Don’t Prevent the Priest their Due! (Leviticus 7-9)

Leviticus 7:35-36 (ESV)

This is the portion of Aaron and of his sons from the LORD'S food offerings, from the day they were presented to serve as priests of the LORD. The LORD commanded this to be given them by the people of Israel, from the day that he anointed them. It is a perpetual due throughout their generations.”

In the New Testament, when Paul was writing to affirm his authority, responsibility and “rights” to the church at Corinth and to young Pastor Timothy, he stated the following:

1 Corinthians 9:9 (ESV)

For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned?

1 Timothy 5:18 (ESV)

For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

The point Paul was making is the same as the above statement about the priest, Aaron, and his family.   The priest was not to work without taking part in the work.   Aaron and his sons would not only worship the way God wanted, but they also, throughout their generations, partake of the sacrifices offered.   Paul’s point is the same as Moses, who wrote the Law.  The right of the Presisent was to partake of the offerings of God. In Biblical Christianity we seem to want to keep our pastor’s poor.   We do this as if our providing them with more would corrupt their great morals.    This may be true in the cast of some, of course.  We have seen many mega-church pastors corrupted by the dollar and the power.   However, the priest of old and the pastor of today all are servants of Christ and should be able to take part of the ministry as servants of God.   God intended them to be cared for, not humiliated.