Leviticus 9:1-24
The Glory of the Lord Will Appear to You
The Bible says that God has made everything beautiful in its time. I try to remember that whenever I see something we think of as ugly. If we see a spider, we might freak out a bit, knowing what it might do. If it’s poisonous, it could bite and either make us really sick or even kill us. If it’s not poisonous, it could still bring us pretty quickly out of a dead sleep. And so mostly we don’t think of spiders as beautiful.
And yet, if we look really closely at them, we might see colors which are magnificent. We might see capabilities that simply astonish us. We might find an intelligence that we could only describe as beautiful. God made them, and so they bear their own beauty which alone He determined.
The same is true with anything God has created. It bears a special mark of beauty that we can perceive if we just look. A person with a physical deformity might be the most pleasant soul around. We would find them beautiful despite their outward appearance.
A dead tree might not seem particularly beautiful at first sight, but the more you look at it, you will find things that mark it out as a wonderful sight to the eyes. In one way or another, if we just look, carefully we’re bound to see beauty in everything we look at that God has placed in our path.
I try my best to think this way, and it often helps me change my attitude about things. But I never leave it there. When I see beauty in something, I try to transfer my gratitude back to the Lord. As He is the Source of all things, then anything which I appreciate as having beauty had to come from Him in the first place.
Text Verse: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’” Hebrews 10:5-7
If you were in Israel and saw the parts of an animal laying on an altar, you might question where the beauty was in that. It’s just a pile of a once-living animal that is going up in smoke. But if you considered what that sacrifice meant, then you might say, “Isn’t that beautiful? God has allowed my sins to be taken away in this offering.” Or you might say, “The Lord has allowed me to fellowship with Him through that offering.” `
For the faithful believer in the Lord’s word, the sacrifices and offerings would be a truly beautiful thing. And for us, if we think about what they pointed to, we can see the beauty in them as well. Instead of thinking about the brutality of animal offerings, we can see the mercy of God bestowed upon undeserving people.
He created both, and He determined which was more important, and which was of less value. And that then leads us to the cross of Christ. What is the most horrifying thing that could ever have happened, is also the most beautiful thing that could ever have occurred. God saw that the death of Christ Jesus was of less value than the redemption of man. That may seem impossible, but His death had to happen for man to be redeemed.
And because He in fact went to the cross, then we know that He weighed out the cost, set the plan in motion, and carried through with the execution of it. Today, we will see the glory of the Lord as it was revealed to the Israelites at the initiation of the Aaronic priesthood. But that glory is insignificant in comparison to the glory which God revealed when He stepped out of His eternal realm and came to dwell among us. The things He did, the life He lived, and the cross He died upon demonstrate a glory which has sustained His church with a passion that has lasted for 2000 years. And it is only leading to a far greater glory in the time yet ahead.
Every chapter of the Bible is another stepping stone which is leading us on a marvelous trip back to paradise. If we can just learn what each chapter and verse is showing us along the way, it brings sense to what would otherwise seem irrelevant. Nothing in this beautiful word is irrelevant. Wonderful, beautiful things are to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.
I. Sacrifices Before the Lord (verses 1-7)
It came to pass on the eighth day
Seven days of ordination have taken place. This is probably the 8th day of the month of Aviv. In Exodus 40:17 we read –
“And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up.”
It is probable that the ordination of the priests began on that day as well. The Passover would be coming on the 14th day of the month, and so this leaves just a few days for Aaron and his sons to perform their duties in that function for the first time. In Scripture, the number eight is always used very consistently. In Hebrew it is sh’moneh which comes from a root which means “to make fat” or “to cover with fat.” Thus it signifies being super-abundant. As seven is spiritual perfection, then in eight there is that which begins a new series, and so it is the number of new beginnings.
The 8th day is set aside for the perfecting and purifying of both man and beast. When a child is circumcised, it is on the 8th day. When a leper is cleansed from his affliction, he is considered purified on the 8th day. The same is true with other such things. The 8th day is that of perfecting and purifying. And so, like each of these examples, Aaron and his sons have been purified, and are now considered perfected for the object of performing their priestly duties. Here on the 8th day of the process, and probably the 8th day of the month as well, they enter into their new beginnings.
1 (con’t) that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.
The elders are called as representatives of all of the people below them. They are probably the same people who were called in verse 8:3 to observe the ordination process as representatives of all the congregation.
