Num. Lev. The difference between living in a city, suburban area, or rural town may mean that your local parish may or may not, have its own Bishop thats in attendance every Sunday, or your church may be large enough that it might require multiple Priests and Deacons to meet the needs of their constitutes. What does it mean that God condescended in Christ and dwells with us through His Spirit? Often, we conflate priests and Levites today, assuming that all Levites are priests, but actually, the Levites assisted their brothers the priests, but they never could draw near to Gods altarnot without severe consequences. Thus, for example, the distinction between laity and clergy was maintained. Since approximately 1085 AD, Popes have been appointed by the Cardinals. 28:1-4). Over and over in the Bible, God brought people to the end of themselves, so that in their weakness they might find God sufficient. The New Testament tells us: Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 8-11), and then Moses gave further instructions about the eating of the sacrifices (vv. Thus, human hopelessness is the basis for biblical hope. They had just recently been ordained and begun to assume their duties as priests. "Then bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to minister as priest to MeAaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. We do not come anywhere near the ideals; we are frequently unstable and inconsistent. In Eden, God created mankind in his image to reflect his glory. Within the Catholic Church, there are three primary ranks that can be held by members of the clergy, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. 19-28), Second ram offered as an ordination offering (vv. 31-34), Moses instructs Aaron and sons concerning the eating of the ordination ram (vv. The priesthood may not have come to a deliberately reasoned conclusion that the worship of God was something unimportant, but their inner disrespect surfaced in their slipshod and lackadaisical approach. The Aaronic priesthood was shown to have failed at its very outset. They were all intended to have communion with their Lord. A Bishop is then appointed to each of these dioceses. I would imagine that if I had lived in the days of Moses and the ancient Israelites I would have felt the same way about those whose occupation was the priesthood. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted (Matt. The ephod is to contain two stones on the shoulder pieces (cf. Watch for tabernacles, temples, sacrifices, cleansing, and any time that God comes close. In particular, Leviticus stresses the role that priests played to apply the blood of the sacrifice to the altar (Lev. In the history of the church, the line has had to be redrawn, or at least rediscovered. And the tragedy is that those who are afflicted and suffering are told (or it is at least strongly implied) that they must have too little faith, when it is these very trials which God has given us to strengthen our faith, just as He gave to those who are listed in the hall of faith in Hebrews chapter 11. 16-20) because they provide us with the backdrop for understanding the consternation of Moses when the sin offering cannot be found. ) , ,)), the priest at the head of the priestly affairs. Their real problem lay in their heart. We see his lust and adultery, his scheming deceit in conspiring to have Uriah die in battle, his childrearing errors, and his mistakes within the intrigues of government. In this setting, God crowned man with glory and honor (Ps. Here, "house" can just as easily mean "dynasty," as in the "house of David.". And even more, as Hebrews begins by identifying Jesus as the royal and priestly son of God (Heb. If the Aaronic priesthood was plagued by the imperfection of its priests, the priesthood inaugurated by our Lord is marked by the perfection and the holiness of Jesus Christ, in whom there was no sin. 15-18), First ram offered as burnt offering (vv. If we are not practicing being a priest right now, we are not going to be prepared for that responsibility then. The life of a priest is busy, demanding, challengingand incredibly rewarding. Learn more or donate today at, Created to Draw Near: Our Life as Gods Royal Priests. Verses 8-11 seem to be a direct outgrowth of the death of Nadab and Abihu. It instructed the saints of old not to put their trust in men, but in God. Priests now have their house in him. A priest with the authority of . God and His Church take her place. Providing authoritative and righteous spiritual counsel. In the exercise of his office the Parish Priest acts under the authority of the diocesan Bishop. God originated this role to be for the man of the home. 110) and a high priest on the throne (Zech. This disaster had a very beneficial effect on at least one of the other sons of Aaron, Eleazar. Preparing to Be a Priest. Introduction. The significant fact here is that Aaron has come into his own, and that even Moses had to recognize his position and his wisdom in the decision he had reached and the actions which followed it. When a priest is laicized, he is prohibited from performing sacraments, such as hearing confession or blessing and bestowing the Eucharist (also known as Communion). And it shall be on Aarons forehead, and Aaron shall take away [bear, cf. It's situated at [Church Name]. In addition, a previous statement of God is quoted by Moses in our text as an explanation of what happened to Nadab and Abihu and its implications for the priesthood: Then Moses said to Aaron, It is what the LORD spoke, saying, By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored. So Aaron, therefore, kept silent (Lev. 8-11). 1. We all have our peaks and valleys. God walks among us through his Spirit who dwells in us. God takes the sin of His priests very seriously. As priests, we have all the responsibilities and duties of a deacon and teacher. Nadab and Abihu were the oldest of Aarons four sons (cf. The Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, held the holiest position in Judaism.His role extended through history, from Aaron in ancient times until the destruction of the Second Temple.His job was to oversee the Temple service and act as spiritual leader to the Jewish people. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. In Acts chapter 5, where Ananias and Sapphira were judged of God, the church age has just commenced with Pentecost (Acts 2). Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. This is indicated in several ways in the Book of Leviticus. 1:6). This one simple change has helped to ensure that only the most suitable, and well-deserving candidates could be elevated to the position of Pope. When things like these happened to me, if I had eaten a sin offering today, would it have been good in the sight of the LORD? (v. 19). More than this, this is the man who was instrumental in leading Israel in her false worship of the golden calf (Exod. Being in close proximity to God brings with it correspondingly high standards of conduct. Hope is confident in God, not men. