The Calf Offering

The calf offering?

If you look through the list of animals that could be offered for a sin offering, you won't find a calf. In fact, if you look through the instructions for each of the other blood offerings (burnt, peace, sin and trespass) you will not find a calf list amongst the animals to be offered. Nothing. Nadda. There were absolutely no provisions in any of the offerings for a calf.

In Leviticus 8 and 9 there is the consecration of the first priests of Israel. As part of their consecration ritual, they were to be separated from the people and not leave the tabernacle for seven days. On the eighth day, the high priest had to take a young calf for a sin-offering...and present it before the Lord (along with a ram for a burnt offering). This is the only time a calf was to be used for a blood offering, specifically, a sin offering.

Well, the high priest was Aaron. The same Aaron, that while Moses was on the mountain seeing the pattern and getting the instructions for the tabernacle, took up a collection of gold and built the golden calf. The same Aaron that called the golden calf Jehovah and led worship of it. The same Aaron that, when confronted by Moses, excused by saying "I don't know what happened! The people threw their gold into the fire and poof! Out popped a golden calf! Don't really know how it happened, it just did!" The same Aaron that, after watching Moses ground up the golden calf into dust and contaminate their drinking water supply, probably drank the water.

Maybe God required the calf for an offering this one time, just to bring to mind Aaron's sin. The sin had to be atoned before Aaron could serve. I almost find it amusing that after all Aaron's sin with the golden calf, that God would have him slaughter a calf to cover (or atone for) is sin.

I am sure that it was also a stark reminder to Aaron how he failed to keep the first commandments:

I am Jehovah thy God, who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, or any form of what is in the heavens above, or what is in the earth beneath, or what is in the waters under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I, Jehovah thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and to the fourth [generation] of them that hate me, and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not idly utter the name of Jehovah thy God; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that idly uttereth his name.

Aaron was selected to serve as Jehovah's one and only high priest. But before he could take his position, Aaron had to deal with his sin. This was part of God's sanctification process.

Has God put anything to your mind lately?

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us [our] sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

If God has brought a sin to mind, confess it so God can use you in His service.