrated before the Lord God.

10Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. 11And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its utensils and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. 12And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to consecrate him. 13And Moses brought Aaron's sons and clothed them with coats and tied sashes around their waists and bound caps on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Aaron and his sons had to be presented before God as repentant of their unintended sins.

14Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering.

Putting their hands on the bull meant that they were taking responsibility for the wrongs they might have done. It shown their repentance for their actions.

Then came the burnt offering. For more information on Burnt offerings, see here. Burnt offerings were to be taken seriously. "The offerer laid his hands upon the animal, identifying with it. More specifically, he identified his sins with the animal."

18Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19And he killed it, and Moses threw the blood against the sides of the altar. 20He cut the ram into pieces, and Moses burned the head and the pieces and the fat. 21He washed the entrails and the legs with water, and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering for the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Then a ram of ordination was brought in, Aaron and his boys laid their hands on this one as well. Part of this ram was to be eaten by Aaron and his sons, the rest was burnt. Blood from this ram was also placed on these men.

22Then he presented the other ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23And he killed it, and Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 24Then he presented Aaron's sons, and Moses put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet.

Aaron and his sons had to eat the meat and bread, and sit in the tent of meeting for one week. My thinking on this is that, that week could be used by them to consider well the task that God had placed before them. (but that is merely my conjecture).

Moses did all these things in accordance with the will of God.

I have to admit. I don't quite understand the differences between burnt and sin offerings. I find definitions confusing. But I do know that the people had to repent of their sins. They had to identify with the animal that was being killed on their behalf. They had to chose the best animal they had to be the sacrifice.

And that was Jesus for us.... Jesus was the best sacrifice. He was a man who had no sin in him. He was not affected by sin. And he was God, this meant that he could die for all of us. He could die for ME. I need as a believer to identify with Christ. I need as a believer to take responsibility for my sin and repent and know that Christ died for me and all my nastiness.