The consecration of priests in Yahwism is a special ritual. It is connected with the understanding of sacrifice characteristic of the Yahwist tradition, and with the corresponding...
The consecration of priests in Yahwism is a special ritual. It is connected with the understanding of sacrifice characteristic of the Yahwist tradition, and with the corresponding understanding of holiness. Holiness in Yahwism means above all participation in that presence of God which was revealed to Moses on Sinai and which afterward accompanied the people along the whole path of their earthly history.
The priesthood was established so that among God's people there would always, at every moment, be some group of people remaining in a state of consecration and standing by the altar, in the place of God's presence, literally physically. The rites of consecration for priests described in the Book of Exodus were needed in order to introduce the priests, who were to serve God directly, into that spiritual space where communion with God was an everyday reality.
Before the coming of Christ, such a state was not an ordinary thing for a person, as it is for us today. Today we live in a world to which the Kingdom, in the Savior's words, has "drawn near," drawn so near that its breath is felt everywhere and everyone who cares about it can come into contact with it. But then, in the time of Moses, when almost fifteen centuries still remained before the coming of Christ, everything was different.
Direct communion with God was then the exception rather than the rule. It was given rarely and to few people, and besides, at the cost of great effort. God's dwelling among His people was the single exception, an enormous possibility open to everyone who belonged to the people; but one could make use of this possibility only by making the corresponding effort. One had to change one's life completely, to live only for this Presence and to live only by it.
In those times only a few could live such a life; it required special spiritual strength, and the consecration of priests for service was meant to give them that strength. Here, of course, there was no automatism and no magic. In order really to receive the strength needed for service, it was necessary to turn to God, to establish with Him the relationships that would allow Him to interact with the one being consecrated. The possibility of such consecration existed; whether to make use of it or not depended on the one being consecrated.
29 Orders are given in this chapter,
To which gracious promises are annexed, Exo 29:42-46.
29:4 They were to be consecrated at the door of the tabernacle - God was pleased to dwell in the tabernacle, the people attending in the courts, so that the door between the court and the tabernacle was the fittest place for them to be consecrated in, who were to mediate between God and man, and to stand between both, and lay their hands (as it were) upon both.Here they were to be washed, signifying that they must be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord, Isa 52:11. And they were to be clothed with the holy garments, to signify that it was not sufficient for them to put away the pollutions of sin, but they must put on the graces of the Spirit, be clothed with righteousness, Psa 132:9.They must be girded, as men prepared and strengthened for their work; and they must be robed and crowned, as men that counted their work and office their true honour.
29:7 The high priest was to be anointed with the holy anointing oil - That the church might be filled with the sweet favour of his administrations, and in token of the pouring out of the Spirit upon him, to qualify him for his work.
29:10 There must be a sin - offering, to make atonement for them. The law made them priests that had infirmity; and therefore they must first offer for their own sin, before they could make atonement for the people, Heb 7:27-28. They were to put their hand on the head of their sacrifice; confessing that they deserved to die for their own sin, and desiring that the killing of the beast might be accepted as a vicarious satisfaction. It was used as other sin - offerings were; only, whereas the flesh of other sin - offerings was eaten by the priests, in token of the priests taking away the sin of the people, this was appointed to be all burnt without the camp, to signify the imperfection of the legal dispensation, for the sins of the priests themselves could not be taken away by those sacrifices, but they must expect a better high priest, and a better sacrifice.
29:15 There must be a burnt - offering, a ram wholly burnt, in token of the dedication of themselves wholly to God, as living sacrifices, kindled with the fire, and ascending in the flame of holy love. This sin - offering must be offered, and then the burnt - offering, for till guilt be removed no acceptable service can be performed.