Ordination offerings, as described in the Old Testament, are a significant aspect of the Levitical priesthood and the consecration of priests for service in the tabernacle. These offerings are detailed primarily in the book of Exodus and Leviticus, where God provides Moses with specific instructions for the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests.

Biblical Foundation

The ordination offerings are first introduced in Exodus 29, where God commands Moses to consecrate Aaron and his sons. The process involves a series of sacrifices and rituals designed to sanctify the priests for their sacred duties. The offerings include a bull for a sin offering, two rams—one for a burnt offering and the other for a fellowship offering—and unleavened bread, cakes, and wafers.

Exodus 29:1-3 states: "Now this is what you are to do to consecrate them, so that they may serve Me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without blemish, along with unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. You are to make them out of fine wheat flour."

Purpose and Significance

The ordination offerings serve multiple purposes. Firstly, they symbolize the purification and sanctification of the priests. The sin offering, represented by the bull, atones for the sins of the priests, acknowledging their need for cleansing before approaching a holy God. The burnt offering, one of the rams, signifies the complete dedication of the priests to God, as the entire animal is consumed by fire. The fellowship offering, the second ram, represents the peace and communion between God and the priests, as well as the community they serve.

Leviticus 8 provides a detailed account of the ordination ceremony, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's commands in the consecration process. Leviticus 8:22-24 describes the ritual: "Then Moses presented the second ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. Moses slaughtered the ram, took some of its blood, and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. Moses also presented Aaron’s sons and put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet."

Symbolism and Ritual

The application of blood to the ear, thumb, and toe of the priests is rich in symbolism. It signifies the consecration of the priests' entire being to God—what they hear (ear), what they do (hand), and where they go (foot). This act underscores the total commitment required of those who serve in the priestly office.

The ordination offerings also include the wave offering, where parts of the sacrifice are waved before the Lord as a gesture of presentation and dedication. This act is a physical demonstration of offering the priests' service to God.

New Testament Fulfillment

While the ordination offerings are specific to the Old Covenant, they find their ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament through Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest. Hebrews 7:27 highlights the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice: "Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself."

In the New Covenant, all believers are considered a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), and the concept of ordination offerings is transformed into the spiritual sacrifices of a life dedicated to God through Christ. The physical rituals of the Old Testament are fulfilled in the spiritual reality of Christ's atoning work and the believer's consecration through faith.