The Christian As A Priest

⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ( Peter 2:9)

Christians are called to sacrifices to God.

⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)

But what does it mean for Christians to be called to be priests? To answer that fully, we must begin at Mount Sinai with the nation of Israel.

The Beginning of the Priesthood

·  At Mount Sinai, Isreal was called to be a “kingdom of priests.”

⁵ Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ⁶ And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” (Exodus 19:5-6)

They were a unique people because God was among them.

¹⁴ And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

¹⁵ Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. ¹⁶ For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” (Exodus 33:14-16)

·  Moses instituted the priesthood to approach God’s holy presence on behalf of the nation. The priesthood began with Aaron, the brother of  Moses.

¹ “Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ² And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. ³ So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. (Exodus 28:1-3)

·  Moses and Aaron were of the tribe of Levi. Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah.

³⁴ She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.

The tribe of Leve was set apart to serve Yahweh in the sanctuary on behalf of the nation. In particular, Aaron and his descendants ministered as mediators between man and God. They ministered in the tabernacle and at the altar while the rest of the Levites transported and guarded the tabernacle.

¹⁷ For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself. ¹⁸ I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel. ¹⁹ And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.” (Numbers 8:17-19)

²² After that the Levites went in to do their work in the tabernacle of meeting before Aaron and his sons; as the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them. (Numbers 8:22)

They were caretakers of the tabernacle and its furnishings.

⁵ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. ⁷ And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle. ⁸ Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle. ⁹ And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are given entirely to ]him from among the children of Israel. (Numbers 3: 5-9)

The Life of a Priest

·  The idea of priesthood and holiness go together because God held the priests to very high standards of behavior and purity.

⁶ They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy. (Leviticus 21:6)

For us today, who are Christian priests being holy is more than just living a good moral life; it is an invitation to a life lived in communion with the Holy One.

¹⁵ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16)

We are called to a higher standard of conduct.

²⁰ For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20)

Each day the priest would pronounce the benediction to the people.

²³ “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:

²⁴ “The Lord bless you and keep you;
²⁵ The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
²⁶ The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” (Numbers 6:23-26)

·  As the recipient of God’s blessings, Israel was to be a blessing to the nations. We have been blessed by God as well, so we are to be a blessing to the world.

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (Matthew 5:13)

·  The priest acted as a mediator between God and the people. In Christ, we have access to the heavenly throne room!

¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, having boldness  to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹ and having a High Priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)

·  During the days of the Levitical priesthood, their act of worship was physical as well as being fully engaged. Should ours be less so? We are called to worship by presenting ourselves as a living sacrifices.

¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

Out With the Old and In With the New

·  The Levitical priesthood was never intended to be permanent.

¹¹ Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? (Hebrews 7:11)

The death of Christ put an end to the Old Covenant and the Levitical priesthood. This was evidenced by the rending of the temple veil.

⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

⁵¹ Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, (Matthew 27:50-51)

·  Now Jesus serves as our High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, not Levi.

¹² For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. ¹³ For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar (Hebrews 7:12-13)

Through His death and resurrection, we have access to God’s presence.

¹⁹ This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, ²⁰ where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19-20)

To become a priest of the Most High God, one must come to God with faith, repenting of their past life, confessing the name of Christ, and being immersed for the forgiveness of their sins. Then one is privileged to be a Christian priest.

 

 

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