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Therefore, I want to close by emphasizing those principles of priesthood which have remained unchanged, from the days of the Aaronic order to our own days. The Levitical priesthood began with Aaron, the older brother of Moses ( Exodus 28:1-3 ). As the Israelites of old and the New Testament church learned to take heed to Gods commandments and character, so let us listen well to the words of our text, for these are weighty matters with which we are dealing. Celibacy is also expected of a Deacon, but if they were married prior to being ordained; they are only expected to abide by their vow of celibacy should their spouse pass away before they do. He has been counseling for more than 35 years and has written extensively on the topics of depression, fear, and addictions. Visit and anoint the sick in homes, hospitals, and nursing homes. In chapter 8 we read of a better ministry. In chapter 9 we are told of one of the results of the high priestly ministry of Christ: For if the blood of goats and bulls and ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? The priests are also saddled with the responsibility of dealing with sin and death. Much like how a Metropolitan Bishop is responsible for the affairs of their particular district, a Diocesan Bishop is responsible for maintaining matters of the Church, and for seeing to the concerns of their constitutes and priests within their own diocese. As priests of God, among other things like teaching and counseling, we will be responsible for offering sacrifices. In a curious incident in the life of Abraham, a priest-king by the name of Melchizedek is introduced: And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. Malachi teaches us that we must strive to offer to God the best we can. Send jobs to 100+ job boards with one submission. 4:145:3; 5:7-10). Jesus came into the world as the incarnate Son of God to accomplish more than one thing and defeating the devil by tasting death was among them. When we think about priests, we imagine bearded men. In chapters 8-10, the priesthood is established, and yet at what seems to be the very outset of the priests assuming their duties, the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, are smitten of God for their irreverence. A hierarchy system has been set in place within the Church to help define roles and duties. As we study the Aaronic priesthood, we should be overcome with gratitude to God for the better priesthood which Christ has inaugurated, and be motivated to continue in grace, rather than to fall into works. Distracted by concerns they considered more important, their goal of being a whole burnt offering dedicated to God became a secondary occupation for their attention and energy. Hebrews chapter 11 focuses on the biblical hope which sustained the men and women of faith in the Old Testament times, especially when all human hope was lost. 13:119). God nonetheless wants the general trajectory of our lives to be consistently aimed toward achieving them. 3:56). When all human hope is lost, men still have the promises of God, backed by His power and by His character. Gods hope is spelled H O P E. The worlds hope is spelled H Y P E. Hype is furthered and fueled by success, while hope is promoted by failure. [] Thus, much of the Aaronic Priesthood, which we find defined and described in the Book of Leviticus, is simply carried over into the New Testament church, with only superficial changes or alterations. 22-29), Moses to anoint Aaron and sons (vv. Meanwhile, as we wait for the full descent of heaven to earth, we live as Gods prieststhe body of Christ. In fact, any time a priest (Lev. And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastpiece and an ephod and a robe and a tunic of checkered work, a turban and a sash, and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister as priest to Me (Exod. We attempt, in this church, to avoid all distinctions between an elite clergy and a large, and lower order, known as the laity. We do not know how long they had been serving in this capacity when they were put to death, but the inference is that this incident came close on the heels of their ordination. 10. Aaron also was to wear a breastpiece of judgment (vv. Metropolitan cities are home to millions of people. It would be easy to infer that Nadab and Abihu may have both been drinking before or on duty, and that alcohol had diminished their capacity to carry out their duties in a way that was honoring to God. Just as Aaron, Israels first high priest, was the top ranking priest of a whole order, so Jesus Christ is the head of a New Testament order of priests. Exod. It was to be engraved with a seal, reading, Holy to the Lord (v. 36). Here are examples of responsibilities from real priest resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles. The highest-ranking position within the Church is the Pope while the lowest ranking is a Deacon. And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand (Gen. 14:18-20). The goal of the Spiritual Care Department is to provide non-denominational support for people with emotional triggers, grief, vulnerability, loss, or change in their lives. 2 Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist . See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. A prophet is one who expresses the will of God in words and sometimes with signs given to confirm what is said. 16:134), and to communicate the blessings of God (Lev. We will be covering each of these titles in this article to form the basis of the hierarchy system that exists within the Catholic Church. Job 9:3335). (2) Gods priesthood is a holy priesthood. Promote programs and community outreach focused on church teachings. Third, the Israelites would be reminded of the holiness of God, and of the dangers faced by those who would draw near to Him in service. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. Edward T. Welch is the author of Created to Draw Near: Our Life as Gods Royal Priests. A New Testament image for you and for the church is that you are a living stone, part of a spiritual house (1 Pet. Of course, priests didnt just casually wander into the Lords inner roomthe Holy of Holies, the throne room itself. More power (and more pay) to them! It is worthwhile to recall that the practical righteousness of the Christian is often described in terms of garments, and thus putting off and putting on refer to character qualities of the saint (cf. Today a Primate holds no power of governance. Because we are being built up into a spiritual Family whose function is to glorify God by offering spiritual sacrifices that He will accept. The priesthood was an exceedingly dangerous job, for those who drew near to Him in service dare not do so casually or carelessly, as did Nadab and Abihu.