2. For b’luloth (tempered) see note on Lev. 2, and the second sense (to pour together) in Gesenius, and the force (to mix oneself, Hos. 7:8) of hithpolel.
4. Here first we find the expression " the door," etc.
From verse 11 we learn that it was properly before they came to the altar, between the door of the court and the brazen altar. The laver is said to be between the tabernacle and the altar, see chapter 30:18.
6. The word here ne-zer (crown) is remarkable. It is his separation or consecration, the same as Nazarite as to the root.
9. The high priest's girdle was called (av'net) from its beautiful design in weaving; this only from girding. And note, this is quite a new scene, the dress of Aaron when he comes with his sons is, like theirs, quite different. His personal consecration was complete before.
Nothing can be more marked than the way Aaron and his sons are thrown together after verse 8; and then, as heretofore remarked, comes the sacrifice and offering. The previous part equally shows a living Christ anointed without blood; and see verse 21, also heretofore noticed all with him. But then this does show what is called mystical union-not real by the Holy Ghost, but all His people looked at in Christ, at any rate the children which God has given Him, He being a revealed Christ. But they are all washed together (for we are born of the life of which He lives, and purified with the purification with which He is pure), but He is anointed alone (vv. 5-7). His sons are not clothed as priests till after.
But further he was anointed alone without sacrifice, as Christ received the Holy Ghost—witness of holiness and sonship; but He could not then be priest, nor is Aaron said to be consecrated by this—his hands were not yet filled. The first verse shows that for hallowing them to priesthood, the second ram was the ram of consecration (filling the hand); the sprinkling of blood hallowed them. Here seen all together (for without the sons He represented, there was no need of blood, but then there was no need of priesthood either, that involves others and blood) we must have the sons and of course necessarily Aaron with them, or there was nothing. Hence the ram is called the ram of Aaron's consecration (v. 26). His hands were filled, but in verse 24 his sons too with him, for if Christ goes with Himself as an offered gift, so do we thereupon (v. 24). Verses 19-25 give this consecrating part when they are all thus together (verse 26 is apart), hence in verse 27 we have the two mentioned—me-asher l’Aharon ume-asher l’vanav (of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons).
What is called consecration is through death, as it is evident Christ's death must come in for His going to offer as priest in the sanctuary, appearing for us, but it is not the same as the hallowing, which is rather our idea of consecration. It was through death giving them somewhat to offer, as is said in Hebrews, filling their hands. Christ (Aaron) could be anointed on earth and sealed, because He was holy and the Son—but He could not be a Priest without something to offer, nor, as sin was come in, without blood, and so an offering to carry in. In one sense He was raised through the power of His blood-shedding, because having charged Himself with our sins, He must put them away to rise Himself-His resurrection is the witness of our being so, but then we are raised and consecrated with Him—“He hath quickened you together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." The anointing alone was the witness of Christ's personal absolute perfection as a Man taking us up in His work, of course then all that we bring into the partnership He has graciously taken up (our debts and sins) must be taken into account, and He, in blessed grace, took all the burden, but then we necessarily rise into the place with Him into which He enters as consecrated to God, i.e., as priests-as men walking in infirmity on the earth, He is priest for us—but as consecrated, our hands are filled to offer all the preciousness of that offering to God subordinately, and to our acceptance in coming as He does. Our gift is testified of, while we are accepted in approaching and worshipping. It is not offering in the sense of sacrifice—we do come, but as sinners, by that—but as offering the gift, our hands filled with that which has been sacrificed, death, and that is always the wages of sin, but not as a sin-offering, that was the first great thing, here the bullock, but as a perfect offering and sweet savor to God.
Verses 5-7 and 26 are the ones in which Aaron is alone (besides Christ being the Victim). In the second case we see Moses having his part—the distinct priestly part—what belonged to the offering priest. Christ of course was both Offerer and what was offered; but in the former, He was in living purity looked at apart, as consecrated to God as Priest, the heave breast, His own part, heaved up to God, not merely hateunphah (the wave-offering) but haterumah (the heave-offering), but which as priest (Moses and so always afterward) He ate, enjoying personally the intrinsic blessedness of the consecration and offering to God-worthy offering! This is true in general as far as we can go, verse 31 and following. But then He had His own apart (has) when Moses has the heave breast.
We must remember that the Lord Jesus (Acts 2) received the Spirit after His ascension, from the Father, which He shed forth on His disciples. In this case, in the figure, besides the blood on the ear, etc., the blood and oil were sprinkled on Aaron and his sons, and garments, etc., The introduction of Aaron here, I do not think a difficulty, because it is evidently on account of his sons, to give them their place which they could not have apart from him-and so it is said, "with him"—and we have our place with Christ, besides His personal dignity and excellence.
Notice here that in Lev. 8 the tabernacle and altar were anointed, with Aaron, before the sin offering which is not in this chapter-this must be further inquired into.
