Good Morning.
Therefore you shall consecrate him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I the Lord, who sanctify you, am holy. (Leviticus 21:8)
Though it is not clearly stated in this verse, rabbinic sources interpret this verse to say that, being consecrated to “offer the bread of your God,” the priests did not have the right to resign from their position. In other words they could not, of their own accord, detach themselves from the responsibility given to them — they were to set apart unto God. To abandon their post would amount to desecrating God’s name and authority.
Of course, this begs the question as to what “abandoning their post” looked like. Clearly, if they simply walked off the job and departed to some remote farm to live out their lives, that would qualify. But what about staying on site but not having a heart for it? Or what about those who were in the position of priest but who did not walk upright before God like the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas? Would that not also be considered “abandoning their post”? Of course it is.
The Bible tells us that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29), meaning that God doesn’t change His mind about what we are called to do just because we aren’t walking in that purpose. That is why, in my opinion, so many are miserable — they aren’t functioning in their God-ordained purpose. Where God’s people are concerned, when we fail in this, we risk becoming the salt that is tossed out into the street to be trampled — because we aren’t walking in our calling. It behooves us, therefore, to understand why we are on this planet and then to pursue that purpose with all our might, as His Spirit guides us through the process. So let’s consider this thought today: it is useless to run from God (just ask Jonah); so let’s determine to run to God.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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