Leviticus 8

Leviticus 8

After getting all of the sacrifices and offerings in order, God had Moses work on getting it all started. The Israelites had all of their instructions, but they had not yet started the sacrificial process. So God had Moses anoint Aaron and his family, who would be the first priests of Israel. Again, the instructions for this process were laid out in Exodus, and they were repeated in Leviticus 8 when Moses actually anointed the priests. This was an important process, for these were the men that God had specifically chosen to be the ones who in a sense became the mediator between God and the Israelites. As we have seen previously, this is the role from the Old Covenant that Jesus perfected in the New Covenant.

God obviously expected a lot from His priests. If they were sinful and did not handle the sacrifices properly, they were not only hurting themselves but those around them. If someone’s sacrifice was not done properly, they would have to offer it again, which would cost them a lot. Remember that they offered only the best of what they had, which is what would also sell the best. So having to give another offering would be very costly to the average Israelite. But there was also a serious consequence for the priests. By not following the Lord’s commands, they faced the possibility of death. God took this position seriously, especially since He had specifically called these men to serve Him.

This has implications for people in those positions today as well. Pastors and leaders of the church must think carefully about the position that they hold. They are not only in a position that has been given to them by God, but they are also in a position that serves as an example for others. By taking advantage of that position, they will reap serious consequences. Think about all of the scandals that have gone through the church in recent years (although this has been going on since the early church). Think of how the people from their churches probably felt: disappointment, shame, and uncertainty. They probably did not know where to turn or what to believe. It is possible that people will reject the faith after such an instance. Furthermore, people who might already be skeptical of Christianity will have a hard time accepting it when such an instance occurs. Again, Leviticus can seem so far removed from our culture, but there are some interesting applications for our lives. If nothing else, Leviticus 8 can serve as a warning to people in high positions within the church.

Matt