Sermon Notes: Exodus 29:1-21 – Appointed Priests
Confession: This is going to be a clunky sermon in regard to organization, order, and flow. I do try to write in a manner that puts a theological and logical flow to our exposition of the Bible, and the harder I tried to do that this week, the worse it got. So, I’m just going to try to let the good news and its application be as clear as I can make it and trust the Spirit to instruct and make application.
So, let’s just get after it.
As you know, all Scripture predicts, prepares for, reflects, and results from Jesus’ person and work. Jesus taught us that everything written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and Psalms was about him and was fulfilled in him. So, we study these texts with Jesus’ interpretive framework in place.
Everything happening in the tabernacle is fulfilled and revealed in full in the person and work of Jesus. NOTE: The work of Jesus is our saving, the restoration of all things in creation to Edenic glory, and our transformation into humanity fully restored to our image-bearing work as co-regents with God in and over all of creation.
Everything in the tabernacle is putting all of this glory on display one way or another.
John makes sure we don’t miss this: John 1:14 (ESV) 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt (tented, tabernacled) among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
We cannot come away from the text with anything other than Jesus, his work, and his church.
NOTE: What is happening in the appointing of Aaron and his sons takes place over seven days with ongoing repeated sacrifices (29:35-37). So, what we see in the text is not all concentrated into an hour-long ceremony. These gospel rich events are worked out at a pace that drives home the holiness of God displayed in the holiness of the event and its parts. He does not allow them to rush and just get it done. God designed this for them to participate in with a deliberate pace so they could think about what was happening.
So, let’s stand and read together the first 9 verses of Exodus 29 together then I want to read slowly the rest of our text: Exodus 29:1-9
We are going to start with the sacrifices and work back to verses 1-9.
What do we need to observe?
1) Sacrifice for sin is made for the appointing of Aaron and his sons. Verses 10-14
This first sacrifice is the bull.
Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the bull then kill it and put some of the blood on the horns of the altar while the rest of the blood is poured out at the base of the altar.
Part of this bull is to be consumed on the altar, then the other parts are to be taken completely outside of the camp. The reason God gives for this is because this is a sin offering.
God is so holy that the offering that is appointed to take on Aaron and his son’s sins is taken from his presence.
Gospel Connection: Outside the camp. Listen to Hebrews 13:10-15 (ESV) 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
This bull is a sin offering, and it was offered to cover the sins of the priests who would serve the people. They put their hands on the bull showing that they were transferring their sins to the bull. The cost of transferring their sins to the bull is that the bull must be killed in their place for their sin. Then they remove part of the bull and carry it away from God’s presence outside of the camp.
God counted this sacrifice for the priests even though the book of Hebrews tells us it is impossible for this animal sacrifice to remove sins. God is gracious to take this sacrifice and pass over their sins (See Romans 3:21-26) until it’s fulfillment in Jesus. This sacrifice served as a gospel witness to what Jesus would do for us.
Jesus would have sinners lay their hands on him in accusation and scourging. There, Jesus would have your sin and mine placed on him by the Father and crushed by the Father because of our sin, and he would be taken outside of the city to Golgotha and sacrificed in our place.
He was removed from the place inside the city designed to show God’s presence. His removal to outside of the camp shows us what sin has done to us and what Jesus was doing for us and thereby making the way for us to no longer be separated from God but brought near by the blood of his cross.
2) Sacrifice is made to fully set apart Aaron and his sons for the service of God for the people. V. 15-18
The first of the two rams is now offered.
Once again, they lay their hands on the ram’s head to show they are transferring their guilt to the ram, and the ram is killed in their place for their sin. Each sacrifice involves the repetition of laying their hands on it to signify the transference of sin. It is that important.
This time the ram’s blood is thrown against the sides of the altar not put on the horns of the altar like the sin offering.
For this sacrifice, the entire animal is consumed on the altar, and it is called a food offering that is a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
This sacrifice is about setting apart the priests as appointed for total commitment, completely set apart, for the work. There is nothing left in reserve. Thus, the whole ram is consumed.
Therefore, Aaron and his sons are not partly in and partly out. Aaron and his sons are set apart completely to represent the people before God.
The ram’s complete consumption was a fragrant aroma to God. Thus, the priest’s total commitment to God was a pleasing sacrifice to the Lord.
Gospel Connection: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 (ESV) 14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma (Paul uses this language on purpose. He never leaves the text)[1] of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
Jesus is the fulfillment here. Jesus is the fragrant aroma to God. So, Jesus was completely set apart for his work to redeem all things back to the Father, and he is the pleasing aroma of total surrender to the Father’s purpose thus saving us and setting us apart for service with him.
Notice what Paul says about those who are in Christ: we are the aroma of Christ to God.
