Having concluded the laws regarding
the five offerings unto the Lord and the way the priesthood should
offer those offerings in the 8th chapter of Leviticus the
concentration moves from the offerings themselves to the ones
who offer it to the priest the high priest and his sons In Leviticus
chapter 8 and verse 1 we read, And the Lord spake unto Moses,
saying, Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and
the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two
rams, and a basket of unleavened bread. And gather thou all the
congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. And Moses did as the Lord commanded
him. And the assembly was gathered
together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the Lord
commanded to be done. And Moses brought Aaron and his
sons and washed them with water. And he put upon him the coat,
and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe,
and put the ephod upon him. And he girded him with the curious
girdle of the ephod, and bounded unto him therewith. And he put
the breastplate upon him. Also he put in the breastplate
the urim and the fumim. And he put the mitre upon his
head. Also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put
the golden plate, the holy crown, as the Lord commanded Moses.
And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle,
and all that was therein, and sanctified them. And he sprinkled
thereof upon the altar seven times. and anointed the altar,
and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify
them. And he poured of the anointing
oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him to sanctify him. And Moses
brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them
with girdles, and put bonnets upon them, as the Lord commanded
Moses. There's a glorious account of the great High Priest, of
the High Priest Aaron and the way in which he was arrayed and anointed and displayed before
the whole congregation as the one who would mediate for them
as the one who at the door of the tabernacle would take those
offerings and slay them and shed the blood and burn them before
the Lord upon the altar and take the blood of the offering and
go into the holy place and sprinkle that blood on the behalf of the
people. This high priest was their hope. This high priest was the one
who with such offerings could go on behalf of this wicked sinful
people into the presence of Almighty God and make atonement for them. Except a priest make an offering
for them, their sins would slay them and condemn them forever.
And except there be found a priest to make an offering for you and
I, our sins, our iniquity will slay us and condemn us forever. We need an offering to bring
us to peace with the God that we have offended. With the God
that we hate with the natural heart. With the God that we despise
and reject. With the God who from our birth,
from the womb, we have run away from. With that God which this
modern world which science falsely so called despises and rejects
and goes as far as saying he does not exist. Though creation
says to all men, the scientists, the leaders, the ordinary man,
you and I, though creation says to all men
that there is a God though the handiwork of this God is seen
all around us though his handiwork, his almighty power and Godhead
is seen in the stars, the sun, the moon, the way the earth spins
around the sun, the way the earth is set at the perfect distance
from sun to preserve life, the way the sun shines and the rain
falls to bring forth life upon the earth. the way life begets
life the way man and women men and women bring forth children
the way animal kind bring forth children the way each kind brings
forth after its own kind though all the creation shouts out there
is a God yet the heart of man your heart and my heart by nature
says in its heart there is no God and yet this God continues
to speak he speaks through the creation he speaks through his
eternal power and Godhead he speaks from the conscience within
through the conscience within each one of us and he speaks
and shouts to a fallen world that you are guilty. You are at war with me and you
need to be at peace. And those who are given ears
to hear, those who are given hearts to receive his speech,
those who are made to see the state in which they are, come
to see that they need peace that they need an offering to be made
for their sin and that they need a priest to offer it for them. Now we see in this chapter the
priest which God by Moses commanded to be arrayed and anointed and
to act on the behalf of the people of Israel at that time. But Aaron
in all his glory is a picture of that great high priest of
whom we read in the book of Hebrews the Lord Jesus Christ. As Hebrews 8 tells us, now of
the things which we have spoken This is the Son. We have such
an High Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne
of the Majesty in the Heavens, a Minister of the Sanctuary and
of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. For every High Priest is ordained
to offer gifts and sacrifices Wherefore it is of necessity
that this man had somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth
like Aaron, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are
priests that offer gifts according to the law. Because Aaron was
a priest after the order of Levi. But Christ was not born of the
tribe of Levi. Christ was a priest after the
order of Melchizedek. You see on earth there are priests
which offer according to the law as Aaron did who serve unto
the example and shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished
of God when he was about to make the tabernacle. For see, saith
