"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” (1 Pt. 2:9).In Old Testament times God’s people relied on men called “priests” to be their representatives before God. Ordained priests first appear in Israel’s history at Sinai, when Israel constructed the tabernacle. Israel as a whole was referred to as a “kingdom of priests” - Exodus 19:6. Within Israel God chose Aaron and his sons as priests or ministers in his house. They are brought near to “stand and serve” - Deuteronomy 10:8; 18:5.
The functions of priests were many and varied. Priests cleaned house by performing sacrificial rites, sprinkling blood on the furniture and utensils of God's house and cleansing the earthly sanctuary with the blood of bulls and goats. If the house became defiled, God threatened to leave his house and his people, thus the role of the priest in maintaining purity was extremely important.
Priests were sacred butchers, butlers, and bakers. They butchered the animals, ground the grain, and baked the bread that was placed on the altars. Yahweh’s altar was his table - Ezekiel 41:22; 44:16, where priests offered his morning and evening “bread” - cf. Leviticus 3:11; 21:21-22. Priestly ministry at the altar was their “table service” before God.
In the holy place, priests kept the lampstand in working order by trimming wicks and replenishing oil (Exodus 30:8; Leviticus 24:1-4). Each morning and evening they offered incense (Exodus 30:7-8), and each Sabbath they changed the twelve loaves of bread on the golden table (Leviticus 24:5-9). Through their work, the King’s house was well lit, aromatic, and supplied with daily bread.
The priests' work involved with service to both the literal “house” of the Temple and service to the nation or “house” of Israel. By their teaching and judging priests served as guardians of Israel’s holiness. By teaching the law (or Torah) to the people - Leviticus 24:8 - they trained Israel to distinguish between behavior that was "holy" and that which was "unholy" and helped them to be holy as God is holy.
When they sanctified or cleansed the temple or house of God they were restoring worshipers to fellowship with God. They led Israel to Yahweh by offering his bread on the altar, and also in leading the people to lift up the “bread” of praise and thanksgiving. When they offered incense on the golden altar they were also offering intercessions - cf. Psalm 141:2. None of this priestly service was for the priests alone but for the Israelites whom they represented.
The “High Priest” was specially designated as the one who would go into the Most Holy Place of the temple once a year to sprinkle the blood of a goat upon the “mercy seat” (Ark of the Covenant), In doing so he became the “mediator” between God and men.
You and I do not live under the Levitical priesthood. When Jesus died on the cross He became the supreme sacrifice for our sins once and for all - Heb. 9:12. He is our High Priest - Heb. 4:14-15,and as His disciples we are “a royal priesthood” -1 Pt. 2:9. With the arrival of this new and better priesthood through Jesus - Hebrews 4-5, 7) Christians united to Christ who is King and Priest become priests and kings in him - Revelation 1:6; 5:10. All that the Levitical priests did in the tabernacle and temple were shadows of things believers now do in reality in the heavenly sanctuary. And, just as the Aaronic priests served Israel by serving in God's house so is ministry by Christians in the church.
We are all guardians of God’s holy house. We are called to distinguish between holy and unclean and to maintain the purity of God’s household - the church. All believers offer the sacrifice of praise through Jesus, the Bread of God. Every Christian offers the incense of prayer in the holy place of God’s house, and through practices of forbearance and forgiveness we keep God’s house clean. Through using the gifts given by the Spirit, each member of Christ’s body contributes to the edification of the whole. Paul reminds us that in this was we “grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” - Eph. 4:15-16.
In the old order, priestly service was housekeeping by a select group. In the new order, all are priests, called to the ministry of building the body.
In the church that Jesus established there was no “clergy / laity” system whereby the work of the church was done by a special class of people. God’s intent is that we all be involved in the great mission of “speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 5:16).
That's "The Way I See It."
Acknowledgement:
Priesthood of Believers
Oct 29, 2010
Peter Leithart
