“Moses said to Aaron, “Come to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and the people; sacrifice the offering that is for the people and make atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.”

Leviticus 9:7

With the consecration of Aaron and his sons, Moses now had a team to share with him the burden of the spiritual leadership of the nation. Notice what Aaron was told to do in verse 7. This was the first of many occasions in the course of his ministry when he would make atonement first for himself and then for the people. It starts with the sin offering to obtain cleansing and forgiveness before approaching God’s holy presence. Then, there is the whole burnt offering to signify total dedication to God and to him alone. The peace offering followed, being the rite signifying their fellowship and communion with God. They got it all right; and God put his unmistakable stamp of approval on the blessing pronounced on his people (vv. 23, 24).

We too are called to be priests of the most high and holy God. Our own calling is in a new dispensation which post-dates the Law, since all the demands of the Law have been fulfilled on our behalf by Jesus Christ. This qualifies us to enter into the holy presence of God and commune with him as with a friend and to announce the good news of his peace to a troubled world. What a calling!

CLOSING PRAYER

Father, forgive me for those times when I allow distractions to take away from my encountering you in worship, in prayer, and even in service. Tune my mind and heart to you; make me aware of your presence in all that I do as I seek to serve you in the world around me.

(Edited from Encounter with God)