The Active Part of Aaron and His Sons In The Ceremony (Exodus 29:31-34).
Meanwhile we move back to the consecration of Aaron and his sons in the present.
“And you shall take the ram of consecration and boil its flesh in a holy place, and Aaron and his sons will eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and they will eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them. But a stranger shall not eat of them for they are holy. And if aught of the flesh of the consecration, or of the bread, remain until the morning, then you will burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten because it is holy.”
Aaron and his sons were now to actively participate in the ceremony. The initial stage of their consecration is complete and they can now partake of the peace offering. Participation by the offerer in a peace offering would later be a regular event (and probably had been in the past. The laws of Leviticus were undoubtedly based on the past). It was a kind of one-sided fellowship meal, (God did not take part in the eating), an indication that the person was at peace with God through his offerings and sacrifices from a true heart, and an expression of worship and gratitude. Thus Aaron and his sons may eat what remains of the ram of consecration after Moses has arranged for it to be boiled in a holy place (at the door of the Tent of Meeting. In the event Moses requests Aaron and his sons to boil it - Leviticus 8:31), and may also eat the bread that Moses had brought in the basket to the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 29:2). But any that is not eaten by morning was to be burned. This latter was because of its especial holiness.
“ And they will eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them.” We note firstly that the Peace Offering also ‘makes atonement'. The shedding of blood in whatever form ever has in mind the need for sin to be paid for, and emphasises the fact that everything man does, even his dedication and consecration of himself, is tainted with sin, so that every blood sacrifice contained within it an element of atonement. But the eating of this sacrifice before Yahweh is indicating an acceptance by Him of their consecration and their being separated to God and declared ‘holy'. They are now his representatives on behalf of the people, consecrated and sanctified to His service.
“ But a stranger shall not eat of them for they are holy.” This is the use of the word ‘stranger' (zor) to signify anyone not of Aaron's family (compare Numbers 16:40; see also 30:33: Leviticus 22:12-13). Compare its use in the ‘strange' fire. What was not in accordance with God's ordinance was ‘strange'. It is emphasising their unique status as against the whole people. They are a family set apart from all others. When it comes to the priesthood all others are ‘strangers'. So this meat and bread is for the priests alone. Indeed later it is revealed that it must be eaten there in the presence of Yahweh after which they must remain there for the seven days of their consecration (Leviticus 8:31-33).