he, that they make all things according to the pattern showed
to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more
excellent ministry. This high priest this priest
have obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he
is the mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better
promises for if that first covenant had been faultless there should
be no place sought for the second for finding fault with them he
saith behold the days come saith the lord when i will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers
in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of
the land of Egypt, because they continued not in my covenant
and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith
the Lord. I will put my laws into their
mind, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them
a God, and they shall be to me a people. And they shall not
teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord, for all shall know me. from the least to the
greatest. For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousnesses and their sins and their iniquities will I remember
no more. In that He sayeth a new covenant
He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth
old is ready to vanish away. But that old covenant that law
and that priest Aaron were given as a picture of the new and as
a picture of this priest the Lord Jesus Christ spoken of in
chapter 4 of Hebrews seeing then that we have a great high priest
that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold
fast our profession For we have not an high priest which cannot
be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all
points tempted like as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore
come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy
and find grace to help in time of need. We have a great high
priest. Such an high priest, the one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. We have an high priest. There
is one who has offered for the sins of his people. There is
one who has made peace with Almighty God. There is one who can take
the hardest heart, the filthiest heart, the most corrupt person,
the greatest of sinners and wash them clean and make them to be
the righteousness of God and bring them by faith to stand
before Almighty God spotless and blameless. O sinner, there
is one who is able to save to the uttermost, who is able to
take corruption such as yours, to take sin and rebellion such
as yours, to take the enmity of a heart like yours and take
it away because he died in the place of sinners such as you
that sinners such as you might live. He was offered up as a
burnt offering burnt upon that altar whose fires never go out. He was offered up as a sacrifice
upon that altar which endured the eternal everlasting wrath
of Almighty God against sins such as yours and sin such as
yours. He was offered as a sin offering
upon that altar to shed his blood, to wash away the sins of those
for whom he died. He was offered as a trespass
offering for the trespasses of his people. He was offered as
a meat offering for the sin within their flesh. He was offered as
a peace offering to bring them to peace with God. This priest, such a high priest,
the great high priest was not only The priest which brought
the offering. But he was also the offering
itself. What a high priest. We see some glimpse of his glory. Some glimpse of his majesty. some glimpse of just who this
priest is in this account in Leviticus 8 where the Lord commands
the priest to be brought forth before the people at the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation and arrayed in his priestly robes
and anointed with oil from whence he goes forth and
offers those offerings before the people who were told to look
and to watch and to behold their mediator mediating for them take Aaron and his sons with
him and the garments and the anointing oil and a bullock for
the sin offering and two rams and a basket of unleavened bread
and gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. Where are you going today? Where
are you going tomorrow? What are your plans for the coming
week? Where are your desires? What
are you looking to achieve? What are you looking to do? Well lay them all to one side
and come. Come to this door of the tabernacle. Come and gaze on upon a high
priest and an offering. which brings guilty sinners like
you to peace with Almighty God. Look, there's no better place for you
to be gathered than with the congregation at the door of the
tabernacle. To behold the one who said, I
am the door, I am the way, I am the truth,
I am the life, I am the bread of heaven. To behold that one,
that great high priest, sacrificed for sinners like you. And Moses did as the Lord commanded
him and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. Come and hear the gospel. Come
and gather where Christ and Him crucified is preached. Come and
behold the Saviour slain. Come and behold the Great High
Priest. And Moses said unto the congregation,
This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done. This is the thing which the Lord
commanded to be done. The Lord commanded that the high
priest should come here this day in the presence of you and
be anointed and adorned in his priestly garments and slay the
sacrifice and offer it before the Lord to wash you from your
sins. And the Lord has commanded that
you be gathered to behold, to hear, to see by faith this Gospel. How often do I hear religious
people say they want to know what the Lord's will is. What
is the Lord's will for me? What would the Lord have me to
do? I want to serve the Lord, I want to walk in His commandments. What is the Lord's instruction?