36. As regards sprinkling the tabernacle, etc., with blood, we find that Moses offered a bullock for a sin-offering (see verse 12) and then here we have the altar sanctified khit-te-tha (thou shalt cleanse) not a-lay (it) but b'kap-per'kha a-lay (in making atonement for it), that is make an atonement for it-reconcile it. Heb. 9 applies this to all. What I have to note here is that this was done after Aaron's sons were brought forward, and the anointing of the altar comes after this (v. 36), see verses 10, 12; compare Lev. 16:14, 16. But we must again note that in Lev. 8 the anointing of the tabernacle, and all in it was in connection with Aaron's anointing, before the sons and bullock and blood were brought in. This comes in in verses 13-15. The Lord taking possession of all things on the title of redemption, descending and ascending (Eph. 4) is plain, and their being reconciled and cleansed with blood, as in Lev. 16; but this is in contrast with Messiah, for I doubt not it is when there, He descends and then ascends far above all heavens. All this is in a measure mature in my mind.
All things were created by Him and for Him, and so in result He takes them in point of fact, and so takes them with the redeemed as joint-heirs, though the title be evidently all His, and He, in this sense, is entered by His own blood. But He glorified not Himself to be a High Priest, but Him who said to Him: "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee."
Now He was not set in the place of heavenly priesthood here, but His Person proclaimed as on earth, as personally qualified for it; and as such the Holy Ghost came upon Him-" I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God." But Christ thus as Son and Man was the Heir of all things; nor is His personal title as Man, divine love withal, the least difficult to comprehend, nor the consequent fact, already referred to, of His actually taking it (we being joint-heirs) in redemption- Aaron never went officially into the holy place in his garments of glory and beauty; and in this character of Son, it seems to me, Heb. 1 introduces Him.
No doubt it shows Him sitting down, when He had by Himself purged our sins, but it shows a title of Son behind all this, and all things subsisting by Him; i.e., the Creation is looked at independent of its defilement by us (though it has been so), so He is anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows—this was not receiving the Holy Ghost, as in Acts 2, after His ascension. His kingdom has a scepter of righteousness—He has loved it and hated iniquity. It is what He is, not what He has acquired by redemption, for He acquired a title by redemption besides redeeming us; but here He is above Creation by inheritance, and I suppose the sanctifying the whole created scene to be the scene of the display of His Manhood glory in His own perfection (not as merely cleansing them because of us) is different from Creation-the anointed tabernacle was of course made-and from cleansing with blood, because of sinful creatures defiling them. All was, as the Son had created all, to be the scene of the Anointed Man's glory, who is the Son-and not as cleansed, though this was required and took place, but as the scene sanctified to God for that. The cleansing was a subsequent affair, and connected with need brought in by others; but this comes in in Heb. 2-and query if this does not show that in verse 9 we should read "everything" (pantos). Verses 6-8 give the title and purpose, and verse 9 brings in the way He had to take it up as things were; verse 10, in respect of the glory of God as Supreme, and as bringing in many sons to glory; verse 14, as destroying the adverse power; verses 17, 18 putting Him in the place of the efficient High Priest and the tempted Man. Hence man never entered into the Creation rest, though the works were finished; into God's rest through Christ's work, he (the believer) will.
And this fully explains Heb. 5; it is calling (kaloumenos), in verse 5, "Thou art my son"—then verse 6, actual priesthood after Melchizedec, as to personal title too—and office, righteousness and peace. The sufferings come in as to this "though" (v. 8), and then He is de facto prosagoreutheis (saluted) as such, so that now it goes within the veil. This leads on, of course, to the Aaronic pattern of priesthood in practice now (though in contrast) which supposes death, and blood to carry in; which, interesting as it is, is not our subject. But note we are in Him, and worship too, as above the Creation (Heb. 7:26). What follows is application to conscience, and cleansing, and the blood needed for both us, and the heavenly things represented in the tabernacle; Heb. 9:14, 23. So of eternal redemption, and eternal inheritance; and here consequently we have the passage referred to (v. 21), to which only Ex. 29:12, 36 refer as far as I know-these verses do. This opens out some fresh apprehensions of the place of the blessed Lord in His title, and also the epistle to the Hebrews. In this aspect also we may say every creature of God is good, being sanctified by the word of God and prayer. In this respect, to Christ, every creature—the whole creation to Him—must have been sanctified. That which we do in detail, was completely so with Him.
