today the lord will appear unto you ******* 8:14 – 9:24 Leviticus ~ Our Spiritual Safari has brought us into the laws concerning the consecration of the priests and we will get a concrete definition of consecration in this leg of our journey. In our last dispatch we left off with the tabernacle completely set up and functional, Moses sprinkled the blood and oil on the priests, but poured it on Aaron; and we left off with the oil of the Holy Spirit running down Aaron’s beard! HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD is the inscription on Aaron’s mitre! ~ VIII 14 And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering. ~ The offering for all the priests was a bull and their sins are transferred now to the victim by their laying on of hands. The Lord inked their souls indelibly and branded it into their hearts that they were sinners – even though they were in the service of God! As you go through the Bible you will find the great men of God and all true children of God are always very conscious that they are sinners. One of the greatest statements I can pass along to you was made by an outstanding and famous university professor in Germany at a very famous University. When this man was eighty years old he had been teaching fundamental conservative theology for over fifty years! Well, they asked him what he was most thankful for. He said – quote – ‘’I am most thankful God has made me conscious of and convicted me in my sins every day.’’ We need more people that are conscious of their shortcomings and convicted in their SINS and less people that think they are super duper saints! God would use us if we had that proper outlook. The Psalmist said, ‘’For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.’’ God can’t do much for you if you don’t recognize your DESPERATE condition as a sinner. If you don’t get sick enough you’ll never go to the doctor. If you think you can just stop sinning on your own volition then you don’t even need Jesus! If you aren’t positive you are a dirty, filthy sinner then you aren’t apt to go to Christ for washing and cleansing. Let’s look at another Psalm, ‘’For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off. They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.’’ Do you know anything about any of that? How about Psalm chapter sixty nine at five, ‘’Oh, God Thou knowest my foolishness and my sins are not hid from Thee.’’ You aren’t kidding God and you aren’t kidding anyone but yourself by thinking you have no sins. Your sins are a heavy burden that you cannot carry. God already knows all about your sins; why not just agree with Him and tell Him all about it? 15 And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it. 16 And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar. 17 But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses. ~ Until the Holy Spirit opens your mind and teaches you then all of this ritual is absolutely meaningless to you. Moses follows the sin offering here with the exception that the blood is to be placed on the horns of the brazen alter rather than the golden alter; as we saw in the law of the sin offering. Even the alter on which the sacrifice is made must be dedicated with blood! There is no merit in the cross of Christ. Many people, Catholic and protestant alike, feel there is some special benefit of holiness when we erect a cross. Wherever we find a public cross today we find a lawsuit! The unsaved doesn’t like to look at the cross, friends. The only merit is in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself Who died on that cross! Christ was made sin yet He was separate from sinners and that is what is revealed to us today; and that’s why I hope you’ll pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit and read all of this section very carefully – and then – read it again! I know it’s a little monotonous and boring; but I’ll tell you why I think God gave the burnt offering again here: it is impossible to comprehend the full beauty and perfection of the light of Christ until the sin question has been settled in out minds once and for all! Remember, the sin offering represents what Christ did for us on the cross. The burnt offering represents Who He is. You can never really know Him until you have come to Him as your Savior. Until you have accepted Him as your substitute for sin then you have never really accepted Him at all! This is what fellowship means: to participate in the things of Christ. Only blood bought believers can ever share those things. The priests had to go inside the holy place to see it’s beauties. From the outside it’s unimpressive and the world busily hurries by. But if you accept the offering of a sacrifice then you see inside the glory we have in Him every day! ~ 18 And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 19 And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. 20 And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat. 21 And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aarons right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. ~ Okay, the OTHER ram of consecration is a trespass offering for the sins of these priests. No peace offerings are made because the priests are already in the sanctuary. They are in the place of fellowship and communion. The blood tipped ear is essential to hear the Word of God. If the Holy Spirit doesn’t put the blood on your ear you’re just not going to hear Him, friends. The natural man receiveth not the things of Christ. The natural man just doesn’t want them anyways! You have to have a blood tipped ear to hear the Voice of God! The blood on the right thumb speaks to service. People think they are giving to the Lord but they are NOT doing ANYTHING at all – nothing – until they are saved and given a blood tipped hand by the Spirit of God! The blood tipped toe is essential for our WALK with Christ. You’re not just going to jump up and start leading God around! Some people think that all they need to do is be a good person, live a good life and be an outstanding citizen. Well, you’re never going to walk pleasing to God until you have that blood placed on you by our Great High Holy Priest! ~ 24 And he brought Aarons sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. 25 And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder: 26 And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder: 27 And he put all upon Aarons hands, and upon his sons hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD. 28 And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 29 And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses part; as the LORD commanded Moses. ~ This is the first we have heard of a ‘’wave offering.’’ I am picturing them waving this thing before the Lord in the air. It speaks to a total commitment to God in recognizing the value of one and every offering. Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. Unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Next, we see the blood and the oil. The blood speaking of the cleansing of sins and the oil speaking of the Holy Spirit of God! Exodus chapter twenty nine told to take of the blood of the alter and sprinkle it upon Aaron. And Jesus saith, ‘’for their sakes I sanctify Myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth.’’ That quote is found with John seventeen in His Great High Priestly prayer. Christ was set aside for God…. 