Leviticus 9

1 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel,

2 and Moses said to Aaron, Take to thyself a young calf of the herd for a sin-offering, and a ram for a whole-burnt-offering, unblemished, and offer them before the Lord.

3 And speak to the elders of Israel, saying, Take one kid of the goats for a sin-offering, and a young calf, and a lamb of a year old for a whole-burnt-offering, spotless,

4 and a calf and a ram for a peace offering before the Lord, and fine flour mingled with oil, for to-day the Lord will appear among you.

5 And they took as Moses commanded them before the tabernacle of witness, and all the congregation drew nigh, and they stood before the Lord.

6 And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord has spoken; do , and the glory of the Lord shall appear among you.

7 And Moses said to Aaron, Draw nigh to the altar, and offer thy sin-offering, and thy whole-burnt-offering, and make atonement for thyself, and for thy house; and offer the gifts of the people, and make atonement for them, as the Lord commanded Moses.

8 And Aaron drew nigh to the altar, and slew the calf of his sin-offering.

9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger into the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and he poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar.

10 And he offered up on the altar the fat and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver of the sin-offering, according as the Lord commanded Moses.

11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire outside of the camp.

12 And he slew the whole-burnt-offering; and the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he poured it on the altar round about.

13 And they brought the whole-burnt-offering, according to its pieces; them and the head he put upon the altar.

14 And he washed the belly and the feet with water, and he put them on the whole-burnt-offering on the altar.

15 And he brought the gift of the people, and took the goat of the sin-offering of the people, and slew it, and purified it as also the first.

16 And he brought the whole-burnt-offering, and offered it in due form.

17 And he brought the sacrifice and filled his hands with it, and laid it on the altar, besides the morning whole-burnt-offering.

18 And he slew the calf, and the ram of the sacrifice of peace-offering of the people; and the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he poured it out on the altar round about.

19 And the fat of the calf, and the hind quarters of the ram, and the fat covering the belly, and the two kidneys, and the fat upon them, and the caul on the liver.

20 And he put the fat on the breasts, and offered the fat on the altar.

21 And Aaron separated the breast and the right shoulder as a choice-offering before the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

22 And Aaron lifted up his hands on the people and blessed them; and after he had offered the sin-offering, and the whole-burnt-offerings, and the peace-offerings, he came down.

23 And Moses and Aaron entered into the tabernacle of witness. And they came out and blessed all the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.

24 And fire came forth from the Lord, and devoured the offerings on the altar, both the whole-burnt-offerings and the fat; and all the people saw, and were amazed, and fell upon their faces.

Leviticus 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The first offerings of Aaron for himself and the people. (1-21) Moses and Aaron bless the people, Fire cometh upon the altar from the Lord. (22-24)

Verses 1-21 These many sacrifices, which were all done away by the death of Christ, teach us that our best services need washing in his blood, and that the guilt of our best sacrifices needs to be done away by one more pure and more noble than they. Let us be thankful that we have such a High Priest. The priests had not a day's respite from service allowed. God's spiritual priests have constant work, which the duty of every day requires; they that would give up their account with joy, must redeem time. The glory of God appeared in the sight of the people, and owned what they had done. We are not now to expect such appearances, but God draws nigh to those who draw nigh to him, and the offerings of faith are acceptable to him; though the sacrifices being spiritual, the tokens of the acceptance are spiritual likewise. When Aaron had done all that was to be done about the sacrifices, he lifted up his hands towards the people, and blessed them. Aaron could but crave a blessing, God alone can command it.

Verses 22-24 When the solemnity was finished, and the blessing pronounced, God testified his acceptance. There came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed the sacrifice. This fire might justly have fastened upon the people, and have consumed them for their sins; but its consuming the sacrifice signified God's acceptance of it, as an atonement for the sinner. This also was a figure of good things to come. The Spirit descended upon the apostles in fire. And the descent of this holy fire into our souls, to kindle in them pious and devout affections toward God, and such a holy zeal as burns up the flesh and the lusts of it, is a certain token of God's gracious acceptance of our persons and performances. Nothing goes to God, but what comes from him. We must have grace, that holy fire, from the God of grace, else we cannot serve him acceptably, ( Hebrews 12:28 ) . The people were affected with this discovery of God's glory and grace. They received it with the highest joy; triumphing in the assurance given them that they had God nigh unto them. And with the lowest reverence; humbly adoring the majesty of that God, who vouchsafed thus to manifest himself to them. That is a sinful fear of God, which drives us from him; a gracious fear makes us bow before him.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 9

Aaron and his sons, being consecrated to and invested with the priest's office, are called upon to the exercise of it, to offer a sin offering and a burnt offering for themselves, and all sorts of offerings, a sin offering, a burnt offering, peace offerings, and a meat offering, for the people; and a promise is made for their encouragement, that the glory of the Lord would appear to them, Le 9:1-7 and which were in their course accordingly offered; first, Aaron's sin offering for himself, Le 9:8-11 then his burnt offering, Le 9:12-14 after that the several offerings of the people before mentioned, Le 9:15-21 when Aaron and Moses blessed the people, the one as soon as he had done offering, and both together when they came out of the tabernacle, Le 9:22,23 upon which a fire came forth from the Lord, and consumed the burnt offering upon the altar, Le 9:24.