the apostle John in which he saw “three unclean inspired expressions,” froglike in appearance, proceeding from the mouths of the dragon, wild beast and false prophet, and which expressions he specifically states are “inspired by demons,” serving to gather earth’s kings to the war at Har–Magedon.—Rev. 16:13-16.

With good reason, then, John urged Christians to “test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God.” (1 John 4:1-3; compare Revelation 22:6.) He then went on to show that God’s true Inspired expressions were coming through the genuine Christian congregation, not through unchristian worldly sources. John’s statement was, of course, inspired by Jehovah God, but even aside from this, John’s letter had laid a solid foundation for making the straightforward statement: “He that gains the knowledge of God listens to us; he that does not originate with God does not listen to us. This is how we take note of the inspired expression of truth and the inspired expression of error.” (1 John 4:6) Far from being mere dogmatism, John had shown that he and other true Christians were manifesting the fruits of God’s spirit, primarily love, and were proving by their right conduct and truthful speech that they were indeed “walking in the light” in union with God.—1 John 1:5-7; 2:3-6, 9-11, 15-17, 29; 3:1, 2, 6, 9-18, 23, 24; contrast Titus 1:16.

INSTALLATION

The induction of the priesthood into office. Aaron and his sons were taken from the Kohathite family of the tribe of Levi to serve as the priesthood for Israel. (Ex. 6:16, 18, 20; 28:1) Their installation occupied seven days, apparently falling on Nisan 1-7, 1512 B.C.E., while Israel was encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai in Arabia. (Ex. 40:2, 12, 17) The tent of meeting had just been completed and set up on the first day of the month; the priestly family had been chosen by Jehovah, and now Moses, the brother of Aaron, as mediator of the Law covenant was commanded to perform the ceremony of their sanctification and installation. Instructions for the procedure are given in Exodus chapter 29 and the record of Moses’ carrying out the ceremony is in Leviticus chapter 8.

On this first day, with Jehovah’s presence represented by the pillar of cloud above the tabernacle (Ex. 40:33-38), Moses assembled all the sacrificial items, the bull and the two rams and the basket of unfermented cakes, the anointing oil and the priestly garments. As instructed, he called the congregation of Israel, which likely meant the older men as representatives of the entire congregation, to gather at the entrance of the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that surrounded the courtyard. Since they evidently could observe what took place in the courtyard, the gateway screen, twenty cubits (29 feet; 8.8 meters) wide, was probably removed.—Lev. 8:1-5; Ex. 27:16.

Moses washed Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar (or, commanded them to wash themselves) at the copper basin in the courtyard and put upon Aaron the glorious garments of the high priest. (Num. 3:2, 3) Now clothed in beautiful apparel, Aaron was invested with the garments representing the qualities and responsibilities of his office. Moses then anointed the tabernacle and all its furnishings and utensils and the altar of burnt offering as well as the basin and the utensils used in connection with them. This sanctified them, set them aside for the exclusive use and service of God, for which they would now be employed. Finally Moses anointed Aaron by pouring the oil upon his head.—Lev. 8:6-12; Ex. 30:22-33; Ps. 133:2.

BULL OF THE SIN OFFERING

Next, Moses clothed Aaron’s sons, after which he caused Aaron and his sons to lay their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering, their action signifying their acknowledgment of the offering as being for them, the priestly house. After slaughtering the bull Moses put some of the blood on the altar and poured the rest out at the altar’s base, thus symbolizing cleansing from defilement brought due to the sinful nature of the priests when they officiated at the altar. The blood being put on the horns of the altar evidently signified that the power of the sacrificial arrangement lay in the shed blood of the sacrifice. (Heb. 9:22) The sprinkling of the altar was likewise required in connection with other offerings. (Lev. 1:5, 11; 3:2; 4:6; 16:18) Notice, however, that this being ‘ordination day’ for the priesthood and not the national atonement day for sins, the bull’s blood was not taken into the Most Holy. (See Leviticus 16:14.) As with other sin offerings, the fat upon the intestines, the appendage of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat were placed on the altar. (Lev. 4:8-10, 20, 26, 31) The rest of the bull, with its skin and dung, was taken outside the camp by one of the priests, to be burned.—Lev. 8:13-17.

SACRIFICIAL RAMS

Then Aaron and his sons laid hands on the ram of the burnt offering and it was slaughtered, some of its blood being sprinkled upon the altar. The ram was then cut into parts, washed and burned on the altar, but evidently not the dung and the skin. (Lev. 7:8) As this ram of the burnt offering was offered up completely, nothing being retained for consumption by any human, so these priests were completely sanctified to Jehovah’s holy, priestly service.—Lev. 8:18-21; compare Leviticus 1:3-9.

