Leviticus 22

Whether it’s manufacturing cars, waging wars, selling computers, or building the church, everything depends on leadership. God’s people are “all one in Christ Jesus’’ (Gal. 3:28) and equal before God, but we’re different in our gifts, abilities, and our special callings.

The spiritual leaders in the nation of Israel were the priests. “He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people’’ (Lev. 21: nkjv). They were in charge of the sanctuary of God; they taught the people the Word of God; they offered the sacrifices on God’s altar; when called upon, they determined the will of God for the people. Apart from the ministry of the priests, Israel had no way to approach God.

The priests had to meet the qualifications God gave for the priesthood, and they had to serve Him according to His directions. In their personal conduct, physical characteristics, and professional concerns, they had to meet God’s approval. There’s a price to pay if you want to be a spiritual leader.

For a priest to serve the Lord acceptably, it wasn’t enough merely that he qualify as a son of Aaron without any physical defects. He also had to carry on his ministry in such a way that the Lord was pleased with him. The worshippers might look at the outward ritual, but God would look at his inner heart.

The phrase “separate themselves from the holy things’’ (v. 2) sets the theme for the chapter. It means “to treat with regard and respect’’ or “to be careful in handling.’’ The priests offered sacrifices all day long, all year long; it would be easy for them to develop an attitude of “professionalism’’ that would turn a sacred ritual into a shallow routine. Novelist George MacDonald said, “Nothing is so deadening to the divine as an habitual dealing with the outsides of holy things.’’ That’s what this warning is all about.

When I was a seminary student, one of my professors told us of his concern when he heard the conversation between two students calling to each other across the campus one afternoon.

“Where are you going?’’ the first one asked.

“Over to Madison Avenue!’’ came the reply.

“What’s going on there?’’

“Oh, I have to read over a stiff!’’

The professor was both angry and hurt to think that one of his students would describe a Christian funeral service as “reading over a stiff.’’ This attitude is what Ralph G. Turnbull called “the specter of professionalism,’’ being able to go through the motions of ministry but your heart isn’t in it. Outwardly, you do all the right things the right way, but when God looks at your heart, nothing there is right. By the time of Malachi the prophet, the specter of professionalism overshadowed the work of all the priests (Mal. 1:6— 2:9).

Carelessness and professionalism at the altar would show itself in three ways: unclean priests (Lev. 22:3–9), unqualified guests (vv. 10–16), and unacceptable sacrifices (vv. 17–33). The priest would end up defiling himself, the sacrifices, and the very altar where he was supposed to serve God.

Unclean priests (vv. 3–9). Suppose a priest became defiled but did nothing about it? How would anybody know that he was unclean? He could minister at the altar, handle the sacrifices, even eat his lawful share of the sacred offerings, and apparently get away with it. But God would know it, and the priest would be in danger of death (v. 9).

This kind of behavior would indicate that the priest was putting himself ahead of God and was more concerned about his reputation than his character. The name for this sin is hypocrisy. It worried him that the people would know he was unclean, but it didn’t worry him that he was defiling the sacred ministry for which God had set him apart. Like the Pharisees in our Lord’s day, this priest appeared to be clean but was actually “toxic’’ (Matt. 23:25–28).

All who serve the Lord and the Lord’s people must be open and honest before God and must minister first of all to please Him alone. We must thank God for the privilege of being called to serve, and we must treat the things of God with holy respect. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account’’ (Heb. 4: niv). Joseph took that approach when he said to his temptress, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’’ (Gen. 39:9). This was also Paul’s approach to ministry: “So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man’’ (Acts 24: niv).

The greatest protection against professionalism and hypocrisy in ministry is the fear of the Lord as revealed in a tender conscience (2 Cor. 1:12; 4:2; 5:11). Conscience is like a window that let’s in the light. When the window becomes soiled, the light gradually becomes darkness. Once conscience is defiled (Titus 1:15), it gradually gets worse, and eventually it may be so “seared’’ that it has no sensitivity at all (1 Tim. 4:2). Then it becomes an “evil conscience’’ (Heb. 10:22), one that functions just the opposite of a good conscience (1 Peter 3:16).

Unqualified guests (vv. 10–16). A priest could eat portions of specified offerings and share the food with those in his family who were qualified to eat, but if he was too generous with God’s offerings and included outsiders, he sinned against the Lord and against his guest. The unqualified guest would have to bring a trespass offering plus a fine, and this would make that meal a very expensive one indeed!

In other words, a faithful priest had to have the honesty and courage to say no both to himself (Lev. 22:1–9) and to others (vv. 10–16). This would include any daughters who had married outside the priestly family (vv. 12–13). His loving heart would want to include them in the feast, but he wasn’t allowed to do so. To include them would only hurt them and force them to pay a fine.

One of the most difficult things in Christian ministry is having to say no, but to keep our fellowship pure before God, we must sometimes do it. The pastor who refuses to marry a believer to an unbeliever often makes enemies, especially among their relatives, but he keeps his conscience pure before God. Parents who forbid their children to cultivate damaging friendships are misunderstood and sometimes maligned, but they know they’re doing the will of God. Churches that refuse to receive into membership people who give no evidence of saving faith in Christ are often called “holier than thou,’’ but they have the courage to say no.

Unacceptable sacrifices (vv. 17–32). Just as the priests had to be free from physical defects, so the sacrifices that they offered had to be perfect or the Lord wouldn’t accept them. I wonder how many times the priests had to reject a worshipper and his sacrifice because the man was trying to give the Lord an inferior animal that wasn’t worth keeping and couldn’t be sold? “‘When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?’ says the Lord’’ (Mal. 1: niv). “‘Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?’ says the Lord Almighty’’ (v. 8 niv).

Not only must God’s servants not make it easy for people to sin (Lev. 22:10–16), but also they must encourage people to give their best to the Lord. David’s attitude was right: “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing’’ (2 Sam. 24: niv). The priest who had respect for his ministry and high regard for the sacrifices of God would accept only those animals that met God’s requirements. To send a worshipper away from the altar with a false assurance of forgiveness would be to do great damage to his or her spiritual life.

The special requirement about the age of the offering (Lev. 22:26–28; see Ex. 22:30) shows the tender heart of the Creator toward His creation (Jonah 4:11; Deut. 22:6–7). A calf or lamb younger than a week old who was transported any distance to the sanctuary might die in the process. It seems to me that it would be cruel to kill the mother and her young on the same day, for whatever purposes. In fulfilling our religious duties, we must be careful not to be heartless and uncaring in the way we use what God provides for us. More than one social critic has pointed out that the way people treat animals gradually becomes the way they treat humans. “For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man,’’ said Native American Chief Seattle. “All things are connected.’’

Suppose a priest asked, “Why should I honor and respect the sacrifices of God and the ministry He has given me?’’

The closing three verses of this chapter would clearly answer that question.

(1) These are God’s commandments, and they must be obeyed. God never commands anything that isn’t the best for us.

(2) This is the way we glorify God’s great name and sanctify Him before His people.

(3) The Lord who commands us also redeemed us from slavery, and He’s the one who has set us apart to be His special people. We owe everything to Him!

What greater motivation do we need?