Living the Life of a Priest of God (of Yah)–Torah Reading 91
Leviticus 21
Ezekiel 44:25-31
Luke 11:30-44
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Leviticus 21–Section Verse Study–Laws Concerning the Levitical Priests
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Know that you are special in Yah’s sight and your future in Yah’s Kingdom is unfathomable and spectacular.
Of our glorious future in the Kingdom Paul wrote:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (1Co 2:7-10 KJV)
Torah is described as providing the Truthseeker with: “a shadow of good things to come…” (Heb. 10:1).
Verses 1-3–Priests were not to defile themselves with dead bodies
Pollutions-Ceremonial–Lev. 7:21; 15:11; 21:1; Num. 8:6; 19:11; Deu. 21:23
What we find in these verses are the exceptions in which a priest might submit to such defilement.
The priesthood is a shadow and a symbol, to be fulfilled in the eternal priesthood of Messiah (Heb. 7:23-8:6). Holiness requires separation from death, which symbolizes sin. The priests prefigure the priesthood of Messiah and of His redeemed people (1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10). Abba demands holiness for the priests and of their offerings. While priests have been ordained and are holy in terms of their office (ch. 8), that holiness is only an outward one; it does not necessarily mean that they have inner holiness of heart and conduct. More stringent regulations of holiness are required of the priests because they work directly with the holy objects of the sanctuary.
Those who are called to be spiritual leaders, such as priests, bear a heavier responsibility in the service of Yah than do laypeople.
We who would be Yeshua’s disciples are also called to great responsibility and a great deal of those responsibilities are often difficult for some to grasp and keep: Christmas; foods; festival keeping; righteous living; Sabbath–keeping. In a sense we are like priests in that we bear responsibilities in the service of Yah.
Thus before we take on the life of a disciple, we must give serious consideration to those responsibilities.
Messiah counseled would be disciples to count the cost of their discipleship:
25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (Luk 14:25-33 KJV).
In addition to the outward holiness that the priests are granted when ordained, they are constantly commanded to maintain inner holiness (chs. 8; 9; 10; 21).
In some authorized version translations, it is written that “no one” is to come into contact with human remains. But priests applies here such that these restrictions are limited to the priests, not to the Israelites, in general.
Thus, the only individuals that a priest could grieve properly for were: (1) parents; (2) siblings; (3) sons; and (4) unmarried daughters (married daughters were under the care of their husband). Outside of these, Levitical Priests could not come into contact with human remains.
These were not to defile themselves among the Israelites as a whole.
Verse 4–(Difficult verse) Yah considered His Levitical Priests as “chief men” among His people. Depending upon the translations you’re using, it may read that the priests must not defile himself as a husband in his peoples. The meaning of the line (according to NET Bible Commentary) is disputed, but it appears to prohibit a priest from burying any relative by marriage (as opposed to the blood relatives of verses 2 and 3), including his wife. Other translations simply declare that the priest was not to defile himself among his people since he is a leader among his people. The NASU states that the priest is not to defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people.
Verse 5-–Thus the priest was not to profane himself in any manner. They were not to: (1) altar the hair on their heads; (2) alter their beards; (3) cause incise wounds to their bodies; (4) marry a harlot, a defiled woman, or a divorced woman (vs. 7).
In such case, the daughter of a priest who profanes herself profanes her father (vs. 9). She was to be burned in such cases. Reference Lev. 19:27 and 28–my post entitled “Is Torah-keeping Necessary for Salvation.” Deu. 14:1; Eze. 44:40; Jer. 16:6.
This mitzvah related to ANE (Ancient Near East) mourning and idolatrous practices which Yah forbade His priests to engage in.
Verses 6, 8–-The priests were to be holy for they served in the Tabernacle. When a priest fell into evil, they profaned the Name of YHVH (Lev. 10:3). So what did it mean to profane the Name of YHVH to the forefathers in the wilderness? In our Torah Reading, Yah is instructing the priests in how they are to conduct their mourning in a holy way. The priests are Yah’s representatives to the people. Thus they must be holy in order to express the holiness of Yah. Consequently, if a priest acts in a way that is common or prohibited by Yah, then they are improperly bearing Yah’s name. Thus, they are defiled. The priests are held to a higher standard among the peoples of the nation; if they act like the rest of the people then they will be guilty of profaning or defiling Yah’s Name.
Verse 7 clearly warns the would be priest not to take a compromised woman as a wife. Doing so would not only sully the priest’s holy reputation, but also defile the Aaronic line.
Violations of these mitzvot diminished the sanctity of either the service of the Tabernacle, which bears the Name, or they profane Yah’s Name directly. (E.g., families where a member sullies the family name by acting foolishly.)
Reference Ezekiel 36:19, 20–“And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, ‘These are the people of YHVH and are going forth out of His land‘” (KJV).
When the nations of the world see Yah’s people acting a fool, they, the nations, will naturally begin to take on a diminished understanding and perspective of YHVH. When a person who claims to serve Yah acts contrary to Yah’s established ways, the world sees this and believes Yah is unworthy to be worshiped. This is profaning Yah’s Name (Lev. 19:12; Prov. 30:8, 9; Eze. 20:39).
