I don’t have a very good memory for dates; however, there is one date I vividly remember: January 19, 1968. That was the day I was ordained to the ministry.
If I remember my ordination, I am certain that Aaron and his sons profoundly remembered theirs.
My day was filled with many events, but theirs far outstripped mine in terms of events and grandeur.
The small country church I served was filled to capacity with congregants from surrounding areas. However, our crowd couldn’t compare to those who had gathered in front of the Tabernacle.
Moses told Aaron to “assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting” (Leviticus 8:3).
A frequent refrain appears in the next verse. And Moses did as the Lord had commanded him (Leviticus 8:4).
A common theme in Leviticus is the contrast between the obedience of those faithful to God and the disobedience of those who disregard His directions.
The ordination of the priests involved an elaborate ritual, divinely initiated by God rather than by humans. As part of this process, blood was placed on various body parts of Aaron.
Then he brought forward the second ram, the ram of ordination. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, and it was slaughtered.
Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot (Leviticus 8:22-23).
- Hearing God: Blood was placed on the right ear of both Aaron and his sons, symbolizing their readiness and capacity to hear from God.
- Clean Hands: Their right thumb also received blood, signifying their need for integrity in their dealings with both people and God.
- Walking Blamelessly: Finally, their right big toe was anointed with blood, representing their commitment to walk faithfully and blamelessly before God and the people.
These three acts underscored their crucial role in serving both God and the community.
Ordained
While my full-day ordination service left me exhausted, its intensity paled in comparison to the seven-day ordination period endured by Aaron and his sons.
You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day when your period of ordination is completed.
For it will take seven days to ordain you; as has been done today, the Lord has commanded to be done to make atonement for you (Leviticus 8:33-34).
Victor Hamilton points out that the word “ordain” literally means “to have your hands full.” When I asked Rudy Ross for his thoughts, Rudy suggested this referred to the many items priests handled in the sacrificial system.
Hamilton agrees, but he also adds a deeper meaning: “To have your hands full” can also signify being entirely filled with nothing but the holiness of God.
My ordination profoundly deepened my commitment to serving God and others. The Bible makes it clear that the priesthood isn’t exclusive to professional ministers; we are all called to serve in that capacity.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
The priesthood is a tremendous privilege, but it’s also a very serious responsibility. When we consider the sacrifices and rituals involved in ordaining the first priests, we should apply that same dedication to our own lives and ensure we’re giving God our very best.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 