2 And he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the Lord.
Of those just mentioned in verse 1, Aaron is addressed first. He is to bring an egel ben baqar, or a “calf, son of the herd,” as a sin-offering, and an ayil, or ram, as a burnt-offering. The fact that he was required to make a sin offering, even after having been ordained, shows us the imperfection of the Aaronic priesthood. One whose ministry is imperfect can never make others perfect.
The egel, or calf is the same as the adjective agol which means circular, or round. The reason is that a calf, especially one nearly grown, will frisk around, dancing and twirling. The mental imagery of this is beautifully seen in Malachi 4:2 –
“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.” NLT
The ayil, or ram, as has been seen, is an animal which denotes strength. The reason for sacrificing a calf, rather than a bull which was used during their ordination, is debated. The only other time the calf has been seen in the Bible is in the instance of the golden calf, of which Aaron was a participant.
Further, the only other time it will be mentioned in the five books of Moses is in Deuteronomy 9, where twice it will refer once again to the instance of the golden calf. It will be the animal which the witch of En Dor prepares as Saul’s last meal, and it will describe the golden calves fashioned by Jeroboam, king of Israel in defiance of the Lord.
Out of 35 uses in the Bible, it is seen in a positive sense only a few times, such as in Isaiah and Malachi, each of which speaks of youthful exuberance. For this reason, and because Moses is still giving the instructions for the rites, I would suggest that this egel ben baqar, or “calf, son of the herd,” is being used to show the youthful, and thus immature nature of Aaron’s priesthood.
Thus, he is reflective of Israel as a whole who remained in a state of youthful disobedience until Christ would come and initiate the New Covenant in His blood. Such is the nature of the ordination of Israel’s high priest under the Law of Moses, and on behalf of the people. Only in Christ would they grow into mature adulthood.
The ram as a burnt-offering reflects the total commitment of Aaron, his natural strength, being offered to God as a living sacrifice. In picture, it looks to Christ who offered all of His natural strength to His Father in His more perfect ministry.
3 And to the children of Israel you shall speak, saying,
It is generally accepted that this means Aaron. After his sacrifices and offerings, he is now the official high priest, and therefore it is he who would, from this point on, speak to the people concerning priestly matters.
3 (con’t) ‘Take a kid of the goats as a sin offering,
This is the same offering as was instructed for a ruler of the people in 4:23. It is a sa’iyr izzim, or hairy goat. In Scripture, hair denotes awareness. But more specifically, it denotes an awareness of sin. Thus, the hairy goat is used as a symbol of consciousness of sin.
This goat then pictures Christ, who came to die for the awareness of sin in fallen man. He is the sin-offering for all who acknowledge their sin, because they are conscious of it. In this case, it is the elders of the people who are accountable to God for themselves and those under them.
3 (con’t) and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering,
Two animals are required for the burnt-offering. The first is an egel, the same as Aaron’s sin-offering. The other is a kebes or lamb. The egel, or calf, would carry the same meaning as before. It is an indication of the youthful, and thus immature, nature of the priesthood. It reflects Israel who remained in a state of youthful disobedience until the New Covenant. The kebes, or lamb, comes from a root meaning “to dominate.” And so it symbolizes Christ’s domination over sin, thus He is acceptable as an offering to God.
4 also a bull and a ram as peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord, and a grain offering mixed with oil;
These as peace offerings were already explained in Chapter 3. The bull, the ram, and an accompanying grain offering were to be presented. The peace offering signifies the approval of the other offerings, and the symbolic dining together of the Lord with them.
4 (con’t) for today the Lord will appear to you.’”
This is actually in the past tense, “…for today the Lord has appeared unto you.” The words are given as an accomplished fact, even though it has not yet happened. The Lord will manifest himself in a special way to signify his approval of the inauguration of the Aaronic priesthood. It is the same past tense as is seen in Psalm 102:16 –
“For the LORD has built up Zion;
He has appeared in His glory.”
The words are actually an anticipatory look to Christ who rose on the day after seventh (Sabbath) day, or on the 8th day. It was then that He appeared to His people, signifying the New beginning that had taken place; God having approved of His more perfect priestly ordination.
5 So they brought what Moses commanded before the tabernacle of meeting.
And all the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord.
This duty is now carried out by Aaron. He is acting as the priest, just as Moses had instructed. The term “all the congregation” means the elders who stand as representatives of the congregation. Others who were not elders may have come in, but the term specifically speaks of the elders noted in verse 1.
