Leviticus 8 Devotional

Made Ready to Serve

“Next, Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments, as well as Aaron’s sons and their garments.”Leviticus 8:30 (BSB)

Moses does exactly as the LORD commanded, a phrase the chapter repeats again and again (8:4, 9, 13, 17, 21, 29, 36). Aaron and his sons do almost nothing themselves. They are washed, dressed, and anointed (8:6-13). Before serving, they lay their hands on offerings for themselves (8:14, 18). The men chosen to make atonement for Israel first needed atonement of their own (8:34).

Then comes the ram of ordination. Moses puts its blood on the right earlobe, the right thumb, and the big toe of the right foot of Aaron and each of his sons (8:23-24). The text does not explain each place, but the sacrifice is plainly applied to the priests themselves, not only to the altar. Then they are sprinkled with oil and blood (8:30). Revelation praises Jesus, who freed us from our sins by his blood and made us priests to serve his God (Revelation 1:5-6). Your fitness to serve God is something he gives before it is something you do.

To think about: Where have you been trying to make yourself fit to serve God, instead of receiving what he has already done for you in Christ?