Disqualifications of The Priest

Friends,

Sorry.. I know I have been delayed with blogging..(bear with me.. okay?). Today, I would like to share from Leviticus regarding the office of the priest. We know that as believers, we have priesthood responsibilities; and that the duty of the priest in the O.T times is to minister to God. A priest has to be holy before God, for He will be the mediator between God and the people. The priest would be the one who enter into the Holy of Holies in the O.T times.

In Leviticus 21 : 16-24, God spoke to Moses about the defects of the priest (the Minister of God) and of what will disqualify him. Leviticus 21 : 18 "For any man who has a defect shall not approach; a man blind or lame, who has a marred face or any limb too long". He spoke firstly about blindness. This blindness means a limited and constricted or narrow vision. It speaks of the attitude of the minister to the body of Christ. Let us ask God for big vision today, insread of a limited, narrow vision" and allow Him to remove this blindness from us if we are to minister to others. The next defect was lame. A person who is physically lame has difficulty in maintaining his balance and would be unable to walk normally. As ministers of God, we need to be balanced in our belief, preaching, teaching and in our family life. An imbalance would constitute a defect and disqualify us from being a priest. The next defect was a "marred face or any limb too long" - this is anything that will sto us from running the race so that we can't move to the next level.

Lev 21: 19 " a man who has a broken foot or broken hand" - A person who has a physically broken foot or broken hand will have difficulties performing his daily tasks.. for he is does not have the physical strength to do it. Is our walk with God strong and firm today .. so that we will not be disqualified to be His priest? We will not be able to serve God with broken foot and broken hand.

Verse 20 "or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has an eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles".. A person who is hunchbacked or dwarfed physically is not able to stand straight or walk straight. He is not able straighten himself physically. This speaks of the priest having worries or being burdened. Do we minister to ppl with burdens laid upon our backs? The Bible says that being burdensome can be a defect, as we are to lift every burden that we have to God. "Damaged testicles" speaks of the inability to produce. As His priest, we are to re-produce ourselves. This is through making disciples of others and also evangelism. How effective are we in our re-producing today?

Those are the defects which will disqualify us from being his priest. It says in verse 21 "No man og the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of His God".

If we are to minister to God's people, let us search our hearts and see if there are any of those defects in our lives and ask God to restore any defects which we may have.. so that we can become His priest today.

Meng Choo