Scripture Reading : Lev 21
Theme : The Requirements for Leaders
Privilege always brings responsibility. If the nation was to be sanctified, the spiritual leaders had to set the example. God had a word for the priests (1–9), the high priest (10–15), and those who could not be priests (16–24). Note the admonitions in this chapter.
“Don’t defile yourself!”(1, 3, 4, 11).
Anyone who touched a dead body was ceremonially unclean, so the priests had to be extra careful. They were expected to mourn, but not like the hopeless pagans (v. 5; see also 1 Thess. 4:13–18).
“Don’t profane God’s name!”(6).
If we adopt pagan practices, people think we are worshiping pagan gods, and we dishonor the name of the Lord. “Hallowed be Your name” is the first petition in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9).
“Don’t profane My sanctuary!”(12, 23).
A defiled or disqualified priest would profane God’s holy sanctuary, and God would have to judge. Holy men must minister in holy courts.
“Don’t profane your posterity!”(15).
Praying the Scripture
- Chapter 21 is the instruction given to the priests. They are to keep themselves from being defiled. In the New Testament, the Bible also gives us the requirement for leaders: an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. (1Ti 3:2-6). Let’s pray for our leadership that they adhere to these requirements.
- These qualities are not meant for the leadership only because the leadership is to set the example for the whole church to follow. Peter 5:2-3 instructs the church leaders to be the examples to the flock. So the qualities are meant for the whole church to follow not only for the leadership. Let’s pray that these qualities become our aims and that we work toward them as part of our sanctification.
[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, With the Word Bible Commentary(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Le 21:1.
经文：利 21章
主题：对带领者的要求
特权总与责任并肩而来。倘若一个国家要成圣，她的带领者就须以身作则。神对祭司（1-9）、大祭司（10-15）和那些不能成为祭司的（16-24）皆有吩咐。请留意这篇章中的告诫。
不要沾染自己！（1,3,4,11）
凡触摸死尸的便在礼仪上为不洁净，所以祭司必须要格外小心。他们可以悲哀哭泣，却不能像无盼望的异教徒一样（5节；亦见帖前4:13-18）。
不可亵渎神的名！（6）
我们若行事像外邦人一样，别人可能误以为我们敬拜的是异教的神，从而亵渎了神的名。“愿人都尊你的名为圣”是主祷文里的第一个求告（太6:9）。
不可亵渎神的圣所（12,23）
一个被玷污或不合格的祭司会亵渎神的至圣所，而神必审判。圣洁的人必在圣洁的院子里侍奉。
不可辱没儿女（15）
祭司是如此的特别；他必须迎娶处女为妻，以向国家确保他的头生的确是亚伦的后裔。凡有先天缺陷的儿子都不得在圣殿里侍奉，但他们仍可接受献祭的份。祭司所献的祭物是纯全无残疾的，所以他自己也需如此（利22:20-25）。神希望今日的仆人也是无可指责的（提前3:2，10）。
用经文祷告
- 第21章是给予祭司的命令。他们不得玷污自己。在新约里，圣经也给了我们当带领者的要求：作监督的，必须无可指责，只作一个妇人的丈夫，有节制，自守，端正，乐意接待远人，善於教导；不因酒滋事 ，不打人，只要温和，不争竞，不贪财；要好好管理自己的家，使儿凡事端庄顺服。人若不知道管理自己的家，焉能照管神的教会呢？初入教的不可作监督，恐怕他自高自大，就落在魔鬼所受的刑罚里（提前3:2-6）。让我们为带领者祷告，愿他们能坚守这些标准。
- 实际上，这些品质并不只限于带领者，因为他们做的是为教会作模范，让教会有榜样遵循。彼得5:2-3教导说，带领者需成为羊群的榜样。因此，这些素质不仅限于带领者，而是为整个教会而设。让我们祈祷，叫这些特质能成为自己的目标，并努力向此迈进，把它们看为我们成圣的一部分。
