Consecration
Summary
The act of devoting or setting apart anything to the worship or service of God. Scripture presents both divine consecrations (as of firstborn, Levites, and priests) and voluntary consecrations (vows and dedications), pointing ultimately to the believer's complete dedication to God.
☩The Consecration of Priests
The consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priestly office is described in detail in Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8. They were washed, clothed in priestly garments, and anointed with oil. One bullock was offered for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. Another ram, called 'the ram of consecration,' had its blood placed upon the right ear, right thumb, and right great toe of the priests. Parts of this ram were placed in their hands and waved before the Lord, then burned on the altar.
☩Filling the Hand
The Hebrew phrase for 'to consecrate' literally means 'to fill the hand' (Exodus 28:41, 29:9). This expression alludes to the priests taking portions of the offering into their hands and waving them before Jehovah. Their hands being filled with offerings was suited to their character as priests to God. This symbolic action represented the representative power thus conferred and the priest's function of presenting offerings before God.
☩Personal Consecration
Beyond priestly consecration, Scripture presents examples of personal dedication to God. Hannah consecrated Samuel to the Lord's service all his lifetime (1 Samuel 1:11). Jacob vowed conditional consecration at Bethel (Genesis 28:20-22). Paul urges believers, 'Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service' (Romans 12:1). The Macedonian churches 'first gave their own selves to the Lord' (2 Corinthians 8:5).
☩Typical Significance
The priestly consecration was typical of believers being cleansed by water (regeneration), sprinkled with blood (redemption), and anointed with oil (the Holy Spirit)—entirely consecrated to God. Christians are constituted 'a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices' (1 Peter 2:5). The washing, blood, and oil together point to complete dedication: past guilt removed, present relationship secured, and future service empowered.
Related Verses29 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.George Morrish, "Consecration," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 2.John McClintock and James Strong, "Consecration," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. II (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).