While the Tabernacle is still erected and we find ourselves resting at Sinai, let us give some thought to the ritual, by which God inaugurated His typical priesthood, bearing in mind that “these things happened to them (Israel) for types, and they are written for our admonition…” (1 Cor. 10:11) Let us then be referred to Lev. 8, where this ritual is brought to our attention. It is introduced in these words:

Lev. 8:1, 2 – “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take –

(1) AARON, and
(2) HIS SONS with him, and
(3) The GARMENTS, and
(4) The ANOINTING OIL, and
(5) A BULLOCK for the sin-offering, and
(6) Two RAMS, and
(7) A BASKET of UNLEAVENED BREAD.”

Those who aspire to be members of the antitypical priesthood of God ought carefully and prayerfully to study this picture and its seven elemental parts, to see whether their own consecration is therein set forth. Seven in itself is a symbol of perfection and completeness, thus God here shows the perfection and the completion of the consecration of those “called,” and that those “called” ones are just as much a part of the ritual as that whereby they are sanctified.

It should be noted that Moses in this ritual typifies and represents God, our heavenly Father. As Moses consecrated the typical priesthood, so God himself, during this Gospel age has been setting apart, consecrating his antitypical priesthood, Christ Jesus and his Church. Neither Aaron, nor his sons, could have consecrated themselves save perhaps in the sense of responding to the call of Moses. The same is true of the antitypical priest- hood, for does not the Apostle Paul declare:

Heb. 5:4 – “And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, even as was Aaron.”

This “call” unto the priesthood, is to meet a predetermined purpose of God. In the type, this predetermination is evidenced in the fact that God called for the erection and setting apart of the Tabernacle in advance of the calling of Aaron and his sons. However, we may be reasonably sure that God had also predetermined the identity of his high priest. In this connection let it be observed that only Aaron is called by name, and that Nadab, Abihu, Ithamar and Eleazer, though likewise called unto consecration, are referred to only in the collective expression “his sons.” How significant!

In referring to God’s plan of the ages, the Apostle says that it was “purposed in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Who then would be so bold as to say that Jesus was not called to meet this predetermined purpose? In response to the call we find him at the age of thirty coming to John to be baptized, not however, for the remission of sins, for he had none. But to symbolize, as it were, his consecration to do the Father’s will. In spirit we hear him say, “Lo, I come…to do thy will.” (Heb. 10:9)

Thus did Jesus become an high priest, for it was then and there that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit, (see Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10) with the oil of gladness above his fellows. The consecration of himself, on the part of Jesus, implied his entry into a covenant of sacrifice with Jehovah. Not only did he then and there become our high priest, but also the first (for he must have preeminence in all things – Col. 1:18) of a new order of saints. (Psa. 50:5) The sacrifice, which called for the setting aside of his own will, perfect though this was, and the acceptance in its stead of the heavenly Father’s will, was but that self-denial which Jesus declared to be the prime requisite of discipleship. He said:

Luke 9:23 – “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

The cross, as is obvious, would be that which God’s will would lay upon him. But there is much more to this matter of consecration than mere self-denial and cross bearing, it involves loving of righteousness, and the hating of iniquity. I am afraid that some of us fail to recognize these as also being requisite items in the matter of our consecrations. It is possible to consecrate, and that because we love righteousness, and yet fail to really hate iniquity. Let it be noted that the “oil of gladness” belongs only to those who do both, love righteousness, and hate iniquity. See how definitely this is stated to be a fact by the Apostle, who speaking of Jesus says:

Heb. 1:9 – “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

Jesus’ call, his response, and consequent anointing are clearly set forth in the type. Aaron came in response to the call of Moses and presented himself in consecration, and in due course received the anointing over, i.e. above his fellow priests. However, in order to fitly represent Jesus who was harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, Aaron, the typical priest had to be washed. This was done by Moses. Lev. 8:6. Jesus came from the hands of God, pure and holy, as did Aaron figuratively, from the hands of Moses. Then, and only then, could Aaron be clothed and anointed a high priest of God. Concerning Jesus the testimony of the scriptures is:

