ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Sapate Me 16, 2021

the eighth day, the day of new beginnings

‘aho hono valu, ko e ‘aho ‘o e kamata fo‘ou

Levitiko 9 (Leviticus 9)

(v. 1-4) 1 On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel, 2and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. 3And say to the people of Israel, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering, 4and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord, and a grain offering mixed with oil, for today the Lord will appear to you.’”

(v. 1-4) 1 PEA ‘i he pō ko hono ‘aho valu, na‘e ui ange ‘e Mōsese ‘a ‘Ēlone mo hono ngaahi foha, pea mo e kau Mātu‘a ‘o ha‘a ‘Isileli; 2 pea ne pehē kia ‘Ēlone, To‘o mai ha‘o ki‘i pulu tangata ki ha feilaulau-angahala, pea mo ha sipi tangata ki ha feilaulau-mōifua, ko e manu ta‘eha mele, pea ‘omi ki he ‘ao ‘o Sihova. 3 Pea te ke lea ki ha‘a ‘Isileli, ‘o pehē, Mou to‘o ha kosi tangata ki ha feilaulau-angahala; pea mo ha ki‘i pulu mo ha lami ki ha feilaulau-mōifua, ko e ongo manu ‘oku ta‘u taha pē, pea ta‘eha mele; 4 pea mo ha pulu mo ha sipi tangata ki ha feilaulau-‘ofa ke feilaulau ‘aki ‘i he ‘ao ‘o Sihova; pea mo ha feilaulau-me‘akai kuo natu ‘aki ha lolo: he ko e ‘aho eni ia ‘o e hā ‘a Sihova kiate kimoutolu.

 

*Commentary: David Guzik Study Guide on Leviticus*

1. (Lev 9:1) Moses calls to Aaron and his sons.

It came to pass on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.

It came to pass on the eighth day: The whole ceremony of consecration lasted more than a week. It was not a quick and easy process. The call to the priesthood came on the eighth day, the day of new beginnings. After seven days of patient fellowship with the LORD in His tabernacle, God was ready to do a new work in and through the priests.

(Lev 9:2) Offerings for Aaron.

And he said to Aaron, "Take for yourself a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD."

Take for yourself a young bull as a sin offering: As part of the consecration ceremony, Aaron and his sons lived for an entire week at the tabernacle of meeting. Yet they still had sin to atone for during that week. The consecration ceremony did not make Aaron and his sons perfect. During the seven days of just sitting in the tabernacle he added more sin to his account that had to be cleared.

Through the repetition of sacrifice, God also wanted to show that as useful as the animal sacrifices were, they were not complete and could not make and end of sins. Only the perfect sacrifice of the Messiah could do that.

And a ram as a burnt offering: Even though Aaron just spent the prior week in special dedication to the LORD, there was still more to give. Though this was an important experience of dedication, the idea of consecration had to be ongoing in the life of Aaron and all of God's priests.