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That which had been offered in sacrifice was "holy unto the Lord;" these were "holy things" (verse 10); "I the Lord do sanctify them" (verse 16). They might only be partaken of by the priests and their families. Hence we have here a precise limitation of membership of the family; it included the returned daughter and the permanent servant, but did not include the hireling or the visitor, etc. We may note, in passing,

(1) the regard which God paid (and still pays) to the sanctity of family life, and our duty to guard it;

(2) the fact, on the other hand, that mere blood relationship does not suffice to secure the favour of God; witness Nadab and Abihu. The son of the holiest minister of Christ may be a servant of the evil one, and an enemy of God. But the lesson of the text is -

I. THAT GOD WOULD HAVE US SEPARATE SOME THINGS FROM OTHERS WHICH WE MUST TREAT AS SACRED. "I the Lord do sanctify them" (verse 16). That which is closely connected with himself is particularly "holy," - his Name, his truth, his worship; also our own spiritual and immortal nature; the world which is to come, etc.

II. THAT WE ARE UNDER SOME TEMPTATION TO DISREGARD HIS HOLY WILL. Forgetfulness, the spirit of levity and untimely humour, the contagiousness of human example, that tendency towards the formal and mechanical which belongs to our frail humanity, - these things will account for it. The forms which this irreverence or profanation takes are manifold:

(1) taking in vain the holy Name of God, our Father, Saviour, Sanctifier;

(2) misuse of scriptural words - those especially which are of peculiar sacredness;

(3) irreverence in prayer or praise;

(4) the utterance of Divine truth by unhallowed, unappreciative lips;

(5) the partaking of the sacramental elements by those who are unreconciled to God;

(6) misappropriation of substance which has been dedicated to the service of Christ.

III. THAT MINISTERS OF CHRIST SHOULD BE SPECIALLY ON THEIR GUARD AGAINST THIS COMMON AND OFFENSIVE SIN. There are two reasons why those who minister in holy things should "watch and pray" against the commission of this wrong-doing.

1. They are under special temptation to commit it. Their very professional familiarity with the truth and service of God is likely to beget irreverence, utterance without feeling, action without inspiration.

2. Their example is more influential. Irreverence on the part of the minister is certain, in time if not immediately, to tell on the people. It will be communicated to them; or, at the very least, it will seriously lessen and lower the impression which would otherwise be made on their hearts and lives. - C.

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KJV: There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

WEB: "'No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.