Topical Bible: Priest: The Time of Moses: Must be Without Blemish

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In the time of Moses, the role of the priest was of paramount importance in the religious and communal life of the Israelites. The priesthood was established by God as a means to mediate between Himself and His people, with Aaron and his descendants being chosen for this sacred duty. The requirements for priests were stringent, reflecting the holiness and purity expected in their service.

Divine Selection and Requirements

The selection of Aaron and his sons as priests is detailed in the Book of Exodus. God commanded Moses to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve as priests, establishing a hereditary priesthood (Exodus 28:1). The priests were to perform various duties, including offering sacrifices, maintaining the sanctuary, and instructing the people in the laws of God.

Physical Perfection: Without Blemish

A critical requirement for those serving as priests was that they must be "without blemish." This stipulation is outlined in Leviticus 21, where God provides specific instructions regarding the physical condition of the priests. The text states, "No man of your descendants in future generations who has a defect may approach to offer the food of his God" (Leviticus 21:17). The passage goes on to list various physical defects that would disqualify a man from serving as a priest, including blindness, lameness, and other deformities (Leviticus 21:18-20).

The requirement for priests to be without blemish symbolized the perfection and holiness of God. As representatives of the people before God, priests were to embody the purity and sanctity that God demanded. This physical perfection was a reflection of the spiritual and moral purity that was expected in their service.

Consecration and Holiness

The consecration of the priests involved a series of rituals designed to set them apart for their sacred duties. This included washing, anointing with oil, and the offering of sacrifices (Exodus 29:1-9). The anointing with oil was particularly significant, symbolizing the Holy Spirit's empowerment and the setting apart of the priests for divine service.

The priests were also required to adhere to strict codes of conduct and purity. They were to avoid contact with anything that would defile them, including certain foods and situations that would render them ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 21:1-6). These regulations underscored the need for holiness in those who served in the presence of God.

Theological Significance

The requirement for priests to be without blemish highlights the broader theological theme of holiness in the Old Testament. God's holiness is a central attribute, and those who served Him were to reflect this holiness in their lives and service. The physical perfection of the priests served as a tangible reminder of the spiritual purity that God desired from His people.

Furthermore, the priesthood in the time of Moses foreshadowed the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, who is described in the New Testament as "holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens" (Hebrews 7:26). Christ's perfect sacrifice and His role as the eternal High Priest fulfill the requirements of the Old Testament priesthood, providing a way for believers to approach God with confidence.

In summary, the requirement for priests to be without blemish during the time of Moses was a reflection of the holiness and perfection that God demanded in His service. This requirement served as a symbol of the spiritual purity expected of those who approached God and foreshadowed the ultimate fulfillment of the priestly role in Jesus Christ.

Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 21:17-23
Speak to Aaron, saying, Whoever he be of your seed in their generations that has any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Attack on the Book of Leviticus.
... a fraud, writing was constantly in use in the time of Moses ... Exodus 34:27: "And the
Lord said unto Moses, Write thou ... 5) Numbers 5:23: "And the priest shall write ...
/.../concerning the assumptions of destructive criticism/v the attack on the.htm

The New Covenant.
... Judge of the earth do right?" Moses recognises that ... washings) carnal ordinances,
imposed until a time of reformation ... But Christ having come a High-priest of the ...
/.../chapter viii the new covenant.htm

High Priest
... we derive the following information: The priest under the ... Before that time the first
born of every family, the ... at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses performed the ...
/.../conversion of a high priest into a christian worker/chapter iv high priest.htm

The Unity of Apostolic Teaching
... in the statement that Christ having come, a high priest of good ... I am not going to
spend time in quoting His own ... days I will raise it up.' 'As Moses lifted up ...
/.../romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the unity of apostolic teaching.htm

Between the Two Appearings
... He was exalted upon the cross, even as Moses lifted up ... sat down." He will never appear
a second time for the ... The high priest, as you know, came every year with ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/between the two appearings.htm

The Passover: an Expiation and a Feast, a Memorial and a Prophecy
... 'And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron ... The patriarchal order made each man the
priest of his house. ... It is not yet time to sit at His table, but to stand with ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the passover an expiation and.htm

The Old Testament and Comparative Religion
... The Babylonian priest retained certain parts for himself, which was also the ... seem
contrary to reason to suppose, that at the time of Abraham, Moses, or at ...
/.../eiselen/the christian view of the old testament/chapter v the old testament.htm

Proofs of Jesus Christ
... said was to come in the fullness of time, I tell ... "Moses hath not led you out of
captivity, and made you ... the rich, Jesus Christ as Doctor and Priest in priests ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section xii proofs of jesus.htm

It Would Therefore be to their Profit, for the Young to Refrain ...
... they were old in reasonableness before their time, and in ... How can you be a priest
unto God [1526] , anointed though ... to you, why do you not hear Moses, when he ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/chapter xxiv it would therefore.htm

Before Annas and the Court of Caiaphas
... command had been given by Christ to Moses concerning this. ... Attention was called to
him the second time, and he ... one of the servants of the high priest, being a ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 75 before annas and.htm