The other ram, the “ram of the installation,” after having the priests’ hands laid upon it, was slaughtered. Here the blood was used differently. Some of it was put on the right earlobe, right thumb and right big toe of Aaron and his sons; so the faculties represented by these body members were to be used fully in connection with the sacrificial feature of their ministry. The rest of the blood Moses sprinkled upon the altar.—Lev. 8:22-24.

The fat around the ram’s organs, before being offered in the usual way, was placed, along with one of each of the three kinds of unfermented cakes taken from the basket, on the right leg. All of this was now put upon the palms of Aaron and his sons and waved before Jehovah by Moses, who evidently put his hands under the priests’ hands to do so. This signified that their hands were ‘filled with power,’ that is, filled with sacrificial gifts and fully equipped and empowered for sacrificial duty. They were shown to be authorized, not only to offer the fat portions, on the altar, but also to receive the gifts provided for their sustenance as Jehovah’s abundant arrangement for his priesthood. The part of the ram waved, the right leg, usually went to the officiating priest as his portion. (Lev. 7:32-34; Num. 18:18) In this instance, it was all burned on the altar. Thus it was both presented (waved) before Jehovah and actually offered, acknowledging all of it as his bestowal upon the priesthood.—Lev. 8:25-28.

Moses, acting in a priestly capacity during the installation service, now received the breast from the installation ram as his own portion, after presenting it as a wave offering.—Lev. 8:29; see also Exodus 29:26-28.

Some of the ram’s blood with the anointing oil (apparently mixed) was spattered upon Aaron and his sons and their garments, to sanctify them. This also identified them with the sacrificial office, as directed by God’s spirit. There is no mention of Aaron’s sons being anointed by pouring oil over the head, as Aaron had been.—Lev. 8:30.

The portion of the ram’s flesh that had not been burned on the altar or given to Moses was now to be boiled and eaten at the entrance of the tent of meeting by Aaron and his sons, along with the cakes remaining in the basket. Any of this food left over was to be burned the next morning. This emphasized the cleanness, and also stressed the completeness, of their sanctification and service (because what was eaten was free from any putrefaction or staleness, and remainders were completely disposed of). It is notable also that no leaven was in the cakes.—Lev. 8:31, 32; Ex. 29:31-34.

COMPLETION OF THE INSTALLATION

The installation took seven days, before the end of which the priesthood could not officiate in the fullest sense. On each of the six days succeeding their investiture and ordination through the mediator Moses, sacrifices were to be offered as follows: a young ram in the morning, with a grain offering and a drink offering of wine, and a like sacrifice in the evening, as burnt offerings. During the entire seven days, day and night, the newly ordained priests had to man posts of duty at the entrance of the tent of meeting, keeping “the obligatory watch of Jehovah,” that they might not die.—Lev. 8:33-36; Ex. 29:35-42.

On the eighth day, fully equipped and installed in office, the priesthood officiated (without Moses’ assistance) for the first time, performing an atonement service for the nation of Israel, especially in need of cleansing, not only because of their natural sinfulness, but also because of their recent disobedience in connection with the golden calf, which had brought Jehovah’s displeasure. (Lev. 9:1-7; Ex. 32:1-10) At the conclusion of this first service by the newly installed priesthood, Jehovah manifested his approval and confirmation of them in office by sending miraculous fire out from the pillar of cloud above the tabernacle, devouring the remainder of the sacrifice on the altar.—Lev. 9:23, 24.

The Bible gives no record of an installation ceremony for the successors of Aaron. Evidently the one installation service was sufficient to place the Aaronic house and all its male offspring in their priestly office once and for all, to continue to time indefinite, down until the installation in office of the true and everlasting high priest Jesus Christ.—Heb. 7:12, 17; 9:11, 12; see HIGH PRIEST; PRIEST.

INSTRUCTION

[From a form of the Hebrew ya·rahʹ, to instruct or teach; Gr., pai·deuʹo, to instruct, correct, chastise, discipline; ka·te·kheʹo, to teach orally, inform, instruct].

Jehovah is the Source of instruction. (Isa. 2:3; Mic. 4:2) The Bible is his written instruction Book. (Ps. 119:105; 2 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 15:4) Jesus Christ is “the way and the truth and the life,” instructing those who approach the Father through him.—John 14:6.

