That there is much precious teaching, real food for the soul, in the typical teaching of the offerings, no Christian can doubt, yet in no part of Scripture do we need more humble dependence on the Holy Spirit. Serious mistakes may be made by pressing one aspect of their teaching; mistakes that may tend to destroy the very characteristics of Christianity, instead of helping us to understand the varied perfections of Christ, and our peculiar identification with Him. Now while the atonement of Christ is the alone ground of reconciliation to God, whether of Israel or the Church; yet it would be a grave mistake to seek to deduce from this, or any other type, that the standing of an Israelite before the death and resurrection of Christ, and the standing of a Christian since, is the same.
We shall understand the teaching of the lessons of the day of atonement better, if we first meditate on the consecration of “Aaron and his sons” (Ex. 39). If we read Hebrews 2:10-1310For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (Hebrews 2:10‑13), we need have no question that Aaron and his sons then, typify Christ and His brethren now. We see Him crowned with glory, and bringing many sons to glory. “For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren,” and so forth. This was the substance of the glad tidings sent by Mary to His disciples, on the very morn of His resurrection. Now with the New Testament certainty, that we are brought by His resurrection into the same standing and relationship to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us now seek to drink in the teaching of the type of consecration.
Now notice at the end of Exodus 28:4040And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. (Exodus 28:40), that garments for glory and beauty, were to be made for both Aaron and his sons. In verse 41 They were to be put on both Aaron and his sons: “And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother... and his sons WITH HIM.” Now, as we shall find throughout the types, Aaron and his sons typify Christ and His brethren, or the church. And the people typify the nation of Israel, whether before the church or after. Is there not wonderful grace shown to the church? May our hearts bow in worship. Is this how God sees us, one with His Son, clothed in the same glory and beauty? Note, this is peculiar to Aaron and his sons. These garments were not put upon the people. “And thou shalt anoint them.” Thus we are anointed with Christ. The same Holy Spirit that was upon Him, the holy One, is now on us as one with Him. “All of one.” Thus these sons were consecrated and sanctified with Aaron, and thus are we consecrated with Christ.
They were brought into the same standing as Aaron; we are brought into the same standing as Christ. Oh, how precious the lessons of the offerings. Never do we find the people brought into the same standing. What distinct pictures of the Christian’s peculiar privileges. Not one of the people share these privileges. No doubt many things are common to both Christians and to Israel. In each case there must be the new birth, there must be the same one offering of Christ fulfilling all the types of the law. Still there is throughout this chapter, Exodus 29, identification between Aaron and his sons. In verse 4 Aaron and his sons are brought to the door of the tabernacle. “And shalt wash them with water.” It is a wonderful thing for us to be, as to the new nature, pure and holy. To have a nature that delights in God, and to do His will, even as Christ the holy One, delighted to do His will. “Which thing is true in him and in you” (1 John 2:88Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. (1 John 2:8)). This is wonderful association with Christ. Aaron is then to be clothed first (vss. 5-6). Then he is anointed. And afterward his sons were to be clothed and consecrated. It was not until Christ arose from the dead that the disciples could be in the new creation, and the Holy Spirit descend on them, consequent on His ascension and glory. Gladly our hearts soar to Thee, Thou pre-eminent, blessed Lord. But oh, let us not doubt the place of glory into which we are brought, one with our Aaron, the risen Christ.
“Thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.” And thus Christ and we are consecrated worshipping priests. Oh, wondrous grace, one with our Aaron passed into the heavens.
By what means then are we brought into this identification with Christ — one with Him, clothed with glory and beauty? The offerings will help as to that all important question.
First, the sin-offering of Exodus 29:10-1410And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. 11And thou shalt kill the bullock before the Lord, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 12And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar. 13And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar. 14But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering. (Exodus 29:10‑14). “And Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.” No doubt it is the same sin-offering that will be the ground or means by which Israel will be brought into their standing (Isa. 53; 54). It is the same sin-offering by which we are brought to God, in our standing. But this is far from saying the standing of Israel and the church is the same. The solemn lesson here is this, that as Aaron and his sons were perfectly identified by the laying on of hands, so the holy One had to become perfectly identified with us, made sin for us. He must on the cross become one with us, bearing our sin, in order that we might be one with Him in all the sweet savor of His Person and offering to God. Note well now in this lesson of consecration, the identification is complete in both, in all the cases. The hands of Aaron and his sons were laid on the bullock, the sin-offering. “And Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram (vs.15). This is the burnt-offering, “And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering unto the Lord: it is a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto the Lord.” The atoning work was His alone. He alone endured the wrath of God due to us: but then it was that we might be taken into favor in Himself, the Beloved. Is it not wonderful! In this picture we see the purpose of God. He says, as it were, as Aaron and his sons were identified in the laying on of hands, with the sweet savor of the burnt-offering, so all typified by the sons of Aaron, that is Christians, are identified, made one with Christ in all the sweet savor of His Person and work before God. This goes far beyond standing before the throne of God. It is as He is, so are we in this world. Yes, God says, so to speak, I will have My delight in you, though it cost Me the death of My Son. Oh, think, what the Son is to the Father: such are we — one with Him, identified with Him, in all the ineffable delight of the Father. Who but God could have such thoughts, and who but He could give such pictures?
Again, there is another ram; the ram of consecration. Here is also the same identification, “And Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram (vs.19). The blood of this ram is put alike on the right ear of Aaron and his sons. “Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.” What perfect association with Christ. The ear as an emblem of hearing and obedience; the thumb of the right hand, service and action; and the right foot, the emblem of walk. All connected with Him. After the blood, the oil is sprinkled We are anointed with Him according to the value of His blood. The very garments of Aaron’s sons were sprinkled with him. Thus are we identified with Christ; in all our obedience, service, walk, that is, as seen of God, and we should be seen in this world by men, as one with Christ.
This offering also partakes of the character of the peace-offering, and Aaron and all his sons feed in communion. “And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” What a picture this is of the identification, the oneness of Christ and His brethren now. “For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.”
No doubt the privileges of the congregation of Israel were great, and will yet be greater. They might see the sons of Aaron associated with him, and here was a standing, a peculiar place of oneness; but it was a place the people could never take, a feast of which they could never partake. Of Aaron identified with his sons, it was said, “And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy (vs.33). Thus however great the privileges of Israel as a nation, they never come into the standing of the sons of Aaron. The Scripture everywhere guards against such a thought, as that the standing of the church and that of Israel is the same.
They will be born again. They will be saved by the same atoning death of Jesus. But have we at all understood our peculiar standing and privileges? We are brought into favor in, and with Him, the Beloved; clothed in glory and beauty with Him; anointed with Him; separated, consecrated, eating with Him. And, precious grace, He is not ashamed to call us brethren. We shall, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, understand these pictures of God better if we look at each of the offerings separately. We will, if it please God, next look at the day of atonement. The Lord give us grace to walk according to our consecration.