THEOSISRoshdestwenski W.G.
Moses declares that the offerings presented to the Lord God must be consecrated to prevent destruction by Him. The Lord instructed him to descend and ascend with Aaron, emphasizing that the sacrifices were not required to ascend to God to avoid His destruction. Those who had served in the Levitical priesthood prior to the establishment of the law were not officially recognized in that role, as God had promised in Exodus 29:44 to consecrate the sons of Aaron for the priesthood.
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Some interpret the term "sacrifices" to refer to the elders and leaders of Judah, as mentioned in verse 7, drawing connections to 2 Samuel 8:18 where David's sons are labeled as sacrifices. However, this interpretation is questionable since these elders were not part of the priestly ministry, and Jewish law mandated that only members of the Levitical tribe could be appointed to the Levitical office. Thus, while the Jewish elders were referred to as priests within Scripture, their roles were predominantly civil, originating from the tribe of Judah.
The writer of the Chronicles affirms this, noting that they were the primary counselors to the king, indicating their involvement in critical state responsibilities. Therefore, while they could be called priests in a metaphorical sense, they did not fulfill the specific duties associated with the priesthood. True priesthood was reserved for those engaged in sacred rites, offering sacrifices at the altar of the Lord, and guiding the people in the teachings of the Law.
It is clear that in the books of Moses, the references to priests denote varied functions: some were invested in civil duties while others concentrated on public worship. Regarding the priests dedicated to perpetual divine service, Scripture confirms they were among the firstborn, consecrated by God, referred to in Exodus 24:5 as the young men of Israel who were tasked by Moses to present offerings. This aligns with Reuben being identified as Jacob's firstborn, as noted in Genesis 49:3.