Faith & Reason Nexus

The Consecration and Ordination of the Priests — Exodus 29:1–37

After describing the garments of Aaron and his sons in Exodus 28, God now gave Moses detailed instructions for consecrating and ordaining them as priests. Their priesthood was not simply a position or title. They had to be formally set apart for service to God.

God instructed Moses to gather the necessary sacrifices and offerings:

• One bull.
• Two rams.
• Unleavened bread.
• Unleavened cakes mixed with oil.
• Unleavened wafers anointed with oil.

These were to be brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, where the ordination ceremony would take place.

Before Aaron and his sons could begin their priestly ministry, they were required to wash with water. After being cleansed, they were dressed in the special garments God had described in the previous chapter.

Aaron was dressed in the priestly garments, including the robe, ephod, breastpiece, turban, and other sacred clothing. His sons were also dressed in their designated garments.

After Aaron had been clothed, Moses was to anoint him with oil. This anointing marked Aaron as specially set apart for his position as High Priest.

The washing, clothing, and anointing all communicated that Aaron and his sons were being separated from ordinary life for a holy responsibility.

The Bull as a Sin Offering — Exodus 29:10–14

The first sacrifice involved the bull.

Aaron and his sons were instructed to place their hands on the head of the bull before it was killed. This act symbolized their identification with the animal being offered.

The bull was then slaughtered, and its blood was applied to the horns of the bronze altar. The remaining blood was poured out at the base of the altar.

Certain internal portions were removed and placed upon the altar:

• The fat covering the entrails.
• The long lobe of the liver.
• The kidneys and their fat.

These portions were burned as an offering to God.

However, the remaining parts of the bull were taken outside the camp and burned.

This bull was specifically identified as a sin offering. Before Aaron and his sons could serve as priests, there had to be provision for dealing with their sin.

The priests themselves were sinners and needed atonement. Their position did not make them naturally holy. They needed to be consecrated by God’s appointed means.

The First Ram — Exodus 29:15–18

Aaron and his sons were then instructed to place their hands upon one of the rams.

The ram was slaughtered, its blood was thrown against the sides of the altar, and the animal was divided into its appropriate portions.

The entire ram was then burned on the altar as a food offering.

The Scripture describes it as:

“a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.”

This sacrifice represented complete dedication. The ram was wholly offered upon the altar.

The Second Ram and the Ordination Offering — Exodus 29:19–28

The second ram played a particularly important role in the ordination ceremony.

Again, Aaron and his sons placed their hands upon the animal before it was slaughtered.

Moses then took some of its blood and placed it on:

• Aaron’s right ear.
• Aaron’s sons’ right ears.
• Their right thumbs.
• Their right big toes.

Blood was also placed on their garments.

This marked them as holy and set apart for God’s service.

The symbolism is striking. Their ears, hands, and feet were associated with their priestly calling. Their ears were to hear God’s instructions, their hands were to perform His service, and their feet were to walk in obedience.

Certain portions of the ram were then placed into Aaron and his sons’ hands. These included portions of the meat and various pieces of the unleavened bread.

They were to wave these offerings before the Lord.

This became known as a wave offering. Afterward, the designated portions were burned upon the altar.

The breast of the ram was also waved before the Lord. The remaining breast and thigh were given to Aaron and his sons as portions associated with their priestly service.

The Priests Eat at the Entrance of the Tent — Exodus 29:31–34

God then instructed Aaron and his sons to take the remaining meat of the ram and boil it.

They were to eat it together with the remaining unleavened bread at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

This meal was part of the sacred ordination ceremony. It was not an ordinary meal. It was associated with their consecration and their fellowship in the presence of God.

Anything remaining until the following morning was not to be eaten. It was to be burned.

The entire ceremony emphasized that the priests were entering a unique relationship of service to God.

Seven Days of Ordination — Exodus 29:35–37

The ordination ceremony was not completed in a single moment.

God commanded Moses to carry out the instructions over seven days.

