Setting Apart the Priests, Part 2

Sermon 74 in Series

Exodus 29:29-46
[29] “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them. [30] The son who succeeds him as priest, who comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, shall wear them seven days.

[31] “You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. [32] And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket in the entrance of the tent of meeting. [33] They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy. [34] And if any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

[35] “Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them, [36] and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it. [37] Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.

[38] “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. [39] One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. [40] And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. [41] The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. [42] It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. [43] There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. [44] I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. [45] I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. [46] And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions
1.   What major themes have stood out to you as we have discussed the priests? How has this material impacted your relationship with the Lord?
2.   What did the ordination meal communicate to the priests and to Israel in general? How does it deepen our understanding of the Lord’s Supper?
3.   How does the weeklong ordination accentuate human sinfulness and divine holiness? How does it contribute to the “back to Eden” theme?
4.   What effect would the two daily offerings have had on Israelite thinking? What did it say about atonement?
5.   In what ways can you practice greater regularity in your private, family, and/or corporate worship?
6.   What contrasts are drawn in Hebrews 10:11-14? How has this Exodus material on priests increased your gratitude for Christ?

References: Exodus 28:41; 24:11; Romans 9:4; John 6:53-55; Leviticus 8:33-36; Hebrews 10:11-14.