Heb. 7:26 – “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners…”

The washing of Aaron’s sons also signifies the coming forth from the hands of God, of a class of underpriests, purified and cleansed. Unlike Jesus, these were not originally clean, having been born in sin and “shapen in iniquity” (Psa. 51:5) there was none righteous, no! not one! These then were justified, made right in the sight of God, not through or by any deeds of their own, but by God himself, through an inspired faith! These too, were called to meet a predetermined purpose of God. Yet even as the sons of Aaron owed to Aaron their existence, and therefore their eventual call unto the priesthood, so these antitypical underpriests owe both their existence and their calling of God to Christ. There would have been no call for Nadab, Abihu, Ithamar, or Eleazer, had it not been for the fact of their blood relationship to Aaron, nor would there have been any call to you or to me aside from the blood of Jesus which makes our response possible and acceptable. Thus there is with us too, a blood-relationship, and for this we must praise God, since it is he:

Col. 1:12-14 – “…who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

This too, is what is implied where we read in:

Eph. 1:3-6 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Having thus considered the first two elements of this consecration ritual, let us now enter in upon the third, viz. the garments. Undoubtedly it has been observed that neither Aaron nor his sons brought the priestly garments with which they were to be clothed. Moses brought these all, and they were in two sets, at least insofar as Aaron’s were concerned. For him there were the special garments more commonly designated as those “of glory and of beauty,” and which consisted of (1) a breastplate, (2) an ephod, (3) a robe, (4) a broidered coat, (5) a mitre with its golden plate, (6) a girdle, and (7) the linen breeches. (Exod. 28:2-4, 36, 42) Besides these there were for Aaron those which we designate “the sacrificial garments” which consisted of a linen coat, the linen breeches, the linen girdle, and the linen mitre. (See for example Lev. 6:9-11 and 16:3, 4) For the underpriests as such, there were but the linen garments, and these corresponded to Aaron’s sacrificial garments, except that a bonnet was substituted for the linen mitre. (Exod. 28:40-42) It should be remembered that God himself declared that these garments – both the “glorious” and the “sacrificial” – were for “glory and for beauty.” (Exod. 28:2, 40) Again we say how significant! It matters not whether as now, we are garbed in the linen garments of sacrifice, or as in the future if faithful we shall be garbed in the garments of special glory and beauty, our robings all, are for glory and for beauty.

Of course, for Jesus the linen garments of sacrifice represented his own actual and personal righteousness and purity. For us, the underpriests however, the white linen garments of sacrifice represent Jesus’ righteousness and purity as imputed to us, for our glory and for our beauty! But when we get into the glory of the Kingdom and are made members of that grand and glorious High Priest, which is to bless all the families of the earth, the white linen (coat) will then represent our own righteous- ness and purity. (Cf. T36, 29)

Much indeed might be said of the remainder of the garments, but time will not now permit this. We ought however, give some attention to the fact that in the type Aaron was arrayed in the glorious garments before he had offered a single sacrifice either for himself or for the people. What may this mean? We believe that God intended here to show forth that he received these garments at this time merely as an earnest of his inheritance. Really, these glorious garments as yet, were Aaron’s only by possession and not by ownership. Not until at the end of the Day of Atonement, when Aaron had offered himself for the people, did these garments become his as a matter of ownership! (Lev. 16:23, 24) So, at the time of our begettal we received the earnest of our inheritance, but the full inheritance awaits us only after we have faithfully carried out our covenant of sacrifice, even unto death. (Eph. 1:13, 14) On this point we quote from the pen of Pastor Russell, as follows:

