Exodus 29:21
And take some bloodfrom 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. (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Exodus 29:1-21, Titus 2:11-14 and 1 John 1
Reading the book of Exodus with the knowledge that everything God prescribes points to Jesus is a fascinating endeavor to me. I am finding passages that before seemed boring or irrelevant to me actually have great relevance and depth now. So my apologies for assigning large sections of reading. These chapters are rich with symbology and prophecy that require more than one day to cover. When we get to Leviticus, we will revisit some of these rituals to find more nuggets of God’s wisdom and plan for us.
The consecration of the priests is a significant event. This ceremony would establish Aaron and his sons as the first priests and this priesthood would perpetuate to all of Aaron’s descendants until Jesus’ arrival. The process was very intricate, involving specific garments, sacrifices, and rituals. Everything God prescribed symbolized purification and dedication to God’s service.
Once cleansed and clothed, the Aaron and his sons were to be consecrated to the priestly office. The consecration ceremony involved several sacrifices. A bull was offered as a sin offering which would atone for the priests’ sins. Two rams were also sacrificed. The first ram would be sacrificed as a burnt offering. It would represent their complete dedication to God. The second ram would be sacrificed as the ram of ordination. For today, let’s examine this second ram and the acts described in verses 20-21.
The blood of the ordination ram was applied to Aaron and his sons’ right ears, thumbs and big toes. The priest would be required to perform this same act on a leper who had been cleansed as described in Leviticus 14. This final act would cleanse and consecrate the priests. Placing the blood on the priests’ ears, thumbs and big toes would also represent their total consecration to hearing, serving, and walking in the ways of the Lord.
Once they were placed in the priesthood, Aaron and his sons came under special restrictions. They were no longer allowed to do certain things that were permissible for everyone else. And likewise, they were allowed to do some things, particularly in the presence of God, that no one else could do.
Jesus blood does the same cleansing for us under the new covenant. We are consecrated to God through Christ. The longer we walk with the Lord, we should find ourselves letting go of more and more of the world each day. God’s grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives” (Titus 2:12).
We are now priests through the blood of Christ. Jesus “has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father” (Rev 1:6). We have been brought into a new covenant and cleansed. And just like Aaron and his sons, we must also be consecrated. “And take some blood from 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” (Ex 29:21).
In order for Aaron and his sons to become consecrated, some of the blood that was on the alter would be sprinkled upon them and their garments. Likewise, in order for us to be consecrated as priests under the new covenant, we need to take the blood from the cross and sprinkle it on ourselves in faith. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
And just like Aaron and his sons, the blood of Jesus would be placed on our ear if we will hear the Word of the Lord. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1:1).
The blood of Jesus would be placed on our right thumb if we do the work of the Lord. “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).
And the blood of Jesus would be applied to our big toe if we walk in the ways of the Lord. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Christ in the Old Testament 
Leave a comment