Leviticus 8:23
And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.
Moses put the blood of the slain ram of consecration on the tip of Aaron's right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot after he was washed and clothed for ministry, with blood also sprinkled on his garments to complete his setting apart for service. The right member stood for the chief of its kind, so that setting apart the right one consecrated both and represented the whole person in a complete cleansing and consecration. The blood on the ear devoted hearing to understanding and receiving instruction from God and listening only to him, the blood on the thumb devoted the hands to doing what was heard in obedience and labor for his glory, and the blood on the toe set apart the feet to walk with God in his ways and go where he directs apart from sin. These slain animals and details pointed forward to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away sin, and the Levitical ministration in the earthly sanctuary was an example and shadow of Christ and his priesthood and ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. God is as particular now as then, and the blood of Jesus likewise separates believers as a holy priesthood to consecrate hearing, actions, and conduct to him because he is holy, to incline their ears to his wisdom and to walk where the Holy Spirit leads in the footsteps of Jesus.
Rite and Its Meaning
The rite belongs to the special consecration ceremonies and offerings performed before Aaron and his sons began their ministry for others, setting them apart for service. It took place after Aaron was washed and clothed in hallowed vestments specially prepared for priestly work, with blood also sprinkled on his garments to complete the setting apart for service. Moses applied the blood of the slain ram of consecration to the tip of Aaron's right ear, to the thumb of his right hand, and to the great toe of his right foot. The right member anciently stood for the principal member of its kind, so that setting apart the right one consecrated both of that kind. These principal members represented the whole person, the head and the hands and the feet, signifying a complete work of cleansing and consecration.
The blood on the tip of the right ear dedicated the ear to hearing, understanding, and receiving instruction from God. It consecrated both ears uniformly to the voice of God, marking the priest as one to stand in His counsel and listen only to Him. By inclining the ear to wisdom in this way, the consecrated person is fitted to speak and act in the fear of the Lord. The blood on the right thumb devoted the hands to carrying out what was heard through the consecrated ears. It signified actions fit for God's approval, with all the powers trained to do God's will. It devoted the hands to absolute performance of the commands of God, to labor and minister for His glory in obedience and love, with all done in the Lord's name and for God.
The blood on the great toe of the right foot set apart the feet to cooperate with the other dedicated members in performing service for God in behalf of His people. It signified walking with God in His ways and commandments, going where He directs and sends, and avoiding sin and evil. The ear signified devotion to God, the hand engaging only in God's service, and the foot walking in the way of God's commandments. The rite thus taught that those who approached God and served in the sanctuary must consecrate hearing, actions, and conduct to Him because He is holy.
Shadow of Christ's Ministry
The record belongs to the Levitical order of priesthood and its ministration in the earthly sanctuary. That ministration served as an example and shadow of Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. That priesthood and its rites served as a type of Christ and his priesthood in the heavenly sanctuary.
The consecration of the priests is part of an account whose details, like the details of the sacrifices, carry meaning. The slain animals in this priestly service and sacrifice pointed forward to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away sin. The sacrifices described in the first eight chapters of Leviticus each contain a type of the work of Jesus Christ. Those sacrificial rites find their fuller meaning in the sacrifice, life, and work of Jesus Christ.
The setting apart was for ministering before the ark containing the tables of the law in the Most Holy Place of the typical sanctuary while that sanctuary continued. That ministration could only exhibit man's guilt and just condemnation and death, showing sinners exposed to the penalty of the holy law with no promise of pardon in itself. The priesthood appointed there offered no sacrifice that could take away sin, but could only point penitent sinners forward to the great Sacrifice to be offered for the sins of men. This stands in contrast to the ministration of Christ as great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary before the ark of God's testament, who laid down His life for the world and offers life, pardon, and salvation to the guilty, condemned, and lost.
Consecration Required Today
God is as particular now as in the consecration of the priests recorded in chapters 8 and 9. The rite taught Israel that those who approached God and served in the sanctuary must consecrate themselves to him because he is holy. The priest was consecrated for God's service by blood placed on the tip of his right ear, the thumb of his right hand, and the great toe of his right foot, the ear signifying devotion to God, the hand engaging only in God's service, and the foot walking in the way of God's commandments. This application of blood represents the blood of Jesus separating believers to God, who are bought with a price, justified by Christ's blood, and sanctified for continual service and worship. As a holy and royal priesthood they are likewise to receive instruction from God and listen only to him, and by inclining their ears to wisdom they can speak and act in the fear of the Lord.
The blood placed on the great toe is a sign that God's servants are to walk with God and in his ways. The Holy Spirit leads in this path, and Scripture shows Jesus' footsteps for his followers to trace. His path was narrow, separate from the world, not pleasing himself, obedient to God, and receiving no honor from people. It was also a path of suffering and unbroken fellowship with God, ending in his offering of himself for sin. His followers cannot share the final agony in which he cried out that God had forsaken him, and remembering his sorrow and death for sin keeps them mindful that they are consecrated by his sacrifice to God's service.
At a priest's consecration the blood on ear, thumb, and great toe set apart his ear to hear God's word, his hand to do God's work, and his foot to walk in the way of God's commandments. Eli's sons disregarded this consecration, for they would not heed God, ran into evil, and used hands dedicated to God for wicked deeds. The consecration ceremony in which blood touched head, hands, and feet signified a complete work of cleansing and consecration. The washing of feet recalls this ceremony and represents cleansing from sin through which people have communion with the Lord. The reference to the great toe is applied to the consecration of the feet for gospel service.