Every day, a bull was to be offered as a sin offering. The altar was also to be purified and consecrated.

God declared:

“For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it.”

The altar itself was considered especially holy after its consecration.

This repeated sacrifice demonstrated how seriously God regarded the holiness of the priests and the place where sacrifices would be offered.

The priests could not simply begin their work casually. Their entire ministry was established through cleansing, sacrifice, anointing, and consecration.

Daily Sacrifices Offered by the Priests — Exodus 29:38–41

God then established a pattern of daily sacrifices that would continue after the priests were ordained.

Two lambs were to be offered every day.

• One lamb was offered in the morning.
• The second lamb was offered at twilight.

The lambs were accompanied by grain and drink offerings.

For each lamb, the Israelites were instructed to offer:

• A tenth measure of fine flour.
• A quarter of a hin of beaten olive oil.
• A quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.

These offerings were to be made continually.

The daily sacrifices showed that worship and dependence upon God were not occasional matters. Sacrifice was built into the daily rhythm of Israel’s relationship with Him.

Every morning and evening, the altar would remind the people of their relationship with God and their need for atonement.

God Meets His People — Exodus 29:42–46

The final section explains one of the greatest purposes of the tabernacle.

God said that the Tent of Meeting would be the place where He would meet with the people of Israel.

He would meet with them there and speak to them.

God declared:

“I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God.”

This was the ultimate purpose behind the tabernacle. It was not simply a beautiful structure filled with sacred objects. It was the designated place where God’s presence would dwell among His people.

God reminded Israel that He was the Lord who had brought them out of Egypt so that He could dwell among them.

The tabernacle therefore became a visible reminder that the God who rescued Israel had not abandoned them. He desired to remain in their midst.

Why So Many Details?

At first glance, Exodus 29 can feel extremely detailed. There are instructions about animals, blood, oil, bread, garments, washing, anointing, offerings, portions of sacrifices, and the number of days involved.

Why does Scripture spend so much time describing these things?

One important reason is that these practices formed part of the Old Covenant system of worship, which prepared God’s people for something greater.

The priests, sacrifices, altar, tabernacle, and rituals all pointed forward to God’s ultimate work through Jesus Christ.

The book of Hebrews especially helps us understand these connections. The priests of Israel served repeatedly, but Jesus became the perfect and final High Priest. The animal sacrifices had to be offered again and again, while Christ offered Himself once for all.

The earthly tabernacle represented God’s presence among Israel, while the New Testament reveals the greater reality accomplished through Christ.

Application

1. Serving God is a serious privilege.

Aaron and his sons could not simply decide to enter the priesthood on their own terms. They were appointed, cleansed, clothed, anointed, and consecrated.

Serving God should never be treated as merely a position, status, or opportunity for personal recognition.

2. Sin requires atonement.

Before the priests could minister, a sin offering was required.

This points toward humanity’s deeper need for forgiveness and reconciliation with God. We cannot make ourselves holy through our own efforts.

3. The priests needed cleansing too.

The priests were representatives of the people, but they were not sinless themselves. They also needed atonement.

This ultimately points toward Jesus, whose priesthood is different because He is the perfect and sinless High Priest.

4. Christians have an extraordinary privilege.

Because of Christ, believers can approach God directly in prayer and worship. We do not need to go through the Old Testament priesthood or repeatedly offer animal sacrifices.

Yet this privilege should never make us careless.

When we pray, worship, serve, or handle the things of God, we should remember that we are approaching the Holy One.

5. Hebrews helps us understand Exodus.

If we want to understand why Exodus spends so much time describing priests, sacrifices, and the tabernacle, the book of Hebrews is especially valuable.

It shows how the Old Covenant priesthood and sacrifices pointed toward Christ’s greater and final work.

Exodus 29 ultimately teaches us that God desired to dwell among His people, but approaching His holy presence required consecration and sacrifice. The entire system pointed forward to Jesus Christ, the perfect High Priest who accomplished what the Old Testament priests and sacrifices could only foreshadow.