Exodus 29:22-28 Offerings to the LORD and portions for the priests

"Take from this ram the fat,

 the fat tail, the fat around the inner parts,

the covering of the liver, both kidneys with the fat around them,

and the right thigh.  (This is the ram for the ordination.)

From the basket of bread made without yeast, which is before the LORD,

take a loaf, and a cake made with oil, and a wafer.

Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons

and wave them before the LORD as a wave offering.

Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar

along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the LORD,

an offering made to the LORD by fire.

After you take the breast of the ram for Aaron's ordination,

wave it before the LORD as a wave offering, and it will be your share.

Consecrate those parts of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons:

the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented.

This is always to be the regular share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons.

It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the LORD

from their fellowship offerings." 

Exodus 29:22-28  (NIV)

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Chapter 29 of Exodus details the process of consecrating Aaron and his descendants as priests.

In this section (vs. 22-28), parts of the ram for the ordination are offered to the LORD as wave offerings and burnt offerings.  Certain portions of the offerings were designated as the share belonging to the priests for food.  Leviticus chapter 7 gives more details about this process.

Burnt offerings, wave offerings and fellowship offerings are mentioned in this passage.  I think it would be best to wait until we get into the book of Leviticus to discuss those offerings in more detail.  It is about ten chapters away from where we are now, which seems like a lot of material, but the Exodus account will soon shift back into a more narrative style, which will move along more swiftly.  I plan to be more disciplined about writing regularly.  Also, this will give me some time to study ahead into the book of Leviticus so that I have a better idea of how to explain these matters when we get there.  I will definitely be asking the LORD for understanding in these matters!  

Exodus 29:19-21 The Ram of Ordination: Lives set apart for God's service

"Take the other ram,

and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.

Slaughter it, take some of its blood
 and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons,
on the thumbs of their right hands,
 and on the big toes of their right feet.
Then sprinkle blood against the altar on all sides.
And take some of the blood on the altar and some of the anointing oil
and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments.
Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated."

Exodus 29:19-21 (NIV)
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The anointing with the blood of the ram of ordination consecrated Aaron and his sons to a life set apart for God's service.

     

The NIV Study Bible notes that the anointing of the men's ears symbolized sensitivity to God and his word, while the anointing of the men's right hands and feet symbolized a life of service to others on God's behalf.  

The ESV Study Bible notes that the sprinkling of both the altar and the men and their garments links all three, and that the blood can be seen as purifying them from sin.

Exodus 29:15-18 Burnt offering ram

"Take one of the rams,

and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.

Slaughter it and take the blood and sprinkle it against the altar on all sides.

Cut the ram into pieces and wash the inner parts and the legs,

putting them with the head and the other pieces.

Then burn the entire ram on the altar.

It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma,

an offering made to the LORD by fire."

Exodus 29:15-18 (NIV)

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These verses describe part of the process of consecrating the priests of the LORD (which is described in Exodus chapter 29).  Already in this process, Aaron and his sons have been washed and dressed in their priestly garments, and a bull has been offered as a sin offering.

Now one of the two prescribed rams has been selected as a burnt offering to the LORD.  This offering, according to the ESV Study Bible, is later described in Leviticus as one which is offered as atonement for the sins of the one offering it. (Leviticus 1:3-4)

The entire ram is burned on the altar, after all the pieces have been washed and arranged.  This seems to symbolize total dedication to the LORD.

The other ram's purpose, which involves consecration for ordination, will be discussed in the next post.

Exodus 29:10-14 The Bull: the sin offering

"Bring the bull to the front of the Tent of Meeting,

and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.

Slaughter it in the LORD's presence at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Take some of the bull's blood

and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger,

and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.

Then take all the fat on the inner parts,
the covering of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them
and burn them on the altar.

But burn the bull's flesh and its hide and its offal outside the camp.j
It is a sin offering."

Exodus 29:10-14 (NIV)
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The bull mentioned in these verses was the one specified in the early verses of this chapter. (v.1,3)

Aaron and his sons lay their hands on its head, indicating that this animal will be the substitute for themselves and that their sins will be transferred to it.  This is a concept called substitutionary atonement.  We will certainly deal more deeply with this as we get into the book of Leviticus, but for the moment, here are some verses where such a concept is displayed:

  

Exodus 29:10  "Bring the bull to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head."

Exodus 29:14  "But burn the bull's flesh and its hide and its offal outside the camp.  It is a sin offering."

Leviticus 1:3-4  "If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect.  He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD.  He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him."

Leviticus 3:8  "He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting.  Then Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides."

[I know this may sound gross to some of you, but let me note two things:  1)When it says 'slaughter,' it is not in a cruel, hacking-with-knives frenzy which that term may bring to mind due to your association with certain horror movies, and 2) the sprinkling of the blood against all the sides of the altar, (and it is 'sprinkling,' not flinging gallons of blood about the place) -- though messy, reflects the concept of the blood being a covering for sin.  Hebrews 9:22 says, "In fact the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

Leviticus 4:3-4  "If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.  He is to present the bull at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting  before the LORD.  He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the LORD."

 

So the process of consecrating the priests of the LORD which is described in our passage (Exodus 29:10-14) also incorporates this idea of having a sacrifice to deal with the sins of the priest and his sons in order that they may be fit to later offer sacrifices for the people.

