#272 The Hood

The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name. I am the Lord.

3 “Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am theLord.

4 “‘If a descendant of Aaron has a defiling skin disease[a] or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by anyone who has an emission of semen, 5 or if he touches any crawling thing that makes him unclean, or any person who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. 6 The one who touches any such thing will be unclean till evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water. 7 When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food. 8 He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, and so become unclean through it. I am the Lord.

9 “‘The priests are to perform my service in such a way that they do not become guilty and die for treating it with contempt. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.

10 “‘No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it. 11 But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if slaves are born in his household, they may eat his food. 12 If a priest’s daughter marries anyone other than a priest, she may not eat any of the sacred contributions. 13 But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced, yet has no children, and she returns to live in her father’s household as in her youth, she may eat her father’s food. No unauthorized person, however, may eat it.

14 “‘Anyone who eats a sacred offering by mistake must make restitution to the priest for the offering and add a fifth of the value to it. 15 The priests must not desecrate the sacred offerings the Israelites present to the Lord 16 by allowing them to eat the sacred offerings and so bring upon them guilt requiring payment. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.’”Leviticus 22: 1-16 NIV

The priest gains no special license or privilege in accordance with the keeping of the law. He is not exempt nor left with directions vague, so there is not the necessity for his interpretation. Whatever the people bring to him, they bring to God, and so the priest must remain clean. He must observe even the letter for he is it's guard and keeper. If he becomes unclean, he must refrain from his office and follow the same rule as any other. "I am the Lord, who makes them holy." The priest is not holy in himself, not by his own will, but because God who has chosen and set him apart is Himself Holy. The priest may not invite those outside his family to eat the sacred offering. That which is reserved to the honor of God is not token. It is not there for our business but rather His and so to our restraint and stewardship. We sneer but we live in our bellies and we talk out of our want and ignorance. The priests could not make exception, and the symbolism is strong for that of being unequally yoked. How marvelous the picture even here, of the daughter who does not marry a priest, it is not wrong for who to do so, but she is now even part of another family, outside the priesthood. Her husband does not gain privilege by marrying the priest's daughter. He has not bought his way in to spiritual power or a blind eye from God, no matter what the priests may do. God already decided, instructed, it is He who makes us holy in Him. God forgive me for where I am wrong, arrogant or lax. 

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?15 What accord has Christ with Belial?[b] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,

and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

17 Therefore go out from their midst,

and be separate from them, says the Lord,

and touch no unclean thing;

then I will welcome you,

18 and I will be a father to you,

and you shall be sons and daughters to me,

says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6: 14-18 ESV