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Moses appoints Aaron to offer various sacrifices, ver. 1 - 7.
Aaron offers for himself, ver. 8 - 14.
Offers for, and blesses the people, ver. 15 - 22.
God signifies his acceptance of their persons and of their sacrifices,
ver. 23 - 24.
1: On the eighth day - Namely, from the day of his consecration, or
when the seven days of his consecration were ended. The eighth day is
famous in scripture for the perfecting and purifying both of men and beasts.
See (Le 12:2,3,14:8,9,10,15:13,14,22:27).
And the elders of Israel - All the congregation were called to be
witnesses of Aaron's installment into his office, to prevent their
murmurings and contempt; which being done, the elders were now sufficient
to be witnesses of his first execution of his office.
2: For a sin - offering - For himself and his own sins, which was an
evidence of the imperfection of that priesthood, and of the necessity of a
better. The Jewish writers suggest, that a calf was appointed, to
remind him of his sin in making the golden calf. Thereby he had rendered
himself for ever unworthy of the honour of the priesthood: on which he had
reason to reflect with sorrow and shame, in all the atonements he made.
3: A sin - offering - For the people, for whose sin a young bullock was
required, (Le 4:15), but that was for some particular sin; this was
more general for all their sins. Besides, there being an eye here to the
priest's consecration and entrance into his office, it is no wonder if
there be some difference in these Sacrifices from those before prescribed.
4: The Lord will appear - Heb. Hath appeared. He speaks of the
thing to come as if it were past, which is frequent in scripture, to give
them the more assurance of the thing.
5: Before the tabernacle where God dwelt.
6: The glory of the Lord - The glorious manifestation of God's
powerful and gracious presence.
7: Go and offer - Moses had hitherto sacrificed, but now he
resigns his work to Aaron, and actually gives him that commission which
from God he had received for him. For thyself and for the people - The
order is very observable, first for thyself, otherwise thou art unfit to do
it for the people. Hereby God would teach us, both the deficiency of this
priesthood, and how important it is that God's ministers should be in the
favour of God themselves, that their ministrations may be acceptable to God,
and profitable to the people.
9: The altar - Of burnt - offering, of which alone he speaks both in
the foregoing and following words; and the blood was poured out at the
bottom of this altar only, not of the altar of incense, as appears from(Le 4:7), where indeed there is mention of putting some of the blood
upon the horns of the altar of incense, in this case of the priest's
sacrificing for his own sins. But there seems to be a double difference,
- That sacrifice was offered for some particular sin, this for his sins
indefinitely.
- There he is supposed to be compleat in his office, and here he is but
entering into his office, and therefore must prepare and sanctify himself
by this offering upon the brazen altar in the court, before he can be
admitted into the holy place where the altar of incense was. And the like
is to be said for the difference between the sin - offering for the people
here, and (Le 4:17,18).
10: He burnt it - By ordinary fire, which was used until the fire
came down from heaven, (Le 9:24), though afterwards it was forbidden.
And if it had not been allowed otherwise, yet this being done by Aaron
at the command of Moses, and consequently with God's approbation, it
was unquestionably lawful. Add to this, that there is nothing said to be
consumed by that heavenly fire, but the burnt - offering with the fat
belonging to it, namely, that burnt - offering mentioned (Le 9:16), which
therefore is not there said to be burnt, as it is said of the other
burnt - offering, (Le 9:13), and of the rest of the sacrifices in their
places.
16: The burnt - offering - Which also was offered for the people, as
the last mentioned sin - offering was.
17: Besides the burnt - sacrifice - Which was to be first offered every
morning; for God will not have his ordinary and stated service swallowed up
by extraordinary.
19: That - Fat. Which covereth the inwards - Or the Guts.
22: Aaron lifted up his hands - Which was the usual rite of blessing.
By this posture he signified both whence he expected the blessing, and his
hearty desire of it for them. And blessed them - In some such manner, as
is related, (Nu 6:24), &c. though not in the same form, for it is not
probable that he used it before God delivered it And this blessing was an
act of his priestly office, no less than sacrificing. And herein be was a
type of Christ, who came into the world to bless us, and when he was parting
from his disciples, lifted up his hands and blessed them: yea, and in them
his whole church, of which they were the elders and representatives.
And came down - From the altar; whence he is said to come down, either
- Because the altar stood upon raised ground, or
- Because it was nearer the holy place, which was the upper end.
23: And Moses - Went in with Aaron to direct him, and to see him
perform those parts of his office which were to be done in the holy place,
about the lights, and the table of shew - bread, and the altar of incense,
upon which part of the blood of the sacrifices now offered was to be
sprinkled, (Le 4:7,16).
And blessed the people - Prayed to God for his blessing upon them, as
this phrase is explained, (Nu 6:23), &c. and particularly for his
gracious acceptation of these and all succeeding sacrifices, and for his
signification thereof by some extraordinary token. And the glory of the
Lord - Either a miraculous brightness shining from the cloudy pillar, as(Ex 16:10), or a glorious and visible discovery of God's gracious
presence and acceptance of the present service.
24: And there came a fire - In token of God's approbation of the
priesthood now instituted, and the sacrifices offered, and consequently of
others of the like nature. And this fire now given was to be carefully
kept, and not suffered to go out, (Le 6:13), and therefore was carried
in a peculiar vessel in their journeys in the wilderness. From before
the Lord - Or, from the presence of the Lord, that is, from the place
where God was in a special manner present, either from heaven or from
the holy of holies. They shouted - As wondering at, rejoicing in, and
blessing God for this gracious discovery of himself, and his favour.
This also was a figure of good things to come. Thus the Spirit
descended in fire upon the apostles, so ratifying their commission, as this
does that of the priests. And the descent of this holy fire into our souls,
to kindle in them devout affections, and such an holy zeal as burns up all
unholiness, is a certain token of God's gracious acceptance.
