Leviticus 9 Summary: A Short Breakdown in 5 Minutes

Leviticus 9 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Leviticus picks up where Exodus left off. The children of Israel are on their way through the wilderness to the Canaan land.

• According to Leviticus 8, the Tabernacle had already been erected, which would place the year at approximately 1490 B.C. (one year after the Israelites left Egypt).

DEFINITIONS:

• Bull Calf – A bull is a male. A calf is a young animal typically under 9 months old.

• Aaron’s Sons – Aaron had 4 sons who served under him as priests. Their names were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar (Exodus 28:1).

TABERNACLE DIAGRAM

OUTLINE:

• MOSES GATHERS THE PEOPLE AND PRIESTS AFTER 7 DAYS OF ORDINATION (9:1-6):

  • After the 7 days of the priest’s ordination were complete (Lev 8:33), Moses told Aaron to collect a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

  • The people of Israel were told to bring a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb for a burnt offering, an ox and a ram for a peace offering, and grain mixed with oil for a grain offering.

  • When all the animals were brought, the people gathered at the Tabernacle.

  • Moses told them the glory of the Lord was going to appear to them.

• AARON’S SIN OFFERING AND BURNT OFFERING FOR HIMSELF (9:7-14):

  • Moses told Aaron to sacrifice the animals that had been brought in order to make atonement for himself and the people.

  • Aaron offered the bull calf as a sin offering for himself and put its blood on the 4 horns of the bronze altar.

  • Then he killed and offered the ram as a burnt offering according to the instructions God outlined for burnt offerings (Lev 1).

• AARON SACRIFICES ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL (9:15-21):

  • Aaron offered a sin offering, a burnt offering, and a grain offering for the the Israelites using the items they had brought.

  • Afterwards, he killed the ox and ram and made a peace offering for the people.  

  • As part of the peace offering, part of the ram was offered as a wave offering.

• GOD ACCEPTS AARON’S OFFERINGS (9:22-24):

  • After completing the sacrifices, Aaron lifted up his hands and blessed the people.

  • Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting and when they came out, the “glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.”

  • “Fire came out from the Lord and consumed” the offering on the altar.

APPLICATION:

• In this chapter we see Moses and Aaron acting as liaisons between God and the common Israelite people.

• Moses spoke to God and communicated His will to the people.

• Aaron offered sacrifices for the people’s sins.  

• Jesus filled both these roles during His time on earth.

• He delivered God’s new law to His people (Hebrews 9:15).

• He offered the final sacrifice, “once for all,” for the sins of the whole world (Hebrews 10:10; 1 John 2:2).