What is the meaning of Exodus 29:19? Take the second ram • After the sin offering and burnt offering came a second ram set apart for consecration (Exodus 29:15–18; Leviticus 8:22). • God was spelling out that ministry flows from atonement already made; the first ram spoke of forgiveness, the second of dedication. • Similar sequences appear in Romans 12:1, where believers, already justified by Christ’s sacrifice (Romans 5:9), are urged to present themselves “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” and Aaron and his sons • The whole priestly family is involved, not just the high priest. This underlines that service is a shared calling (Numbers 18:7). • Hebrews 5:1–4 echoes the same pattern: every priest is “appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God.” • The inclusion of the sons hints at continuity; the office would pass from generation to generation, previewing the lasting priesthood that culminates in Christ (Hebrews 7:23–25) and, by extension, the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5). are to lay their hands • Laying on of hands symbolizes identification. By touch they publicly associate themselves with the ram and its fate (Leviticus 1:4; 16:21). • It also points to transfer: guilt and commitment pass to the substitute, foreshadowing how our sin was placed on Christ (Isaiah 53:6; 2 Corinthians 5:21). • The gesture further marks commissioning; Acts 13:3 shows the church laying hands on Paul and Barnabas before sending them out. Consecration and mission go together. on its head • The head represents the whole creature; touching it signifies total surrender. Nothing is held back (Psalm 24:1). • Sacrifice is personal: they touch the very life of the animal, acknowledging that life must be given for service to begin (Hebrews 9:22). • In Christ’s ultimate offering, the crown of thorns rested on His head—He bore the full impact of our sin so we could draw near in ministry (John 19:2; Ephesians 2:13). summary Exodus 29:19 shows God ordering a second ram for consecration, requiring Aaron and his sons to place their hands on its head. The sequence underscores that forgiven people now dedicate themselves wholly to God. Identification through touch proclaims that ministry starts with substitutionary sacrifice and continues in surrendered living, all pointing forward to the perfect, once-for-all offering of Jesus Christ. |
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