LEVITICUS 23


     We will begin this lesson in Leviticus 9:1 " And it came to pass
on the eighth day, [that] Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the
elders of Israel;"

      The number 8, throughout the Bible, means new beginnings. Just
as a son was circumcised on the eighth day of life, we find that Aaron
was completely consecrated for the priesthood on the 8th day. Aaron
was in his days of consecration 7 days and now on the eighth day, he
will take on the office of high priest. From the eighth day on, Aaron
will be carrying on the office of high priest in the tabernacle. At
first Moses will still be advising Aaron of God's will, but Aaron will
be handling the offerings as high priest. The elders of Israel were
called, so they would realize it was God's will for Aaron and his sons
to take care of the people's needs toward God in the tabernacle. Jesus
rose from the dead on the first day of the week. Grace is a new
beginning in Christ.  An Old Testament account which strongly speaks
of new beginnings, is the account of Noah, his wife, his 3 sons, and
their wives. These 8 would start over again to populate the earth. I
think all of this leaves no doubt that 8 means new beginnings.

     Leviticus 9:2 "And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for
a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and
offer [them] before the LORD."

     The biggest difference here, is that Aaron will be the one to
offer the animal, not Moses. Because Aaron is not fully trained in all
of this, Moses will direct the next several offerings. We notice in
this the guiding hand of Moses, but the actual killing and offering is
done by Aaron.

     Leviticus 9:3 "And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak,
saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and
a lamb, [both] of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt
offering;" Leviticus 9:4 "Also a bullock and a ram for peace
offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled
with oil: for to day the LORD will appear unto you."

     This coming and bringing these offerings to the door of the
tabernacle by the people, is saying they have accepted Aaron as the
high priest. Up until this time, you remember, they would only listen
to Moses. You remember from previous lessons, that the high priest was
to offer for himself first, so that God would allow him to offer for
the people. The high priest's sins must be offered for, before he
would be worthy to offer for the people. Ministers must be clean in
the sight of God, before they can minister the things of God to the
people.  In some churches in recent days, we have seen ministers with
sins in their lives trying to minister to the people. God calls this
the blind leading the blind. Let us read the reference Scripture and
see what happens when the blind lead the blind. Matthew 15:14 "Let
them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead
the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."  We will not get back into
the meaning of each of these offerings here, as we have thoroughly
covered them in a previous lesson. I believe in the statement {I will
appear before you} has to do with God wanting us to seek contact with
Him.  The Scripture says where 2 or 3 gather in my name, there am I in
the midst of them. Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

     Leviticus 9:5  "And they brought [that] which Moses commanded
before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation
drew near and stood before the LORD."

     In our society today, we hear people {who claim to be Christians}
saying that they do not need to go to church. This is a trick of the
devil. The Scriptures tell us to gather in the LORD's name. Hebrews
10:25 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the
manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the
more, as ye see the day approaching." We must all stand before the
LORD on judgement day. It would be much better, if we stand before Him
now, so that He will claim us as His own then. We see in the Scripture
above that not just a few came, but the entire congregation. Habakkuk
2:20 "But the LORD [is] in his holy temple: let all the earth keep
silence before him."

     Leviticus 9:6 "And Moses said, This [is] the thing which the LORD
commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear
unto you."

     We sing a chorus at our church which says {I want to see Jesus}.
How can we see God?  Matthew 5:8 "Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for
they shall see God."  Glory, in the verse above, means splendor. This
will, perhaps, be the Shekinah glory of God. When we appear before the
LORD, we must be pure in our heart. Even though we Christians are
forgiven, we should still have a repentant heart.

     Leviticus 9:7 "And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and
offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement
for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people,
and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded."

     We went into great detail in the first few lessons in Leviticus
about how these offerings opened the way to the Father. If you will,
these sacrifices and offerings reconciled them to God. Jesus, who is
our sacrifice and offering, opened the way to the Father for us. The
curtain to the holy of holies tore from the top to the bottom when
Jesus' body died on the cross. This tearing of the curtain was not of
man's doing. It was opened by Jesus for all who will believe. Matthew
27:51 "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the
top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"
Atonement, above, means to cover or cancel. In the case of the
offerings Aaron made, it covered; in the case where Jesus offered
Himself, it cancelled the sin.

     Leviticus 9:8  "Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the
calf of the sin offering, which [was] for himself."
     We see from this that Aaron gave his offering first, so that he
would be worthy of making the other offerings for the people.

     Leviticus 9:9 "And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him:
and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put [it] upon the horns of
the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:"

     The only thing we need to remember here, is that the horns show
power or strength. The strength lies in the blood of Jesus.

     Leviticus 9:10 "But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above
the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD
commanded Moses."

     We remember from previous lessons that the fat, blood, and inward
parts all belong to God. They are burned as a sweet savour to God.

     Leviticus 9:11 "And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire
without the camp."

     The one important thing to remember here is that this flesh is
symbolic of Jesus body which was offered outside the city wall.

     Leviticus 9:12 "And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons
presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the
altar."

     We dealt with these offerings in great detail in the first few
lessons of this study. If you can not remember the significance, go
back and review those lessons. Aaron, even though he was to be high
priest, had sinned and needed forgiveness, just as his sons did, and
just as the congregation did. Aaron is a shadow of the great High
Priest, Jesus Christ our Saviour. The difference in Aaron and the
person of Jesus which he shadowed, was that Jesus had no sin to be
forgiven for.

     Leviticus 9:13 "And they presented the burnt offering unto him,
with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt [them] upon the
altar."  Leviticus 9:14 "And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and
burnt [them] upon the burnt offering on the altar."

     I would just like to bring one thing to your remembrance here.
The washing was because God would not accept an unclean offering.
Aaron did as he had been instructed.










                             Questions 23

1.  On what day did Moses go back and call Aaron?
2.  What is the Biblical meaning of the number 8?
3.  What day was Aaron's consecration into the priesthood complete?
4.  What position in the priesthood would Aaron hold?
5.  Why were the elders called to the tabernacle?
6.  What day of the week did Jesus rise from the grave?
7.  Grace is ___ __________ in Christ.
8.  What Old Testament account speaks of new beginnings?
9.  In Leviticus chapter 9 verse 2, what were the offerings Aaron was
    to make?
10. When does Aaron actually begin to do the offerings?
11. What wonderful thing had God promised the people after they made
    these offerings to Him?
12. What are the people saying they have accepted in bringing the
    offerings to the tabernacle?
13. Who had the people been used to speaking to God for them up until
    Aaron was named as high priest?
14. What do the Scriptures call ministers with sins trying to minister
    to their congregation?
15. What happens when the blind lead the blind?
16. What is intended by God saying {I will appear before you}?
17. Where do we find the Scripture that says where 2 or three are
    gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them?
18. Where are we told in the Scriptures to gather in His name?
19. Quote Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 20.
20. How can we see God?
21. Even though we Christians are forgiven, we should have a _________
    heart.
22. Who is directing Aaron in what he should do?
23. What reconciled the people of the Old Testament to God?
24. Who tore the curtain in the temple from the top down?
25. What 2 things does atonement mean?
26. Whose offering did Aaron make first?
27. What do the horns of the altar symbolize?
28. What 3 things of the animals always belonged to God?
29. Why was the flesh of this animal burned outside the camp?
30. What was the major difference in Aaron the high priest and Jesus
    the High Priest?
31. Why were the inwards washed before they were offered?