EXODUS 29
“Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. 3 You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. 4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 5 Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 6 And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. 7 You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. 8 Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, 9 and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.
– Exodus 29:1-9
EXODUS 29 THE PROCESS OF CONSECRATION OF PRIESTS
After Moses was directed to have garments made for the priests, the next instructions were on the step-by-step process of sanctifying the priests. A bull and two rams that were spotless and without blemish including unleavened bread and cakes mixed with oil and also unleavened wafers smeared with oil. The requirement that theses bread and cake must be made from fine wheat flour was an important step as well. They were supposed to be placed in one basket and it shall be brought together with the bull and the two rams. The sacrificed animals foreshadowed Jesus’ unblemished body. He had no sin and was the perfect sacrifice to cleanse all of our sins. In 1 Corinthians 5:7, we are instructed to cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. Leaven symbolizes sin and so the priests cannot assume their roles if they were not cleansed from sin.
The next step is washing with water. They were supposed to do this in front of the tent before putting on the garments. Then they poured oil on their heads. Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. We can only be anointed if we believe that Christ has died for us to save us from sin. So, the priests were required to have this step done so they could now put on their garments and they were ordained to assume their roles.
REFLECTION
· Why is consecration an integral process for all believers?
