Mike
Scriptures:
Matthew 3:13-17 Mark 14:3 Matthew 27:35 Exodus 27:1-8 Hebrews 10:12 Leviticus 8:18-24
The Ram of Consecration was the ram by which Aaron and his sons were consecrated or set apart for the service of God. The ram was selected by Moses, who was representing God. It was not Aaron and his sons who chose the sacrifice, it was ultimately God that made the choice for them and presented the ram to them that they might put their hands on it and, in so doing, acknowledge it as God’s appointed sacrifice and accept it as their appointed substitute.
Before they were ready to serve God in the tabernacle, Aaron and his sons were washed in water, clothed in linen, anointed with oil and marked by blood. The blood of this special ram was taken and applied to the tip of the right ear, the right thumb and the right big toe of Aaron and the priests, before it was sprinkled upon the altar (v20). The application of the blood of the sacrifice in this way noted that the whole body of the priest was to be set apart and dedicated to the service of the Lord in listening, acting and moving as Holy Spirit guides.
In like manner was our great sacrifice chosen by God, “Behold my servant whom I have chosen” is God’s message to us concerning Jesus. The atoning sacrifice for our sins and the Lamb for the burnt offering is entirely of God’s selection, by this we have the assurance of its suitability and perfection. Remember that Jesus fulfilled all this for us. He was washed in the Jordan by John, who would have been the true high priest in Israel at the time. This was approved by God, Jesus wore a vesture, described by Matthew, which would have been linen and He was anointed by the woman in Bethany, which Judas took exception to.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 tells us that we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. The hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world was, which the rulers of this age did not understand, otherwise they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.
So what was hidden from their understanding? You will remember that Abraham was tempted by God to take Issac his son to the mountains of Moriah as a sacrifice. He took the wood and laid it upon Isaac, he took the fire, he took a knife, in fact he took everything he needed, nothing was left to chance. Abraham built an altar laying the wood in order, and bound his son Isaac and was about to slay him when the Angel of the Lord called to him and said ‘lay not your hand on him. I know that you fear God and have not withheld your son your only son.”
There in the distance was a ram caught in the thicket, its horns were caught in a thorn bush (crown of thorns on his head.). There was the sacrifice, the male lamb with the crown of thorns on his head, the one who was to die in place of Isaac.
When Jesus came out of the Judgement hall those watching missed the Ram caught in the thorn bush, the crown of thorns on His head. More especially they missed the blood that ran down over the right ear, they missed the obedient servant ready to do the will of the Father. Jesus carried the wooden cross to Calvary just as Issac had carried the wood there 2000 years before.
At Jesus’ crucifixion they missed the altar of sacrifice (Brazen altar in Exodus), the raised altar in a prominent place for all to see. His cross was made of wood overlayed with the bronze nails that would have held him in place at four points, which forever changed the sacrifice system. They also missed the blood on the right thumb and on the big toe of His right foot from the cruel nails.
Finally I doubt they would have realised that the blood that ran down over the altar of sacrifice and into the surrounding areas was the blood that would set apart Jesus as our Great High Priest, one sacrifice, once and for all to everyone who would accept Him.
What they could not miss was that on the first day of the week, as Mary and the other women went to tend to the body of Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb, they found the stone rolled away from the grave and the body of Jesus gone. Our once and for all Sacrificial Lamb had defeated death, forever victorious, our glorious King and Saviour.
“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” Hebrews 10:12
Prayer: Abba Father, on this Resurrection Sunday, we give You boundless thanks and adoration that You chose Your Son to die in our place, that He now reigns victorious, our only Way to Eternity with You, our Father God. Amen