Holy Sacrifice
Leviticus 21:21, “No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the LORD’S offerings by fire ; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God.”
When I first read this verse, and felt God leading me to write the devotion on this verse I was surprised, to say the least. I thought to myself, and said to God; “Do You know what this verse says?” Which is kind of a dumb thing to ask God. It’s like asking Ray Krock, the founder of McDonalds, do you know what’s in the secret sauce. Of course God knows what this verse says, HE WROTE IT!
At my first reading of this verse it appears to be saying that only perfect people can make an offering before God. People who have any blemish or scar in their life or on their bodies are disqualified from coming before God. My little partially impotent mind went to racing as I thought about all my heroes who would be disqualified from serving God because of this verse; Joni Earekson Tada, David Ring, etc. Even the man that wrote about 2/3 of the New Testament, the Apostle Paul, would be disqualified because we know from II Corinthians 12:7 that he was afflicted by a defect or disability.
Then as I kept reading the true meaning of this verse came to me. The following verses say, Leviticus 21:22 “He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy, 23 only he shall not go in to the veil or come near the altar because he has a defect, so that he will not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’ ”
When I read this verse 21 exploded, and I could see clearly what God was saying! No one; not Joni Earekson Tada, not David Ring, not Billy Graham or anyone else! No person is able to present a holy offering before God. We have all been scarred, and we all have defects before God! There is only one person who has come to this earth that has not been scared by the effects of sin; therefore, the only person that can come before a Holy God and make a sacrifice that is Perfect is the High Priest who came from God, Jesus Christ!
As imperfect human beings with our scars and defects we can come and eat the food of the sacrifice, but no sacrifice from us will ever be accepted by God until it it is laid at Jesus’ feet.
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Father, I thank You for giving me the gift of Your Son who made the sacrifice before You that is sufficeint to cover my defects. In Jesus’ name, Amen
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The Image above can be found at: http://danrogayan.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/the-seven-words-of-jesus-on-the-cross/
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