This chapter describes the holiness of the priests and some boundaries around their ritual cleanliness.
“He shall not make himself unclean as a husband among his people and so profane himself. They shall not make bald patches on their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts on their body. They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. For they offer the Lord’s food offerings, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy. The priest who is chief among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose nor tear his clothes. He shall not go in to any dead bodies nor make himself unclean, even for his father or for his mother. He shall not go out of the sanctuary, lest he profane the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him: I am the Lord.” (v4-6,10-12)
God gives Israel several rules governing the cleanliness and holiness of the priests. Since they are God’s mediators and representatives to the people of Israel, they are held to the highest standard of morality. They were not to defile themselves, nor were they to take an unclean wife. They were to remain set apart for God’s purposes.
Initially, we may wonder how this applies to us today, until we look at the New Covenant version of God’s Old Covenant priests.
First, we acknowledge that Jesus was the ultimate high priest who made the final sin sacrifice on our behalf: “And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God…” (Heb 10:11-12)
Second, we discover who the new priests are: “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. …you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Pt 2:4-5,9)
According to scripture, God’s people (followers) are a royal priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices made acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. What does that mean? Basically, our love for God (obedience exhibited through worship, service, evangelism, etc.) is acceptable to God as a spiritual sacrifice, because Jesus consecrated/sanctified us to God through His sacrifice.
Christ followers, who model Jesus (over time with practice), begin modeling a priestly role because Jesus is the high priest whom we imitate. The more closely we imitate Jesus, the more we become the New Covenant priests God has called us to be.
Now please don’t be discouraged thinking you’ll never measure up to the title of “priest”, because in reality none of us ever can (not even the Levitical priests could). This is why it’s critical to acknowledge we all fall short of the glory of God, and it is Jesus who bridges that gap on the cross (Rom 3:23-24), making it possible for us to hold the title of priest. The title of priest was never earned, not even in Leviticus – it was given by God. That is still true today through the gift of reconciliation and imparted righteousness through Jesus’ redeeming sacrifice.
Jesus, all honor praise and glory be to You, our redeeming Lord and King. Thank you for your final sin sacrifice that reconciled us to the Father, enabling us to become a royal priesthood modeled after You. Please be our King and guide as we seek to follow and honor You with our words and actions. May we learn to fully submit ourselves to Your teachings, listening at Your feet daily, so we may be priests to those who are not yet following You. Jesus, we cannot do this without Your help, we are insufficient in our own strength. Spirit please lead us and strengthen us for each moment of each day as we seek to follow the Father’s will. Amen.
~ Conqueror in Training