42. We learn thus what the door of the tabernacle, is.
The altar of burnt-offering was at it, and when the people came into the court before the brazen altar, they were at it, see note to verse 4-just as Christ's cross was lifting up from the earth, but not in heaven, compare chap. 25: 22. From this it would appear that we are warranted in looking continually for fresh supplies of direction as a constituted people, not merely as constituted to be a people, from the Apostolic office of Christ the Lord. It was iv-va-ed la-kern (I will meet you), l'dab-ber e-ley-ka (to speak to thee)—hence it was at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation (as the other from the mercy-seat), and He met them. This is a most important point, and though set without where the people came, it was sanctified-a sanctified place of meeting-and hence the occasion of the notice. There was the continual burnt-offering; this was offered in the place of resort, without the holy place, whereby, though not the holy place into which the priests (believers) alone enter, access to the holy place is the way to the holy place of the world. Christ's offering-place was the world—sacrifice-place was the world—not the church; none but believers go in with incense, or eat the shewbread with frankincense, or trim the lamps within; but the meeting-place was sanctified, it was a place where God acted and met-it was cleansed on the day of atonement, and upon the footing of this, the Lord meets us Apostolically in every necessity of direction which our wants may give occasion to; I do not say this leads us out of Scripture, but, though not inconsistent with it, it is not a mere abstract original constitution, but a spiritually-afforded direction to them, not by the priestly, but by the Apostolic office of Christ.
The Spirit of God guides us, but we must remember, has guided the Apostles into all truth. In Matt. 28:20, we have the whole of this truth, and the comparison of the passages throws wonderful light on it. It is subjection-for this is the force of the Apostle's office, "for the obedience of faith" but instruction withal and light for conduct by which we act vigorously. It is only so far as we are made partakers of the Apostolic spirit, that we can act really on Apostolic directions, yet it is obedience, "I will meet with you, to speak there unto thee." But then these were communications not within, not by Urim and Thummim, according to blood-shedding and cleansing in respect of responsibility and according to God, but not in the sanctuary. Manifested glory however sanctified it; it was God displayed without, not our going within-God also dwelt amongst them. Thus far it went, and it is a very important principle-never took place, not even with Adam, but by redemption-but it is not yet dwelling with Him, as Christ is entered as Man, and the disciples feared when men entered into the cloud.
I think, from an examination of the passages in which heave and wave-offerings are found, it will be seen that heave-offerings are a more absolute and entire giving up to God. Wave-offerings are presented to Him, sanctified by being thus presented, and He owned in them, but their need for the service of man, i.e., for the Church. When Aaron and his sons are consecrated, the heave-shoulder, the offering priests' part in peace-offerings, is burned; Moses eats the wave-breast, the part of Aaron and his sons, the priests in general. The general fact confirms it, the heave-shoulder was eaten by the priest who offered the blood, the breast by the others. The heave-offerings of the children of Israel were what were offered up to God—consecrated to Him. Note also Aaron is consecrated by the blood of an offering of sweet savor; the leper is cleansed by the blood of a sacrifice for sin.
45, 46. Note there is a reason why, as often observed God's dwelling with man is the effect of redemption only. All that God is, in the most glorious way morally, is revealed and made good in redemption. In sovereign grace and counsels, love, active love, righteousness, holiness, and man the redeemed, is brought to Him in redemption, to know what He is as so revealed, but to know it as in Himself. For as it is revealed in what is done for them, so they know it in Him who has made Himself known in doing it—they are brought to God, capable withal of knowing Him thus. They must therefore have Him with them, or the real full effect is not there—neither the glorifying of God in it, nor the necessary result in us—neither objectively, for the object is not present, nor the consequent effect subjectively in us. Compare Eph. 1:4.
46. The first thought of one moved by the Spirit, being delivered, is: "I will prepare him an habitation"; and so is God's purpose in deliverance, though man may set wrong about it—at least He makes of His people an habitation, "They shall know that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God." But this thought is not the first accomplished. The Lord, walking all the while in a tent as to His formal house among men, and, even before this be well pitched, can say as to His work in grace: "Thou hast guided them by thy strength to thy holy habitation." The promise comes afterward: "Thou wilt bring them in, Thou wilt plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the sanctuary, 0 Lord, which thy hands have established." Thus the people, wanderers as they were, dwelt in the habitation of His holiness; God walked in a tent, for we also are moving to and fro, " I will dwell in them, and walk in them." David also proposes to build a house for the Lord; then another truth comes out—the Lord builds his house. But in effect Solomon—Christ, King in peace and Priest in glory—builds a house, whereof the pattern was revealed to David in spirit; "I have built thee an house." We also desire to build an house for God—God is minded to dwell among us, and that we should dwell in the habitation of His holiness; we dwell in Him, and He in us, and we are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
But in result Christ is Son over His own house, the true Solomon of whom it is written: "I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son." He will have to say, " but I have built thee a house "—this, as every other glory, is reserved for Him; we are that house, holding till that day our position through grace, for the house is built in Spirit now, as then in glory. For us what is important is to be builded together for a house, not to build a house for God, though the desire be good—and meanwhile to dwell in the house of His holiness in Him, for that is our house in the desert.
41, 42. I go back to these verses to note this only, to lead to the train of passages, for the thought which gave rise to it was not at the time of writing; note particularly, the sweet savor of burnt-offering continually, where God meets with Israel outside—though He speaks with Moses.