The process seems pretty straightforward -- after Aaron and his sons lay hands on the bull, it is to be slaughtered in the LORD's presence at the Tent of Meeting, and some of the bull's blood is put on the horns of the altar.  The fat on the inner parts, the covering of the liver, and both kidneys with their fat are to be burned on the altar, while the bull's flesh and hide and offal are burned outside the camp.

There are no doubt many other aspects which I have not mentioned, but we will cover more of that at a later time when we get to Leviticus and discuss these things in greater detail.

Exodus 29:1-9 Aaron and His Sons Are Dressed for Their Ordination as Priests of the LORD

"This is what you are to do to consecrate them,

so that they may serve me as priests:

Take a young bull and two rams without defect.

And from fine wheat flour, without yeast, make bread,

and cakes mixed with oil, and wafers spread with oil.

Put them in a basket and present them in it --

along with the bull and the two rams.

Then bring Aaron and his sons

to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting

and wash them with water.

Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic,

the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece.

Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband.

Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred diadem to the turban.

Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head.

Bring his sons and dress them in tunics

and put headbands on them.

Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons.

The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance.

In this way shall you ordain Aaron and his sons."

Exodus 29:1-9 (NIV)

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These paragraphs serve as an overview of the process of ordaining Aaron and his sons as priests of the LORD.  A young bull and two rams without defect, along with bread, cakes and wafers made from fine wheat flour and oil are presented to the LORD.  Then Aaron and his sons are brought to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, ceremonially washed, and dressed in their priestly garments.

The text is careful to note that this priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance.  Following paragraphs will give more of the details about the ordination process and the consecration of the Tent of Meeting, the altar, and the priests themselves.

Exodus 28:36-43 HOLY TO THE LORD

"Make a plate of pure gold

and engrave on it as on a seal:

HOLY TO THE LORD.

Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban;

it is to be on the front of the turban.

It will be on Aaron's forehead,

and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate,

whatever their gifts may be.

It will be on Aaron's forehead continually

so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.

Weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen.

The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer.

Make tunics, sashes and headbands for Aaron's sons,

to give them dignity and honor.

After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons,

anoint and ordain them.

consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.

Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body,

reaching from the waist to the thigh.

Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting

or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place,

so that they will not incur guilt and die.

This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants."

Exodus 28:36-43 (NIV)

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The theme of holiness and being set apart unto the LORD continues in these verses, which speak of the turban, tunics, sashes, headbands and undergarments which Aaron and his sons will wear in their service as priests of the LORD.

The plate of pure gold attached to the turban, with its engraved message of 'HOLY TO THE LORD' set the tone of these verses.  Aaron, as high priest, would bear the guilt for any sin/shortcoming involved in the offering of sacred gifts by the Israelites.  Remember that on the Day of Atonement, the high priest (as representative for the Israelites) would make an offering for the sins of the nation.  I suppose that any guilt occurring from offering sacred gifts in a less than acceptable way would be covered by this arrangement until the next day of Atonement.  Thus the pure gold plate would be "...upon Aaron's forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD."

As usual in the previous priestly garments, the tunic and turban (and most likely, the headbands and sashes) would be woven of fine linen.  The sashes would be the work of an embroiderer.

Tunics, sashes and headbands would be made for Aaron's sons to give them dignity and honor.  As previously mentioned, this was not so that they would be proud of their position, but so that they would be recognized by the people as being set apart for the work of service to the LORD.

Linen undergarments would be worn by Aaron and his sons to prevent indecent exposure (and thus guilt) as they ministered in the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar to minister in the Holy Place.  [Exodus 20:26 "And do not go up to my altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it."]  At times Aaron and his descendants would minister on altars with steps (Leviticus 9:22, Ezekiel 43:17), yet these linen undergarments would prevent such problems of exposure.

These instructions were to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.

Exodus 28:31-35 The Robe of the Ephod

"Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth,

with an opening for the head in its center.

There shall be a woven edge like a collar around this opening,

so that it will not tear.

Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn

around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them.

The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate

around the hem of the robe.

Aaron must wear it when he ministers.

The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place

before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die."

Exodus 28:31-35 (NIV)

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The design for the robe of the ephod was fairly straightforward:  made from blue cloth, with an opening in the center for the head, with a woven edge around the opening to prevent tearing.  The robe was decorated around the hem with alternating pomegranates and gold bells.

The NIV Study Bible says regarding these verses:

"According to Jewish tradition,

one end of a length of rope was tied to the high priest's ankle

and the other end remained outside the tabernacle.

If the bells on his robe stopped tinkling while he was in the Holy Place,

the assumption that he had died could be tested by pulling gently on the rope."

 

...because, I suppose, nobody wanted to be the one who had to enter the Holy Place and pull the unfortunate man's body out if he had somehow transgressed and paid for the sacrilege with his life.

Why, though, did God direct the priest to have the bells as part of his outfit in the first place?  The text above says that the sounds of the bells will be heard when the priest is entering or leaving the Holy Place, "...so that he will not die."  Obviously, God did not need to be warned that someone was entering or leaving the Holy Place, because He knows everything.  However, this explanation from the ESV Study Bible may provide some insight:

"Approaching God carelessly can lead to death (Exodus 19:21-25).

Every part of the tabernacle service involves intentional actions

 on the part of the priests and the people

 that are meant to teach Israel that the LORD is holy.

The LORD did not need to be alerted to Aaron's presence by the sound of bells,

but they served to greet God reverently when Aaron entered and left the tabernacle."