Exodus chapter 29

After reading chapter 29:

*This chapter is about the consecration of particular people and things. Consecration means dedicating that thing to God and making it holy. Holyness is an abstract idea that basically means uber special, so special that it is only for particular, people, places, or times. The specialness seems to exist just because God said so.

*The first things to be consecrated were Aaron and his sons, and their garments. First, instructions are given about washing and dressing them. Then there are instructions about sacrificing a bull as a sin offering. Only the fat is to be burnt on the altar. The rest is to be burnt outside the camp. Next are instructions for the sacrifice of a ram. The whole thing is to be burnt on the altar because God likes the smell of burnt ram. Next, another ram is to be slaughtered. This time, some of its blood is to be put on the right ears, right thumbs,  and right big toes of Aaron and his sons. Then blood and oil are to be sprinkled on the beautiful priestly garments of Aaron and his sons. Tada! Now they are consecrated.

*From the last ram, they are to take the fat and the right thigh. They are also to take a loaf of unleavened bread, a cake made with oil, and a wafer. Aaron and his sons are to wave them all in front of Yahweh, who is hovering over the ark, as a "wave offering." Then, they will burn those things on the altar because God likes the smell. (Hey, I'm not making this stuff up.) They will also wave the breast of the ram before the lord, then they get to eat it. From now on, Aaron and his sons get to keep the breast of a sacrificed ram. It is their holy share of the fellowship offerings the Israelites will make to God, a perk of the priesthood.

*Aaron's sacred garments will be handed down to his descendants. The priesthood is an inherited office. No one else may eat any sacrificed meat associated with a priest's ordination, because it is holy. The altar is to be made holy by sacrificing a bull on it every day for seven days. After that, anything that touches the altar will be holy. Every day two lambs will be sacrificed on the altar, one in the morning and one at twilight, along with offerings of flour, oil, and wine. God will enjoy the smell of these things burning. This is to be done regularly so that the tabernacle, the altar, and the priests will be holy.  Yahweh will speak to them and live with them and be their God. Plus, the priests will have a daily supply of the best meat available.

*That's an awful lot of meat from a people who have nothing to eat but manna. Just for the consecration a and ordinations eight Bulls and two Rams were killed. The daily sacrifice would make over 700 lambs a year.