“…This faithfulness, this daily dying, is requisite to our making our calling and election sure; and it is to such as faithfully walk in the footsteps of the Lord that he promises the glory, honor, and immortality reserved for the faithful overcomers who shall constitute the ‘Very Elect’ members of the New Creation. Our Lord’s words are, ‘Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.’ (Rev. 2:10) We see, then, that it is with the Church as it was with her Lord and Head, that the consecration brings the firstfruits of the Spirit, faithfulness daily continues the blessing of the Spirit, with increasing joys and fruits, while the

faithful finishing of the covenant in actual death is essential to the receiving of the full inheritance, a share in the First Resurrection and its glories and honors. (Eph. 1:12-14; Rom. 8:16, 17)” (F444)

From the very start, God permits us to count the “treasure” as ours. True, we do possess it, even though it be in an earthly vessel. Yet this possession is really only an “in part” condition, which will in due time give way to that which is “perfect” full ownership of the treasure. This lesson is also brought to our attention by the posts which supported the first and second vails of the Tabernacle. Those behind the first vail, setting forth our present “in part” condition, were covered with gold, symbolic of the divine nature. Their being in sockets of copper represented how “we have this treasure (the divine nature) in earthen vessels.” (2 Cor. 4:7) Those behind the second vail, representing that which is perfect as having come, were likewise “covered with gold, representing divine nature, but no longer in sockets of copper…they were in sockets of silver (reality, truth, verity)…” (T114, 115)

Thus as we look upon Aaron at the time of his consecration, robed in the earnest of his inheritance, the garments of glory and of beauty, we see him as he will again appear at the end of the Day of Atonement in full, possession of the inheritance, coming forth to bless the people. Here again let us quote Pastor Russell:

“We thus see that Aaron, robed and anointed, represented the entire Christ, the complete seed of Abraham, in which God is about to bless all the families of the earth. But let us not forget that we have been viewing the Great Deliverer from God’s standpoint, and with him looking down to the time of his manifestation, the dawn of the Millennial Day, when all the members shall have come into the Body, and when ‘the holy oil’ shall have run down ‘to the skirts of his garments,’ anointing every member. (Lev. 10:7) Then he will begin the work of blessing mankind.” (T38)

“Under the law, the anointing was the ceremony by which the priests were installed in their service. They were anointed to their office with a peculiar ointment, called the ‘Holy Anointing Oil,’ used upon none but the priests, and unlawful for anyone else to have or to make. (Exod. 30:25-33, 38) This oil typified the Holy Spirit of adoption whereby we, the real ‘royal priesthood,’ are sealed as sons of God. Only the consecrated ones the priests, are ever to be thus anointed.” (T28, 29)

A careful examination of the type reveals that only Aaron received an outpouring of the “holy anointing oil” upon his head. By this, however, not only was Aaron anointed into the priesthood, but his whole family as well. He was made a high priest over his family of under- priests. Since the underpriesthood was thus anointed in its head, chief, or high priest, there was no need for the

individual anointing of each member. Yet it would seem needful to show that each of the sons was a partaker of the high priest’s anointing, and so we find that they each received of this “holy anointing oil,” but only in a sprinkling, and then, not until the oil had been commingled with the blood of a sacrifice, the ram of consecration. (Lev. 8:30) How beautifully this shows forth the fact, that we, the antitypical priesthood of God, are anointed in our Lord and Head; that we are partakers of his anointing, through having become members of his Body, and this latter only through the merit of his precious blood. Says Pastor Russell:

“The anointing oil mingled with the blood of consecration was sprinkled over them (verse 30), teaching that our consecration is accepted only because we are justified by the precious blood of our Redeemer; thus we are told that we are ‘accepted in the Beloved’ – only – Eph. 1:6.” (T46, 47)

And now for the sin-offering. We would remind you again that Moses, and not Aaron, nor his sons, provided the bullock for this occasion, the consecration of the priesthood. The animal here used for a sin-offering was a bullock. Since the bullock represents perfect humanity, we may gather from the type, that neither Jesus (the Logos, in his prehuman existence), nor the church, possessed it, but rather that God here typified by Moses, supplied it for the specific purpose of sacrifice.

