7 Moshe told Aharon, “Approach the altar, offer your sin offering and burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and the people. Then present the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as Adonai ordered.” 8 So Aharon approached the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself. 9 The sons of Aharon presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar; then he poured out the blood at the base of the altar. 10 But the fat, the kidneys and the covering of the liver of the sin offering he made go up in smoke on the altar, as Adonai had ordered Moshe. 11 The meat and the skin were burned up completely outside the camp.
12 Next he slaughtered the burnt offering; Aharon’s sons brought him the blood, and he splashed it against all sides of the altar. 13 They brought him the burnt offering, piece by piece, and the head; and he made them go up in smoke on the altar. 14 He washed the inner organs and the lower parts of the legs and made them go up in smoke on top of the burnt offering on the altar.
15 Then the people’s offering was presented. He took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, slaughtered it and offered it for sin, like the earlier sin offering. 16 The burnt offering was presented, and he offered it in the prescribed manner. (ii) 17 The grain offering was presented; he took a handful of it and made it go up in smoke on the altar, in addition to the morning’s burnt offering. 18 He slaughtered the ox and the ram, the people’s sacrifice as peace offerings; Aharon’s sons brought him the blood, which he splashed against all sides of the altar, 19 and the fat of the ox and of the ram — the fat tail, the fat which covers the inner organs, the kidneys and the covering of the liver. 20 They put the fat on the breasts, and he made the fat go up in smoke on the altar. 21 The breasts and right thigh Aharon waved as a wave offering before Adonai, as Moshe had ordered.
22 Aharon raised his hands toward the people, blessed them and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering and the peace offerings. 23 Moshe and Aharon entered the tent of meeting, came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of Adonai appeared to all the people!
Leviticus 9:7-23 – CJB
Starting in chapter 8, we have the ordination of the priesthood. As the whole assembly watched, Moses dress Aaron and his sons and then sacrificed for them. Now, here in chapter 9, it was Aaron’s turn. He started with the sin offering for himself, then the Burnt Offering, then the Sin Offering for the people. In all this time, the people outside wait including the 7 days the priest waited outside the Tent of Meeting (8:33). This was the culmination of the week. Aaron first made himself clean and then presented the Burnt Offering. The Burnt Offering was a way for one to present himself to the Lord as a self-sacrifice. Proclaiming service, reverence, commitment to follow his statutes, desire for holiness, and a general admiration of humbleness before God among others things were all included in the contrite heart of the one who performs this offering. This was an offering from the heart. This is why Aaron must be purified by the Sin Offering as a priest before offering the burnt. In contrast, we ourselves can offer ourselves daily to God because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. However, we must daily be reminded of our sinful nature by acknowledging it and asking for forgiveness which he freely gives. It is not enough to know we are forgiven but to make God’s sacrifice active in our life by recognizing and calling it out. After we do this we then offer our Burnt Offering, humbly giving admiration and honor to the King. This is where we offer a contrite heart in reverence of God’s great power. We must commit ourselves and continually rededicate our lives to him with our personal Burnt Offering. As Aaron burned the offering, his sons gave him the offering piece by piece until it was complete. The symbol here is that the Burnt Offering is not a one time thing. Rather than all at once it was bit by bit. In the same way, we offer ourselves bit by bit as we grow in Christ which enables us to offer more each time. Look back at your walk. Has your faith grown? Have you shed more sin? Do you spiritually see more of the Kingdom? Do you desire more of the Kingdom of heaven than you did then? Your Burnt sacrifice has grown. If not, you should examine your heart and ask why. For us, the Burnt Offering is one that is never finished. The Burnt Offering is a self-sacrifice.
After this, Aaron as priest, offered a sacrifice for the sin of the people. I think of the world around me. and those not saved. Do I pray for them? Do I ask God to forgive and bless them? I should. I think of Job offering a sacrifice for his children trying to cover sins that he or they did not even know of. Aaron offered these sin offerings “in addition” (verse 17) to the regular morning offering. Perhaps if I was the priest I might think I could skip the regular sacrifice in light of this important sacrifice. But no, the morning Burnt Offering is still followed. It is important we fight complacency and find new ways to add additional offerings “in addition” to our daily routine. Find a way to help another. Give someone an uplifting call. Yes, “in addition” can stressful but it is a sacrifice. There is something about going beyond your normal giving that stretches you and makes you feel good. I would rather burn the candle at both ends for Christ rather than for the world.
At the end of this extensive ceremony, after all the ordinations and sacrifices, Moses and Aaron went back into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out they blessed the people and at that very moment God showed up and fire consumed all the portions on the alter. The people shouted for joy at the glorious site and the confirmation it contained. All this work and time that went into the week from Moses, to the priests, to the people, and now they know it was worth it. Now, reflect on the fact that the people had been waiting for a week. They were commanded to gather at the entrance and wait. They were never told to go back home. They watched as Moses dressed the priests, as each sacrifice was made, they waited as the priests waited, as Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting. They waited, and waited, and waited. And then, at the end, God shows up. How many times does the Bible tell us to wait upon the Lord? Knock on the door and he will answer. But how long do you knock? David alone was hunted by Saul, Paul was in the desert for 3 years, Abraham waited for a child, Job in agony, Joseph in prison. Many had to wait and wait just as the people did. The key is faith does not give up. If some of the people left to go back to their tent, they may have missed the glory of God. In the same way, Jesus tells us to keep oil in our lamp burning and to stay alert. Paul tells us to pray without ceasing and to also add to our faith perseverance. Ask God to add “in addition” to your daily walk with him. You will be blessed and see the glory of God as you wait on him.
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