Questions

Scriptural Reflection
Exodus 28:15–30

We shall continue the study of Exodus, the second book of the Old Testament.

(1) Why does God refer to the twelve tribes of Israel as the twelve “sons of Israel” when it comes to being a “memorial” before Him (whether they are engraved on the shoulder stones or on the breast-piece stones of the high priest)?

(2) In both cases, why should the stones be precious stones, and in the case of the breast-piece, what might be the meaning of using 12 different types of precious stones, one for each of these names?

(3) What might be the significance of bearing these names by the high priest on his “breast” before the Lord?

(4) How significant is it to you to know that you are being born in the heart of your high priest (the Lord Jesus Christ) individually?

(5) What is its implication to those who serve as pastors or leaders of the flock in the church?

(6) No one knows exactly what Urim and Thummim are, or even what the words mean. But these three things are sure:

a. The words begin, respectively, with the first and the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

b. They are used for decision making or for making judgment based likely on a yes or no answer.

c. When such a judgment is made, it is made “over his heart before the Lord.”

We often think of making a decision based on the mind, and yet when it comes to the High Priest seeking to make a decision or judgment before the Lord, it is to be made over his “heart”. What does this tell you especially when it comes to the making of a decision for the church?

(7) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Exodus 28:31–43

It appears that the ephod is kind of like a vest and now a longer robe is to be worn beneath it.

(1) The hem of the robe is adorned by pomegranates and bells. The former lends itself to many interpretations, and it appears most commentators settle on its fruitfulness and its many seeds. If this is the case, what does this symbol point to as the high priest wears the robe before the Lord?

(2) What is the reason given for the wearing of the bells in v. 35?

(3) Of course the sound of the bells is not meant for the Lord. Then it could only be meant either for the high priest or the people outside the Holy Place:

a. If this is meant for the high priest, how does it help him avoid death as he enters to serve before the Lord and when he leaves as well?

b. What might the sound of the bell mean for the people outside the Holy Place?

(4) What is to be fastened to the turban of the high priest? What does it mean?

(5) What does it take for the high priest to bear the guilt of the people? Can he really do so? How does this point to Jesus Christ?

(6) The garments of the priests have already conferred to them this awesome, holy role of serving on behalf of the people before the Lord. Why does Moses still need to “consecrate” them by anointing and ordaining them?

(7) Of the garments of the priests, the last piece mentioned is the underwear. What significance is attached to it?

(8) What have you learned today especially in how we are expected to serve the Lord?

Scriptural Reflection
Exodus 29:1–9a

The entire consecration and ordination ceremony is to be performed in public and include the following:

(a) The sacrifice of a young bull as a “sin offering”

(b) The sacrifice of ram(A) as a “burnt offering”

(c) The sacrifice of ram (B) as a “peace offering”, with

(d) A “wave offering” of the loaves and the breast of ram (B)

We shall reflect on the commandment of this consecration ceremony, beginning with its introduction:

(1) The first emphasis of this ceremony is placed on the fact that, whatever the nature of the offering, the animals (in this case, the bull and the rams) are to be without defect. Why is that? What is its implication to us today, as we seek to serve the Lord?

(2) The second emphasis is on the loaves. What is the command and again, what is its implication to us as we offer our service to the Lord today?

(3) Even before their consecration and service, Aaron and his sons are to be washed. What does this symbolize? (See Ps. 24:3-4 and Isa. 1:16)

(4) As Aaron puts on his spectacular garments, which give him a sense of “dignity and honor” (Exod. 28:2), he is then anointed with oil. Read Isaiah 61:1 to see the meaning of being anointed with oil. What then is the significance conveyed when it comes to serving the Lord?

(5) As much as the entire people of Israel is already a “kingdom of priests”, why does God still ordain Aaron and his sons to their priesthood and such an ordination is a “lasting ordinance” (29:9)?

(6) What might be the continuing spiritual principle from which we should learn being that the church of Jesus Christ is also a “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9)?

(7) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Exodus 29:9b–18

Now as Aarons and his sons are to be presented to the front of the tabernacle to begin their priesthood within, the first sacrifice Moses is to make appears to be aimed at the altar (29:10-14):

(1) Whether it is this bull or the other two rams, the sacrifice will begin with Aaron and his sons laying their hands on its head. What is its meaning and its significance? (See Lev. 16:21)

(2) The sanctification of the altar is done through putting blood on its horns (the most upper part) and its base (the lowest part). By so doing, Moses will “purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it” (29:36). What is the significance that even the altar has to be purified by a sin offering, not just the priests?

(3) As a sin offering for both the altar and the priests, the fats are to be burnt on the altar, while the flesh, the hides and the intestines (a) are to be burnt outside the camp and (b) not to be eaten at all. The same practice is also mentioned on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:27). Read the interpretation by the author of Hebrews in Hebrews 13:11-14 in this respect.

The burnt offering (29:15-18)

(4) This first ram following the bull, is to have the priests’ hands laid upon it; it is then slaughtered, its blood is splashed on all sides of the altar, it is cut up, washed and totally burnt on the altar.

