What is the meaning of Leviticus 21:23? but because he has a defect • The phrase points to any physical imperfection that a priest might have (Leviticus 21:17-21). • Such a limitation did not remove the man from priestly family privileges—he could still eat the holy food (Leviticus 21:22)—but it did bar him from particular functions. • God had already required every sacrificial animal to be without defect (Leviticus 22:21); the same principle of visible wholeness is applied to those who handled the sacrifices. • The physical requirement acted as a living picture of the moral and spiritual perfection that would ultimately be fulfilled in the flawless High Priest, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:26-28). he must not go near the veil • “The veil” separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:33). • Only priests without defect could serve in the Holy Place, and only the high priest could enter beyond the veil on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2-3). • This restriction underscores the seriousness of approaching God’s immediate presence; even small deviations from His stated standard mattered (Numbers 4:19-20). or approach the altar • Two altars stood in the Tabernacle complex—the bronze altar in the courtyard (Exodus 27:1-8) and the golden altar of incense inside (Exodus 30:1-8). • Handling either altar meant mediating atonement or intercession; the visible perfection of the priest reinforced the perfection of the coming Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). • The exclusion safeguarded Israel from treating holy service as a commonplace task (Numbers 18:3-7). so as not to desecrate My sanctuaries • The sanctuary was more than a building; it was where God’s holiness dwelt among His people (Exodus 29:44-46). • Allowing a disqualified priest to serve would blur the distinction between the holy and the common, something later prophets condemned (Ezekiel 44:7-9; Malachi 1:8). • The restriction therefore protected both the honor of God and the spiritual welfare of Israel, who learned that impurity—whether physical or moral—threatens fellowship with a holy God (Isaiah 59:2). For I am the LORD who sanctifies them • God alone sets the terms of access to Himself (Leviticus 20:8; 22:9, 16). • His sanctifying work was not merely external; it pointed ahead to the inner cleansing promised in the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 10:14-22). • The standards in Leviticus encourage believers today to revere God’s holiness, even while celebrating the perfect sufficiency of Christ, who has torn the veil and opened a new and living way (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 4:14-16). summary Leviticus 21:23 teaches that a priest with a physical defect could share in priestly benefits but could not perform altar or veil ministry. This protected the sanctity of God’s dwelling, visually typified the flawless character required for true mediation, and upheld the message that the LORD Himself sanctifies His people. In Christ, these shadows find their fulfillment, but the call to honor God’s holiness remains just as vital for believers today. |
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