Going Old School: We Are Priests to the World

All right, we’ve taken a look at the different sacrifices & offerings the people made to God.  As you recall, God had some pretty specific instructions and which offerings were required when (some as thanks, others because someone sinned against God or someone else).  God also gave very detailed instructions to the priests about what to do with the offerings, how to treat them, and how to be a person’s advocate to God.

But who are the priests?  What does it take to become a priest?  Let’s dive back into Leviticus and find out!

¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “Bring Aaron and his sons, along with their sacred garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of bread made without yeast, ³ and call the entire community of Israel together at the entrance of the Tabernacle.”

While all of the Levites were set aside as servants for the Lord, only Aaron and his descendants could be priests.  Aaron and his sons had the honor and responsibility of performing the sacrifices.  Leviticus 8 & 9 details the priestly ordination for Aaron and his sons, which was performed in front of the entire community.  Here’s how it went:

1. Aaron & his sons were washed with water (8:6)
2. Clothed in the ceremonial priestly garments (8:7-9, 13)
3. Anointed with oil (8:12)
4. They placed their hands on a young bull as it was killed for sacrifice (8:14-15) and two rams as they were killed for sacrifice (8:18-23)

All this showed the people that holiness comes from God ALONE, not just from being a priest.  That is a lesson many of us need to learn today, too.  We aren’t “better” because we’re active in the church, have a title or position, or a good reputation.  No matter how great our reputation is or how long we’ve been actively involved at church (or even been a pastor!) we must depend on God for spiritual vitality!

The next natural question in all of this is why priests were needed in Israel at all?  Back in Exodus 19:6, God called all of the Israelites to be a NATION of priests.  The idea was that they would be holy and relate to God and share that with the nations around them.  If you look at where Israel is located on the map, all of the major trade routes of the time went through their territory, giving them a grand opportunity to witness to the world!  But we’re human, and we’re sinful, and since Adam we’ve needed a mediator with God.  For the Israelites it was the priests, who offered the sacrifices to on a person’s behalf that they might be made right with God.  For us today, Jesus Himself is our mediator, and as we confess our sins He makes us right with God.  The priestly system (both past and present) was a concession to fallen man’s inability to relate to God individually or corporately.  When Christ returns and we are fully restored to God, we will no longer need a concession for our fallen nature.

After the priests were ordained and Aaron offered his first sacrifice for the people, God Himself sent the fire to consume the sacrifice, so that the people would know that God approved of Aaron’s offering (9:24).  When the people saw what God had done, they cried out in…fear?  No!  They cried out in JOY!  They cried out and then fell to worship their awesome and loving God!

Often times today we think that God doesn’t give mighty displays like that any more.  We question whether God actually exists  because we don’t see heavenly fire consume anything, the sea parting, a pillar of cloud/fire anywhere.  How many of us have asked God if He’s really up there?

But God IS at work in today’s world just as much as He was with the Israelites in the wilderness.  When a group of believers is actively working and seeking Him, He doesn’t need to do mighty physical acts.  Instead, He works to change the world THROUGH His believers.  YOU are God’s mighty display of power!  When you realize that, you’ll see God’s acts of love all around you.

I want to close with two questions.  It’s a tradition that a dear friend of mind, Stephanie Johnson, had some crazy high schoolers do before a meeting, and I think it fits in nicely with what God is trying to teach us in Leviticus.

Encounter: Who was Jesus to you today?  Who were you Jesus to today?