We disciples of Yeshua have also been called to be holy–set apart, not unlike the Levitical Priests of old:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for Yah’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).
Thus we too have the obligation of not profaning Yah’s Name:
“Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify Yah in the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:12).
Therefore, instead of profaning Yah’s Name through violations of Yah’s Torah, our actions are to bring glory to Yah’s Name even among those who do not believe the same way as we do.
The power of the Ruach HaKodesh helps us to stay in line and avoid profanations of Yah’s Name. Indeed, we cannot always trust ourselves to act righteously through our own efforts. Thus the writer of Proverbs penned:
“Do not let kindness and truth leave you: bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of Yah and man” (3:3, 4).
Profanation spreads and diminishes Yah’s presence and authority among the people. And Yah does not tolerate such things.
Verse 9--Father kept in mind the importance of maintaining the integrity of the family in terms of the Priestly line: for they were required to marry only virgins of Israel. Daughters on the other hand were not permitted to be promiscuous. Such unholy behavior brought shame and profanation upon her priestly father, diminishing his authority and holy stature among the people. Thus, such daughters were to be burned. Talmudic commentary on this passage actually places the man who involved himself in the daughter’s harlotry to also be burned.
Verses 10-15–-The High Priest was held to an even higher standard, whereby he was not permitted to dishevel his hair (some English translations address the mitre being removed from the Cohen’s head as opposed to the Cohen’s hair being uncovered or disheveled), nor was he permitted to rend his clothes. These two acts in the ANE were in response to grief. The High Priest was not permitted to grieve in the ancient middle eastern manner common to the Hebrew people that involved disheveling or uncovering their hair and rending their clothes.
Let us not forget that YHVH commanded Aharon and Eleazer not to grieve in any such manner in response to Avihu and Nadab’s terrible deaths, lest they die in the process (Leviticus 10). And also recall that Aharon was not permitted to leave the confines of the sanctuary during that time (10:7).
So now Abba was making it official: The Cohen Gadol (i.e. High Priest)–Aharon here and those of Aharon’s line who would succeed him in the years to come–could not come into contact with human remains at all during their tenure as Cohen Gadol. This would even exclude the remains of parents (verse 12).
The relationship that Abba required of the High Priest and his Priests was such that there was little room for other relationships. The relationship between priest and Yah were primary and foremost–special–exclusive. This all portends the relationship Yahoshua had with His Father and how no other human relationship held water to the relationship He had with His Father. Which portends our present situations as well: we must get to the place in our relationship with Abba that our relationship with YHVH supersedes that of all other human relationships we may be privy to. In the case of the True Faith, blood is NOT thicker than water.
In terms of marriage and family, the Cohen Gadol was permitted to marry only a virgin Hebrew woman so as to keep the priestly line pure and intact (verse 14, 15). This clearly sends a message to us today about our marriage prospects as Netzari. Just as it was with Aharon and his line, so it must be with us: our lives are not our own and no thing is about us, but instead, everything must be about YHVH our Elohim. Thus when it comes to finding the right wife or husband for those of you who are single and maybe searching for that perfect mate: you must always put such crucial things in Yah’s hand and be led and joined to the one individual Yah has set aside for you. We should not be in the business of looking for mates that fit our criteria: looks; education; wealth, someone who wants or does not want children; fun; tall or short; famous; connected; etc. These things are all wonderful things, but if the individual does not fit Yah’s criteria for us, who are we to circumvent YHVH and grab hold to that which seemingly would satisfy our carnal desires in a potential mate. It’s not about us. It’s always about Him. Our criteria for a potential mate must match Yah’s criteria for a mate for us: that is, if Yah even desires a mate for us.
Many within our Faith who are divorced and separated, etc., are out there searching for someone–anyone–who is not married or dating another person. Desperate. And these are in some cases willing to attach themselves to potential mates who are not Netzari. And when they finally do pair up with these individuals who Yah has not vetted nor prescribed or selected for them, they not only snub YHVH and His desires for them, but they bring onto themselves potential relational and emotional harm because they are unequally yoked and are outside the will of YHVH (2 Cor. 6:14).
Father requires our complete and unhindered attention. Father tells the priests later on in Numbers that they will not have physical land inheritance handed down to them, but their inheritance is that of YHVH. Yah tells them that :
“I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel” (Num. 18:20).
Father would provide for the priests all they needed to subsist and flourish in his service. Will we ever get to the place where our relationship with YHVH is such that we place our all in Him as being our everlasting portion and eternal inheritance?
Verses 16-22–-The following Levites were disqualified from overall priestly duties:
Those with physical defects could not offer sacrifices unto YHVH (vss. 16-21). The thinking stems from the fact that certain animal sacrifices had to be without defect and flawless. That being the case, having a priest who had physical defects offering flawless animal sacrifices would diminish the purpose and established ways of Yah; it would send mixed and defiled messages.