What might be called the “book of divine creation” also instructs, when properly studied. (Ps. 19:1-4; Rom. 1:20; 10:18) Job told his companions they could get instruction by going to the animal creation. (Job 12:7, 8) But such instruction from the physical creation in itself cannot give the wisdom of God unless the searcher has the fear of Jehovah, which is ‘the beginning of knowledge and wisdom,’ and accompanies his study of created things with a consideration of God’s Word.—Job 28:13-28; Prov. 1:7; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 30:5; Isa. 8:20.

Instruction, to benefit one fully, includes correction, chastisement, discipline, as the Hebrew and Greek words imply. Discipline is not always easy to take, but, when one responds to such instruction, it will yield “peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.” (Heb. 12:7-11) The instruction of a loving teacher will include training through example. But if hire is the chief incentive of the instructor, as was the case with the priests of Micah’s day, there will be neither example nor proper training. (Mic. 3:11) And the most unreliable source of all is instruction sought at the feet of idols, or from spiritists, magicians, fortune-tellers and the like, for one is thereby seeking instruction from God’s enemies the demons. (Hab. 2:19; 1 Cor. 10:20; Isa. 8:19; 2:6; Rev. 22:15) The Scriptures warn against turning to such sources of instruction as well as to worldly philosophy.—Col. 2:8; 1 Tim. 6:20.

The Bible indicates that, during Christ’s 1,000-year reign, scrolls of instruction will be opened up for the judgment of mankind.—Rev. 20:12; see EDUCATION.

INTEGRITY

The Hebrew terms relating to integrity (tom, tum·mahʹ, tam, ta·mimʹ) have the root meaning of that which is “complete” or “whole.” (Compare Leviticus 25:30; Joshua 10:13; Proverbs 1:12.) Ta·mimʹ is used several times to refer to physical completeness or soundness and freedom from impairment, for example, regarding sacrificial animals. (Ex. 12:5; 29:1; Lev. 3:6) But more frequently these terms describe moral soundness and completeness, one’s being blameless and faultless.

When applied to God, ta·mimʹ may properly be translated “perfect,” as in describing Jehovah’s activity and works, his way, knowledge and law. (Deut. 32:4; Job 36:4; 37:16; Ps. 18:30; 19:7) All these divine qualities and expressions manifest such unmatchable completeness and fullness, are so sound and free from defect or fault, that they clearly identify their Source as the one true God.—Rom. 1:20; see PERFECTION.

SIGNIFICANCE OF HUMAN INTEGRITY

In a few cases the Hebrew tom conveys simply the idea of honest motive, innocence as to wrong intention. (Compare Genesis 20:5, 6; 2 Samuel 15:11) But mainly these related Hebrew terms describe unswerving devotion to righteousness. While the English word “integrity” is commonly applied to an ‘uncompromising adherence to some moral or ethical code,’ the Biblical usage and examples present unbreakable devotion to a person, Jehovah God, and to his expressed will and purpose—rather than to a mere code—as the course of vital importance.

Involved in the supreme issue

The first human pair were given the opportunity to manifest integrity in Eden. The restriction regarding the tree of knowledge put to the test their devotion to their Creator. Under the pressure of outside influence from God’s adversary and his appeal to selfishness, they gave way to disobedience. Their shame, their reluctance to face their Creator and their lack of candor in responding to his questions all gave evidence of their lack of integrity. (Compare Psalm 119:1, 80.) Obviously, however, they were not the first to break integrity, since the spirit creature who led them into a rebellious course had already done so.—Gen. 3:1-19; compare his course with the dirge pronounced against the king of Tyre at Ezekiel 28:12-15; see SATAN.

Satan’s rebellion, visibly initiated in Eden, produced an issue of universal importance—that of the rightfulness of God’s sovereignty over all his creatures, his right to require full obedience of them. Since the issue was not one of superiority of power but, rather, a moral issue, it could not be settled merely by the exercise of power, as by God’s immediately crushing Satan and the human pair out of existence. This fact is an aid to understanding why wickedness and its author, Satan, have been allowed to continue so long. (See WICKEDNESS.) Since God’s adversary first drew upon humans for support and endorsement of his rebel course (the earliest evidence for any siding with Satan on the part of spirit sons of God not appearing until sometime prior to the Flood; Gen. 6:1-5; compare 2 Peter 2:4, 5), this made the question of man’s integrity to God’s sovereign will an essential part of the overall issue (though Jehovah’s sovereignty is not itself dependent on the integrity of his creatures). Proof of this is seen in the case of Job.

Job

Job, who evidently lived in the period between the death of Joseph and the time of Moses (see JOB), is described as a man who had “proved to be blameless [Heb., tam] and upright, and fearing God and turning aside from bad.” (Job 1:1) That human integrity