A Royal Priesthood (Leviticus 8:30)

“Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments, and also on his sons and his son’s garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments, and his sons and his son’s garments with him.”
-Leviticus 8:30

Now, this is one of those places in Leviticus where we think, okay, what does this have to do with me and it has everything to do with us.”So this is the requirements, in a sense, for priestly service. In order for Aaron and his sons… This is the priesthood in the Book of Leviticus, led by Aaron. In order for them to perform their duties, there were two requirements here in Leviticus 8:30. They had to be sprinkled with blood and anointed with oil. Now the reason that’s so significant and has so much application for our lives is because when you get to the New Testament, what we learn is that not just a few people are priests that represent everyone else before God.

No, in the New Testament, we find that because of the blood of Christ, we are all made priests. We’re a royal priesthood. That’s what the New Testament calls the church and followers of Christ. We’re a royal priesthood because we have access to God through our great high priest Jesus who’s paid the price for our sins.

Jesus has made purification for sins and we are covered by His righteousness. We have access to God through Christ and we are set apart for His purpose.

This Verse Stresses our Need for Christ

So when we see these two requirements for priestly service and Aaron and his sons, that they be sprinkled with blood and anointed with oil, we realize, fast forward to the New Testament, that those two realities actually apply to us. We need to be sprinkled with blood. This is the whole picture of Jesus’ death on the cross, providing a sacrifice for our sins. So by the grace of God, the blood of Christ has covered over your sins and my sins, making us priests, making it possible for you and I to have communion with God. So sprinkle with blood and anointed with oil.

The whole picture of anointing here is being set apart for a holy purpose and such is the reality in your life and my life. In Christ, our sins have been covered by his blood and we have been set apart for God’s holy purposes. Not just a few people, but every single one of us anointed by the Spirit of God, for the purposes of God.

Leviticus 8:30 Thanks God for Setting Us Apart

So we pray, “Oh God, as priests, in your presence right now, oh this is an awesome thought in my life and the lives of those who are praying this, who put their faith in Christ. His blood to cover over their sins, God, we come to you as a royal priesthood. Praising your for the blood of Christ, sprinkled over, covering over our sins. And we come to you anointed by you, set apart for your purposes. And so we pray oh God, use us for your purposes. Use my life, our lives today, for your holy purposes.

I think of my life as a husband, as a dad, as a leader, as a pastor, as a friend, and all of these ways you have called me to serve. God, help me to serve, to accomplish your purposes. Help me to be a Godly husband. A Godly dad and Godly leader. A Godly pastor and Godly friend, in all of these ways.

I pray this for other people and all of the roles you’ve given to them, the jobs you’ve put them in, the stations you’ve put them in in life, whether they’re single or married or with family and this way or that way, God help us to accomplish your purposes in the places where we live and we work. Oh God, thank you for the privilege of being a part of this royal priesthood. So help us to live under the constant awareness that our sins have been covered by the blood of Christ. We have been anointed by the Spirit of Christ for your purposes. Help us to live them out today. We pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen”