Who May Offer the Bread of God?

In Leviticus 21, the Lord teaches Moses who may approach to offer the bread of his God. It had to be a man without any defects. “For any man who has a defect shall not approach: a man blind or lame, who has a marred face or any limb too long, a man who has a broken foot or broken hand, or is a hunchback or a dwarf, or a man who has a defect in his eye, or eczema or scab, or is a eunuch. No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.”

We know that everything in the old covenant was written for our instruction. It is the shadow of the good things to come. However, now the shadow is gone, and we have been placed in the Person who cast the shadow—in Christ Himself. If the priests of the old covenant (the priests of the shadow) had to be without defect to offer the bread of their God, we can conclude that the servants of the new covenant (servants of the Spirit) are required even more to be free from defects if they are to stand before the Lord and receive spiritual food from His table to bring to the people.

He must not be blind. The eyes of his heart must be enlightened. Eph. 1:18. He must be able to see clearly in order to distinguish between clean and unclean and between holy and unholy. He must be diligent to know the state of his flocks. His eyes must always be looking for the best pastures. He must make sure that no one is suffering or in distress.

He must not be lame. He must not falter, leaning to one side or the other. He must be able to run in the race that is set before him and always be on the front line. He must always be able to say with Paul, “Follow me, just as I also follow Christ.” [Norw.]. The sheep must always have the feeling that they cannot escape from their shepherd’s care to enjoy a forbidden freedom. He must be quick on his feet, being shod with the preparation for battle that the gospel of peace gives. [Norw.]. He must be able to overtake and drive off every enemy who tries to break into the sheepfold.

He must not have a marred face. His spiritual face must be free from defects. A disfigured face would rob him of his boldness. He must not feel inclined to hide his face. If he is to offer the bread of his God, his face must not be marred.

He must not have any limb too long. He must not be one-sided in his service of God, so that one limb grows to be big and strong while others are stunted in their growth. He must be something to everyone if he is to provide them all with the bread of his God. He must not have any limb too long.

He must not have a broken foot or a broken hand. A broken foot or a broken hand will hinder his ministry; he will not be able to give bread at the right time. Even if the break is healed, he will still feel his weakness. In a difficult situation—if that were to happen—he would not be able to move as swiftly and decisively as he would like. He has a broken foot or hand and therefore must not offer the bread of his God.

He must not be a hunchback or a dwarf. A person who has become a hunchback as a result of a fall must not offer the bread of his God. His fall has broken him. A dwarf shall not approach the table to offer the bread of the Lord; he has stopped growing spiritually and is therefore not able to instruct others.

He must not have a defect in his eye. His eye must be without defect. A defect or spot in his eye will cause him to look at things with skewed judgment. His vision will fail, and he will waver in his judgment. His eyes must reflect faithfulness and confidence. No defect must be permitted to hide that precious jewel. He must be able to openly behold the face of God. There must be no spot behind which he can hide the true condition of his soul from the eyes of the Lord of Hosts.

He must not have any eczema or scab. No evil report must cling to him, nor should his flesh be active so that the rash of sin is visible on his body. His body must be washed with pure water at all times, and his skin must be soft and healthy like that of a young boy. A scab or eczema will cause reproach, and therefore he must not offer the bread of his God.

He must not be a eunuch. He must not have been made a eunuch by men. He must possess a zest for life and not be sluggish and spiritually despondent. He must be a man whom people respect if he is to offer the bread of his God.

“No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord.” Verse 21.

When God desires to bring someone to the altar of burnt offering, He cannot use someone who has a defect as His co-worker. He will always use someone who is well acquainted with the fire.

“He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy . . . .” Verse 22.

God in His infinite love does not want to withhold spiritual food from anyone. He desires that everyone eat of both the most holy and the holy. All those who are blind, lame, disfigured, hunchbacked, who have a defect in their eye, who have a broken foot or hand, scabs or eczema, may eat of the most holy and the holy bread of God.

“Only he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he profane My sanctuaries; for I the Lord sanctify them.” Verse 23.

From this we learn that God cannot use anyone who has a defect to offer spiritual food. They are permitted to eat and be satisfied with both the most holy and the holy, but they must not profane the sanctuary by drawing near to the veil.

The veil is torn by the Spirit of judgment and burning. Anyone with a defect will not be able to endure this, and they must not draw near. The glory of God is revealed within the veil, and from there, the bread of God is brought forth. But if anyone wants to enter there, in order to get spiritual food, he must first offer himself on the altar of burnt offering where every defect is consumed.

Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out many such laborers into His harvest.

[To be continued.]