Topical Bible: Priest: The Time of Moses: Consecration of

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The consecration of priests during the time of Moses is a significant event in the history of Israel, marking the establishment of the Aaronic priesthood. This consecration is detailed primarily in the Book of Exodus and the Book of Leviticus, where God provides specific instructions for the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests.

Divine Command and Preparation

The consecration process begins with God's command to Moses on Mount Sinai. In Exodus 28:1, God instructs Moses, "Bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons with him from among the Israelites to serve Me as priests—Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons." This divine selection underscores the importance of the priesthood as a divinely appointed office, not a human invention.

God provides detailed instructions for the priestly garments, which are to be made "for glory and for beauty" (Exodus 28:2). These garments include the ephod, breastpiece, robe, tunic, turban, and sash, each with symbolic significance, representing the holiness and dignity required of those who serve in the presence of God.

The Consecration Ceremony

The consecration ceremony itself is described in Leviticus 8. Moses, acting under God's command, gathers the entire assembly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The ceremony involves several key elements:

1. Washing and Vesting: Aaron and his sons are washed with water, symbolizing purification (Leviticus 8:6). They are then clothed in the sacred garments, signifying their new role and responsibilities (Leviticus 8:7-9).

2. Anointing: Moses anoints the Tabernacle and everything in it, consecrating them. He then pours the anointing oil on Aaron's head, anointing him to consecrate him (Leviticus 8:10-12). This anointing signifies the Holy Spirit's empowerment and the setting apart of Aaron for divine service.

3. Sacrifices: A series of sacrifices are offered, including a sin offering, a burnt offering, and a ram of ordination (Leviticus 8:14-29). The blood of the ram is applied to Aaron and his sons, symbolizing purification and dedication to God’s service.

4. Wave Offering: Moses takes portions of the sacrifices and waves them before the LORD as a wave offering, signifying the priests' dedication to God and their role as mediators between God and the people (Leviticus 8:27-29).

5. Seven-Day Ordination: The consecration process lasts seven days, during which Aaron and his sons remain at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, completing their ordination (Leviticus 8:33-35). This period emphasizes the completeness and perfection required in their service to God.

Significance and Implications

The consecration of Aaron and his sons establishes the Aaronic priesthood, which plays a central role in Israel's religious life. The priests are responsible for offering sacrifices, maintaining the sanctuary, and teaching the people the laws of God. Their consecration underscores the holiness required of those who approach God on behalf of the people and the necessity of obedience to divine instructions.

The consecration ceremony also foreshadows the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, who fulfills and surpasses the Aaronic priesthood. As the Book of Hebrews explains, Christ is the perfect mediator who offers Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin, rendering the old sacrificial system obsolete (Hebrews 7:27).

In summary, the consecration of priests during the time of Moses is a foundational event that establishes the priesthood's role in Israel's covenant relationship with God, highlighting themes of holiness, obedience, and divine appointment.

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Exodus 29:1-9,19-35
And this is the thing that you shall do to them to hallow them, to minister to me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,
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Exodus 40:12-16
And you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
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Leviticus 6:20-23
This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.
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Leviticus 8:6-35
And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.
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Hebrews 7:21
(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said to him, The Lord swore and will not repent, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
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Library

The Consecration of Joy
... land of Egypt.' This is all that is enjoined by Moses. ... to one Rabbi on the eighth
also) a priest went down ... that this had been done for the last time; that the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the consecration of joy.htm

Exodus
... was then revealed to Moses for the first time, was unknown ... Aaron's commission to
be the spokesman of Moses, vii.1 ... and the prominence of Aaron the priest in the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/exodus.htm

The Allegory of Melchizedek.
... For Moses said nothing of this tribe in reference to priests ... sixth chapter, which
we were compelled at the time to put ... Christ has been made Priest with an oath. ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter vii the allegory of.htm

Ezra, the Priest and Scribe
... and became "a ready scribe in the law of Moses." Verse 6 ... Artaxerxes refers to Ezra
as "the priest, the scribe, even a ... The sons of Levi failed at a time when the ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 50 ezra the priest.htm

An Advance in the Exhortation.
... "Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them ... of the same Apostle and High-priest,
and to ... Christian habits were at this time forming and consolidating ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter ix an advance in.htm

Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
... the preservation of the sacred books till the time of Ezra ... use a transcript of the
law of Moses (Deut.17:18 ... made under the direction of the high priest, for the ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xv formation and history.htm

Questions on the Explanations
... 628. Can a priest bless it in case of necessity? 629. ... Lesson 29. 684. Were people
obliged to keep the Commandments before the time of Moses? 685. ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/questions on the explanations.htm

The Copies of Things in the Heavens
... the mediation of the great High-Priest in the time to come ... on the right of the altar,
as the priest looked to ... He is consecrated by Moses as the higher; then the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the copies of things in.htm

Scriptural Uses of the General Words for Prayer
... and said to them: I have sinned this time; the Lord ... And towards the end of Numbers:
And Moses spoke to the ... first book of Samuel: Now Eli the priest was sitting ...
/.../origen/origen on prayer/chapter ii scriptural uses of.htm

The Crossing of the Jordan
... figure comes from the sacrifices made under Moses' law ... After it was brought to the
priest and dedicated ... God's altar you should lay all"time, talents, earthly ...
/.../berry/adventures in the land of canaan/chapter two the crossing of.htm