The Tabernacle represented God’s presence in the midst of His people. This was a privilege that only the children of Israel had. Before the priests could serve God in the Tabernacle, they must be consecrated for service when they were reminded of the importance and the responsibilities of their service to God. The consecration would show their seriousness in, and commitment to, serving God.

1.  A consecration with blood (Exod 29:19-21). God instructed that the blood of the ram be applied to the right ear, right thumb and right big toe of the priests. This signified the giving of their best (the right hand being the dominant hand for most) and their all (from head to toe) when they served God. The consecration for service also signified that the priests were set apart and entrusted with a special duty, and must therefore dedicate their lives to the service of God only.

This too applies to every Christian for we are consecrated with the blood of Christ, who had cleansed us of our sins. We are to serve our God with seriousness and responsibility, knowing that it is a privilege for us to serve Him.

2.  A consecration in giving (Exod 29:22-25). Once the ram had been sacrificed, the best parts of the ram (fats and rump) were offered to the Lord as a wave offering, i.e. presenting it before God by elevating it and swaying their hands. Then, these best parts were burnt as a burnt offering to the Lord.

For Christians, this consecration in giving signifies the giving of our best (in terms of our time, resources, abilities, etc) in every area of our lives in service to God. We must do so joyfully and cheerfully, never grudgingly. And we must never give God our leftovers. When giving our best to God, we may feel disadvantaged in our position in the world. We must remember that it is a privilege to serve God, and that any missed opportunity to serve God may never come again.

3.  A consecration in receiving (Exod 29:26-28). After the best parts of the ram were given to God, the other parts were offered to Him as an heave offering. The heave offering was then given to the priests for their consumption. This offering signified God providing for those who served Him.

As we serve God with our best and all, we need not fear that we will lack or be disadvantaged because our God will provide sufficiently for us, whether financially or otherwise. We must be content, trusting that God knows our every need and will provide and take care of us as we consecrate our lives to serve Him willingly and joyfully.