L
E V I T I C U S
CHAP. IX.
Aaron
and his sons, having been solemnly consecrated to the priesthood, are in this
chapter entering upon the execution of their office, the very next day after
their consecration was completed. I. Moses (no doubt by direction from God)
appoints a meeting between God and his priests, as the representatives of his
people, ordering them to attend him, and assuring them that he would appear to
them, ver. 1-7. II. The meeting is held according to the appointment. 1. Aaron
attends on God by sacrifice, offering a sin-offering and burnt-offering for
himself (ver. 8-14), and then the offerings for the people, whom he blessed in
the name of the Lord, ver. 15-22. 2. God signifies his acceptance, (1.) Of
their persons, by showing them his glory, ver. 23. (2.) Of their sacrifices,
by consuming them with fire from heaven, ver. 24.
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Aaron
and His Sons Enter on Their Office.
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B.
C. 1490.
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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.
Orders are here given for another solemnity upon the eighth day; for the
newly-ordained priests were set to work immediately after the days of their
consecration were finished, to let them know that they were not ordained to be
idle: He that desires the office of a bishop desires a good work, which
must be looked at with desire, more than the honour and benefit. The priests
had not so much as one day's respite from service allowed them, that they
might divert themselves, and receive the compliments of their friends upon
their elevation, but were busily employed the very next day; for their
consecration was the filling of their hands. God's spiritual priests
have constant work cut out for them, which the duty of every day requires; and
those that would give up their account with joy must redeem time; see Ezek.
xliii. 26, 27. Now, 1. Moses raises their expectation of a glorious appearance
of God to them this day (v. 4): "To day the Lord will appear to
you that are the priests." And when all the congregation are gathered
together, and stand before the Lord, he tells them (v. 6), The
glory of the Lord shall appear to you. Though they had reason enough to
believe God's acceptance of all that they had done according to his
appointment, upon the general assurance we have that he is the rewarder of
those that diligently seek him (even if he had not given them any sensible
token of it), yet that if possible they and theirs might be effectually
obliged to the service and worship of God, and might never turn aside to
idols, the glory of God appeared to them, and visibly owned what they had
done. We are not now to expect such appearances; we Christians walk more by
faith, and less by sight, than they did. But we may be sure that God draws
nigh to those who draw nigh to him, and that the offerings of faith are really
acceptable to him, though, the sacrifices being spiritual, the tokens of the
acceptance are, as it is fit they should be, spiritual likewise. To those who
are duly consecrated to God he will undoubtedly manifest himself. 2. He puts
both priests and people upon preparing to receive this favour which God
designed them. Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel, are
all summoned to attend, v. 1. Note, God will manifest himself in the
solemn assemblies of his people and ministers; and those that would have the
benefit and comfort of God's appearances must in them give their attendance.
(1.) Aaron is ordered to prepare his offerings: A young calf for a
sin-offering, v. 2. The Jewish writers suggest that a calf
was appointed for a sin-offering to remind him of his sin in making the golden
calf, by which he had rendered himself for ever unworthy of the honour of the
priesthood, and which he had reason to reflect upon with sorrow and shame in
all the atonements he made. (2.) Aaron must direct the people to get theirs
ready. Hitherto Moses had told the people what they must do; but now Aaron, as
high priest over the house of God, must be their teacher, in things
pertaining to God: Unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, v.
3. Now that he was to speak from them to God in the sacrifices (the language
of which he that appointed them very well understood) he must speak from God
to them in the laws about the sacrifices. Thus Moses would engage the people's
respect and obedience to him, as one that was set over them in the Lord, to
admonish them. (3.) Aaron must offer his own first, and then the people's,
v. 7. Aaron must now go to the altar, Moses having shown him the
way to it; and there, [1.] He must make an atonement for himself; for
the high priest, being compassed with infirmity, ought, as for the people,
so also for himself, to offer for sins (Heb. v. 2, 3), and for himself
first; for how can we expect to be accepted in our prayers for others, if we
ourselves be not reconciled to God? Nor is any service pleasing to God till
the guilt of sin be removed by our interest in the great propitiation. Those
that have the care of the souls of others are also hereby taught to look to
their own in the first place; this charity must begin at home, though it must
not end there. It is the charge to Timothy, to take care to save himself
first, and then those that heard him, 1 Tim. iv. 16. The high priest made
atonement for himself, as one that was joined with sinners; but we have a high
priest that was separated from sinners, and needed no atonement. When Messiah
the prince was cut off as a sacrifice, it was not for himself; for he knew no
sin. [2.] He must make an atonement for the people, by offering their
sacrifices. Now that he was made a high priest he must lay to heart the
concerns of the people, and this as their great concern, their reconciliation
to God, and the putting away of sin which had separated between them and God.