30 And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons garments with him. ~ We’re moving very quickly towards consecration now. Jude told us, ‘’and others saved with fear, pulling them out of the fire and hating even the garments spotted by the flesh.’’ Believers are to walk before the world as blood bought children of God! You can chant in a service and put the chip on the fire or burn the candle and make all the claims in the world about being a consecrated Christian, but, friends, what would your neighbors say if asked what they thought about you? I would like to ask the people in your school – or at your job – or at your church – what they think about you? What do THEY think about your consecration and do they really believe you are serving God? Anyone that calls me a fanatic pays me a tremendous compliment. Christ is not appealing to the outside world at all…. 31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it. ~ We said consecration would end up looking like a grocery list and it sure has! The priests are to eat what’s left. This sets before us the fact that believers are now to feed upon the finished work of Christ. Peace and satisfaction in life are the portion of believers but ONLY in the ratio to their feeding on Christ. Nothing is to be left. All of it must be consumed or burnt with fire. There is no spoil or waste and that is so – so – so extremely important to recognize what this means! Are you feeding upon Christ today? What’s left over when you’re done eating? ~ 32 And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire. 33 And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you. 34 As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make atonement for you. 35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded. 36 So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. ~ Seven days of consecration boils down to God telling the priests to be on duty at all times. Christ is our High Priest and He ever lives to make intercession for His own. When you wake up scared at four o’clock in the morning He is right there for you, friends. You may be way out on a difficult and dark deserted island and God is available to help you. All of this is done at the commandment of God! This is emphatically emphasized as it is repeated in the last three verses of this chapter. So, let’s approach chapter nine where this will al be made more than clear! ~ IX 1 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; 2 And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD. 3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; 4 Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for to day the LORD will appear unto you. 5 And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. 6 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do : and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you. 7 And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded. 8 Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. 9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar: 10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses. 11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp. 12 And he slew the burnt offering; and Aarons sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar. 13 And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar. 14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar. 15 And he brought the peoples offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first. 16 And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner. 17 And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning. 18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aarons sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about, 19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver: 20 And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar: 21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded. 22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. 24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces. ~ As Aaron and his sons begin their ministry the glory of the Lord appears. God puts His blessing upon this endeavor. We need more falling down on our faces in this Spiritual Safari, I can tell you that! Chapter nine has marked the initiation of the sons of Aaron into the priesthood but it also laid out the ritual for the day to day service of the priests. With the exception of the Day of Atonement, very little else is told to us in Scripture about their daily ritual. We notice that priests actually become priests for the first time here. Even if you were born in the lineage of Aaron you were not a priest until you were fully consecrated! When we translate the Hebrew word for ‘’consecration’’ it literally means, ‘’filling of the hands.’’ We come to God with empty hands. Consecration does NOT mean you making a promise to go out as a missionary! Consecration means to come to the Lord and ask Him, ‘’Lord, what will you have me to do?’’ Go to Him with your hands out and let Him put your work in your hand for a change! Too many people want to serve with an assumption and they always feel like they need to bring something to God. Some seem to think they are giving the Lord a whole lot when they give NOTHING! When God got me He got nothing but a bunch of sin. I imagine He got something good with you? Consecration, His way, is the only way to accomplish the purposes God has for your life. It was necessary for Christ to come to this earth to accomplish the will of God! In order that He might bring many sons home to glory! How wonderful that is! God is accomplishing a purpose in our lives – a God given purpose! Here we have just seen the ministry of the priest; we saw Aaron begin his service; then Aaron offered a sin offering; then Aaron offered the burnt offering; then he offers the meal and peace offering and Aaron blessed the people and then the glory of the Lord appeared. We are in a thrilling leg of our safari today! All of this was done at the command of God – even the details for the seven days. On the eighth day Aaron was to begin his service as high priest. The eighth day was also the first day of the week. That would mean this is the day Jesus rose from the dead; and Christ entered His office as priest after His death and resurrection! Hebrews tells us that if He were on earth He wouldn’t be a priest. Christ was not our High Priest until He ascended into Heaven! Aaron entered on the first day of his service and he had his four sons with him as witnesses! That speaks of the four Gospels bearing record of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ! Today we have a perfect and complete priest. God is the author of eternal salvation for all who will obey Him! We obey Him when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We obey Him after we are believers when we attempt to do His will! That will be the time of our consecration. We have no light until we come to Christ and if He wants us to burn – then we are to burn bright. If He wants you in Africa then God will get you to Africa! We need to be very careful today about we call consecration. The churches ‘’consecration’’ honestly makes me ashamed of them. Some of the meanest saints stand up and sound so sweet saying song-like sentences. It’s all very emotional and tender feeling but it sure is hypocritical. I wish you and I belonged to Him as we should. See, these people obeyed and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them ~
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 04:36:12 +0000
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