Why were people with physical defects disqualified from offering gifts or sacrifices to God in the Old Testament? (Leviticus 21: 16-21)
The following instructions applied to the Levite priest: 16 Then the Lord said to Moses, 17 “Give the following instructions to Aaron: In all future generations, none of your descendants who has any defect will qualify to offer food to his God. 18 No one who has a defect qualifies, whether he is blind, lame, disfigured, deformed, 19 or has a broken foot or arm, 20 or is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or has a defective eye, or skin sores or scabs, or damaged testicles. 21 No descendant of Aaron who has a defect may approach the altar to present special gifts to the Lord. Why does God not want people with physical defects offering gifts or sacrifices to Him? (Leviticus 21: 16-21)
Leviticus 21:1 - 24
NLT - 1 The Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the priests, the descendants of Aaron. “A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean by touching the dead body of a relative. 2 The only exceptions are his closest relatives - his mother or father, son or daughter, brother.
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Asked February 21 2014
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David Killick
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JD Abshire
The Levitical sacrificial system was central in foreshadowing the ultimate, supreme sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ who offered himself for mans sin. Just as the sacrifice had to be without spot or blemish, the priest was also representative, a type of The Lord Jesus. He could have no physical defects and was the only one appointed to enter the Holy of Holies. Also as Christ, Aaron was elected, chosen and appointed to this office. Hebrews 5:4 “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” Hebrews 5:5 “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.” Hebrews 10:1 “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Hebrews 10:2 “For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. Hebrews 10:3 “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.” Hebrews 10:4 “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Hebrews10:5 “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:” Hebrews 10:10 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” The beauty, efficacy and total accomplishment of Christ’s redeeming power is evident when we consider: 1.God provided the sacrifice. 2.God provided it to himself. 3.It was God who became the sacrifice. “IT IS FINISHED” Hebrews 2:3 “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;”
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