Leviticus 8:21

And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Leviticus 8:21 belongs to the record of the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests given in chapters 8 and 9. It describes part of that consecration service, in which the ram was offered as a burnt offering before they began ministering for others. The consecration offerings belonged to Israel's typical worship.

The verse records the washing of the ram's inwards and legs in water and the burning of the whole ram upon the altar. It was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses. Its details had meaning.

The ram was the first ram of the consecration, offered after the prescribed ceremony. It was the final preparation during the seven-day consecration. It was offered before Aaron and his sons began ministering for others.

The wider consecration involved purification with water, dressing in the priestly garments, and anointing oil with sprinkled blood to set apart for God's service. Even the garments were hallowed and dedicated to God. The verse belongs to the sanctuary's laws and rites that set out how sinful people were to approach the holy God.

The Levitical priesthood's service in the earthly sanctuary, with its appointments and rites, served as a pattern and type of Christ and his priestly ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. The details of the consecration sacrifices and the offerings in Leviticus, including those in chapters 1-8, had meaning as types and shadows whose fuller meaning and fulfillment are found in the sacrifice, life, and work of Jesus Christ. In particular, the slain animals pointed forward to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. As part of typical worship with spiritual application, consecration to God fits his people for service and for his indwelling.

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