What role does the priesthood play in maintaining holiness according to Leviticus 6:20? Setting the Scene Leviticus 6 moves from instructions about the people’s offerings to distinct directions for the priests. Verse 20 zeroes in on a daily sacrifice that sets the priesthood apart and keeps the entire community tethered to God’s holiness. The Verse Itself “This is the offering that Aaron and his sons are to present to the LORD on the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.” Key Observations • “Aaron and his sons” – limits the command to the ordained priesthood, distinguishing their continual obligations from those of the people. • “Present to the LORD” – the offering is God-ward; holiness begins with God, not human effort. • “On the day he is anointed” – consecration is initial and permanent; the priest never outgrows daily surrender. • “A tenth of an ephah” – precise measure shows God’s concern for exact obedience. • “Regular grain offering” – not a one-time act but an ongoing rhythm. • “Half … in the morning and half … in the evening” – holiness is guarded from dawn to dusk, framing the entire day in worship. How the Priesthood Maintains Holiness 1. Daily consecration • The priest begins and ends each day at the altar, modeling uninterrupted devotion (cf. Exodus 29:38-42). 2. Mediating purity for the community • By staying holy themselves, priests keep the tabernacle—God’s dwelling among His people—undefiled (Leviticus 10:10-11). 3. Embodying precise obedience • Strict adherence to God’s measurements and timing teaches Israel that holiness is defined by God’s Word alone (Deuteronomy 4:2). 4. Sustaining the “perpetual fire” • The grain offering is burned on the same altar whose fire “must not go out” (Leviticus 6:13). The priests’ faithfulness keeps the symbol of God’s presence alive. 5. Foreshadowing the perfect Priest • The daily, unbroken pattern anticipates Christ, “holy, innocent, undefiled … who does not need to offer sacrifices day after day” (Hebrews 7:26-27). His once-for-all sacrifice flows from the priestly ideal set in Leviticus. Wider Scriptural Connections • Numbers 28:3-4 – morning and evening offerings for the nation mirror the priest’s own daily grain offering. • Psalm 134:1-2 – Levites stand “by night in the house of the LORD,” reflecting round-the-clock priestly service. • 1 Peter 2:5 – believers are now “a holy priesthood,” called to continual spiritual sacrifices, echoing Leviticus 6:20’s pattern. Living It Out Today • Holiness is not sporadic; it is cultivated through steady, God-directed habits. • Obedience in “small” details (like precise measurements) matters because it declares God’s authority over every corner of life. • Our call as a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9) is grounded in the unchanging standard displayed in the Levitical priests: consistent, measured, God-first devotion morning and night. |
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