For Jesus he prepared a perfect body; “…a body hast thou prepared me…” (Heb. 10:5) For the Church he did not prepare perfect bodies, but he did prepare the church to be “his body” (Eph. 1:23) of Christ, through the imputation of the righteousness of its head. This provision of God, and this alone, enables the church to make up, as it were, “That which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body’s sake, which is the church.” (Col. 1:24) Is it not significant that in the type, both Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock? (Lev. 8:14)

Thus God supplies for the church the human perfection of Christ, its head, accounting to it the human perfection which would be its own in the end of the Millennium, were each of its individual members merely sharing the earthly restitution. The life rights then possessed would not be those lost in Father Adam, but those laid down by the man Christ Jesus. Such an accounting or imputation of the merit of Christ, does not make the church actually perfect, but it does set forth, that in the matter of her consecration, the church is accepted “in the Beloved.” (Eph. 1:6) Her true condition as far as her own humanity is concerned, is more particularly shown in the goat of the sin-offering of the Day of Atonement, or maybe in the burnt offerings whereof the head was first laid upon the altar, then the legs and inwards (body) having been washed, were laid as pieces unto (beside) the head. (Lev. 8:20, 21) Let it be noted that nothing is ever said about washing the head.

“The bullock for the sin-offering was brought, ‘and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head’ of it, thus saying, This sacrifice represents us. From that moment, all that happened to the bullock represented what was to be done to Jesus and His body, the church, as human beings. The bullock was delivered up to the Law (represented by Moses), to meet its demands against Israel typical of mankind in general. To meet the demands of the Law it had to be slain – ‘and Moses slew it’.” (T41)

The rams, of which there were two, constituted the sixth element of this consecration ritual. One of these was the ram of burnt offering. It pictured the identical consecration already portrayed in the sacrifice of the bullock, but from a different standpoint – that of the Divine acceptance. It showed that the offering was made to God, and accepted by God as a whole – it was completely consumed by the fire of the Lord’s altar. On this significance of the burnt offering we quote from Edersheim’s, “The Temple,” article “Burnt, Sin, Trespass, and Peace Offerings,” Page 99:

“The burnt offering – Olah, or also Chalil. The derivation of the term Olah, as wholly ‘ascending’ unto God, indicates alike the mode of the sacrifice and its meaning. It symbolizes the entire surrender unto God, whether of the individual, or of the congregation, and His acceptance thereof. Hence also, it could not be offered ‘without shedding of blood.’ Where other sacrifices were brought, it followed the sin but preceded the peace-offering. In fact it meant general acceptance on the ground of previous special acceptance, and it has rightly been called the sacrificium latreuticum, or sacrifice of devotion and service. Thus day by day it formed the regular morning and evening service in the Temple, while on Sabbaths, new moons, and festivals, additional burnt-offerings followed the ordinary worship. There the covenant people brought the covenant sacrifice, and the multitude of offerings indicated, as it were, the fulness, richness and joyousness…of their self-surrender.…The burnt offering was always to be a male, as the more noble, and as indicating strength and energy…and the sacrifice having been duly salted, it was wholly burned.”

The other ram, “the ram of consecration” was then offered. It was undoubtedly intended to show forth the effect that this consecration would have upon us. Note how that Moses after he slew the animal, applied the blood of it, not to the altar as he did that of the bullock (Lev. 8:15) and of the ram of the burnt-offering (Lev. 8:19) but to the person of each individual priest (Lev. 8:23) thus showing that our consecration is an individual matter. The account tells us that Moses put of the blood upon the tip of the right ear, and upon the thumb of the right hand, and upon the great toe of the right foot. “Thus,” suggests Pastor Russell:

“By our consecration we are enabled to have the ‘hearing of faith’ and to appreciate God’s promises as none but the consecrated can. Our hands are consecrated so that whatever our hands find to do that we do it with our might as unto the Lord. Our feet are consecrated, so that henceforth we, ‘walk not as other Gentiles’ but ‘walk in the newness of life,’ ‘walk by faith,’ ‘walk in the spirit,’ ‘walk in the light,’ and even ‘as we received Christ so walk in him’.” (T45)

