Musing – Who decides if we are ‘clean’ enough?

Hebraic Musing – Who decides if we are ‘clean’ enough?
May 29, 2012

I found this passage nested as #1,373 among 5,529 “Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim & Kabbalah.” (Rabbinic writings)  Before a priest could be admitted into active service in the Temple he had to undergo bodily inspection at the hands of the syndicate of the Sanhedrin. If they found the least defect in his body, even a mole with hair upon it, he was ordered to dress in black and be dismissed; but if he was perfectly free from blemish, he was arrayed in white, and at once introduced to his brother priests and official duties. 

A number of questions popped into mind:

1.      Does this apply to me?  Peter called me a member of the royal priesthood’ in 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God,…”

2.      Since when does man decide who is a priest and who is not?  Who is welcome to serve and who is not? How does this reconcile with Acts 10 and Peter’s having to ‘learn to not call a fellow man unclean’.  On the other hand Paul tells us in 1 cor. 5:12-13  What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.

3.      Who of us would qualify to be dressed in white under these rules? Without the atoning sacrifice of Yeshua HaMashiach we would all be wearing black.

4.      Does this confirm our belief that only those dressed in the right wedding garments, white linen, will live in heaven with our God who cannot be in the presence of uncleanness resulting from sin?  (Or is it that sin cannot be in the presence of God?)

5.      Could the Christian’s Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) be the day they accepted Christ as their Savior?  Lev.16:30 … because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins.

So, to me this confirms that while the Rabbis were trying to understand God and trying to define and apply Torah guidelines, they definitely understood the need to be clean and holy before Almighty God. Thus, the need for a savior was paramount in their minds, like Yeshua HaMashiach that we know.

Point to ponder

How can we be clean in God’s sight?

Are we responsible for inspecting, repenting and cleaning ourselves?

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd

Author “Hebraic Insights – 95 messages exploring the Hebrew Roots of Christian faith”

Author “Biblical Marriage” (to be published in June 2012)

Weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”  to be added to distribution -- Yosef1@cox.net
www.InsightsByYosef.com