1. The consecration of the priests and the sanctuary ch. 8

God gave a double command to Moses (vv. 1-3), which Moses obeyed (vv. 4-30). Then Moses gave Aaron a command (vv. 31-35), which Aaron obeyed (v. 36). Within the first section (vv. 1-30) there is a chiastic structure. God commanded Moses to take Aaron and his sons (v. 2) and to assemble the congregation (v. 3). Moses then assembled the congregation (vv. 4-5) and carried out God's orders concerning Aaron and his sons. The second main section (vv. 31-36) acts as a transition by bridging the gap between Aaron's ordination and its completion a week later (cf. 9:1).

 The assembling of the congregation 8:1-5

Evidently a representative group of the Israelite congregation, likely the elders, responded to Moses' summons to witness Aaron's ordination in the tabernacle courtyard.⁷⁷

 Aaron's uniform 8:6-9

God specified certain garments for Aaron that distinguished him from everyone else. A uniform draws attention to a person's office or function and plays down his or her individual personality. Physical washing (v. 6) was symbolic of spiritual cleansing.⁷⁸The priest's investiture with the garments of glory (vv. 7-9) pictured his endowment with the qualities required for the discharge of his duties.

 The anointing 8:10-13

The anointing of the tabernacle and the priests with oil (vv. 10-12) signified their sanctification whereby God set them apart to holy purposes and filled them with the power of His Spirit.⁷⁹The significance of the sevenfold sprinkling seems to have been that seven was "the covenant number,"⁸⁰the guarantee of the completeness of the work, as in the seven days of creation. The leaders anointed the vessels because they became the instruments of blessing to the Israelites. The Israelites probably repeated this ritual with each new generation of priests, though Moses did not state this in the text.

The procedure for consecrating consisted of two parts.

1. The priests experienced consecration to their office by washing, clothing, and anointing (vv. 6-13).

2. Israel's leaders then consecrated the sacrificial rites by which the priests experienced consecration (vv. 14-36).

 The ordination offerings 8:14-30

Moses as the mediator of the covenant performed the sacrificial ceremony recorded in these verses. He presented three offerings.

1. He offered a young ox as a sin (purification) offering (vv. 14-17).

2. He offered a ram as a burnt offering (vv. 18-21).

3. Then he offered another ram as a peace (fellowship) offering (vv. 22-30).

Moses applied blood from the peace offering to Aaron's ear, hand, and foot (v. 23).

". . . the ear, because the priest was always to hearken to the word and commandment of God; the hand, because he was to discharge the priestly functions properly; and the foot, because he was to walk correctly in the sanctuary."⁸¹

The sprinkling of the priests and their garments with blood and oil (v. 30) represented endowment with the benefits of atoning blood and the Holy Spirit's power.

 Further instruction to Aaron 8:31-36

A meal concluded the consecration of the priests because in it the priests entered into a fellowship relationship with God. This relationship entitled them to blessings and privileges that God did not grant the other Israelites.

The consecration lasted seven days. During this time the priests were not to leave the tabernacle courtyard day or night (v. 35). Their role was that of worshippers rather than priests. Evidently Moses repeated the consecration ritual on each of these seven days (v. 33). This would have emphasized its importance to Israel.

"A man may defile himself in a moment, but sanctification and the removal of uncleanness is generally a slower process."⁸²

Note that it was God who consecrated the priests. This was His work. The "congregation"witnessed the consecration, but they did not initiate it.

The priests were responsible to wash, but God cleansed them. Confession of sin is our responsibility, but God provides the cleansing (1 John 1:9).

God did not demand perfection of the priests. He even graciously appointed the man most responsible for the Golden Calf incident to the office of high priest.

God provided the clothing (covering), the atonement, and the enablement that made the priests acceptable in their service. Likewise He provides all that we as His priests need also.

"In this section one doctrine emerges very clearly: the universality and pervasiveness of sin. The men chosen to minister to God in the tabernacle pollute the tabernacle and therefore purification offerings have to be offered. Their clothes and bodies are stained with sin and they must be smeared with blood to purify them. These sacrifices are not offered just once; they have to be repeated, because sin is deep-rooted in human nature and often recurs. There is no once-for-all cleansing known to the OT. It is the incorrigibility of the human heart that these ordination ceremonies bring into focus [cf. Ps. 14:3]."⁸³