Good Morning.
He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments … shall not go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 21:10-12)
Needless to say, the one who served in the role of the High Priest was expected to carry out those duties with great care and dedication. Not only was he representing the people before God but he was also representing God before the people. So while we might think the position brought great prestige and honor, we should also stop and consider the great weight of responsibility that was on his shoulders. He had to live a holy life for his own sake and for the sake of others.
When he was at his duties, he was not permitted to leave the Sanctuary, not even for father or mother because God’s anointing was upon him. Remember when Nadav and Avihu were consumed by fire, Aaron was not permitted to tear his clothes or go into mourning for the same reason. Being the High Priest required that the man in that position pay a great price if he was going to perform his duties in a way that was pleasing to God. Nevertheless, even if he were to make a mistake, he remained in that position because, as we mentioned previously, “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.” That is to say, the anointing was still upon him even if he committed a misstep — a mistake didn’t not exempt him from his duties and responsibilities.
Likewise with you and me, if God has called us to do something, our mistakes do not necessarily disqualify us from that position. In fact, I’m of the persuasion that one of the reasons Aaron was made the first High Priest of Israel was because of his mistake with the Golden Calf. Then he assisted the people of Israel in their sin; as High Priest he was expected to teach them to discern between holy and profane. So the point is, just because we fall short at times. doesn’t necessarily mean its “game over” where our responsibility in the kingdom is concerned. As great as the sin committed by David was, God did not remove him from his position. Yes, he paid a consequence but still retained the anointing of the king.
So don’t let the sting of your past mistakes hold you hostage; you still have the responsibility to do what God has called you to do. When he anointed you for your purpose, He knew that there would be times when you would fall short. Obviously that is not an excuse to do wrong but, on the other hand, having done wrong is not an excuse to abandon your post. If you have repented of that mistake, set your focus on the Messiah and continue following Him all the way to your destiny in Him.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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