The apostle Paul wrote,
You are not your own. You were bought with a price. (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
These words are reflected in the words that were placed on the high priest’s forehead, “Holy to the Lord.”
The word “holy” basically means “set apart.” And as God’s priests, we are set apart for him.
We don’t belong to ourselves anymore. We belong to him.
There are several things in the consecration of the priests that expand on this idea.
First, the price that was paid.
A bull was to be sacrificed, and as it was, Aaron and his sons placed their hands on its head.
The picture was that the bull took their guilt and died for their sin.
In the same way, we were bought by the blood of Jesus. He took our guilt upon himself and died for our sins.
We also see a picture of this cleansing by the priests’ washing with water in verse 4.
After this, they were clothed.
In the same way, we are also clothed with Jesus Christ himself. He covers our guilt and shame with his blood.
There’s a beautiful picture of this in Zechariah 3:1–5.
Then, there was a burnt offering in which an entire ram was completely burnt up.
This was a picture of how we, as priests, are to offer our whole lives to God, holding nothing back from him.
Another ram was sacrificed, and its blood was put on the priests’ ears, thumbs, and toes.
It symbolized how their ears, hands, and feet were to be dedicated to the Lord’s service.
In other words, we, as God’s priests, should have ears that listen to our Lord’s words, hands that do what he has asked, and feet that go wherever he leads.
The interesting thing about this ram is that its fat, along with a loaf of bread without yeast, a cake, and a wafer, were waved before the Lord and then burned.
The breast and thigh of the ram, however, were given to Aaron and his sons to eat.
I believe the picture here is that while we give ourselves to God, he always gives back to us.
We may think that we are giving up a lot for him. But he gives back to us a life that satisfies.
I gave up a lot to leave Hawaii, come to Japan, and follow Christ. But I’ve gotten a lot more in return, and I have no regrets at all.
God promises the same for any who would come after him.
God’s promise at the end of all these commands was that he would meet with the Israelites, speak with them, and dwell among them. (Exodus 29:42–46)
In the same way, he promises to meet with us, speak with us, and dwell among us.
Are you holy to the Lord?
If you are a Christian, you should be. You were bought with a price, and you belong to him.
And so our prayer to him should be, “Lord, my ears are yours, my hands are yours, my feet are yours, and my life is yours.”
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 