Leviticus chapter 9 comments: all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces

 

Leviticus 9:1 ¶  And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; 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. 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; 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. 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. 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. 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.

 

On the eighth day, right after their consecration, Aaron and his sons are called to service with no delay or break. This day the Lord God will appear to them and they must meet with Him with a sacrifice before.

When we want to experience God’s presence we would do well to offer the sacrifice of praise, offering the sacrifice of our lips, in glorifying and thanking the author of all of our blessings and hope.

Hebrews 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

 

Matthew Henry reported that Jewish writers said that the bullock was required as an atonement for Aaron making the golden calf, as reported in Exodus.

These priests make atonement for themselves and then the people but our High Priest had no need for atonement.

Hebrews 7:22  By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24  But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled,

separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

 

Leviticus 9:8 ¶  Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. 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: 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. 11  And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp. 12  And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar. 13  And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar. 14  And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar. 15  And he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first. 16  And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner. 17  And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning. 18  He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about, 19  And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver: 20  And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar: 21  And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded. 22  And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.

 

There are two things I want to bring out about this passage. The first is the teaching moment we find here between Aaron and his sons and its importance in regard to family devotions. The second has to do with Aaron acting as a type of Christ in blessing the people as their offering, Christ’s own offering, is accepted.

 

One of the things I regret about my life in raising my children was that I did not have family devotions each day. When children are young they are very open to hear the Bible being read and can be taught to pray by their parents. It gets more difficult as they get older. I believe a time of family devotion is of more value than many visits to church. It is the duty of the parents to be the pastors of the family shepherding their children into a walk with Christ that produces lifetime benefits and commitment as well as eternal life. The home should not just be a place of refuge but also a place where teaching by example is paramount.

Secondly, Aaron here acts in Christ’s part as a type of Christ. Yes, there are limitations to all types and they break down at some point as Christ did not need to make sacrifice for Himself. But, Christ is our high priest, as was noted previously.

Leviticus 9:23 ¶  And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. 24  And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

 

The LORD Jehovah consumed the burnt offering from the altar by fire. In the context of condemning idolatry it is written:

Deuteronomy 4:24  For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

 

Paul also references this regarding reverence and godly fear.

 

Hebrews 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

 

The awe and dread that a direct encounter with the Creator of the universe inspires would lead anyone to fall flat on their face.

Judges 13:20  For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.

 

Ezekiel 1:28  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

 

But it is also one posture of worship.

 

Joshua 5:14  And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

 

1Corinthians 14:25  And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.