Leviticus 8:31
And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, "Boil the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, 'Aaron and his sons are to eat it.'
And Moses said to Aaron and his sons,

Moses communicated the Lord’s instructions to Aaron and his sons during their seven-day ordination. As God’s appointed mediator under the old covenant, Moses oversaw the setting apart of the priesthood and ensured that every command was carried out according to God’s revealed pattern. Aaron and his sons were not entering priestly service by personal choice or human appointment, but by God’s call and consecration.

Exo 28:1 “Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you…
Exo 29:1 Now this is what you are to do to consecrate Aaron…
Num 18:7 But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood…

“Boil the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting

The flesh of the ordination ram was prepared at the entrance of the Tabernacle, before the presence of the Lord and in the place where Israel came to worship. The priestly family ate what had been offered in connection with their consecration, showing that their lives and service were sustained by God’s provision. The holy meal remained connected to the altar and the sanctuary rather than becoming an ordinary household meal.

Exo 29:31 You are to take the ram of ordination…
Exo 29:32 At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, Aaron and his sons…
2Ch 35:13 They roasted the Passover animals on the fire…

and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings,

Aaron and his sons shared the meat with the unleavened bread that had been presented in their ordination rites. Their eating completed an appointed part of the sacrifice and expressed fellowship with God through the offering He had provided. The meal marked their acceptance into holy service and anticipated the covenant fellowship fulfilled in Christ, whose sacrifice gives His people access to God.

Exo 29:23 along with one loaf of bread, one cake of bread…
Exo 29:2-3 along with unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil…
Lev 10:12-14 And Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons…

as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’

The priests were required to obey the command exactly. Their consecration depended upon God’s provision and God’s order, not their own judgment. Christ perfectly fulfilled the obedience required of the priesthood and now serves as the final and eternal High Priest for all who draw near to God through Him.

Exo 29:33-34 They must eat those things by which atonement was made…
Lev 6:16-18 Aaron and his sons are to eat the remainder.…
Num 18:8-11 Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites and God's chosen prophet who is responsible for conveying God's laws and instructions to the people.

2. Aaron
The brother of Moses, appointed as the first high priest of Israel, representing the people before God.

3. Aaron's Sons
The descendants of Aaron who are also appointed as priests, serving alongside their father in the priestly duties.

4. Tent of Meeting
The sacred place where God met with Moses and the priests, serving as the center of worship and sacrifice for the Israelites.

5. Ordination Offerings
Sacrifices made during the consecration of Aaron and his sons, symbolizing their dedication and sanctification for priestly service.
Teaching Points
Obedience to God's Commands
The detailed instructions given to Moses, Aaron, and his sons highlight the importance of obedience in worship and service to God. As believers, we are called to follow God's Word with precision and reverence.

The Role of the Priesthood
Aaron and his sons' ordination signifies the importance of the priestly role in mediating between God and the people. Today, believers are called to be a "royal priesthood," serving God and others with dedication.

Sacredness of Worship
The act of eating the ordination offerings at the Tent of Meeting underscores the sacredness of worship and the need to approach God with respect and holiness.

Community and Fellowship
The communal aspect of eating the offerings together signifies the importance of fellowship among believers, encouraging unity and shared purpose in serving God.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the ordination of Aaron and his sons teach us about the importance of preparation and dedication in serving God?

2. How can we apply the concept of obedience seen in Leviticus 8:31 to our daily walk with Christ?

3. In what ways does the priesthood of Aaron foreshadow the ultimate priesthood of Jesus Christ, as discussed in the book of Hebrews?

4. How does the communal aspect of the ordination meal relate to the New Testament teachings on fellowship and community among believers?

5. Reflecting on 1 Peter 2:9, how can we live out our calling as a "royal priesthood" in our current context?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 29
This chapter provides the detailed instructions for the ordination of Aaron and his sons, which Leviticus 8 is fulfilling. It emphasizes the importance of following God's commands precisely.

Hebrews 5
This New Testament passage discusses the role of the high priest, drawing parallels between Aaron's priesthood and the ultimate priesthood of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:9
This verse speaks to the priesthood of all believers, connecting the Old Testament priestly roles to the New Testament concept of a spiritual priesthood.
Priestly ConsecrationR.M. Edgar Leviticus 8:1-36
The Sacrifices of ConsecrationR.A. Redford Leviticus 8:13-36
The Ram of ConsecrationJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 8:22-36
People
Aaron, Moses
Places
Teman
Topics
Aaron, Basket, Boil, Bread, Commanded, Congregation, Consecration, Consecration-offering, Consecrations, Cook, Cooked, Door, Doorway, Eat, Entrance, Flesh, Meat, Meeting, Offering, Offerings, Opening, Orders, Ordination, Saying, Sons, Spoke, Tabernacle, Tent
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Leviticus 8:31

     4438   eating
     4476   meals
     5268   cooking

Leviticus 8:30-35

     7328   ceremonies

Leviticus 8:31-32

     4418   bread

Library
The True Aaron Lev 8:7-9

John Newton—Olney Hymns

An Advance in the Exhortation.
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which He dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having a great Priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our body washed with pure water: let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for He is faithful that promised: and let us consider
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

Our Lord's Prayer for his People's Sanctification
In this wonderful prayer, our Lord, as our great High Priest, appears to enter upon that perpetual office of intercession which he is now exercising at the right hand of the Father. Our Lord ever seemed, in the eagerness of his love, to be anticipating his work. Before he was set apart for his life-work, by the descent of the Holy Ghost upon him, he must needs be about his Father's business; before he finally suffered at the hands of cruel men, he had a baptism to be baptized with, and he was straitened
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 32: 1886

The Copies of Things in the Heavens
'And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2. On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 3. And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. 4. And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. 5. And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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