When I think of the continuum of humanities life on this beautiful planet of ours, I can’t help but marvel at God’s timing. Now in Leviticus 8 and 9 we come to the time when God provides for a priesthood to minister to the people. So Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord commanded through Moses. Leviticus 8:36. They were robed in the priestly clothes; they performed the rituals of sacrificing for the sins of the people, including their own sins. They obeyed all the instructions even remaining for seven days at the entrance to the tent of meeting, until the days of their ordination were completed. They were faithful in all of God’s instructions to them. Then, in Leviticus 9 they sacrifice first for themselves and then for the people to make atonement just as the Lord commanded. Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown. v. 23-24.

Fire came out and consumed the burnt offering on the altar and the people shouted for joy and fell facedown. They knew where that fire came from and it wasn’t from Aaron, Moses or them. I can’t help but wonder how long did the priesthood and the sacrificial system last? Turning to the trusty timeline at the front of my Bible, The Ten Commandments given 1445 B.C. A long, long time ago. The timeline at the front of Leviticus…Israel camps at Mount Sinai 1444.

As I was contemplating all of this in prayer this morning, I thought of Jesus, our High Priest. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14.

At just the right time…always.

Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” (Psalm 2:7) And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4) During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:1-10.

Now there have been many of those high priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:23-25.

Aaron showed how to obey God in God’s instructions pertaining to Aaron’s important work for the people of God. And God was pleased. Fire came down from God to consume the burnt offering. Can you imagine what that was like for all the people? The culmination of all their generous work preparing all things for the tabernacle where God’s Presence would be with them. It must have been wonderful!

God oversees everything. At just the right time He works for us. He has been reminding me of late not to worry or try to control everything. I don’t need to worry God’s plans into being. I can trust Almighty God who has everything in His loving care. I don’t think God is surprised or worried by the events unfolding in our human history. I think He knows exactly what He’s doing to redeem each one of us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8. Can you imagine that kind of Love? Take His hand…He knows the way! Let Him show you how much He loves you and every single ungodly person. It will change your worry and your perspective. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners…Christ died for us. Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. Hebrews 8:1-2. At just the right time…our hearts and minds are opened and we see Him.