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I. CONSECRATION WHOLLY THE WORK OF ANOTHER.

II. PERFECT CLEANNESS THE INITIAL REQUIREMENT.

III. INVESTITURE IN HOLY ATTIRE. To Moses it had before been said, "Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and beauty." Those garments had been made.

1. All the adornments of grace have been prepared for us; wait in readiness for us.

2. A moment of intensest joy to Moses when he brought forth those prepared garments for adornment. Nor less to Christ when He clothes the soul "with the garments of salvation."

3. Attire symbolic of sacred qualities. They were of blue, purple, scarlet, fine-twined linen, with connecting chains and ouches or settings of gold, indicating:

(1)  Heavenliness of character (typified by the blue).

(2)  Purity (typified by the white linen).

(3)  Official dignity (typified by the scarlet and purple).

(4)  Divine power of sustaining others (typified by the chains and ouches of gold); gold being used in the Tabernacle as a symbol of Deity.

IV. ADORNED WITH THE CROWN OF HOLINESS. On his head was placed "the holy crown, the golden plate."(1) A "crown" is the symbol of kingship; it declares the royalty of consecrated souls, "kings unto God."(2) Holiness inscribed on the crown it declares that the highest dignity of man is moral rectitude, spiritual sanctity. That plate bore the inscription, "Holiness to the Lord." It implied that —

1. The vindication of that "holiness" was the avowed object of his priestly service.

2. Bearing that inscription on his brow among the people, during his priestly ministries, asserted that God's holiness had been and was being adequately maintained.

3. Entering into God's presence with that inscription was evidence that God acknowledged the fact of His holiness being maintained.

V. THE BADGE OF MEDIATORSHIP. "Breastplate." Bearing others' names is the crowning glory of the Lord Jesus.

VI. SPIRITUAL ANOINTING. That "holy oil" is the "unction from the Holy One."

1. The plentitude of the Spirit; and —

2. The graces of the Spirit; and —

3. The efficient power of the Spirit, are essential to a priestly life of sanctity and service.

VII. QUALIFICATION BASED ON SACRIFICE.

1. The scene suddenly changes, and the gloriously attired and anointed priest stands as a sinner by the sin-offering. For sin must be expiated even for the most privileged souls.

(1) Its blood sprinkled upon the altar indicated that appeasement was demanded or ever they could approach that altar in ministry.

(2) Its body being consumed without the camp declared what their doom would be did justice exact its due.

(3) But the blood on the altar and accepted, announced complete propitiation and acceptance.

(4) While the choice inward parts consumed on the altar fire, testified that God's claim of inward perfectness was satisfied.

2. The burnt-sacrifice summoned them to absolute self-devotion; for God will receive no less in any who avowedly become His. "His zeal must consume us."

3. But in the consecration-offering they yielded themselves up to God with gratitude and gladness: as those who reach towards the self-devotion of Jesus — "I delight to do Thy will; yea, Thy law is within my heart."

VIII. APPLIED SACRIFICIAL GRACE. "Moses took the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's ear," &c.

1. The value of sacrifice, which had before been accepted for them, was now applied to them.

2. The meaning of sacrifice, also, was now urged upon them: all life laid out for God, and in His service.

IX. SYMBOLIC OFFERINGS PRESENTED TO GOD.

1. Inward perfectness: perfectness in the reins, and in the heart; indicating the bringing, on their part, into God's employ of their purest affections, and highest virtues, and noblest intelligence.

2. Outward developed perfectness of character; represented in the unleavened anointed bread that constituted the meat-offering. It is only in Christ's perfectness — a perfectness to be appropriated by us — that we can present such offerings before God.

X. SIGN OF DIVINE ACCEPTANCE.

1. Being sprinkled by the blood which first bad been sprinkled and accepted upon the altar conveyed the fact that God received their consecration: that themselves, their office, and all its various functions were placed under the sanction and the acceptableness of the blood.

2. The sprinkling of the holy anointing oil symbolically connected the Holy Spirit's grace with those offices into which God was, and is, pleased to call His people.

3. Their feeding upon the sacrifice signified the communication of strength, for we are nourished by food; and suggested the fellowship now established between them and God.

(W. H. Jellie.)

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KJV: Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;

WEB: "Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread;