Notes on Leviticus 8-10
In our reading today the tabernacle has been set up and it represents God dwelling with the people. There are a couple of ways we can look at this. One would be that our God is with us and treat Him like the genie in the bottle. Sort of like I’m going to tell God my needs and He is going to respond giving me my desires. Another way would be to realize that God is God and He is in charge. He is going to lead me and I must respond. In the first 7 chapters we looked at the sacrifices. Though the nation has the tabernacle, it is through the sacrifices that they will gain access to God but only through the Priesthood. The High Priest ministers in the tabernacle and offers sacrifices and gifts for himself and the people. God gave Moses the plans for the tabernacle which is a model of the true tabernacle in Heaven, the priesthood, and the sacrificial system, so that the people would know that God is God and it is His will that must be done. The sacrificial system alone should make that very clear. Under the law the High Priest could only enter the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle once a year, and only after he had offered a sacrifice for his own sin. Only after atoning for his sin could the High Priest offer a sacrifice to make atonement for the people.
The same is true for us. Our access to God is through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us on the cross. Jesus said in John 14:6 “… I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” NASB (see also Hebrews 8)
Access to God is still through the priesthood and only by sacrifice.
Since Aaron was anointed as priest in Exodus 29 before the tabernacle was built or set up he foreshadows Christ. His sons who come after him represent the disciples and followers of Christ. Two of Aaron’s sons offered strange fire before God and were killed instantly. From Moses’s comments in 10:3 we can conclude that they did not regard God as holy or glorify Him in the eyes of the people. God makes an example of leaders that have gone off on their own. He will do this with Moses as recorded in Numbers 20:10-13 and Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 as well as others.
So access to God is still through the sacrifices and priesthood but the priest must be obedient as well. Philippians 2:8-10 tells us that Jesus was obedient unto death and that God has exalted Him above every name. We read in Hebrews Chapters 6 through 11 that Jesus became our high priest. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sin. When He died on the cross He entered the true tabernacle in Heaven through the torn veil of the one on earth. When He ascended to Heaven He took his seat on the throne with His Father and there intercedes for us with the Father. Therefore, because of His sacrifice, we who are believers in Christ our high priest, and have asked for, and received His sacrifice as atonement for our sin, we can draw near to the throne of grace with confidence that we will receive mercy and grace in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16
Is Jesus your high priest?
There is only one way to the throne of grace. John 14:6
Pastor Dave