6 Then Moses said, “This is the thing which the Lord commanded you to do, and the glory of the Lord will appear to you.”
Moses now speaks of things which will come to pass. Thus when they do occur, it will be proof of the Lord’s approval. In performing his required sacrifices and offerings, he would then be considered as the fully-installed high priest. In turn, he would then be acceptable to perform the priestly functions for the congregation who had brought their offerings. In turn, the Lord would appear to the people to confirm the entire process.
7 And Moses said to Aaron, “Go to the altar, offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people. Offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as the Lord commanded.”
As the consecrated priest, Aaron is still required to offer for his sin to make atonement for himself. If no other verse in Scripture (and there are many of them) shows us the fallible nature of the Aaronic priesthood, this one shouts it out to us. The high priest of Israel, who has gone through an elaborate ordination process, must still sacrifice for his own sins. Thus, despite being the mediator between the people and God, he stands on the same level as the people in regard to his manhood. Only after his sins are atoned for can he then offer the offering of the people for their atonement.
The glory of the Lord will appear to you
With your own eyes you shall see this
As He has spoken, so He shall do
The glory you see will fill you with heavenly bliss
At times the Lord’s glory comes in an awesome display
At times it is revealed in something we may actually miss
But if we pay attention day unto day
The glory we see will fill us with heavenly bliss
In the creation He has shown His glory to us
And in His word we find glory that was once concealed
And, O what glory when we behold Jesus
In His face is God’s glory fully revealed
In His face is glory that none can miss
It is glory that shall fill us eternally with heavenly bliss
II. Aaron’s Offerings (verses 8-14)
8 Aaron therefore went to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
Aaron himself is the one to bring the knife to the animal of sacrifice. In this, we see that the offering is offered and the mediator is the one to slay it. It looks forward to Christ who willingly gave Himself as our sin-offering. As He said, “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.”
9 Then the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him.
The atonement here is for Aaron, but it is also for his sons who have collected the blood of the animal. What seems curious is that it speaks of sons, rather than a son. One would think one son would hold the bowl and collect the blood, but it says the sons brought the blood to him. As Aaron pictures Christ, so the sons of Aaron picture the redeemed who are the sons of God through faith (Gal. 3:26). Each must, by faith, bring the blood of the Sacrifice.
9 (con’t) And he dipped his finger in the blood, put it on the horns of the altar, and poured the blood at the base of the altar.
Aaron dips his finger in the blood and puts it on the horns of the brazen altar. In Chapter 4, when a high priest sinned, he was required to bring the blood into Holy Place and sprinkle it before the veil. He was then to put it on the horns of the altar of incense.
This verse then shows us two things. First, this is for Aaron’s sin-nature rather than a specific sin. And secondly, he does not yet have access into the Holy Place. That is now obtained through this general sin-offering. It is the altar which allows access through the door of the tent of meeting. From here on, he will have this access.
The blood being placed upon the four horns of the altar typifies Christ’s blood which has the power to cleanse and forgive sin, even to the four corners of the earth. The pouring out of the blood is typical of Christ who shed all His blood, even to death.
10 But the fat, the kidneys, and the fatty lobe from the liver of the sin offering he burned on the altar, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
The words “as the Lord had commanded Moses” are in accordance with the instructions for the sin offering of verse 4:10. These parts, as we have seen, represent the abundance of the very deepest parts of Christ the Man. The fat is the abundance and health of life. The kidneys signify the mind and reasoning. And the fat lobe above the liver represents the emotions and feelings of the person. These then were to be offered to the Lord because they symbolized His most intimate aspects. They are the very substance of who He is, and so they are returned as a fragrant offering to God by fire.
A point of clarity: It says that he burned these things on the altar. It will say this again several times. It means that he placed them on the altar in anticipation of their being burnt. The consequence of the action is placed before the antecedent. This is not unknown in Scripture. This can be further deduced from the next words…
11 The flesh and the hide he burned with fire outside the camp.
This is, again, in accord with the disposal of an animal used as a sin offering for the high priest. It would be unacceptable for the animal to be eaten. In his cleansing, the body of the animal bore the sin of the mediator. Thus, it needed to be purged from the camp entirely. It says here that he burned these things with fire outside the camp. This would logically be done after the ordination ceremony. Though all things are accomplished, they are not necessarily accomplished in the order stated.
12 And he killed the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled all around on the altar.
The next animal to be slain is the burnt offering. Once sin is atoned for, then one can give himself up wholly to God. This is the order in the sacrifices, and it is the order in salvation and sanctification.
