Pastor Bola Bello
[biblegateway passage=”Hebrews 5:1-6″ display=”Hebrews 5:1-6″]
A priest is taken amongst men because of two reasons. To begin with, he has an existing fellowship with God, also he has fellowship with men. Thus, he has the capacity to represent men before God and to also represent God before men.
The priest is taken amongst men to bring things of God and give to men, but one major problem we have is that most priests we have now are no longer bringing things of God to men again. They are rather bringing the things of men and giving to men.
[biblegateway passage=”Exodus 28:3, 41″ display=”Exodus 28:3, 41″]
Three critical words used here: anointing, consecration and sanctification. There were certain drinks, foods and clothing that priests cannot wear, because they are peculiar.
The Aaronic priesthood was very limited in scope because it was a tribal thing. Not all men were permitted to operate it. Not all Levites are even priests, but they are all potential priests. For instance, David could not have been a priest because he was from the house of Judah and not from the house of Levi. Also, someone like Samuel could not also operated as a priest because he was not a Levite.
We would not fully understand the writings of Paul if we do not understand the Old Testament properly. In fact, Paul wrote Romans 12:1 based on his understanding of the priesthood of the Old.
[biblegateway passage=”Hebrew 7:28″ display=”Hebrew 7:28″]
For Abraham to have been able to have recognized Melchisedec, it must have been that there was an existing fellowship between them in time past.
[biblegateway passage=”Hebrews 7:1-4″ display=”Hebrews 7:1-4″]; [biblegateway passage=”Hebrews 8:5″ display=”Hebrews 8:5″]
Priest is not an office like the five fold ministry gift is, and also not limited to intercession. They are people who puts things in the correct order. The Levitical Priesthood was a shadow of heavenly activities. It is not just an earthly activity, but a work of saints in heaven also.
[biblegateway passage=”Galatians 4:1″ display=”Galatians 4:1″]
Legally speaking, we are all priests, but not all have assumed the role and stature of a priest. In the priesthood, before one could become a priest, he must have attained the age 33, must not have blemishes etc. But, that is no longer the case.
One of the sacrifices of Jesus was his Submission ([biblegateway passage=”Phillipians 2:7″ display=”Phillipians 2:7″])