Aaron's First Offerings

On the eighth day, Moses called Aaron, Aaron’s sons, and the elders of Israel. He told Aaron which offerings to bring for himself, and he told the people which offerings to bring as well. These were to be brought before the Tent of Meeting, because the people were about to see the glory of the Lord.

The people brought what Moses had commanded, and the whole congregation came near and stood before the Lord. Moses said that this was what the Lord had commanded them to do, and that the Lord’s glory would appear. Then Moses told Aaron to come to the altar and offer first for himself, and then for the people, to make atonement as the Lord had commanded.

Aaron went to the altar and offered the sin offering and the burnt offering for himself. His sons helped by bringing him the blood. Aaron put some on the horns of the altar and poured some at its base. He burned the parts that belonged on the altar, and the meat and skin were burned outside the camp. He also offered the burnt offering in the proper way.

After that, Aaron presented the people’s offerings. He offered the goat for a sin offering, then the burnt offering, and then the meal offering, in addition to the morning burnt offering. He also killed the bull and the ram for the people’s peace offerings. As Moses had commanded, the blood was sprinkled on the altar, the fat was burned there, and Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh before the Lord.

When the offerings were finished, Aaron lifted up his hands and blessed the people. Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the Lord appeared to everyone. Fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw it, they shouted and fell facedown. What do you notice about how carefully they followed God’s command in this moment?