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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And, this, is the thing which thou shalt do to them, to hallow them, that they may minister as priests unto me,–Take one young bullock, and two rams, without defect; |
One young bullock – All that happened to the bullock represented what was to be done to Jesus and to his Body, the Church, as human beings. T41
And two rams – The ram for the burnt-offering to show how God receives our sacrifice, and the ram of consecration to show what effect the sacrifice will have upon us. T45
Without blemish – Had our Lord not been absolutely free from sin he never could have redeemed us. R1186:6
The sacrifice which we are privileged to make is of things to which we have a right through Christ, which in themselves are lawful and right. R1187:1
The sacrifice of all our rights implies the sacrifice of life itself as human beings. R1187:4
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| 2 and bread unleavened, and cakes unleavened with oil poured over, and wafers unleavened, anointed with oil,–of fine wheaten meal, shalt thou make them; |
And unleavened bread – Representing the actual purity of Jesus and the imputed purity of the Church-justification. T46
Tempered with oil – Representing the indwelling spirit of God-- sanctification. T46
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| 3 and thou shalt place them in one basket, and bring them near in the basket,–and the bullock, and the two rams. |
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| 4 And, Aaron and his sons, shalt thou bring near, unto the opening of the tent of meeting,–and shalt bathe them in water. |
Aaron and his sons – Representing the new spiritual nature of The Christ. T41
Bring unto the door – Symbol of the death of the human will. T21
Wash them with water – To represent the purity of Jesus, who knew no sin, and his Church, cleansed through his precious blood and "the washing of water by the word." (Eph. 5:26) T29
The consecration of the priests began at the laver. R117:1
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| 5 And thou shalt take the garments, and clothe Aaron–with the tunic, and with the robe of the ephod, and with the ephod, and with the breastpiece,–and shalt gird him, with the curious band of the ephod; |
The coat – Representing Christ's purity, while its embroidery showed works of grace. T29
Robe of the ephod – Representing Christ's faithfulness. T30
And the ephod – Type of the Abrahamic covenant (front part) and the New covenant (back part). T30
And the breastplate – Type of the Law. T34
With the curious girdle – Representing a servant. "The Messenger (servant) of the covenant whom ye delight in." (Mal. 3:1) T33
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| 6 and shalt put the turban upon his head,–and place the holy crown upon the turban. |
Put the holy crown – Representing the power to rule. B83
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| 7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour upon his head,–so shalt thou anoint him. |
The anointing oil – Typifying the holy Spirit. T29, T37, T116; D650; R5654:5
And anoint him – Only the High Priest was anointed. As with the under-priests, the antitypical priests are merely partakers of the spirit of Christ, and only those who are in Christ Jesus partake of his anointing. T37
The High Priest was anointed with oil, which constituted the divine evidence of his call to the priestly office. SM598:2
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| 8 His sons also, shalt thou bring near,–and clothe them with tunics; |
Bring his sons – Sons only. Similarly, only the males were chosen to be the special public servants and ambassadors of the Gospel. F265
Put coats upon them - Linen garments, representing the righteousness of Jesus imputed to us. F36
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| 9 and thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and twist round for them caps, so shall they have priesthood, by a statute age-abiding,–so shalt thou install, Aaron and his sons. |
With girdles – Representing us as servants of righteousness. T36
Bonnets on them – To indicate that they were not the head, but merely members of the body. God gave Jesus "to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body." (Eph. 1:22, 23) T36
In covering their heads the under-priests said, we are headless, the High Priest is our head. The spiritual Royal Priesthood must all be headless also. R2845:4
For a perpetual statute – Or, age-lasting. Aaron's family lost the priesthood 1800 years ago. HG582:3*
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| 10 And thou shalt bring near the bullock, before the tent of meeting,–and Aaron and his sons shall lean their hands upon the head of the bullock; |
Cause a bullock – No goat, because it was not "for the people." (Lev. 16:15) R4384:6
Tabernacle of the congregation - More properly, the tent of meeting. So called, not because the Israelites met here as a congregation, but because it was here that God met with the children of Israel and communicated with them. R4029:6
Put their hands – Thus saying, this sacrifice represents us. T41; R73:1
Upon the head of the bullock – In the consecration of the priests a bullock only is shown as the sin offering (no goat, because it was not "for the people"). R4384:6
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| 11 then shalt thou slay the bullock before Yahweh,–at the opening of the tent of meeting: |
And thou – Moses, representing the Law. T41
Kill the bullock – To meet the demands of the Law. T41
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| 12 and thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and place upon the horns of the altar, with thy finger,–and, all the remaining blood, shalt thou pour out at the foundation of the altar; |
Take of the blood – Representing the life given. T42
Upon the horns – Horns are symbols of power. T42
Of the altar – The "finger of the Lord" thus pointed out that the altar of earthly sacrifices was acceptable to God by reason of the shed blood, and that all who realize the power of the altar must first recognize the blood which sanctifies it. T42; R73:1
Bottom of the altar – The blood poured at the base of the altar showed that through the blood of the sacrifice even the earth was purchased back from the curse. T42
