Priestly Comportment
TEXT: Leviticus 21:1-15
Key verse: “Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy” (Leviticus 21:8).
A cursory look at the worship places – be they parishes, churches, tabernacles, temples, etc. – one would observe that there is the pulpit or altar where the priests perform the sacrifices and worship ceremonies; and the pew area where the congregation gather to worship. The pulpit/altar is always higher in elevation than the pew. This distinction illustrates the higher level of spirituality, nay, holiness, which is expected to characterize the personal conduct and comportment of the priests in the course of performing their duties and in comparison with the generality of the people.
In the passage before us today, we see specific instructions from God to Moses on how the priests should maintain holiness of life: they should not defile themselves for the dead. Being chief men among their people, they should not make baldness upon their head for the dead; they should not take for a wife a whore, or a woman divorced or separated, etc.
All these instructions are all in pursuit of holiness. The priesthood and the personalities occupying it must be holy. What that teaches us is that as Christians, in the new dispensation, we must also uphold holiness in our character, conduct and comportment. In 1 Peter 2:9, we are described as members of a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and peculiar people.
There are no privileges and rights without corresponding responsibilities and duties. As believers, if God has invested us with the title and recognition of holiness, we must live a holy lifestyle that befits that position. We can ask for the grace of God to live up to His expectation in this regard.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Holiness unto the Lord should be our watchword.