Leviticus 22
IN THE last chapter the Lord I through Moses speaks to the sons of Aaron, the priestly family, warning them against defilements and defects which would deprive one of his privilege as a priest. May we seek, dear young Christian, to bare of all unholy contacts and alliances, of all manner of uncleanness and defilements, to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, so that we can go on to enjoy our high and holy Christian privileges.
When we are young we need to be especially watchful that we do not get into some unequal yoke or defiling association which would hinder our usefulness for the Lord in later years. How many a young believer has through carelessness or disobedience taken some step which has made him a “lame” priest the rest of his life.
May the Lord help us to walk humbly and in dependence upon Him so that we might be kept! He can and He will keep us if the dire of our hearts is to be kept, and if we are upright before Him. His Word says, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” Jer. 10:2323O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. (Jeremiah 10:23). Because of this the prayer of the dependent man in Psalm 16 is, “Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust.”
In chapter 22 The Lord continues speaking to the priestly family of certain blemishes. He was jealous for His own honor and for the state of the priestly household.
Care must be taken as to who would eat of the holy things. Holiness becomes His house forever (Psa. 93:55Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever. (Psalm 93:5)), and if we as believers have failed we should confess our sins at once and be restored. We cannot enjoy communion with the Lord when there is unjudged sin in our lives, any more than the priests in Israel could eat of the holy things when defiled.
Nothing with a blemish was to be offered to the Lord. The sacrifices typified Christ and God would ever uphold the glory of His beloved Son. He was the holy spotless Lamb of God and everything that typified Him must be spotless too.
Perhaps there is a lesson for us here too, that is that we ought not to keep the best for ourselves and then offer the rest to the Lord. A young person who uses his best years for his own interests and then later on when his energies are well-nigh spent wants to give the Lord the rest of his life, is not giving the Lord the first and the best. Rather this is like giving the lame to the Lord. What a privilege to be saved when we are young and then spend the rest of our lives in living for and serving Him, that blessed Lord and Master who gave His all for us.
ML-07/30/1972