What does this mean? This means that we, like Aaron and his sons and now Jesus, are set apart through Jesus as the aroma of sacrifice meaning we are set apart for the service of the priesthood.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice in our place for our sin, we get to be set apart fully and completely, like the ram consumed fully and completely, for the purposes of God.
We are set apart. We are to be fully set apart. Fully in. Not part of the way in.
We’ll make application of this in a moment.
3) Sacrifice is made to equip the priests for mission. V. 19-21
The second ram and the third total sacrifice is now made.
Again, Aaron and his sons lay their hands on the ram. Once again signifying the transfer of their sins to the ram. The ram is substituted for them. Aaron should pay for his sins, yet this innocent ram takes his guilt and goes to the alter in their place for their sins.
This time blood is again thrown against the side of the altar, and some is reserved to put on Aaron and his son’s right ears, right thumbs, and right big toes. Also, blood that remains on the side of the altar is gathered and combined with the anointing oil and then splattered on Aaron and his sons and their clothing they are to wear when working in the tabernacle.
They and the garments are now holy.
Verses 22 and 24 call this offering “miloo” or consecration and call this sacrifice a “wave” offering.
This ram sacrificed set apart Aaron and his sons by presenting them to the Lord as his servants who are prepared for the mission, and they belonged to the Lord’s work head to toe. They are completely his.
The ear is anointed with the blood of the sacrifice so they can hear the word of the Lord.
The thumb is anointed with the blood of the sacrifice so they can set their hands effectively to the work.
Their toe is anointed with the blood of the sacrifice so they can walk before the Lord and with the Lord.
Gospel Connectioin: Jesus is the Great High Priest that always hears the Father, always does what the Father does, and he obediently follows the instructions of the Father.
For those who are in Christ, we get ears to hear with hands and feet equipped for the mission.
Listen to Jesus: Matthew 7:24 (ESV) 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
In Christ we are invited to really hear the Lord and have the ability to carry out the work.
So, what do these sacrifices accomplish?
4) In these sacrifices, the Lord appoints Aaron and his sons to serve. 29:1-9
NOTE: See the appendix on why I use the word “appoint” rather than ordain.
Verses 1-9 tell us that unleavened bread is to be baked and brought in a basket with the bull and the two rams for the upcoming sacrifices.
Offering the bread before the Lord displays that sacrificing life sustaining food to the Lord is no cost at all because to obey the Lord is life giving.
Offering bread before the Lord puts on display the sacrifice of Jesus as he told us he is the Bread of life.
So, for us to offer all our sources of life to the Lord is not loss because in doing so we get Jesus who is life.
Listen to Jesus: John 4:34 (ESV) 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
Aaron and his sons are to be washed.
This washing puts on display what the sacrifices are going to accomplish when they are fulfilled in Jesus: those in Christ are washed, sanctified, and presented spotless before the Lord.
Paul uses this language when he speaks about the relationship of Jesus to his church through the drama of marriage: Listen to Ephesians 5:25-27 (ESV) 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,(He never leaves the text, only interprets the text.)[2] 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Aaron is clothed in the high priestly garments.
The holy garments put on display what the sacrifices will accomplish as they are fulfilled in Jesus and foreshadowed when preached in Zechariah 3. Listen to this: Zechariah 3:1-4 (ESV) 1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”
Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, through repentance and faith in him, we get to be clothed in the righteous garment of Jesus himself, and it is totally the work of God and not our own doing so that we can never boast but only give praise to God.
Aaron is anointed with the holy anointing oil (30:22-38).
Aaron being anointed puts on display the precious promise of the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us in Luke 4:18 that he is anointed with the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises us the Holy Spirit upon his sending of the Spirit.
John affirms this when he uses the language of anointing to remind us that we have the Holy Spirit. Listen to John: 1 John 2:20 (ESV) 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
Listen to him again: 1 John 2:27 (ESV) 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
Application
1) We’ve rushed through what God took seven days to display and communicate, so don’t let an inadequate sermon be your only engagement with this text.
Next week we will pick up in verse 22, and continue, so we are not just plowing through with huge chunks, but still there is more here than any sermon can handle.
God did not intend our entire discipleship to happen in 45 minute chunks one time per week.
God gave us fellowship in the local church, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Bibles, and the very mind of Christ so that we can take our Bible reading and sermons from our pastors and work out our salvation with holy fear and trembling.
So, please go take this and the Scripture index and the appendix and work through it together while depending on Holy Spirit to give insight.
2) Because we will not be judged for our sin because Jesus took our sin on himself, we are invited to go with him outside the camp NOT to pay for sin, but to willingly join him on mission and endure any suffering that comes on mission with him to see the mission accomplished.
