Exodus 29:22, commentary and pictures

Exodus 29:22 names the choice portions to be taken from the second ram for setting Aaron and his sons apart to minister in the priest's office. It stands within the minute instructions for the sanctuary and its service given by God to Moses in the mount to be made exactly according to the pattern, that He might dwell among Israel. It belongs to the ceremonial law of sacrifices and offerings written out after the moral law, distinct from the Ten Commandments spoken by God and written on stone. That tabernacle with its priesthood and services was a worldly, typical shadow of the true sanctuary in heaven, pointing to the coming Messiah and passing away entirely with His death once for all when the veil was rent. The right shoulder laid on the priests' hands showed they were to bear the people's burdens and typified the One whose government would be upon His shoulder, and the same consecration of ear, hand, foot, and oil required of the cleansed leper shows every child must be as wholly devoted as Christ.

Sanctuary Setting and Rite

The verse stands within the minute description of the sanctuary in Exodus 25-40, built in the days of Moses exactly according to the pattern shown him in the mount. It belongs to the instructions concerning the sanctuary in Exodus 25-31, given by God to Moses in the mount after the events of Exodus 19-32 and before the building and setting up of the sanctuary in Exodus 33-40. Those chapters contain the complete description of the sanctuary Moses built from offerings of gold, silver, brass, acacia wood, linen, goat's hair and other materials so that God could dwell among Israel, together with all the furniture and vessels connected with it. It was built from the free-will offerings of the children of Israel so that God might dwell among them, constructed by workmen specially endowed by God according to a divine pattern. It was the inner tabernacle erected by Israel in the wilderness at the command of God, afterward replaced as the center of worship by Solomon's temple that took the place of the portable tabernacle.

That sanctuary was the building in which the worship of God on earth centered, with all earthly worship and service revolving around the holy of holies where the law of God rested with the mercy-seat above it. It was given as a great, multiple object-lesson to a people unfitted by Egyptian slavery to comprehend God's salvation and the character He required, comprehending in its forms and rites the great plan of salvation. It was an earthly object-lesson of God's plan for salvation from sin and His way of dealing with sinners, in which the people were to cooperate with God through Christ. Its instructions for sanctuary worship show God's particular care in prescribing the offerings and services connected with worship.

The verse gives part of the detailed directions for consecrating the priests, within the instructions for the sanctuary and its service. It identifies the specified portions to be taken from the ram of consecration and set apart for the rite: the fat and the rump, the fat covering the inwards, the caul above the liver, the two kidneys and the fat upon them, and the right shoulder. Exodus 29 belongs to the instructions for the Levitical priesthood's consecration and the beginning of its sanctuary ministry, showing the priests being set apart for sacred service.

That chapter describes the seven-day consecration of Aaron and his sons, setting them apart to minister to God in the priest's office. Its directions show that priestly rites were assigned to the priesthood rather than to anyone who chose to perform them. Its provision for worship and consecration is religious, distinct from the civil laws in Exodus 21-23, showing that religion and civil government have essentially different purposes and must operate on entirely separate lines.

The right shoulder of the ram of consecration was among the portions used in the priests' consecration. It was placed upon the hands of Aaron and his sons, showing that the priests were to bear the people's burdens and typify the One whose government would be upon His shoulder.

Ceremonial Type and Fulfillment

The ram portions set apart here belong to the ceremonial law of sacrifices and offerings for consecrating priests. That law stands as part of the law of ordinances written out after the moral law in the time of Moses. It is distinct from the Ten Commandments spoken directly by God and written on stone. Its types are traced from the old dispensation to the new as ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

The inner tabernacle, and afterward Solomon's temple, with its priesthood and services was a worldly, typical and shadowy object-lesson and example of the true sanctuary in heaven. It was built for sacrifices and offerings, of which the ram used in the consecration service is an example. It pointed to the coming Messiah and His power to forgive sin, transform character, and deliver from burdens.

That sacrificial service and its typical force passed away entirely and forever with the death of Christ once for all when the veil was rent. The sanctuary it typified is in heaven, where Jesus now ministers. Its animal offerings represented sin and atonement but could not themselves take away sin. They could only point penitent sinners forward to the great Sacrifice to be offered for the sins of men. The sinner confessed over a victim and its blood was carried into the sanctuary, and at the yearly close the high priest brought sin-offering blood before the ark and sprinkled it on and before the mercy seat to make atonement and cleanse the sanctuary.

The consecration required of the high priest is the same offering and consecration required of a cleansed leper, so the humblest child of God must be as devoted and consecrated as Christ. Blood put on the right ear means hearing consecrated to God to know no voice but His. Blood put on the thumb and toe means the service of hands and feet for Him alone. Oil placed upon the blood means the presence of the Holy Spirit wherever there is cleansing and consecration.