As I've groped my way through Leviticus over several years, one thing has come clear: the priest is the engine who makes the whole Levitical system go.

Aaron and his sons show up at every turn.

A worshiper brings a sacrifice, leans his hand on its head, kills it. Then the priests take over to complete the rite.

A woman is unclean after childbirth. To become clean she has to bring offerings - to the priest.

A man's skin breaks out, but the priest decides whether it's skin disease or not.

The aim of the entire apparatus is to provide designated pathways for Israel to draw near, to return to Eden.

But they can't do that by themselves. Israel draws near through the priest, because they share Aaron's nearness.

That's the point of the eighth-day rite of priestly ordination (Lev 9). Aaron the head has already been through an elaborate ritual. On the eighth day, the body joins him.

The congregation "draws near" and "stands," in quasi-priestly posture. Aaron performs offerings for the priests, then the same offerings for the people.

Israel's offerings are folded into the priests', so that, at the climax of the eighth day, priests and people share the festive peace offering.

For decades, those of us around Biblical Horizons and Theopolis have been talking about the "covenant renewal" structure of Levitical and Christian worship.

In the old world, worship moved from the sin offering (for cleansing) to the ascension offering (into Yahweh's presence) to the peace offering (a feast).

In the new, we confess sins and receive absolution so we can ascend in song to hear the Lord's word and sit at His table.

Sin, ascension, peace: That's the sequence in Leviticus 9. But that chapter has a specific focus: Israel offers sin, ascension, and peace offerings, so they can share in Aaron's proximity to Yahweh.

That's the focus of Christian worship too. Every week, we renew, refresh, and strengthen our union with our heavenly Priest through confession, praise, and communion.

As Hebrews has it, where there's a change in priesthood, there is also a change in law. 

We live in a new world because we have a better Priest who has overcome death so we can follow Him as He soars through the firmament to His Father's throne.