With the body cleansed and draped in the priestly robes, it was now time to present three offerings: the bull for the sin offering, the ram for the burnt offering and the ram of ordination.
There’s not nearly enough space in this blog to point out the intricacies of these sacrifices, but I do think it’s fascinating to see how these different practices are intertwined with the priestly ordination.
Most notable is the bull of the sin offering. The last time we saw this in connection to the priests, it was in Leviticus 4:3-12 and was to be offered in connection to an “unknown sin” that the priests commit.
This factors in perfectly to the bull used in ordination—before the Law (and before he became a priest), how did he know what a sin even was? This bull in Leviticus 8 cleanses him of unintentional sins in the same way that a bull in Leviticus 4 would cleanse him down the road.
But then you have the two rams that are sacrificed. The first one is offered as a burnt offering towards God, but blood from the second is placed on three specific spots on the priest: ear, thumb, and foot.
Physically speaking, these three locations signify opposite parts of the body, so it stands to reason that whatever is happening, happens to the entire body. Still other interpretations are found, such as the ears signify hearing whereas the feet signify daily duties.
Although the animal may be different in Leviticus 14:14, blood is also placed on the thumb, ear, and toe in that chapter, as well. The context in Leviticus 14 deals with someone who has physically healed from leprosy. On the eighth day after the priest declares them healed, blood is placed on the ear, thumb, and toe and the person is allowed to reenter the camp.
Is there a connection between someone who is cleansed from leprosy and a priest who begins their service to God? Probably. It could reference the removal of separation between man and God, just as leprosy separated man from man. The features are too specific to just be there by happenstance.
At the very least, these various connections tie into the fact that God does nothing by chance. What appears to our minds in Leviticus 8 as a series of random, unconnected ceremonies (especially during a casual reading) actually has connections to other parts of Leviticus. Piecing these ceremonies together, we can find a deeper meaning.