What would He have me do? Well I will tell you the great instruction
of the Lord for you this day. I will tell you the Lord's will
for you this day. I will tell you what the Lord
commands for you this day. If ye love me keep my commandments
I'll tell you what command the Lord has for you this day. This
is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done. Gather with the congregation
around the door of the tabernacle and behold the high priest offered, offering a sacrifice
for you. Hear and believe the gospel. This is the will of God, that
ye believe on his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. But what should I do today that
you believe on His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ? But what must I
do in my life tomorrow, in this circumstance, believe on His
Son, the Lord Jesus Christ? But when trouble comes my way,
when trouble comes upon me in work, what must I do? Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ. But how will I stand when trouble
comes, when sickness comes, what will I know what to do then?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But it cannot be so simple, yes
it is, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As we saw last week,
When the disciples on that ship, in the tempest and the storm,
thought they'd perish, Christ said unto them, Christ who was
with them in the midst on the ship, right before them, said
unto them, where is your faith? You think you'll save this ship
through doing this and that? when I just need to speak and
the storm is calmed. Whatever your circumstances,
whatever your state, whatever trouble or trial you're in, whatever
you have to do this week, whatever you have to do this year, whatever
decisions you need to make in life. Should I take this job? Should I move to this place?
Should I marry this woman? Should I buy this land? Should
I stand for this? Should I be quiet? Should I speak
up? Should I rebuke this man? Should
I hold my peace? Should I join this meeting? Should
I leave that meeting? Should I go there? Should I go
here? Whatever the question. Where is your faith? Whatever
the question. This is the thing which the Lord
commanded to be done. Believe on His Son, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Look to Him and whatever the
trouble, take it to Him. This is a people with troubles. You are a person with troubles,
your greatest trouble is the sin that separates you from Almighty
God. Your greatest trouble are those
sins which will plunge you into hell if you have not a high priest
who has made an offering on your behalf. Your greatest trouble
is the darkness of your fallen nature. Your greatest trouble
is your sin. Your greatest trouble is your
rebellion. Your greatest trouble is your
disobedience. Your greatest trouble is your
selfish heart. Your greatest trouble is your
sin. And the answer for all your trouble,
your greatest trouble, and those small troubles of your everyday
life, the answer is to behold. this great High Priest anointed
offering for the people at the door of the tabernacle. The entrance place that leads
the people out of this earth into the glory of the presence
of Almighty God in heaven to come. That's the door of the
tabernacle. Here's the meeting place of time
and eternity. Here you stand with a congregation,
as it were, on the brink of death. And what happens, behold, before
them with this great high priest is what decides everything. This is the thing. which the
Lord commanded to be done. What a glorious view we have
of Aaron here. A glorious view. And Moses brought
Aaron and his sons and washed them with water, they were clean.
And he put upon him the coat. and girded him with the girdle
and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod upon him and
he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod and bounded
under him therewith and he put the breastplate upon him also
he put in the breastplate the urim and the fumin and he put
the mitre upon his head also upon the mitre even upon his
forefront did he put the golden plate the holy crown as the Lord
commanded Moses. How this priest was arrayed in
righteousness with glorious robe. How our great high priest Christ
is arrayed. The one man who is without sin. The one man who entered this
world and never spake fought or did one thing wrong the one
man who lived every day for the glory of his father he was arrayed
in righteousness arrayed dressed as it were with gold with a golden
mitre clothed with a rope Holy, holy, holy, holy is the
Lord God Almighty. Hear the Son of God, the Lord
Jesus Christ, the great high priest is set before us in all
his perfection. This is the one who intercedes
for his people. This is the one who is the mediator
between God and man. For we need one who is perfect
if our sins are to be taken away. Now Aaron was a figure and Aaron
was but a man, a sinful man like you and I. And though he was
dressed according to the commandment of the law and though he was
a wonderful figure and picture of the glory of Christ, in reality
Aaron was full of sin himself. which is why in the previous
chapter towards the end of chapter 7 in concluding the laws regarding
the offerings there are these instructions regarding the portions
that Aaron and his sons must have because their own sins needed
to be taken away for they were but a figure but Christ had no
sin to atone for of his own He came
as the perfect substitute of His people. When Christ was once
offered up for many, He was offered up by the Eternal Spirit spotless,
such that God could transfer the sin and the sins of His people
onto Him, and He could judge that sin and sins in His Son. And Christ could truly deliver
us from them. because he had no sin of his
own. No sin. Oh, it's a glorious picture. But it's a picture in which we
must be reminded of what it took for Christ, as this great high
priest, to offer in the place of his people. For as that perfect
Son of God that dwelt with the Father in glory, for Him to offer
an offering, He must come before the people. He must come to the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation. He must come to
where that wicked, corrupt people are. And Christ came. He was humiliated. He came unto his own and his
own received him not. He came unto you and you received
him not. He came with his gospel and spake
glad tidings unto you and you shut your ears. He spake in this
world and said I am the truth and the world said he's a liar.
