Week 6…Set Apart & Consumed
Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them… He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him. -Leviticus 8:10,12
In Leviticus 8, God establishes a priesthood, a holy bridge between sinful people and a holy God. But in Jesus, that bridge becomes permanent. The veil is torn. Access is granted. And now, we…washed, clothed in Christ, and filled with His Spirit…are called a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).
As you read this chapter, remember: just as Aaron and his sons were set apart, you are set apart. Not by ritual or robe, but by the righteousness of Jesus. You are anointed to walk in His presence, serve with His love, and reflect His holiness in a watching world.
But what truly grabbed my heart is in Leviticus 9, when the preparation turns to action.
“And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering… and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”
- Leviticus 9:24
After days of instruction, obedience, and sacrifice, God responds…not with words, but with fire. Not symbolic. Not man-made. Divine fire. The first offering is accepted, not by ritual alone, but by visible holy fire from God Himself. The fire should have consumed the people and their sin, but it didn’t. The offering had been made, and God approved.
The phrase “from before the Lord” points to God’s manifest presence, which, at this moment in history, was centered in the Holy of Holies, specifically above the Ark of the Covenant, where God's glory dwelled between the cherubim (Exodus 25:22, Leviticus 16:2). Therefore, it’s likely the fire originated from the presence of God in the Holy of Holies, possibly from the Ark of the Covenant.
Imagine the scene. You’re an Israelite, weary from wilderness, dazed by new laws and unfamiliar rhythms. You watch the first sacrifice laid on the altar, unsure what to expect and then and fire shoots out from the Ark of the Covenant, where God said he would take up space, and falls on the offering consuming it in its entirety. Just, WOW. He was responding relationally…accepting the offering, dwelling among them, and declaring His holiness and favor. A Holy embrace.
The Hebrew Word for “Consumed”
The word “consumed” in Hebrew is אָכַל (’akal), which means “to eat” or “devour.” In Lev. 9, it’s more than just fire burning something up, it means the offering was fully received by God. Consumed.
He was saying, “This pleases Me. I accept it. I accept you.”
It wasn’t a consumption that meant destruction, it was divine acceptance. He devoured the offering because it belonged to Him. So when we read that God consumed the offering, we’re not just seeing smoke, we’re witnessing a deep, intimate exchange between heaven and earth. A holy God embracing the obedience of His people.
Now fast forward to Acts 2, Pentecost. Another fire falls. But this time, it doesn’t consume a lamb. It rests on people. The disciples, obedient and expectant, are filled with the Holy Spirit.
This fire didn’t burn up, it filled up. It was still all consuming… just in a different way. And again, God was saying:
“I see you. I accept you. I am here… in you.”
And this leads to the word that’s been burning in my spirit: Consume. Yes, it’s my word for this week. The same God who devoured offerings in Leviticus now makes us living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). Through Jesus, the ultimate offering, we no longer strive to be accepted. His Spirit now consumes hearts open to Him. So many echoes of Jesus within Leviticus 9, surprised?
But here’s where conviction struck me…
Throughout Scripture, people encountered God’s glory and fell on their faces:
Abram (Genesis 17:3)
Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16:22)
Joshua (Joshua 5:14)
The disciples (Matthew 17:6)
Worshipers in heaven (Revelation 7:11)
They were all undone by the holiness of God.
And I had to ask myself:
If the consuming fire of God lives in me…is His presence so evident in my life that others are moved? Does anyone “fall on their face” (inwardly) because they sense something holy in me?
I’m still sitting with that. Maybe you are too.
REFLECTION: Ask yourself…
Where in your life do you need fresh fire?
Have you ever experienced awe in the presence of God? What posture did it lead you to, physically, emotionally, spiritually?
PRAYER: Father, You are holy. You are consuming. You are present. Thank You for the fire that no longer destroys, but fills.
Thank You for Jesus, the offering once for all, and for the Spirit that now rests in me. Set me apart again: body, mind, and soul.
Let Your presence in me be so evident that it stirs something deep in those around me. Burn away what doesn’t belong. Consume my life with Your love, Your truth, and Your glory. I want to live undone before You… and radiant for You. Amen.