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| 13 and thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inner part, and the caul upon the liver, and the two kidneys, with the fat which is upon them, and burn as incense on the altar: |
Take all the fat – Symbol of loving zeal. T57
And burn them – Representing the steady, continuous submission to the fiery ordeal of suffering. T71
Upon the altar – Showing that God accepts the heart devotion which prompts the sacrifice. T42
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| 14 but, the flesh of the bullock, and its skin, and its dung, shalt thou burn up with fire, outside the camp,–a sin-bearer, it is. |
And his dung – The world dis-esteems the sacrifices of the saints as the consuming of "the filth and offscouring of the earth." (1 Cor. 4:13) "They shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." (Matt. 5:11) T62
Burn with fire – Representing the destruction to which the world was doomed, and from which it will ultimately be delivered by the sacrifice of The Christ. T42
Representing the gradual destruction of the flesh. R4385:1
Jesus' flesh suffered the destruction which otherwise would have come upon all men. R73:2
Without the camp – Thus the humanity of the Royal Priesthood is destroyed as a vile thing in the eyes of the world. T42, T62
"Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach." (Heb. 13:13) T62
Outside the camp signifies ostracism, rejection of men, dishonor. R4385:1
As living next door to a worldly neighbor and bearing the reproach of those, living as a consecrated priest of the Lord. Q688:T
We are in harmony with this burning outside the camp. The New Creature says, "Let the flesh burn." We suffer in this burning, but do so willingly. CR487:1
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| 15 One ram also, shalt thou take,–and Aaron and his sons shall lean their hands, upon the head of the ram; |
Also take one ram – The first ram, showing how God receives our sacrifice. T45
Aaron and his sons – Representing the new spiritual nature of The Christ. T41
Put their hands – Thus indicating that it represented them. T42
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| 16 then shalt thou slay the ram,–and take its blood, and dash upon the altar, round about; |
And thou – Moses, representing the Law. T41
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| 17 but, the ram itself, shalt thou cut up into its pieces,–and shalt bathe its inner part, and its legs, and lay upon its pieces, and upon its head; |
Wash the inwards – Representing the washing of water through the word. (Eph 5:26) T45
Unto his pieces – Representing the members of Christ's Body. T45; SM559:2
The pieces, laid in order to the head, represent the relationship of the members of the Body with the Lord, the Head of the Body. R4384:6
And unto his head – Representing the Lord Jesus, who was laid on the altar first. T45
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| 18 and shalt burn the whole ram as incense on the altar, an ascending-sacrifice, it is to Yahweh,–a satisfying odour, an altar-flame to Yahweh, it is. |
Burn the whole ram – Representing steady submission to fiery trials. T71
A burnt offering – Representing the Lord and the Church in their united, and yet divided, relationship. R4384:6
Is a sweet savour – Showing how God accepts the sacrifice. T45; R73:2
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| 19 Then shalt thou take the second ram,–and Aaron and his sons shall lean their hands, upon the head of the ram; |
Take the other ram – To show the effect the sacrifice has on us. T45
Aaron and his sons – Representing the new spiritual nature of The Christ. T41
Put their hands – Thus indicating that it represented them. T42
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| 20 then shalt thou slay the ram, and take of its blood, and place upon the tip of the ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the ear of his sons–the right ear, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot,–and shalt dash the blood upon the altar, round about. |
Then shalt thou – Moses, representing the Law. T41
Take of his blood – Representing the consecrated life. T45
Of the right ear – Representing that by consecration we get the "hearing of faith." (Gal. 3:2) T45
Of his sons – Showing that our consecration is individual. T45
Their right hand – Our hands are consecrated, so that what so ever our hands find to do we do it with our might, as unto the Lord. T45
Their right foot – Our feet are consecrated, so that henceforth we "walk not as other Gentiles," (Eph 4:17) but "walk in newness of life," (Rom. 6:4) "walk by faith," (2 Cor. 5:7) "Walk in the spirit," (Gal. 5:16) "walk in the light," (1John 1:7) and even "as we received Christ, so walk in him." (Col. 2:6) T45
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| 21 Then shalt thou take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons, with him,–so shall he be hallowed–he, and his garments, and his sons, and the garments of his sons, with him. |
Take of the blood – Teaching that our consecration is accepted only because we are justified by the precious blood of our Redeemer. T46; F131
And of the anointing oil – "There are three that bear record: the spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree in one." (1 John 5:8). R73:5
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| 22 Then shalt thou take from the ram–the fat and the fat-tail, and the fat that covereth the inner part, and the caul of the liver and the two kidneys, with the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder,–for, a ram of installation, it is,– |
The fat – Symbol of loving zeal. T57
The more love (fat) there is connected with our consecration, the more quickly will it be accepted by him as entire consecration. R73:4
The two kidneys – Representing our heart sentiments, our best powers. T45
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| 23 and one round-cake of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer,–out of the basket of unleavened cakes, which is before Yahweh; |
One loaf of bread – Unleavened, representing the actual purity of Jesus and the imputed purity of the Church--justification. T46
First, we acknowledge the purity of the man Christ Jesus. R73:4
Cake of oiled bread – Representing the indwelling spirit of God-- sanctification. T46
Showing Jesus as our High Priest "filled with the spirit." R73:4