13 Then they presented the burnt offering to him, with its pieces and head, and he burned them on the altar.
The word translated as “presented” in verses 12 and 13 is not the same as has been used in past passages. It should say they handed the blood and the burnt offering to him. They are right there with him, and the animal has already been brought forward and killed. They merely process the animal and hand it to Aaron.
14 And he washed the entrails and the legs, and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar.
As we have seen, and without a lot of elaborate detail, this washing of the entrails is symbolic of the inward purity of Christ. The washing of the legs is symbolic of His perfect life, having picked up no worldly defilement. This is to be emblematic of this same conduct in the lives of Aaron and his sons.
An offering for sin; atonement for what we have done wrong
It covers over those things which have offended our Lord
Though sin besets us and its power is strong
With the sin offering, we are again in one accord
Through the blood of our Savior we can fellowship again
It washes away all that we have done wrong
And it is available to all of the children of men
Because of Christ Jesus we have a new and heavenly song
Thank You, O God, for what You have done for us
When we were lost in sin, and objects of wrath just the same
You sent Your Son, Our Lord Jesus
To atone for our sin, and so we praise Your holy name
III. The People’s Offerings (verses 15-24)
15 Then he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and killed it and offered it for sin, like the first one.
As he had made an offering for his own sin, he was now acceptable to act as mediator for the people. Therefore, their sin offering can now follow his. The order is carefully detailed to show us how the redemptive process works. One must have an acceptable mediator before they can then be made acceptable.
The remains of this particular goat were to be eaten by Aaron and his sons because they dealt with the sin of the congregation, not their own, and because the animal’s blood was never carried within the Holy Place. However, what becomes of this animal will not be according to that mandate. Rather, it will be a temporary source of consternation for Moses. This will be seen in Chapter 10.
16 And he brought the burnt offering and offered it according to the prescribed manner.
After the sin offering of the people was made, only then could their burnt-offering be accepted. This follows the same pattern as that of Aaron and his sons, and indeed all such offerings.
17 Then he brought the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar, besides the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
There are two lambs which were to be offered on the altar every day. This is the burnt sacrifice of the morning which was mandated by the Lord in Exodus 29:39. This verse seems to show that the grain offering which Aaron has in his hand is now burnt along with that regular morning offering. This is not correct.
The daily offerings would have been offered by Moses until the time of Aaron’s ordination. Moses would have already offered the morning offering. Along with that offering, a grain offering was to be presented each day. Moses would have already offered it. But, it is possible that the morning offering was also waiting to be burnt with the Lord’s initial fire.
Aaron is now taking a handful of the grain mentioned in verse 4 and placing it on the altar with the other offerings required in this chapter. This grain offering is in addition to the one already given in the morning offering, not a part of it.
18 He also killed the bull and the ram as sacrifices of peace offerings, which were for the people. And Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled all around on the altar,
The procedures for this burnt-offering are found in verse 3:1. As per the directions noted there, Aaron now carefully follows through with them.
19 and the fat from the bull and the ram—the fatty tail, what covers the entrails and the kidneys, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver;
An entirely new word is introduced here, mekasseh. It is seen just four times in Scripture, and it means a “covering.” This is the only time it is used to indicate the fat which covers the kidneys. However, it is to be taken as synonymous with the fat parts which are seen in other passages already looked at. These choice parts of fat, all picturing Christ as we have seen numerous times, are removed from the animal.
20 and they put the fat on the breasts. Then he burned the fat on the altar;
The breasts were the part of the wave offerings which were reserved for the priests. The fat would be placed on them, they would be waved, and then they would be burned on the altar.
21 but the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved as a wave offering before the Lord, as Moses had commanded.
Though the fat is said to already be burned, it isn’t actually burned until after the wave offering is made. Further, as I said some time ago, all of the offerings will be burned at the same time, when the Lord’s fire ignites them.
22 Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them,
Aaron has now completed the functions necessary to show that he is fully installed as high priest. He has had his sins atoned for, and he has mediated on behalf of the people as well. The offerings are laid out, and are about to be burned to the Lord. In honor of this moment where he has demonstrated his authority to mediate, he now confirms it by blessing the people.
