Leviticus 8 — Thoughts

What Keeps You Alive?

A common criticism of the Bible is that it’s too black and white. When I hear that accusation my response is always …“Yes and No.” (How’s that for grey?)

Parts of the Bible definitely are not black and white. What they mean can be interpreted in different ways, and these different interpretations are one of the reasons for our different denominations. Thankfully, these parts are about secondary, less important issues.

But there is at least one thing that is definitely black-and-white. It’s a central, all-important issue. And it is agreed on by all true Christians regardless of denomination.

The Gospel.

The Gospel is all or nothing. You either have your faith in Jesus’ saving work on the cross, or you don’t. And we see that in this chapter.

Probably the weirdest thing that happens here is that Moses takes the blood of the sacrifice and puts it on the right earlobes, thumbs and big toes of Aaron and his sons. I had to look up what’s going on here.

The ESV Study Bible notes say that God had Moses do this to show that the sacrificial blood had washed away the sin of the priests all over — literally “head to toe.” It affected all of them.

And because we know the sacrificial system points us to Jesus’ sacrifice, we know what’s being said here. Jesus’ sacrifice did everything we need it to. It took away all our sin. There is no part of us left unaffected. There is nothing more that needs to be done. Jesus paid it all.

The second part of this chapter that stands out to me is so subtle you might miss it. Moses tells the priests to perform their full ordination duties “so you will not die.”

That’s the alternative to trusting in Jesus’ work on the cross, so that was the alternative to correctly following God’s sacrificial system pointing His the cross. Without Jesus, we’re still dead in our sins. There is no other hope. No negotiation to be had. No second opinion.

We’re either saved by Jesus’ blood which washes away our sin and covers us head to toe, or we’re still dead in our sins. There is no grey area here.