Page 71 - Pentateuch - Student Textbook

Perhaps he has borrowed an item from a neighbor. Months go by and the neighbor asks for the item.
The borrower has forgotten and swears that he doesn’t have it. A few days later he finds the item
tucked away in a corner of his shop. Now he must return it plus interest. Only then can he offer another
animal before God at the tabernacle. How long would an average person take to run through his supply
of animals and be reduced to trapping birds?

This issue of quantity deserves some thought. A young bull might weigh 1000 pounds. How long would it
take to burn such a large amount of meat. At this time the people number about 2.5 million. How many
whole burnt offerings might they need to burn in a day, a year? Could one altar actually be enough?
Some offerings included a large portion for the priest who is instructed to eat it in the courtyard (6:26).
He could not take it home and share it with his family. Some commentators feel the difficulty of
quantities. One priest could not eat it all. They suggest he shared it with other priests. Yet how many
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of these sacrifices might be offered in a day, making all the priests stuffed with steak and hamburger?

MoIn these ways the people of Israel were being taught to
anticipate a greater sacrifice and to put their faith in the
promises of YHWH. “The gifts and sacrifices being offered were
not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper (Heb. 9:9).”
They knew very well that “the law requires that nearly
everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding
of blood there is no forgiveness (9:22).” Yet by experience they
observed “the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after
year (10:1).” They could only anticipate a time when their
“guilty consciences” would be cleansed (10:22).

Moses does not allow us to miss the point of the priestly Fig. 47: Dankoli voodoo sacrifice, Benin, 2014
system. Priests are the connection between the people and
God. Their ordination is carried out “at the entrance to the tent of meeting” (8:3, 4, 33, 35; 9:5). The
actions of ordination are done consciously “before the Lord” (8:21, 26, 27, 28, 29; 9:2, 4, 5). The ultimate
goal is the presence of God, “For today the LORD will appear to you” (9:4, 6, cf. 23-24). God intends to
come closer.

The instructions for the priests underscore the carefulness needed to approach God.
YHWH, after all, is special. He is teaching Israel how to approach the unique God. The
priests must be washed and dressed with the prescribed clothing (8:5-9). They and
the items in the tabernacle are sprinkled with oil (8:10-13). A bull is presented as a
sin offering. Aaron and his sons lay their hands on its head. Its blood is put on the
horns of the altar, and the rest of the parts are burned appropriately (8:14-17). Two
rams are also sacrificed. The first is burned on the altar. The blood of the second is
placed on Aaron’s and his sons’ right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big
toe of the right foot, with the rest splashed against the altar (8:22-25). The ceremony
continues with wave offerings, an ordination meal at the entrance of the tent, and
other items (8:26-35). All this is to make atonement for the priests (v. 15, 34).
Entering the tabernacle before the completion of the ordination would bring death
Fig. 48: OT priest (v. 35).

78 Ibid., 169, n. 1.

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