“The choice portions of the ram, its ‘inwards’ and ‘fat’ represented our heart sentiments, our best powers. These were taken into the hands of the priests and ‘waved’ – passed to and fro before the Lord – representing the fact that a consecrated offering is not given to the Lord for a moment a day or a year, but that we consecrate to continually keep our affections and powers uplifted, never ceasing until accepted of him as having finished our course. And Moses took the wave-offering off their hands (the priests did not lay it down), God’s acceptance being shown by fire. So we, the ‘royal priests,’ may not lay down or cease to offer all our powers in God’s service while we have them, nor until all are consumed in his service, until God shall say, It is enough – come up higher. When the love (fat) of our inmost beings is laid upon the altar, it helps to increase the fire of God’s acceptance. The more love there is connected with our consecration to God, the more quickly will it consume our offering.” (T45)

Upon this wave offering Moses had placed out of the basket of unleavened bread:

(1) “one unleavened cake, and
(2) a cake of oiled bread, and
(3) one wafer.” (Lev. 8:26)

Here we have symbolized for us the three great fundamental truths of consecration, viz., justification, sanctification, and glorification. Without these, no consecration is ever complete.

Aside from Jesus, every one of the called was born in sin – “shapen in iniquity,” but praise the Lord, they came to a recognition of their own unrighteousness and utter inability to cleanse themselves in the sight of God. The cry of their hearts then became, even as that of David of old:

Psa. 51:1-3 – “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.”

Here is evidenced a “broken and contrite heart,” one which God could not despise, and which in his love and compassion, he submerged under the precious blood of Jesus for cleansing. This is the justification by which we receive, or rather have accounted unto us, the perfect humanity that would be ours in the end of the Millennium, and which by the grace of God, we like unto Jesus, are permitted to offer as acceptable sacrifices unto God. Thus in the type before us, we find an “unleavened cake” representing the actual righteousness and purity of the Church as men.

The perfect humanity of Jesus and his Church offered upon God’s altar of sacrifice would signify the destruction of their identities. To preserve these, however, God has by his own Holy Spirit begotten them to a new nature – the divine nature! He has ordained, that for the time being these may have the indwelling of his spirit in an earthen vessel. The purpose of this indwelling is, of course, their sanctification. By it, they will be separated more and more from the world, but more and more unto God. So, in the type, the second unleavened cake, mingled with oil, represented the indwelling spirit of God – sanctification.

These called ones, justified, and sanctified through the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit, have because of it, a hope of glory, honor and immortality, based upon the precious promises of God. (2 Pet. 1:3, 4) It is the hope of glorification by which he that possesses it, purifies himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:3) Thus the third unleavened cake in the type, represented our hope and faith in the exceeding precious promises of glory, honor and immortality. A wafer is generally quite thin. It is not transparent, but it is translucent! So is it with our hope and faith; we have in the precious promises merely the basis of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1)

The last, the seventh element, in this consecration ritual is the basket of unleavened bread to which reference has already been made. But to complete their consecration, the typical priests had to remain within the door of the tabernacle of the congregation for seven days, during which time they were to fast from such foods as might be common and proper for all other Israelites to eat. They were, however, to feast upon the unleavened bread, brought by Moses, in the “basket of consecrations.” (Lev. 8:31-35) What a picture this. The seven days well represent the completion of our consecration, that is, until we shall have finished our course in death. During all this time, we are to remain within that state or condition so beautifully depicted in the Holy of the tabernacle of old – the secret place of the Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psa. 91:1) As spirit- begotten new creatures we are not to emerge for entry into either, the antitypical Court, or Camp. Violation of this injunction would be disobedience to the divine will, and make us amenable to death. Further, during all of this time, we are to fast from all such foods (figuratively speaking), as may be common and proper for all others to eat, but must feast upon the unleavened bread of truth, supplied for our use, in the basket of consecrations, by God himself.