Some of the passages in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy lull you into plodding through, and then all of a sudden some major event happens.  This is the case in Leviticus 8 and 9, where Aaron and his sons are consecrated as the first High Priests of the nation.

In chapter 8 Moses is the main actor.  He washes the candidates off, dresses them with skillfully made everything – coat, sash, robe, ephod, band, breastpiece, turban, golden plate, and holy crown. This is like make-up for the orcs in a Lord of the Rings movie. 

Then Moses anoints and consecrates the work area – the whole tabernacle, the altar, the utensils, the basin and stand – seven times.  And he pours oil on Aaron’s head. I can’t imagine the cleaning bills for those outfits.

Then comes a description of Moses’ intricate arrangements of various burned and discarded body parts of the bull of the sin offering, the ram of the burnt offering, the ram of ordination, and various anointings and sprinklings, including blood on earlobes , thumbs, and big toes.

Eight days later, Aaron and his sons are in charge of repeat ceremonies. There is a re-do of the bull for a sin offering and ram for the burnt offering plus a goat, a calf, a lamb, an ox, another ram, and grain. The order of events, the presentations, and the placement of the parts are all described – this goes on for twenty-some verses.  The only reason given for all this is in verse 9.6: “This is the thing that the LORD commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.”

Once all the offerings are placed on the altar just so, Aaron blesses the people and comes down from the altar.  He and Moses enter the tent of meeting and upon coming out, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.  These are all important steps for the nation as they move forward with God.  Moses had come down from the Mountain with a shiny face and the Lord’s thunder.  Aaron comes down from the altar and the glory of the Lord shows up, as promised.  The high priests are established as the LORD’s men.

And the seal of approval is in verse 24: “And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”  Amen.