leviticus 8 and 9

Read Leviticus 8 and 9 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Lev 8:1-36 {s} Consecration of the tabernacle + priesthood
Lev 9:1-10:7 {p} Offerings on the 8th day + Nadab, Abihu consumed

The first eight chapters of Leviticus form a chiastic structure which sheds light on the regulations we have been reading so far:

Exo 40:1-Lev 8:38 chiastic structure:

1a) Exo 40:1-38 {sx8+p+p} Moses established the tabernacle;

1b) Lev 1:1-2:16, The law of the burnt offering + grain offering;

1c) Lev 3:1-16a, The law of the peace offering;

1d) Lev 3:16b-17, You shall eat neither fat nor blood;

1e) Lev 4:1-6:23, The law of the offerings + grain offering that must not be eaten;

1) Lev 4:1-35, The law of the sin offering;
2) Lev 5:1-6:7, The law of the trespass offering;
3) Lev 6:8-18 {s+p} The law of the burnt offering + grain offerings;
4) Lev 6:19-23 {p} The law of the perpetual grain offering that must not be eaten;

central axis) Lev 6:24, “Also the LORD spoke to Moses, saying;”

2e) Lev 6:25-7:21, The law of the offerings + the peace offering that must be eaten;

1) Lev 6:25-30 {p} The law of the sin offering;
2) Lev 7:1-7, The law of the trespass offering;
3) Lev 7:8-10 {p} What is the priests’ of the burnt offering + grain offerings;
4) Lev 7:11-21 {p} The law of the peace offering that must be eaten;

2d) Lev 7:22-27, You shall not eat the fat or the blood;

2c) Lev 7:28-36, The law of the peace offering;

2b) Lev 7:37-38 {p} Summary of the law of the offerings;

2a) Lev 8:1-36 {s} Moses established the priesthood.

In other words, Moses was the one who caused both the tabernacle and the priesthood to be established, but it was not something he can take credit for, nor something that we should credit him for. The central axis is, “The LORD spoke to Moses.” The tabernacle and its regulations are the LORD’s, and the priesthood and its regulations are the LORD’s, and Moses was merely carrying out the instructions he had received, as an obedient servant/ overseer in the LORD’s house. But without obedience there can be no establishment of the things in the earth the LORD desires to establish. Thinking back to the opening chapters of Exodus, we saw that Moses was uniquely created, gifted, watched over, and prepared for the time and the task. If he had said No, deliverance would have still come … but through someone who was willing to say yes. YES, I WILL OBEY YOUR WORD, FATHER!