Leviticus 8:14-17 – Thoroughly cleansed for divine service

At the onset of Leviticus 8, Moses was told t0 bring together Aaron and his sons and the garments made for the high priest, the anointing oil, a bull for the sin offering and two rams and a basket of unleavened bread. Verse 4 said that the whole congregation was brought to the doorway of the tent of meeting. Take note that the area outside the tent of meeting could not possibly accommodate the whole company of the people of Israel. It is more likely that the whole congregation here was referring to the elders representing the twelve tribes.

We are told that Aaron and his sons were washed, before Aaron as the high priest was made to put on the garments, complete with the headgear. Then he was anointed with the special anointing oil made from the four spices namely, myrrh, cinnamon, cane and cassia mixed with olive oil. Using the anointing oil, Moses then proceeded to anoint the Tabernacle and its furnishings. Then he brought near the sons of Aaron and clothed them with tunics, girded with sashes and bound them with caps as commanded by the Lord.  

Washing alone was inadequate. It could only cleanse the body but not deal with the guilt brought about by sin. Hence the sin offering had to be offered. The bull was brought for the purpose. Aaron and his sons would lay their hands on the head of the bull before Moses slaughtered it. With his finger, Moses would then apply some of the blood on the horn of the bronze altar of sacrifice to purify it. Then the rest of the blood would be poured out on the base of the altar to consecrate and prepare it for the next sacrifice that Aaron was to make. The blood was not brought into the holy place to apply on the horn of the table of incense because Aaron’s sons were not inducted into office yet and could not enter the holy place.  Notice also that the fat that was on the entrails and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat; Moses offered them up in smoke on the altar. No part of the bull from the sin offering was given to Aaron and his sons, for the rest of the animal was taken outside the camp and burnt.

Anything for the service of God had to be thoroughly purified. Not only was atonement required for the priests, but the impurities of the altar also needed to be removed. Hence everything of the sin offering was burnt. What these few verses point to again, is that we are dealing with a holy God. Sin had to be dealt with and the instrument used for His work must also be purified. God requires us to have a serious view of sin. It befits us who want to dedicate our lives to the work of the Kingdom to be cleansed: spirit, soul and body. Let us allow God to purify us so that we can be vessels that are cleansed for His work.