He spake unto this world the truth that He is the Son of God,
and the world said, crucify Him. The world put Him to death. And
in so doing, the offering was offered up. Because they could
not put Him to death, except He ordained and purposed it from
eternity. and because he would lay down
his life he came unto those who hated him and he put himself
in the hands of the authorities and at the appointed hour he
allowed them to take him and to lead him and to judge him
and to crucify him and to slay him in the place of sinners. And when they thought they'd
silenced this troubler in Israel, when they thought they'd silenced
this man who undermined the authority of the scribes and the Pharisees
and their priesthood, when they thought they'd got rid of this
challenger, this one who claimed to be the king, when they thought
they'd put him to death, In reality, he conquered everything which
stood in his people's way. In reality, he was glorified
in a way that no man was ever glorified. In reality, he brought
about a great victory. At what depths he went to, to
deliver his people. We read something of this in
John's Gospel. When Christ, our great high priest,
is brought before the people. Our great high priest. John chapter 18, When Jesus had
spoken his words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook
Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered and his
disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed
him, knew the place, for Jesus often times resorted thither
with his disciples. Judas then, having received a
band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees,
cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus
therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went
forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus
of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also which betrayed
him stood with them, As soon then as he had said unto them,
I am he, they went backward and fell to the ground. Then asked
he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he. If therefore ye
seek me, let these go their way. That the saying might be fulfilled
which he spake of them which thou gavest me, have I lost none. Then Simon Peter, having a sword,
drew it and smote the high priest's servant and cut off his right
ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put
up thy sword into the sheaf. The cup which my father hath
given me, shall I not drink it? Then the band and the captain
and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound him and led him
away to Annas first for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas which
was the high priest that same year. Now Caiaphas was he which
gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man
should die for the people. And Simon Peter followed Jesus
and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto
the high priest. and went in with Jesus into the
palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without.
Then went out that other disciple which was known unto the high
priest and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in
Peter. Then saith the damsel that kept
the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. and the servants
and officers stood there who had made a fire of coals for
it was cold and they warmed themselves and Peter stood with them and
warmed himself The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples
and of his doctrine Jesus answered him I speak openly to the world
I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple wherever the
Jews always resort, and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest
thou me? Ask them which heard me, what
I have said unto them. Behold, they know what I have
said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood
by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest
thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have
spoken evil, bear witness of the evil. But if well, why smitest
thou me? Now Annas had sent him bound
under Caiaphas the high priest. And Simon Peter stood and warmed
himself. They said therefore unto him,
Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it and said,
I am not. One of the servants of the high
priest, being his kinsman, whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did
not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied again,
and immediately the cock crew. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas
under the hall of judgment, and it was early. And they themselves
went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled,
but that they might eat the Passover. Pilate then went unto them and
said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered
and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not
have delivered him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take
ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore
said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death,
that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spake,
signifying what death he should die. And Pilate entered into
the judgment hall again, and called Jesus and said unto him,
Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou
this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate
answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief
priests have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done? Jesus
answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were
of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should
