Priestly Consecration

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 18, 1870

Priestly Consecration.

God still has his priests, not of an earthly order, like that of Aaron—not a particular class in the church, but all believers, Christ himself being the High Priest. The Aaronical priesthood shadowed forth this heavenly priesthood. The separation of the priests of old by the blood and anointing oil was a type of our separation unto God by the precious blood of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, as a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. They were cared for by God, clothed with garments of glory and beauty, and they were to eat of those things wherewith atonement was made. So we must live upon the food which our God has provided for us—Christ, the living bread—and the result of this will be our practical consecration unto God.

The account of the consecration of the typical priests gives us important instruction regarding our acceptance with God and our position here. The blood of the ram of consecration was sprinkled on the priest. This is one use of the blood of Jesus—it separates us unto God; for we are not our own, but bought with a price. We are not only justified by it, but sanctified unto God for continual service and worship.

The blood of consecration was applied, 1. TO THE TIP OF THE RIGHT EAR, to show that the priests were to receive their instruction from God, and to hearken only to him. This is our place as a holy priesthood; and, inclining our ear unto wisdom, we shall be able to speak and act in the fear of the Lord. It was written concerning our High Priest, “He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned;” and it was also written, “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.” Let us remember that, as a royal priesthood, we are to hearken to God and receive our instruction from him.

2. The blood was applied to THE THUMB OF THE RIGHT HAND, typically showing us that as priests unto God we are to labor for the Lord and to minister for his glory. Whatsoever we do, we are to do all in the name of the Lord, all for the glory of God. Our powers are to be consecrated to him in loving obedience. The Lord could say, “I do always those things that please him.” And it is when we are dwelling on the grace of God in Christ, by whose precious blood we are redeemed, that we can sing:

“Take thou our hearts, and let them be Forever closed to all but Thee; Thy willing servants, let us wear The seal of love forever there.”

3. The blood was applied to THE GREAT TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT, to instruct us that we are to walk with God, in God’s ways. The Holy Spirit leads us in this path. The Scriptures reveal the footprints of Jesus, and the soul delights to trace them that we may follow his steps. It is indeed a narrow path; for he was not of the world, pleased not himself, was always obedient, and received not honor from men. It was a path of suffering; indeed, but of unbroken fellowship with God until his soul was made an offering for sin. In this last part of the path, when he cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” we cannot follow him. But if the remembrance of that sorrow and death for sin be kept fresh in our hearts, we shall bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, and practically own that we are forever consecrated by that sacrifice to the service of God.—Sel.