Apostle George created a doc. 11 hrs 3 Priesthood types and gospel of the Kingdom - 2.1 The Levithical Priesthood Let us leave the Nimrod priesthood for a while and explore another priesthood type. This time, we shall zoom in on the Levithical or Aaronic Priesthood. Unlike the order of Nimrod, this priesthood was instituted by Yahweh through His servant Moses. It therefore had divine origin, validity and pattern for the time frame assigned to it. After delivering Israel from the hands of Pharaoh, Yahweh gave the Torah or Law at Mount Sinai. The Law and attendant regulations had one all encompassing purpose: to seal the deal that formally set Jews apart as a holy nation and kingdom of priests unto Himself who were to be separate from all other people and nations broadly classified as Gentiles. Exodus 19:1-6 (KJV) 1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles wings, and brought you unto myself.5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Consecration of Aaron and sons Exodus 28 is a detailed account of instructions Yahweh gave on the garments which Aaron and his sons had to wear in order to be distinguished as priests who would stand between Him and the people of Israel. Here are a few excerpts even as we encourage you to read all: Exodus 28 (KJV) 1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priests office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aarons sons. 2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. 3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aarons garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priests office. 4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priests office. 5 And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.6 And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work. 29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. 30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aarons heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually. 36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, Holiness To The Lord. 37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. 38 And it shall be upon Aarons forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. 40 And for Aarons sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. 41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priests office. 42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him. Levites: Jealous and zealous for Yahweh Yahweh had in His Sovereign will chosen the Tribe of Levi for priestly functions. That accounted for the specific roles He used Aaron at 83 and Moses at 80 of the same parentage to play in liberation of Israel from the hands of Pharaoh. He went on to use Moses as the Apostle and Prophet to lead Israel. In the same way, Aaron was chosen to be the first High Priest of Israel. But we need to know that the choice of the Tribe of Levi was not a happen stance. Yahweh knew something about them that many were ignorant of: jealousy for their Creator and zeal for His cause ran deep in the family. Here is an account of how they became instruments of cleansing Israel on the day that the people went into whoredom in the matter of the Golden Calf and committed immorality on a national scale: Exodus 32:25-29 (KJV) 25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lords side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. 28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. Take note also that the day the Old Covenant was instituted, 3000 people were killed! Sealing the deal: Priesthood and holy Service exclusive to Tribe of Levi under Old Covenant In conclusion, Yahweh instituted an ordinance that reserved the Priesthood to Aaron and his offsprings. They were to be assisted in the Holy things by other members of the Tribe of Levi. No one outside this tribe was to serve Yahweh or His priests under the Old Covenant! Numbers 3:1-10 (KJV) 1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai. 2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priests office.4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priests office in the sight of Aaron their father. 5 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. 7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. 9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priests office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. In the Old Covenant, the religious system envisaged these vital ingredients: 1. A Physical Tabernacle where Yahweh would dwell amongst the people This was a Tabernacle that was portable when they roamed in the wilderness. The most significant item to be in the Tabernacle was the Ark of the Covenant which was made of shittim wood and overlaid with gold. Inside it was to be the Torah or 10 Commandments, Aarons Rod that budded and samples of the Manna with which Israel was fed. To cover it as a lid was the Mercy Seat made of pure gold with a figure of the Cherubim covering with its wings. It was here that the High Priest literarily met with Yahweh to bring annual atonement for sins of the nation. Exodus 25:8-10 (KJV)8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 2. An Exclusive, dedicated Priestly Caste who were mediators between Yahweh and Israel As we have seen in this lesson, this was an exclusive Priesthood comprising only males from the lineage of Aaron who were assisted by other men of the tribe of Levi. No woman, no matter how educated, beautiful, well mannered was qualified to be a priest under this order. 3. Priestly Attire To distinguish the Priests from the masses they were to wear specially designed clothes. Each piece of their attire had a meaning. Their attire was, as Exodus 28:2 stated, for ‘Beauty and for glory’. The attires were to distinguish them as holy, special and unique among the people. This was to, in turn; attract special privileges and exaltation for them. They therefore were made specially when wearing them. 4. Sacrifices Atonement for the nation was made annually by the High Priest. The sins of the people were dealt with by observance of sundry rituals. Sacrifices involving animals and birds were made, depending on the weight of sins committed. The people could literarily go to the sanctuary every week to present animals or birds which were used to appease Yahweh in obedience to His instructions. These attires or clerical robes had special significance that were dictated to Moses by Yahweh Himself. They comprised of specific colours which had specific meanings and specific objects of decoration which conveyed peculiar messages. 5. The people needed to be afar from Yahweh because of their sins They could not approach Yahweh directly and therefore needed the Priestly caste as mediators with Him.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 00:17:10 +0000
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