One wafer – Showing our appreciation of him as our glorified Lord. R73:4
The basket – Representative of all their bread. R73:4
Of the unleavened bread – Purity. R73:4
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| 24 and shalt lay the whole, upon the hands of Aaron, and upon the hands of his sons,–then shalt thou wave them to and fro, as a wave-offering, before Yahweh; |
Put all -The acknowledgments of Christ, shown by the three cakes, are necessary to the acceptance of our consecration. R73:4
For a wave offering – Passed to and fro before the Lord. T45
Representing that a consecrated offering is not given to the Lord for a limited time, but never ceases until we have finished our course. T45
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| 25 and shalt take them from their hand, and burn them as incense on the altar, upon the ascending-sacrifice,–as a satisfying odour, before Yahweh, an altar-flame, it is to Yahweh. |
Of their hands – They did not lay them down, and so we may not cease to offer all our powers in God's service until all are consumed. T46
Burn them – God's acceptance is shown by fire. R73:4
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| 26 Then shalt thou take the breast from the ram of installation, which is for Aaron, and shalt wave it as a wave-offering, before Yahweh,–so shall it be thy share. |
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| 27 And thou shalt hallow the breast of the wave-offering, and the shoulder of the heave-offering, which is waved to and fro, and which is heaved up,–from the ram of installation, from that which is for Aaron, and from that which is for his sons; |
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| 28 so shall it belong to Aaron and to his sons, for an age-abiding statute, from the sons of Israel, for, a heave-offering, it is,–and, a heave-offering, shall it remain, from the sons of Israel, out of their peace-offerings, their heave-offering to Yahweh. |
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| 29 And, the holy garments which belong to Aaron, shall belong to his sons, after him,-to be anointed therein, and to be installed therein. |
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| 30 Seven days, shall they be put on by him, from among his sons who is priest in his stead,–by him who goeth into the tent of meeting, to minister in the holy place. |
Seven days – Showing that we are consecrated to God's service for all of our time. T47
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| 31 And, the ram of installation, shalt thou take,–and shalt boil its flesh, in a holy place; |
Seethe his flesh – It was no part of the sacrifice, merely the preparing of the portion which was to be eaten. T47
In the holy place – When "place" is not in italics, the Court is always meant. T13; R237:3*, R178:2*
Representing our more earthly phase of life. R237:3*
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| 32 and Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket,–at the opening of the tent of meeting: |
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| 33 thus shall they eat those things wherewith a propitiatory-covering hath been made, to install them, to hallow them,–but, a stranger, shall not eat, for, holy, they are. |
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| 34 And, if there be left over of the flesh of installation, or of the bread, until the morning, then shalt thou burn up what is left over, in the fire, it shall not be eaten, for, holy, it is. |
Burn the remainder – Showing that we are to be completely and entirely consecrated, and none of our time and power should be wasted. T47; R73:5
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| 35 So then thou shalt do for Aaron and for his sons, in this manner, according to all which I have commanded, thee,–seven days, shalt thou install them. |
Seven days – Showing that we are consecrated, not part of our time, but all of it; seven being the number of completion. R73:6
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| 36 And, a sin-bearing bullock, shalt thou offer daily, for them who are to be covered by propitiation, and shalt make a sin-cleansing for the altar, when thou puttest a propitiatory-covering thereon,–and shalt anoint it, to hallow it. |
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| 37 Seven days, shalt thou put a propitiatory-covering over the altar, and so shalt hallow it,–thus shall the altar become most holy; whosoever toucheth the altar, must be holy. |
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| 38 This, moreover, is what thou shalt offer upon the altar, two lambs of a year old, day by day, continually: |
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| 39 The one, lamb, shalt thou offer in the morning,–and, the second, lamb, shalt thou offer between the evenings; |
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| 40 and a tenth part of fine meal mingled with a fourth part of the hin of beaten oil, and, as a drink-offering, a fourth part of the hin of wine,–with the one, lamb. |
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| 41 And, the second lamb, shalt thou offer between the evenings,–according to the meal-offering of the morning, and according to the drink-offering thereof, shalt thou offer with it, for a satisfying odour, an altar-flame, to Yahweh: |
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| 42 a continual ascending-sacrifice, to your generations, at the opening of the tent of meeting, before Yahweh,–where will meet with you, to speak unto thee, there.
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| 43 So will I meet there, with the sons of Israel,–and it shall be hallowed by my glory. |
There I will meet – The Church is now a habitation of God, filled with a large measure of his glory. R1982:2
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| 44 Thus will I hallow the tent of meeting, and the altar,–and, Aaron and his sons, will I hallow, to minister as priests unto me. |
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| 45 Thus will I make my habitation in the midst of the sons of Israel,–and will be their God; |
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| 46 and they shall know that, I–Yahweh, am their God, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I might make my habitation in their midst, I–Yahweh, their God. |
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