Jesus didn’t save his church to consume spiritual goods and services. Jesus saved and filled his church with his Spirit to join him outside the camp in seeing the nations come under the rule of his kingdom. God chooses to do this through the means of redeemed image-bearers preaching the good news of the kingdom where the kingdom is not yet represented and seeing the kingdom come and his will be done in those places here on earth as in heaven.
Don’t be content to enjoy the fruit of the kingdom without scattering the seed of the kingdom in dry and baron places. Get after the work!
Ezekiel 36:37-38!
Why can we do this?
3) We are priests to the Lord.
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Because Jesus is the fulfillment of the priesthood, and as Hebrews notes him being descended from Judah and not Levi, he opens the priesthood to all who come to him in faith. Because Jesus saves to the uttermost those who trust in him, he makes those who trust in him a nation of priests.
The church is God’s nation of priests who have the bread of life in Jesus, are washed clean, clothed in Jesus’ righteousness, anointed with the Spirit, and are his image-bearing priests forever.
4) Pray
Ezekiel 36:37-38
Appendix: Why use the word “appoint” rather than ordain?
Notice we did not use the word “ordain”. Rather we used the word “appoint”. Let me explain, because this will be a major application when we get there.
The word “ordain” comes from the Latin root “ordinare”. “Ordinare” means to arrange or appoint. Not a bad word. However, the fact that we still use a Latin word in our English translations shows the impact of the Roman misuse of ordination by creating a two-class church membership: the priests and everyone else. They missed gospel implications and thus misunderstand many other things. That is why I don’t use the word “ordain” when translating this text. Ordain is not a bad word and it can be rightly understood, and I’d rather us a word with less baggage.
Two classes of people in the kingdom is hardly the idea the Spirit is inspiring Moses to communicate.
I believe what the Spirit is communicating through Moses at this Exodus moment in redemptive history is intended to lead us to the good news of Jesus and his kingdom and it’s impact in restoring his people to our image-bearing co-regency with God over creation, so it’s appropriate for us to use some clearer language.
Verses 1-9 are bracketed by two very important words that give meaning to all that is happening in the text.
Verse 1 uses the word “qadash” translated as “consecrate”. “Consecrate” is a solid translation. Verse 9 uses two words “malah” and “yad” that get translated as “ordain”. Robert Alter translates these two words together as “install”. The Jewish Study Bible translates them as “consecrate” So, both words taken together give us the idea of what is happening with Aaron and his sons through Moses as directed by the Lord.
“Qadash” means: to sanctify (thus consecrate), set apart, dedicate, appoint.
“Malah” means: to accomplish, confirm, fulfill. “Yad” means: hand.
Taken together “malah” “yad” means literally to fill the hand.
Moses is being directed by the Lord to appoint with his hands those who will represent the people before the Lord. So, the word “appoint” does a better job of relaying what is happening.
What is a gospel connection?
The inspired authors of the New Testament use the Greek word that means to “appoint” when they are establishing who will represent the people of the Lord. When Paul writes to Titus, he uses the same language in establishing elders in the churches. By doing this the inspired New Testament authors are giving us insight into what God is doing in Exodus 29. The appointing of these leaders is based on character not genealogy.
The implications of appointing leaders rooted in character not genealogy implies that there is a role to pastoring as an elder that is not priestly but servant in nature and available to other qualified men in the church not as priests but elder servants because the whole people of God are priests to the Lord.
Our aim is not to deal with the Bible’s qualifications for that role, but simply to show you that the Bible is not making a two-class kingdom with priests and then the rest of us rabble.
Appointing/installing/consecrating a chosen head and his tribe is leading us to see Jesus and redeem the people of God not created a two-class system.
Scripture Index:
Hebrews 2:17 (ESV) 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 3:1-2 (ESV) 1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.
Hebrews 4:14-15 (ESV) 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 6:19-20 (ESV) 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
NOTE: Because Jesus is not descended from Levi and thus Aaron, the priesthood is not limited to genealogical restriction and thus the priesthood is available to more. We will say more about this in a moment.
Because we proved in the garden we don’t do so good with boundaries, God gives us boundaries to teach us to hear him and obey. The priesthood is limited to Aaron for good and eternally good purposes, and one of which is to teach us to hear and obey. It is not to create a two-class system of Christians: the priests and then the rest of us.
Hebrews 9:11-28 (ESV) 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. 23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Hebrews 10:19-23 (ESV) 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
NOTE: Because of Jesus we can enter places that only Aaron and his sons could go, therefore, Jesus makes all those who are covered by his blood through faith priests after the likeness of himself, thus making all of his people priests of the Lord.
[1] Parenthesis mine.
[2] Parenthesis mine.