| The Lord told Moses to tell the priests, the sons of Aaron, that none of them should defile himself for the dead among his people. Defiling himself for the dead meant touching a dead body, being in the same room with a dead body, walking over a grave or touching a tomb according to Enduringword.com. Exceptions were for his closest relatives: his parents, his children, his brother, and his unmarried virgin sister who never had a husband, for her he may defile himself. Can a priest defile himself for a married sister or a sister who wasn’t a virgin? No, neither made the list. For all others, he was not to defile or profane himself being a chief man among his people. Even though the priests could mourn for their closest relatives, they were not to make any bald places on their heads, nor shave the edges of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. These practices were done by heathen nations and were superstitious rites. Based on Leviticus 19:27-28, the people were not allowed to do these things either. The priests, of course, were held to a higher standard because they were to set the example among the people. The priests were to be holy to their God and not profane His name because their offerings of the Lord were made by fire and the bread of their God. Therefore, they shall be holy. The priests could not marry a woman who is a harlot, defiled or divorced because they are holy to God. Can a priest get married? Yes, however there are stipulations as to who they could marry. The priests were to be consecrated because they offer the bread of their God. They were to be holy among the people because the Lord who sanctified them is holy. If the daughter of any priest profaned herself by playing the harlot, she also profaned her father. She was to be burned with fire. Can a priest have children? Yes, sons could become priests. Daughters couldn’t be harlots. The high priest among his brethren on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who was consecrated to wear the garments could not uncover his head nor tear his clothes. He couldn’t go near any dead body nor defile himself for his parents. The rules for the high priest were more stringent when it came to mourning. He couldn’t go out of the sanctuary of God because the consecration of the anointing oil of God was upon him. God stated that He is the Lord. The high priest’s wife had to be a virgin. He could not marry a widow, a divorced woman, a defiled woman nor a harlot. His wife had to be a virgin of his own people. Can a high priest get married? Yes, but his wife had to be a virgin of his own people. The high priest could not profane his posterity among his people, because the Lord sanctified him. The Lord told Moses to tell Aaron that no man of his descendants in succeeding generations, could approach to offer the bread of his God if he had any defect such as being blind, lame or have a marred face or any limb too long. Other defects included a broken foot or hand, a hunch back or a dwarf, or an eye defect, eczema, a scab or a eunuch. No man of Aaron’s descendants with a defect was allowed to come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. Because of his defect he could not offer the bread of his God. The one with a defect was allowed to eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy but he was not allowed to go near the veil or approach the altar because of the defect or he would profane God’s sanctuaries. The Lord sanctified them. Moses told Aaron, his sons, and all the children of Israel what the Lord said. |
| We journey to Leviticus 22 next week. To God Be The Glory! Click “Be Encouraged” for Spiritual, Encouraging and Inspirational Uplifting. Be Encouraged Please feel free to visit Bible Reading Made Different |