As to its meaning, allow me to simply quote from Keil & Delitzsch for your reflection:

“The sin-offering, through which the priests and the altar had been expiated, and every disturbance of the fellowship existing between the holy God and His servants at that altar, in consequence of the sin of those who were to be consecrated (in this case, the priests themselves) had been taken away, was followed by a burnt-offering…, and served to set forth the priests, who had appointed it as their substitute through the laying on of hands, as a living, holy, and well-pleasing sacrifice to the Lord, and to sanctify them to the Lord with all the faculties of both body and soul.”
(K&D, Leviticus, 547)

(5) With the sin offering already presented, this burnt offering can now be a “pleasing aroma, a food offering” presented to the Lord (v. 18). What might be the spiritual message here?

(6) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Exodus 29:19–37

After the consecration of the altar and the priests by the sin-offering of the bull, and the burnt offering of the first ram as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, the 2^nd ram is to be offered based on a ritual known as peace or fellowship offering in Leviticus 3.

(1) As this follows the first two offerings (sin and burnt offerings), how might we understand the meaning of its name (i.e. peace or fellowship offering) in Lev. 3:1?

(2) Again, the ritual is similar to the first two sacrifices with the laying of hands on the sacrificial animal’s head and it being slaughtered. Now how is the treatment of blood different from the first two animals? What is its significance?

(3) How are the priests and their garments consecrated? (v. 21) And what do you understand by “consecration”, especially in light of this ritual?

(4) As for the ram for ordination, the ritual that follows differs from the usual ritual of the peace offering: Moses is to take the ram’s fat and the right thigh, together with one each of the three kinds of unleavened pastry and put them in the hands of Aaron and his sons to perform a “wave offering”. After this all these will be burnt, again, as a pleasing aroma, food offering to the Lord. The thigh which normally goes back to the priest is now burnt after the wave offering (because in this ceremony, Moses acts as the high priest). Moses, however, gets the breast of the ram after he waves it before the Lord. While no specific explanation is offered for a “wave offering”, what can you infer from the up and down movements of the hands of the priests and the fact that part of it (in the normal fellowship offering) goes back to the priests?

(5) Vv. 27-30 should be bracketed, for they set out the treatment of the ram’s breast and thigh for future fellowship offerings, and the implication of this ordination on the priesthood:

a. What is the significance of the clarification that, in the future, the breast and the thigh will be the “perpetual share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons”?

b. What is the significance now being attached to consecration of the garments?

(6) Vv. 31-34 return to the Ordination ceremony which has yet to be completed:

a. How does this sacred ceremony come to its end of completion according to vv. 32-33?

b. How special is this conclusion? What does this act (and its picture) convey?

c. However, at this joyous and “filling” conclusion, there are still some very strict rules attached to it. They include the following:

1. The cooking is done in a sacred place.
2. The un-ordained cannot eat of it.
3. Any leftover is to be burnt up.

How do these instructions or prohibitions add to sacredness of the priesthood?

(7) What might be the spiritual and practical significance of having to repeat this ceremony (if not the entire thing, at least the bulk of it) for seven days?

(8) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Exodus 29:38–46

These regular offerings are mentioned at this point to Moses; perhaps these are sacrifices which shall commence immediately after the completion of the ordination of the priests:

(1) Why does God institute a twice daily ritual of sacrifices?

(2) What does this twice-a-day ritual consist of? What significance does each part play in making a pleasing aroma to the Lord?

(3) How does this twice-a-day stipulation speak to God’s desire for you today?

(4) God’s desire in setting up the tabernacle is being made plain in vv. 42-46.

a. What is His desire?

b. How significant is the change from plural to singular of “you” in v. 42 (according to MT)?

(5) What (and who) are those being mentioned as being consecrated (i.e. being set apart) by the Lord?

(6) How are they being consecrated?

(7) What is God’s desire for you and for His church today?

(8) God’s desire is that this will be perpetuated for “generations” to come for the Israelites? Did God fail or succeed?

(9) How is His desire being met in us through Jesus Christ?

(10) How then should you treat your relationship with God, especially through your own quiet time and your corporate worship on Sunday?

(11) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Exodus 30:1–10

(1) It is interesting that the instructions concerning the building of tabernacle and its contents resume after the commands to consecrate and ordain Aaron and his sons with this last object, the altar of incense which is described as “most holy to the Lord” in v. 10. How does the design of this altar speak to its “most holy” status?

(2) Where is it situated? Why does Hebrews 9:4 even considers it as being part of the furnishing within the Holy of Holies?

(3) What does the burning of incense symbolize according to Psalm 141:2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3, 4?

(4) Why then is such a symbol so precious to the Lord that the following are done?

a. It is to be burnt regularly every morning and every evening.

b. Only the prescribed incense is to be burnt.

c. No other sacrifice is permitted to be burnt on this altar.

d. It is considered the “most holy” to Him.

(5) How then should we look upon prayer in these areas?

a. Our own prayers

b. Our corporate prayer as a people of God

(6) What ties the atonement of this altar to the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16, using the same blood to make atonement on its horns?

(7) What is the main message for you today and how may you apply it in your life?