Bc – On the Eighth Day 9: 1-7

On the Eighth Day
9: 1-7

On the eighth day DIG: What was the significance of the ministry of the priesthood beginning on the eighth day? What function was served by the various sacrifices? What impressions do they leave you with? What was ironic about Aaron offering a bull-calf?

REFLECT: How excited were you on your first day on the job? What do you think Aaron and his sons were feeling? Why were both the chatt’at and ‘olah offerings made? How would you feel outside the Tabernacle waiting with over two million people for the Sh’kinah to appear?

Parashah 26: Sh’mini (Eighth) 9:1 to 11:47
(See my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)

The Key People are Moshe, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Mishael and Eltsafan, Eleazer and Ithamar.

The Scene is the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai.

The Main Events include Aaron’s first offerings; Moshe and Aaron entering the Tabernacle; the Sh’khinah glory appearing; fire consuming the burnt offering; the people falling on their faces; Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire and dying; Eleazer and Ithamar distinguishing holy and unholy and pure from impure.

It was the eighth day of the first month. On each of the previous seven days, the sacrificial services had been officiated by Moshe. He had performed the functions of the priesthood, offering the sacrifices, applying the blood and even eating the priestly portion of the sacrifices. But on the eighth day, he prepared to turn those responsibilities over to his brother Aaron, and his four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.¹²³

The first day on the job (9:1-4): Now it came about (Hebrew: vayehi) on the eighth day, Moshe called Aaron, his sons and the leaders of Isra’el, and said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a bull-calf (Hebrew: egel, the same word used for the golden calf) for a chatta’t offering (to see link click Aq – The Chatta’t Offering: Communicating God’s Forgiveness). Jewish commentators have long noted the irony of this command to Aaron. The first sacrifice he had to offer is a bull-calf, as if to atone for his sin in making the golden calf (see the commentary on Exodus Gr – Aaron Made an Idol in the Shape of a Calf), while ram for a ‘olah offering (see Ao – The ‘Olah Offering: Providing Access to God), recalled the same animal offered by Abraham instead of Isaac (see the commentary on Genesis Fl –Abraham Tested). Both were to be offered without defect before ADONAI (9:1-2). The sinfulness of mankind certainly underlined this command. For seven days sacrifices had been offered to purge Aaron’s sins in the ordination service. Yet in the first services that he conducts, Aaron offered sacrifice both on his own and the people’s behalf.¹²⁴

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise Your love, holiness and wisdom. Thank You that Your holiness seeing sin in man’s heart, and knowing that there was nothing man could do to pay his sin penalty; You Yourself willingly bore our sin and shame on the cross, that You might be able to give Your righteousness to all who love and follow You as their Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10). He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). We love to live our life as a love offering back to You! In Jesus’ holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Then Aaron and his sons were to perform their first priestly service on Isra’el’s behalf by bringing a purification offering, two burnt offerings, two peace offerings and a grain offering on behalf of Isra’el. In addition, to these special offerings, the daily burnt offering of one lamb for the morning continual burnt offering would also be required. Following that, Aaron was to tell the people of Isra’el, “Take a male goat for a purification offering and a calf and a lamb, both a year old and without defect, for a burnt offering, and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before ADONAI also, a grain offering mixed with olive oil. This was a memorable occasion, not only because it began the daily offerings, but also because something very special would happen. Moses told Aaron, “Today ADONAI is going to be seen by the people” (9:3-4).¹²⁵

The offerings were made for the whole nation and served as a means of atonement for every one of the Israelites. Aaron offered every type of sacrifice except the asham offering (see Ar – The Asham Offering: The Ministry of Reconciliation). His purpose was to atone for the general sinfulness of the nation, to dedicate the whole nation to the worship of the LORD, and to pray for ADONAI’s blessing on His people.

The order of the sacrifices is enlightening. The purification offering was first to show that the priority was cleansing the Tabernacle due to defilement and sin. Then the worshippers could find full acceptance in the presence of God through the atoning effect of the burnt offering (see Ai – The Burnt Offering). And this prompted their dedication to ADONAI as expressed through the grain offering (see Aj – The Grain Offering). Finally, the worshippers could enjoy celebrating peace with God with the communal meal (see Ak – The Peace Offering). Each sacrifice foreshadowed some aspect of the sacrifice of Yeshua Messiah in the B’rit Chadashah.¹²⁶

Come near (9:5-7): The whole nation was gathered at the entrance to the Tabernacle so that the Sh’khinah glory might appear. The Torah commanded that all Isra’el appear before ADONAI (Exodus 23:17) and promised that in doing so they would behold His Sh’khinah glory. All eyes were on the new priests. They brought what Moshe had ordered before the Tabernacle, and the whole nation approached and stood before ADONAI (9:5). Moshe said, “This is what ADONAI has ordered you to do, so that the Sh’khinah glory of ADONAI will appear to you” (9:6), just as His glory appears when the Tabernacle was completed (see the commentary on Exodus Hh – The Glory of the LORD Filled the Tabernacle). The Sh’khinah glory is the visual manifestation of God’s glory (see the commentary on Isaiah Ju – The Glory of the LORD Rises Upon You). This is important because it provides another helpful way for us to understand the manifestation of ADONAI in Messiah Yeshua. When He came to earth to dwell in bodily form, John 1:14 states: The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw His Sh’khinah, the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. Now in our passage in Leviticus, we can see another illustration of what John meant when he said: And we saw His Sh’khinah, and how the Eternal One was revealed in the person of Yeshua.¹²⁷

This is important because it provides another helpful way for us to understand the manifestation of ADONAI in Messiah. When Yeshua came to the earth in bodily form, John 1:14 states: The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we saw His Sh’khinah gory, the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. In both John Chapter One and Leviticus Chapter Nine, we are told that seeing the Sh’khinah glory is likened to seeing an appearance of Ha’Shem Himself. Thus, based on what happened in Leviticus Chapter Nine, we can now understand a little more of how the Eternal One was revealed in the person of Yeshua.¹²⁸

The sacrifices are termed korbanot, that is, things brought near. The entire sacrificial procedure is about the mechanics of making the approach into the presence of God on earth. Moses assured Aaron and all Isra’el that on that day ADONAI will appear to them (9:4). The sacrifices were meant as a means to draw Isra’el near to Him. They were also necessary to cover and protect (and atone for) Isra’el and the priesthood. If Isra’el and her priest were to withstand the presence of God in their midst, they would need atonement to protect them. Moshe stated this explicitly, saying to Aaron, “Approach the bronze altar, offer your chatta’t offering and ‘olah offering, and make atonement for yourself and the people. Up until this time, it was Moshe who was doing the sacrifices. Then Moshe invited Aaron to take over and begin the ministry for the first time. To present the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as ADONAI ordered” (9:7).¹²⁹