On July 12, 2015 the Adult Sunday School Class finished a review of the high priest’s garments described in Exodus 28 and initiated a review of chapter 29 regarding consecration of the priests.
The remaining garments discussed in chapter 28 included the blue robe (underlying the ephod and the breastplate) with a hem ornamented with pomegranates sewn with yarn alternating with bells of gold. The bells apparently signified the need for a careful, reverential approach to worship. Then described is the turban with its golden plate engraved with “Holy to the LORD.” The plate was to be positioned on Aaron’s forehead reminding us of the need to meditate upon God’s word. Finally, the underlying coat (tunic) and undergarments are described. Also described are the garments worn by Aaron’s priestly sons.
Chapter 29 describes the consecration of the priests. (Leviticus 8 is almost an identical chapter.) The word “consecrate” literally means “fill the hand.” That is, the priests were to have their “hands full” in full commitment to their service. Then three ceremonial acts are described. First, the priests are to be washed with water. Second, they are to be dressed in their priestly garments. Third, they are to be anointed with oil. These acts remind us that now we as new covenant priests (1 Peter 2:9) have been baptized (washed in the waters of regeneration), robed in righteousness (declared righteous), and anointed with the indwelling Holy Spirit.
A final part of the consecration ceremony involved three animal sacrifices on the bronze altar: a sin offering, a burnt offering, and a fellowship (or wave) offering. These will be studied further in the next lesson.
Listen to “Priest’s Garments (conclusion), Consecration of Priests” (Exodus 28-29) at mcopc.org.
Mid-Cities Presbyterian Church Library 
Consecration of the Priests and the Altar (Exodus 29)
Three animal sacrifices are identified as part of the ceremony. In each case the blood of the animal is applied in various ways to the altar.
The first sacrifice is a bull for the sin offering. Curtain organs are burned on the altar. The remainder is burned outside the camp. Hebrews 13:11-12 identifies this practice as a foreshadowing of Jesus being crucified outside the city as a sacrifice for our sin.
The second sacrifice is a ram for the burnt offering. This offering represented full commitment of the priests and the people.
The third sacrifice is a ram for the fellowship offering. This offering is also identified elsewhere as a peace offering or wave offering. In this case after specified organs are burned on the altar, the breast and thigh are eaten by the priests symbolizing a fellowship meal between them (and the people) and God.
The order of these three offerings differs in Leviticus as identified by J. A. Motyer. In Exodus 29 the order highlights individual need for being forgiven. In Leviticus 1-5 the order is burnt offering (1:3), fellowship offering (3:1), and sin offering (4:2-3) highlighting the order of divine desire. In Leviticus 6-7 the order is burnt offering (6:9), sin offering (6:25), and fellowship offering (7:11) highlighting the order of priestly ministry.
Exodus 29 states that the consecration ceremony for the priests was to last seven days.
The chapter closes with the highly important and oft repeated statement, “I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.”
Listen to “Consecration of the Priests and the Altar” (Exodus 29) at mcopc.org.
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