The other thing to bear in mind here is the prophetic shadow picture that the Levitical Priest painted in the Person and Office of Yeshua Messiah. Our Master was flawless in every aspect of His being. He would not only be the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world, but He would also be the perfect, unblemished Cohen Gadol, under the Melchizedekian Priesthood.
Thus we are called to be perfect and without defect in our service to Yah and to His Kingdom in all our ways. From a Spirit and Truth perspective, we’re not talking about physical deficiencies; instead, perfection and blameless in all our ways.
The Levite who suffered from such deformations could, however, partake in the rightful portions of qualified sacrifices and offerings (vss. 22-24). Can you see that even in a Levite not meeting the physical requirements for priestly duties, Abba showed forth His love and grace toward His servants. As modern day priests of the Most High, how much more grace and love can we expect from our amazing Elohim?
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Ezekiel 44:25-31–The duties of the Temple Priests were enumerated by Ezekiel beginning with 44:1.
The Zadokite priesthood remained pure in their ways and in service to Yah in the Temple (vs. 15). Although there is some debate as to the reason the Sons of Zadok rose to priestly prominence in the temple service. From my research it would appear that the prominent reason they rose to prominence was that they refused to participate in the Hellenization that had overtaken the Jerusalem priesthood and thus Father replaced them. Zadok was a priest of Aaron’s line who came to prominence in David’s time (2 Sam. 20:25). They remained faithful to David and then to Solomon in the power struggle over succession to David’s throne (1 Kin. 1:39).
Thus Ezekiel passed down the following requirements for the Zadokite Priests:
They were to wear proper linen garments when serving in the Temple proper (vss. 17-19). The garments were to be treated as holy and not worn outside the Temple/Sanctuary; specifically not be worn outside the Inner Court.
Father instructs them to exercise proper, righteous grooming standards (vs. 20); not consume wine prior to entering the Inner Court (vs. 21); marry virgins of the House of Israel or widows of priests (vs. 22); teach the people the difference between the holy and the unholy and cause the people to discern between the unclean and the clean (vs. 23); judge in accordance with Yah’s judgments–keep Yah’s Torah–carry out Yah’s Torah in Yah’s appointed meetings–hallow Yah’s Sabbaths (vs. 24). They were to keep the very regulations regarding human remain contact as mentioned in our Torah Reading (Leviticus 21).
These were not to be given any inheritance of land, for YHVH was their inheritance (vs. 28; cf. Num. 18:20). Their sustenance would come wholly from the sin offerings, the grain offerings and trespass offerings; the firstfruits offerings and sacrifices (vss. 29, 30). They were not to consume that which died of itself or was preyed upon by another creature (vs. 31).
The most striking application to me to be derived is that we are replaceable. We should never find ourselves in a place where we believe we’ve arrived, because we may suffer a great fall and someone else whom we would not have expected will come in and take our crown. This is sort of what happened when the Sons of Zakote replaced their predecessors who failed to remain faithful in their duties and service unto YHVH.
Master told the Philadelphian Assembly:
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Rev 3:10-13 KJV)
The Haftorah reading lacks the presence of a cohen gadol, but does describe a prince. This prince takes up the duties of the cohen gadol–with all of the peculiar aspects of His role outlined in Ezekiel 44:3; 46:2, 8. Mashiyach = Prince (Ezekiel 34:24). Reference Zechariah 6:12, 13–Sacrificial system overseen by Mashiyach in the Millenniel Mishkah. Hebrews 10:4–Animal sacrifices are not able to replace Mashiyach’s sacrifice. These sacrifices will serve as divine revelation and demonstration of Yeshua’s divinely appointed sacrifice for sinners. It’s difficult for many in our Faith to accept that the Millennial Temple will have worship and sacrificial services ongoing. But Abba intends for the world of the Millennial Reign of Messiah understand the relevance of what Yeshua’s sacrifice has accomplished for mankind. We know that Yeshua will bear the marks of His crucifixion throughout this period as well. Father is a God of reminders and symbolism.
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Luke 11:30-44
The Pharisees appear pure on the outside, but inside they were full of greed and wickedness (vss. 37-44).
In 11:44, Yeshua said to the Pharisees, “Woe to you (experts in the law and Pharisees, hypocrites)! You are like unmarked graves and people (Gr. “men” meaning both sexes) walk over them without realizing it!”
In Judaism, to come into contact with the dead or what is associated with human remains, even without knowing it, makes one unclean. To Pharisees, who would have been so sensitive about contracting ceremonial uncleanness, it would have been quite a stinging rebuke to be told they caused it.
Priests were especially set-apart for their duties.
Apostolic reading highlights the understanding that for anyone to have a true relationship with the Creator, they must be holy (one’s soul), both spiritually and bodily. The rituals when understood and properly followed, with a righteous heart, teach the eternal truths and principles Yah desires for us to know and follow and walk out.
The handwashing ritual was an added halachah intended by the sages to put a purity fence around Torah. But Yeshua used this incident to emphasize the immense importance of relationship with Yah and inward purity over the rote keeping of rituals. Our souls must also be cleansed.