He must make atonement as the Lord commanded. See here the wonderful
condescension of the mercy of God, that he not only allows an atonement to be
made, but commands it; not only admits, but requires us to be reconciled to
him. No room therefore is left to doubt but that the atonement which is
commanded will be accepted.
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 Aaron's
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 people's
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 Aaron's 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.
These being the first offerings that ever were offered by the levitical
priesthood, according to the newly-enacted law of sacrifices, the manner of
offering them is particularly related, that it might appear how exactly they
agreed with the institution. 1. Aaron with his own hands slew the offering
(v. 8), and did the work of the inferior priests; for, great as he was,
he must not think any service below him which he could do for the honour of
God: and, as Moses had shown him how to do this work decently and dexterously,
so he showed his sons, that they might do likewise; for this is the best way
of teaching, and thus parents should instruct their children by example.
Therefore as Moses before, so Aaron now offered some of each of the several
sorts of sacrifices that were appointed, whose rites differed, that they might
be thoroughly furnished for every good work. 2. He offered these besides
the burnt-sacrifice of the morning, which was every day offered first, v.
17. Note, Our accustomed devotions morning and evening, alone and in our
families, must not be omitted upon any pretence whatsoever, no, not when
extraordinary services are to be performed; whatever is added, these must not
be diminished. 3. It is not clear whether, when it is said that he burnt such
and such parts of the sacrifices upon the altar (v. 10-20), the meaning
is that he burnt them immediately with ordinary fire, as formerly, or that he
laid them upon the altar ready to be burnt with the fire from heaven which
they expected (v. 24), or whether, as bishop Patrick thinks, he burnt
the offerings for himself with ordinary fire, but when they were burnt out he
laid the people's sacrifices upon the altar, which were kindled and consumed
by the fire of the Lord. I would rather conjecture, because it is said of all
these sacrifices that he burnt them (except the burnt-offering for the
people, of which it is said that he offered it according to the manner,
v. 16, which seems to be equivalent), that he did not kindle the fire
to burn them, but that then the fire from the Lord fastened upon them, put out
the fire that he had kindled (as we know a greater fire puts out a less), and
suddenly consumed the remainder, which the fire he had kindled would have
consumed slowly. 4. When Aaron had done all that on his part was to be done
about the sacrifices he lifted up his hand towards the people, and blessed
them, v. 22. This was one part of the priest's work, in which he
was a type of Christ, who came into the world to bless us, and when he was
parted from his disciples, at his ascension, lifted up his hands and
blessed them, and in them his whole church, of which they were the elders
and representatives, as the great high priest of our profession. Aaron lifted
up his hands in blessing them, to intimate whence he desired and expected
the blessing to come, even from heaven, which is God's throne. Aaron could but
crave a blessing, it is God's prerogative to command it. Aaron, when he had
blessed, came down; Christ, when he blessed, went up.
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.
We are not told what Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle to do, v.
23. Some of the Jewish writers say, "They went in to pray for the
appearance of the divine glory;" most probably they went in that Moses
might instruct Aaron how to do the service that was to be done there--burn
incense, light the lamps, set the show-bread, &c., that he might instruct
his sons in it. But, when they came out, they both joined in blessing the
people, who stood expecting the promised appearance of the divine glory; and
it was now (when Moses and Aaron concurred in praying) that they had what they
waited for. Note, God's manifestations of himself, of his glory and grace, are
commonly given in answer to prayer. When Christ was praying the heavens
were opened, Luke iii. 21. The glory of God appeared, not while the
sacrifices were in offering, but when the priests prayed (as 2 Chron. v. 13),
when they praised God, which intimates that the prayers and praises of God's
spiritual priests are more pleasing to God than all burnt-offerings and
sacrifices.
