(Lev 9:1 NASB) Now it came about on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel;
Lev 9:1: The eighth day is a reference to the eighth day that Aaron and his sons were consecrated as priests. It is not a reference to the eighth day of the month.
Seven days of cleansing is a typical time period and was commanded at the end of the previous chapter (Lev. 8:33-36).
In the previous chapter, we saw that the consecration of the High Priest was very similar to many events that occurred near the end of the life of Yeshua. He was being set-apart for very special work for His Father. He was consecrated for the priesthood, then the offering takes place just as we see in this chapter in Leviticus. Yeshua apparently became His own offering for His own ordination into the Priesthood of Melchizedek.
(Lev 9:2 NASB) and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a calf, a bull, for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without defect, and offer them before the LORD.
Lev 9:2: It is not until after the seven days of ordination that the altar may be used for sacrificial offerings on behalf of Israel.
(Lev 9:3 NASB) “Then to the sons of Israel you shall speak, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both one year old, without defect, for a burnt offering,
(Lev 9:4 NASB) and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today the LORD shall appear to you.'”
Lev 9:4: The purpose of the sin offering, the burnt offering, the peace offering, and the grain offering is that Elohim is going to appear to them. They are to prepare themselves physically and spiritually for this event.
(Lev 9:5 NASB) So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before the LORD.
(Lev 9:6 NASB) And Moses said, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.”
(Lev 9:7 NASB) Moses then said to Aaron, “Come near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, that you may make atonement for yourself and for the people; then make the offering for the people, that you may make atonement for them, just as the LORD has commanded.”
Lev 9:7: This was the first time Moses handed the conducting of the ritual over to Aaron. He was to make the offerings for the atonement of his sins and for the sins of the people.
(Lev 9:8 NASB) So Aaron came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself.
(Lev 9:9 NASB) And Aaron’s sons presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put some on the horns of the altar, and poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
(Lev 9:10 NASB) The fat and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver of the sin offering, he then offered up in smoke on the altar just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(Lev 9:11 NASB) The flesh and the skin, however, he burned with fire outside the camp.
Lev 9:11: Aaron first made this sin offering for himself. All the commands are properly followed.
(Lev 9:12 NASB) Then he slaughtered the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar.
(Lev 9:13 NASB) And they handed the burnt offering to him in pieces with the head, and he offered them up in smoke on the altar.
(Lev 9:14 NASB) He also washed the entrails and the legs, and offered them up in smoke with the burnt offering on the altar.
Lev 9:14: The burnt offering was also administered according to the commands of Elohim.
(Lev 9:15 NASB) Then he presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and slaughtered it and offered it for sin, like the first.
(Lev 9:16 NASB) He also presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance.
(Lev 9:17 NASB) Next he presented the grain offering, and filled his hand with some of it and offered it up in smoke on the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning.
Lev 9:17: He then presented the sin offering, the grain offering, and the morning’s burnt offering for the people.
(Lev 9:18 NASB) Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings which was for the people; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar.
(Lev 9:19 NASB) As for the portions of fat from the ox and from the ram, the fat tail, and the fat covering, and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver,
(Lev 9:20 NASB) they now placed the portions of fat on the breasts; and he offered them up in smoke on the altar.
Lev 9:20: Everything was done according to the commands of Elohim.
(Lev 9:21 NASB) But the breasts and the right thigh Aaron presented as a wave offering before the LORD, just as Moses had commanded.
(Lev 9:22 NASB) Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings.
Lev 9:22: Aaron presented the breasts and right thigh as a wave offering signifying Elohim as Elohim over all the earth.
(Lev 9:23 NASB) And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.
(Lev 9:24 NASB) Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
Lev 9:24: Elohim presented Himself in a mighty way to the people. There were some two million people or more and they were astonished at what they saw. They all shouted and fell on their faces.
This is probably similar to what happened when Elijah went against the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:36-40). Elijah killed the false prophets in accordance with the Torah (Deut. 13:6-9).
This fire coming down from heaven signifies that Elohim accepts this sacrifice and service of Aaron and his sons.
Patrick McGuire
Copyright 2014 Patrick McGuire and Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly All rights reserved, no portion of this Lesson may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews. Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly Fort Smith, Arkansas