IX. THE SECOND RAM AS THE CONSECRATION OFFERING FOR THE CONSECRATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD
The second ram was used as a consecration offering (7:37) for the consecration of the priesthood (8:22-32). This ram signifies the strong Christ for our assuming of the New Testament priesthood. We need a strong Christ for our consecration.
A. Some of the Blood Put on Aaron’s and His Sons’ Right Ear, Thumb of Their Right Hand, and Big Toe of Their Right Foot
“Moses took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. And he brought Aaron’s sons near, and Moses put some of the blood on the tip of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot” (8:23-24a). This signifies that the redeeming blood of Christ cleanses our ears, our hands, and our feet for the assuming of our New Testament priesthood. The service of the New Testament priesthood includes functioning in the meetings, preaching the gospel, and visiting the saints in their homes. For all these services, we need the cleansing of the blood of Christ.
Our moving (feet) and working (hands) are always under the direction of our hearing. We act according to what we hear. Therefore, in the church life, hearing is crucial.
By hearing we have been saved, and by hearing we may be nourished and edified. However, by hearing we may also be damaged and killed, and we may do evil things to others because of what we hear. Our hearing is a problem. In 2 Timothy 4:3 Paul speaks of those who “heap up to themselves teachers tickling the ear.” Therefore, God’s dealing must first touch the source—our hearing.
If any church would stop hearing negative things, that church would be very healthy and living. The church that is the weakest and the most deadened is the one full of criticism, gossip, and reasoning.
The principle is the same in married life. A certain brother may be very living. But if his wife speaks to him in a negative way, he will be poisoned and deadened and will find it hard to pray in the church meeting. Likewise, if a brother passes on a negative word to his wife, she will be deadened by it. These illustrations from the church life and from married life show the importance of hearing.
Since we are God’s priests, we need to ask ourselves what kind of things we are willing to hear. Do we intend to hear positive things or negative things? Because we often hear unclean things, things that are unhealthy and contagious, we need to wash our ears with the blood of Christ. According to the Bible, where the blood washes, there the Spirit anoints. After the washing of the blood, we will enjoy the anointing of the Spirit. Then we will forget the negative things we heard, or at least we will not repeat these things. We will also become healthy and living, and the church will go on in our health.
Wherever we go, we need to take care of our hearing. If we do this, whatever we hear will be right and positive. Then we will go the right way and do the right work. However, if we do not take care of our hearing but give ear to negative speaking, our deeds and work will be affected in a negative way.
The purpose of the consecration offering (Lev. 8:23) is not to deal with our sin and trespasses but to deal particularly with our ear, our thumb, and our toe, that is, with our listening, our working, and our acting. If we are not careful about our ears, we will be gossipers and those who spread reasonings and debates. Then instead of ministering Christ, we will spread death. Today some devote themselves to spreading death and not to spreading Christ, the truth, and the gospel. Our listening ear, our working hand, and our walking toe must be redeemed by the blood of Christ. We must let the blood of Christ release us from all the negative things. Then all the positive things of Christ will fill our hands.
B. Moses Dashing the Blood on the Altar All Around
Leviticus 8:24b says, “Then Moses dashed the blood on the altar all around.” This signifies that the blood of the redeeming Christ is for the redemption from our sin.
(Life-Study of Leviticus, Chapter 29, by Witness Lee)