When the solemnity was finished, the blessing pronounced, and the congregation
ready to be dismissed, in the close of the day, then God testified his
acceptance, which gave them such satisfaction as was well worth waiting for.
I. The glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people, v. 23.
What the appearance of it was we are not told; no doubt it was such as carried
its own evidence along with it. The glory which filled the tabernacle
(Exod. xl. 34) now showed itself at the door of the tabernacle to those who
attended there, as a prince shows himself to the expecting crowd, to gratify
them. God hereby testified of their gifts, and showed them that he was worthy
for whom they should do all this. Note, Those that diligently attend upon God
in the way he has appointed shall have such a sight of his glory as shall be
abundantly to their satisfaction. Those that dwell in God's house with an eye
of faith may behold the beauty of the Lord.
II. There came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed the sacrifice,
v. 24. Here the learned bishop Patrick has a very probable conjecture,
that Moses and Aaron staid in the tabernacle till it was time to offer the
evening sacrifice, which Aaron did, but it is not mentioned, because it was
done of course, and it was this which the fire that came out from the Lord
consumed. Whether this fire came from heaven, or out of the most holy
place, or from that visible appearance of the glory of God which all the
people saw, it was a manifest token of God's acceptance of their service, as,
afterwards, of Solomon's sacrifice, 2 Chron. vii. 1, and Elijah's, 1 Kings
xviii. 38.
1. This fire did consume (or, as the word is, eat up) the present
sacrifice. And two ways this was a testimony of acceptance:-- (1.) It
signified the turning away of God's wrath from them. God's wrath is a
consuming fire; this fire might justly have fastened upon the people, and
consumed them for their sins; but its fastening upon the sacrifice, and
consuming that, signified God's acceptance of that as an atonement for the
sinner. (2.) It signified God's entering into covenant and communion with
them: they ate their part of the sacrifice, and the fire of the Lord ate up
his part; and thus he did, as it were, sup with them, and they with him,
Rev. iii. 20.
2. This fire did, as it were, take possession of the altar. The fire was thus
kindled in God's house, which was to continue as long as the house stood, as
we read before, ch. vi. 13. This also was a figure of good things to
come. The Spirit descended upon the apostles in fire (Acts ii. 3), so
ratifying their commission, as this spoken of here did the priests'. And the
descent of this holy fire into our souls to kindle in them pious and devout
affections towards God, and such a holy zeal as burns up the flesh and the
lusts of it, is a certain token of God's gracious acceptance of our persons
and performances. That redounds to God's glory which is the work of his own
grace in us. Hereby we know that we dwell in God, and God in us, because he
hath thus given us of his Spirit, 1 John iv. 13. Now henceforward, (1.)
All their sacrifices and incense must be offered with this fire. Note, Nothing
goes to God but what comes from him. We must have grace, that holy fire, from
the God of grace, else we cannot serve him acceptably, Heb. xii. 28.
(2.) The priests must keep it burning with a constant supply of fuel, and the
fuel must be wood, the cleanest of fuel. Thus those to whom God has given
grace must take heed of quenching the Spirit.
III. We are here told how the people were affected with this discovery of
God's glory and grace; they received it, 1. With the highest joy: They
shouted; so stirring up themselves and one another to a holy triumph, in
the assurance now given them that they had God nigh unto them, which is spoken
of the grandeur of their nation, Deut. iv. 7. 2. With the lowest reverence: They
fell on their faces, humbly adoring the majesty of that God who vouchsafed
thus to manifest himself to them. That is a sinful fear of God which drives us
from him; a gracious fear makes us bow before him. Very good impressions were
made upon their minds for the present, but they soon wore off, as those
commonly do which are made by that which is only sensible; while the
influences of faith are durable.
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