Exodus 29
by Pastor David Groendyk

As we make our way through more rules and regulations, this time for the consecration of the priests, don’t miss the forest for the trees. God desires to meet with, speak to, sanctify, and dwell with his people (vv. 42–46). The consecration of Aaron and the priests who would serve in the temple is necessary for God to dwell with his people. Specifically, in this chapter, God explains how to prepare the priests for ordination (vv. 1–9), that three offerings should be sacrificed when they’re ordained (vv. 10–28), how to perpetuate this ordination in further generations (vv. 29–37), and what the regular service of these priests would be (vv. 38–42).

To “consecrate” the priests (v. 1) means to set them apart or to make them holy. They have a special calling and task, and there must be a process by which they’re set apart for that calling. It’s basically the Old Testament version of ordination (which is the word my ESV Bible uses six times between verses 22 and 34). The priests-to-be are washed with water symbolizing a spiritual cleansing, they’re clothed with the proper garments, and they’re anointed with oil symbolizing the consecration itself. The first offering (vv. 10–14) is a sin offering which represents the sins of the priests being atoned for. The second offering (vv. 15–18) is a burnt offering which is totally burned up, representing being totally dedicated to God. The third offering (vv. 19–28) is another burnt offering specifically representing ordination.

All of this—the cleansing, the purification, the dedication—is necessary for the people of God to be able to meet with God, because when God meets with his people, he expects them to be holy. In Exodus, it was through the ministry of the priests that all the people of God would be made holy as the priests continually made sacrifices and offered incense and prayed for the people for God to take away their sins. The role of the priest was crucial for the nation of Israel, because ordinary people wouldn’t have been able to come to God in the midst of all their sin. Without the priest, God does not dwell with his people.

Christ is the Christian’s perfect, final, and only priest. Christ is the reason that God is able to dwell with us despite our sin. Christ acted as our priest when he offered up a sacrifice to God to take away our sins once and for all (Heb. 9:25–28). Christ himself was the sacrifice that took away our sins when he died on the cross. Through that priestly work, our sin is atoned for, and we have access to be in God’s presence, both now in a spiritual sense and after death in a glorified physical sense. Praise God for the work of Christ and that we longer need generation after generation of human priests to make continual sacrifices for us (see vv. 29–42)!

Part of Christ’s work as the perfect priest for Christians is also that he is continually interceding for us before the Father (Rom. 8:34). Think about that. Christ is continually praying for you before the throne of the Father. How effectual do you think Christ’s prayers are? Perfectly effectual. How well do you think Christ knows what you need? Full well. What do you need prayer for today? Rest in the fact that Christ is interceding for you perfectly today.

One last application from our text is that Christians must grow in sanctification. The holiness of the priest and his work is meant to make the rest of the people holy (vv. 43–45). There is no such thing as an un-sanctified Christian. Therefore, as you rest in the finished work of Christ to save you, continually find ways to devote yourself more fully to the Lord. Whether it’s in trial or ease, at work or during free time, by fighting sin or serving a loved one, there is always some way we can dedicate our lives more fully to glorifying God. Be mindful of that fact today, that everything we do in life is to be done for God’s glory (1 Cor. 10:31).