The Bible notes that the lesser is blessed by the greater. It is now his honor to serve in this special office, and so he lifts his hands and blesses the people. The blessing would be something similar to the high priestly blessing which is given in Numbers 6, but it is fantasy to assume that he would have given that exact blessing before it was ever instructed to be given. One tradition says that the words of Psalm 90:17 closely reflect what Aaron said –
“And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.”
This is not unlikely, because this is the oldest Psalm in the Bible, and the only one penned by Moses.
When a blessing is given, the one blessing would place their hands on the head of the one being blessed. However, when blessing a congregation, the symbolism is maintained by raising the hands above the heads of the people and pronouncing the blessing. This act of Aaron which acknowledges his right to bless the people as their mediator is a mere shadow of the blessing which was given by Christ to His people when it was revealed to them that He is the true Mediator of God’s people –
“And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.” Luke 24:50
22 (con’t) and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
The words “came down” are mis-interpreted by most scholars. They say that the altar was elevated above ground level. This is incorrect. The law of the earthen altar which is found after the giving of the Ten Commandments mandates that a ramp, and not steps, be used to go up to it. But that has nothing to do with the brazen altar.
The words “came down” have one of two possible meanings. It either means that there was a frame upon the altar which the priest would stand on in order to place the offerings on it, which is unlikely. It was only three cubits, or about 4 ½ feet tall. More likely, it means that it is nearer to the tent of meeting than the people would be, and so by leaving the altar and approaching the people, he would be coming down not in elevation, but in place of importance.
23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting,
There is no explanation concerning these words. All we can do is speculate as to what occurred in the tent. Having said that, it can be inferred that the transfer of the priestly duties is completed in this act. Aaron has never gone in as priest, Moses will never again go in as priest.
Moses probably repeated the instructions which have been given while visually pointing out everything. They probably also presented themselves to the Lord at the altar of incense before the veil and prayed while there. As I said, it is all speculation, but their going in, if nothing else, has the purpose of showing that Aaron is accepted as the high priest. It is an acceptance which will be validated moments after they come out.
23 (con’t) and came out and blessed the people.
This is probably a blessing spoken in unison, possibly repeating what Aaron has already spoken. Again, what is unstated can only be speculated upon. However, their blessing upon the people now ushers in a new sight for the people to behold…
23 (con’t) Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people,
As with the previous two clauses, we can only speculate what this means. Does this glory come from the pillar of cloud, from inside the tent of meeting, or is it a separate manifestation of Him? It doesn’t say, but it was there, and the Bible records that the people personally saw it.
24 and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar.
The words are careful to note that the fire came out from the Lord. It cannot be interpreted that Moses and Aaron simply went into the presence of the Lord and brought fire out to ignite the sacrifice. Rather, the fire came from the Lord, consuming the offerings. It is a note of divine approval which is seen elsewhere in Scripture.
And the offering didn’t just burn. Rather the word akal, which means to consume, should be taken in its most literal sense. The offering was completely consumed by the fire. There are five other explicit times when something similar occurred during the acceptance of an offering, and one which may be inferred. The first, which must be inferred would be the acceptance of Abel’s offering over that of Cain.
The next comes here in Leviticus 9. Then in the case of Gideon’s offering in Judges 6. This is followed by the offering of Manoah and his wife in Judges 13. Then comes the offering given by David when dedicating the threshing floor of Onan in 1 Chronicles 21. Then comes the dedication of Solomon’s temple in 2 Chronicles 7, and finally in the case of Elijah’s offering in 1 Kings 18.
At various times in redemptive history, the Lord would provide a visible confirmation of His intents, purposes, and divine approval by sending out fire in order to accept an offering made to Him. The people of Israel at Moses’ time were blessed to have such a visible demonstration of His approval, and yet they quickly forgot what they saw and treated His glory with a special irreverence which has marked their character for the past 3500 years.
Because of this, they have suffered greatly. But the day is ahead when they will come to see and know the Lord in a much deeper way than they ever have before. That will be the day when they call out to Jesus, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
*24 (fin) When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
At least for the moment, the people realized what they had seen, and accepted it for what it truly was… a divine miracle. This is now the very first time that the word ranan is used in the Bible. It means more than just shout, but “to shout for joy.” It will be used mostly in the Psalms and Isaiah concerning shouting to the Lord with joy or shouting for joy because of the works of the Lord.
Here in these verses today, we have seen the installation of a man born in sin, and who also died in sin. And each of those who followed after him inherited sin from him as well. And even more, the man who installed them, Moses, was a fallible, sin-filled man. Despite his high and exalted status within the nation, he was not exempt from death because he was imperfect.