not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from
hence. Pilate therefore said unto him,
Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest thou
I am a king. To this end was I born, and for
this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto
the truth. Every one that is of the truth,
heareth my voice. I let sayeth unto him what is
truth. And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews,
and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. But ye all have a custom that
I should release unto you one at the Passover. Will ye therefore
that I release unto you the king of the Jews? Then cried they
all again saying, not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was
a robber. And they cried out later on,
crucify him, crucify him. This is a tremendous chapter
which shows us this great high priest, the Lord Jesus, the high
priest, brought into the hands of the chief priests of Israel,
brought into the hands of Caiaphas, the high priest, who hated him. Here's the high priest of which
their position was but a figure, and they rejected him. By their
law they sought to condemn him. and yet here he is the fulfilment
of the law the fulfilment of the figure of the high priest
seen in Aaron the one of whom they were but a picture they
stood in judgement over him and cried out crucify him and here
at the door of that place in which Caiaphas,
the high priest, was. Peter stood outside. Peter was
there because he longed to be near his Lord. But he feared. As he feared on that ship when
the storm and the tempest came, as he feared of destruction,
here he was again in another storm. when another tempest was
raging when again he fears that he may perish he fears and here's
the great high priest here's his savior in the midst about to bring forth his deliverance about to bring forth his deliverance Christ the High Priest is as
it were sent forth from this earthly High Priest to a place
of judgment to be slain, to be crucified and his blood is on
their hands. Oh that High Priest Caiaphas,
he made an offering that day a lamb was brought before him
and he said of that lamb slay it and he knew not what he was
doing but in delivering this lamb of God into the hands of
the Romans and having him slain he slew the greatest sacrifice
that was ever slain without knowing what he did Caiaphas the high
priest that day offered up the one offering for sin. But though that happened historically,
in reality, it was Christ, the high priest, who took himself
to the place of execution and offered himself. Oh, how men
perform the will of God, without even knowing it. Who is God? Who is sovereign? Who commands
and it is done? Who rules? They made their decisions
and the will of God was done and the will of man was thwarted.
You may make your decisions But if God determines to save your
soul, then you will be brought to the door of the congregation. As Peter stood by that door,
out of which the damsel came, who kept the door, and said unto
him at that door, she said, Art thou one of this man's disciples? And Peter at that moment said,
I am not. Well if God brings you to the
door and sets before you a high priest and an offering for sin,
what will you answer to that question? Are you his disciple
or are you not? Was he slain for you or was he
not? Is he your great high priest
or is he not? As Peter later said to these
Jews after the event when God stirred him up and gave him that
grace and that faith to stand before this people whom he had
seen slay his Saviour, he said unto them, Ye men of Israel,
hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you
by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did buy him in the
midst of you. As ye yourselves also know, him
being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain,
whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death. because
it was not possible that he should be holding of it. Oh have you
with the wicked hands of your rebellious heart taken Christ
and slain him? Well if you have, and I tell
you, you have. then may God, by his gospel,
speak unto you this day, as Peter spoke unto these that day. And point you to Jesus of Nazareth,
the great high priest, who at the door of the tabernacle was
anointed with oil, God's anointed saviour, was adorned in the robes
of the priest, and offered himself as a sacrifice for sin. Offered. Offered. The Jews desired to
keep the law that God commanded by Moses unto Aaron and in their
desire they slew the Son of Righteousness which stood in their midst. Have
you seen him? Have you seen him in his death?
Have you seen him risen again, the other side of the grave,
glorified? Can you see him as John saw him
on Patmos, as it were in heaven's glory? Arrayed and righteous
and glorious, shining, shining light, having offered that one
sacrifice for sin. The Lord commanded, that Aaron
be arrayed and anointed. But he also commanded that Aaron's
sons be arrayed. And every one for whom Christ
died, for whom he shed his blood, is his son, and is anointed with
him, and arrayed with him, and made to be a priest with him,
and made to sit with him in heavenly places. because he's entered
in on their behalf. Which is why the writer to the
Hebrews can say when speaking of this great high priest, let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may
obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let us come boldly to the throne
of grace Let us behold this Saviour, glorified in the midst. O hear the Gospel, and believe
on the Son of God. For this is the thing which the
Lord commanded to be done. Amen.