The roll of the priest is to help man to be in a righteous relationship with God.
The Stages of the Priesthood.
When God created the earth Adam, and his offspring where each responsible for themselves for their relationship with God, they were priests for themselves.
After the flood we see that the head of the home became the priest for the family.
And, then after the exodus from Egypt God set up priesthood for the nation. This consisted of a High Priest and ordinary priests all from the family of Levy.
This continued until God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to fulfil the laws of the priesthood and to become the final sacrificial offering for man and when He rose again to become the Great High Priest. Jesus became the only way to enter into the presence of God, and also helps each one of us to get there.
1Pe 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
You are:
- a chosen generation,
- a royal priesthood,
- an holy nation,
- a peculiar people;
- that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Exo 19:5 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:
Exo 19:6 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.
A Chosen Generation
A generation is one link in the lineage chain; we are the sons of God. God has no grandchildren.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:
We are sons of the Living God. When we were Born Again we were born of the spirit, we became spiritually alive and as such we were able to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
We have become sons of God by adoption, and as such He has given us the same rights as His only son Jesus Christ.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
God has made us heirs of His Kingdom. He has given us all things pertaining to our sonship. He has given us the full power of the use of the name of Jesus.
Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
And He has also protected us.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
We can now as sons enter into His presence,
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
And obtain mercy and grace.
A Royal Priesthood
ISV) and has made us a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
In the Old Testament the priests were only from the tribe of Levy. They had two jobs: they were to help the people in the offering up of their sacrifices and to minister unto God in the works of the tabernacle. Once each year the High priest would enter into the Holy of Holies and come before the mercy seat of God and be in God’s presence.
Today Jesus is our Great High Priest and has entered into the Holy of Holies and is seated at the right hand of God
Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
We still have to do the work of the priest, not in the killing of the offerings and sacrifices but in helping people to know that a sacrifice has been made for them, The Lord Jesus Christ, and how to apply him in their lives.
We still have to do the works of the tabernacle.
We become the lamps that the oil of the Holy Spirit burns through so that we can give light to the world.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
We become the table of Shew bread, Jesus is the word and the bread of life and he tells us to feed His sheep,
Joh 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
Joh 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Joh 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
We become the Alter of Incense, and intercede for the church with the aid of the Holy Spirit,
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what [is] the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God.
And then we can enter beyond the veil that was rent in two when Jesus ascended into Heaven and go directly onto the throne room of our Father God and revel in His Glory.
An Holy Nation
Israel was chosen to be God’s Holy Nation but they could not keep up with what was needed. When they were offered again to be part of God’s Holy Nation through Jesus they refused and rather followed their traditions than entering into the Kingdom of God.
Today the Holy Nation is a spiritual nation made up of every born again believer
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
It is an eternal Nation where the love God reigns supreme and we are seated at His right hand with his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and we will worship Him for eternity.
A Peculiar People
A better translation of this would be;
A purchased people for God’s own possession.
We were purchased by the blood of Jesus
Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory
We no longer belong to our selves
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Show Forth The Praises Of Him
The word praises can also be translated as valor, excellence or virtue.
Our job is to show the world the valor, excellence and virtue of the Living God.
He has taken us out of the darkness of this world, the darkness of Satan, and brought us into the light of the Kingdom of God, the light of Jesus.
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Does your light shine
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.