The pattern of the responsibilities of the Priests in the Old Testament and the New

Pastor Seyi Osanyinbi

It is important for us to look at the activities of the responsibilities of the workings of the priesthood in the Old Testament and how the spirit of God raised them again in the new.

One of the most common priestly responsibilities is the work of the intercessor because only the priests can stand between man and God (just like Abraham when he stood before God on behalf of the Sodom and Gomorrah).

Isaiah 53:12; John 17: 9, 20;Colossians 1: 7-9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11

There are many things God desires to do in the earth, as they are in His will to perform, but God will not act until someone places a demand for them. We will begin to see the body of Christ grow and mature faster when we begin to act in this priestly order.

Another area of the priestly responsibility is in the aspect of blessings.

Numbers 6: 23 – 27; Romans 12: 14, 16:20

Blessings are conveyed by words and only the right kind of words activates them. As priests, we have the authority to bless, but we are not allowed to place curses on people. We should always resist any temptation to curse even when we have reasons to do so.

Again, we see the aspect of worship as another responsibility of the priest as patterned in the Old Testament (the burning of incense day and night signifies this).

Psalm 63:4; Psalm 134:2

However, God has instructed us to bless Him the lifting up of our holy hands unto Him.

Hebrew 12:12-13

The priests should also be able to teach and instruct people in the way of God.  If our knowledge base is weak as priests, we will not be able to represent the Lord effectively. However, having the right mind of knowledge is very important for priesthood. The priest can stand to preserve because he is the custodian of truth. When there is knowledge, there is light, and the priest ought to bring light to the people with the knowledge of God that he has. Thus, if we are not able to admonish one another, we will be failing in our priestly responsibility. 1Timothy 3: 8 - 13

The priests are also saddled with the responsibility of dealing with sin and death.

Number 16:46 – 48; Romans 8: 1 – 2, 19, 26

The antidote to death is life. Only the priest who carries the spirit of life can stop the operation of death because only the spirit of life can deal with the spirit of death.