---

There was a sense in which the whole congregation of Israel constituted a priesthood. It was an early promise that they should be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). And such, indeed, they were, so far as they entered into and fulfilled the purposes of God. They were:

1. Separate from surrounding people (holy unto the Lord).

2. Permitted to draw near to God.

3. Allowed to bring the sacrificial victim to the holy place and slay it; indeed, in the case of the paschal lamb, they acted as priests without aid from any other hand. But there were those who were:

1. Separated from them, and were thus holier than they.

2. Allowed to draw nearer to the Divine presence.

3. Designated to be continually offering up sacrifices to Jehovah. These were the priests and the high priests of the Lord in an especial sense, and they needed special equipment for their special work. From this chapter we select four principal points -

I. SPECIAL CLEANSING OF SOUL. (Verse 6.)

II. SPECIAL CONSECRATION OF SPIRIT. (Verses 23, 24.) One of the most significant rites in the entire ceremony of consecration was the taking by Moses of the blood of the "ram of consecration" (verse 22), and putting it "upon the tip of Aaron's right car, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot." The interpretation of this symbolism hardly admits of error. What other truth could it import but that Aaron was thus set apart, not only generally for the service of the Lord, but specially in every member of his frame, in every faculty of his mind? He was to have:

1. An open ear, to welcome every word of the Lord.

2. A ready hand, to discharge diligently and conscientiously his daily duties.

3. A quick foot, to run in the way of God's commandments.

III. SPECIAL SYMPATHY WITH MEN. (Verse 8.) The plate on which were inscribed the names of the twelve tribes was, as the word indicates, a breast-plate: so that the high priest symbolically bore the children of Israel on his heart. He carried their burden into the presence of God.

IV. SPECIAL ENDOWMENT. (Verse 30.) The precious ointment, the anointing oil, upon the head that ran down upon Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments (Psalm 133:2), probably symbolized the grace of the Spirit of God outpoured upon the heart, affecting the whole nature, diffusing the delightful fragrance of piety and virtue. We learn from these particulars -

1. That we must not covet posts of special difficulty except we are equipped with peculiar qualifications. Not every good or every earnest Christian man is fitted to take high office in the kingdom of God.

2. That if we feel ourselves summoned to special work, we must seek all possible spiritual equipment. The conditions of successful service are those indicated above:

(1) The full cleansing of our souls and lives from impurity (Psalm 51:7, 10, 11, 13; Isaiah 52:11; 1 John 3:3).

(2) The dedication of our whole selves to the service of Christ; heart and life; soul and body; having every faculty of the mind, every organ of our frame (ear, hand, foot), ready for sacred work.

(3) Tender sympathy with men; "a heart at leisure from itself to soothe and sympathize." We shall do but little for men except we acquire the blessed art of sympathizing with them. A sympathetic spirit is a helpful, influential, winning spirit.

(4) Endowment of all needful grace from on high. This must be gained from God, who, in answer to believing prayer, "giveth liberally." Purity, consecration, sympathy, grace, - these are the qualifications for high office, the sources of power, the assurance of success. - C.

---

---

KJV: And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.

WEB: Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.