The question we can ask is, “How can perfection come out of imperfection?” There is an answer to this question, but it is not found in the Law of Moses, or in the priesthood which administered that law. Nothing perfect ever resulted from it. Instead, it simply highlighted the imperfection of those under it.
However, perfection can come out of imperfection if there is something perfect to initiate the process. And this is what God did in Christ Jesus. He, being perfect in all ways, sent His perfect Son to accomplish the task. Every detail we have seen in today’s verses, and even in all of what we have seen so far in Leviticus, exactingly points us to Him. God is directing us to think on the purpose of the law, the giving of His Son, and the difference between the two. Let us not fall short by trusting in a law which can never perfect, and thus never save. Instead, let us put our hope in Christ Jesus alone.
Closing Verse: “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Psalm 40:5
Next Week: Leviticus 10:1-7 The Law’s instructions should not be ignored… (Profane Fire Before the Lord) (14th Leviticus Sermon)
The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.
We Beheld His Glory
It came to pass on the eighth day
That Moses called Aaron and his sons also
And the elders of Israel
And he said to Aaron these words, as we know
Take for yourself a young bull as a sin offering
And a ram as a burnt offering, according to this word
Without blemish shall be this proffering
And offer them before the Lord
And to the children of Israel you shall speak, saying
‘Take a kid of the goats as a sin offering, so do
And a calf and a lamb, both of the first year
Without blemish, as a burnt offering, as I instruct you
Also a bull and a ram as peace offerings
To sacrifice before the Lord, as to you I now say
And a grain offering mixed with oil
For the Lord will appear to you today
So they brought what Moses commanded
Before the tabernacle of meeting
And all the congregation drew near
And stood before the Lord, awaiting His greeting
Then Moses said, “This is the thing
Which the Lord commanded you to do
And the glory of the Lord
Will appear to you
And Moses said to Aaron
“Go to the altar, offer your sin offering and your burnt offering
And make atonement for yourself and for the people
So shall you do with this proffering
Offer the offering of the people
And make for them atonement
As the Lord commanded
This is your solemn assignment
Aaron therefore went to the altar
And killed the calf of the sin offering which was for himself
In this duty he did not falter
Then the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him
And he dipped his finger in the blood
Put it on the horns of the altar
And poured the blood at the base of the altar; a crimson flood
But the fat, the kidneys, and the fatty lobe from the liver
Of the sin offering he burned on the altar, so was the pyre
As the Lord had commanded Moses
The flesh and the hide he burned outside the camp with fire
And he killed the burnt offering
And Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood
Which he sprinkled all around on the altar
A second crimson flood
Then they presented the burnt offering to him
With its pieces and head, and he burned them on the altar too
And he washed the entrails and the legs
And burned them with the burnt offering on the altar
——- as instructed to do
Then he brought the people’s offering
And took the goat, as was said to be done
Which was the sin offering for the people
And killed it and offered it for sin, like the first one
And he brought the burnt offering, as described
And offered it according to the manner prescribed
Then he brought the grain offering
Took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar
Besides the burnt sacrifice of the morning
In his duties, he did not fail or falter
He also killed the bull and the ram
As sacrifices of peace offerings, which for the people were
And Aaron’s sons presented to him the blood
Which he sprinkled all around on the altar
And the fat from the bull and the ram
The fatty tail, what covers the entrails and the kidneys too
And the fatty lobe attached to the liver
And they put the fat on the breasts as instructed to do
Then he burned the fat on the altar
But the breasts and the right thigh
Aaron waved as a wave offering before the Lord
As Moses had commanded, by and by
Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people
Blessed them, and down he came
From offering the sin offering, the burnt offering
And peace offerings, according to each name
And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting
And came out and blessed the people, a solemn word
Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people
And fire came out from before the Lord
And consumed the burnt offering
And the fat on the altar as well
When all the people saw it
They shouted and on their faces they fell
Lord God, Israel beheld Your glory
And they saw the fire come forth from You
But that is just a taste of the magnificent story
Which speaks of Your glory, through and through
And an even greater glory was seen by the blessed eyes
Of those who beheld the coming of Christ Jesus
And someday we too shall behold Him
When in the twinkling of an eye, He comes for us
And for the ages of ages we shall see
Your glory shining out through Him unto us
Our joy will be full for all eternity
As we behold our magnificent Lord, radiant and glorious
Hallelujah and Amen…