THE PRIESTHOOD

THE PRIESTHOOD
When Robert Louis Stevenson was a boy he once remarked to his mother, "Momma, you can't be good without praying." "How do you know, Robert?" she asked. "Because I've tried!" he answered.
Another little fellow, one who had been sent to his room because, he had been bad, a short time later, came out and said to his mother, "I've been thinking about what I did and I said a prayer." "That's fine," said the mother. "Did you ask God to make you good?" "Oh, I didn't ask Him to help me be good," replied the boy. "I asked Him to help you put up with me."
One of the greatest offices in the house of God is the priesthood. In First Peter 2:9, we are called a “royal priesthood.” Originally, God intended for every man to be the priest of his family as was the case seen in the life of Job, who prayed for his family daily (Job 1:5).
However, sin and evil flooded society and corrupted the home. God, then choose the tribe of Levi to perform the priestly duties. The priests were to sanctify their lives, or set their lives apart to perform the priestly work, within the tabernacle and then, the temple.
Their duties fell under three main headings.
1 Serving: The priests were to minister in the sanctuary, but when Israel became a settled nation it would be the temple. Today, God’s priest are to minister in His Church. Their calling is to serve each other, widows, strangers and the needy. The needy include the elderly and any people unable to take care of them selves.
2 Teaching: Priests were responsible for teaching the people the law of God. It is clear that this applies to the pastor. But, it also applies to all believers, for all believers are called “priest.”
3 Praying: When God's will was sought for the nation, it was the priests who prayed for guidance. The greatest power of the church is the practice or prayer and intercession. Anyone can do it. Why would people seek greater positions, than the greatest position, prayer?
Priests wore distinctive clothing whenever they were in attendance at the altar or entered the Holy Place. Their clothing had to be clean and pure before they could approach God. This application is simple. God’s children must have their hearts clean and their sins confessed before they can rightly perform any priestly duties or their prayers do not get above the sound of their voice.

The office of the priesthood was given to Aaron and his descendants. Two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, died and left no children. Aarons other two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar left children.
In the days when David was king, and Israel was the head of the nations, we discover David distributing the priesthood among TWENTY-FOUR of the descendants of Aaron. First Chronicles 24:1-18 reveals to us the particulars of this distribution. We will just look at the first few verses and notice the number of the priesthood.
First Chronicles 24:1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.
3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.
4 And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.
5 Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.
There are a number of things we observe in these few Scriptures:
1 – It is clear that the sons of Eleazar and Ithamar add up to twenty-four. This is the numeric picture of the priesthood.
2 -For many years this priestly work was carried out daily in the tabernacle and then, in the temple. The incense was offered from the incense altar, twenty-four hours a day.
3 - Eleazar had sixteen sons, the number of love and Ithamar had eight sons, the number of new beginnings. To have the right to intercede for others, a person must be born again, and be in love with Christ.
Sadly, and slowly, the nation of Israel became corrupt and even though, they went through their rituals of the priesthood, their hearts were far from God. They lost their freedom and the baton was passed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jesus Christ came into the world, He was of course, the Priest of all priests.
Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Hebrews 4: 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus was prophet, priest and king. He was not only the priest that made the offering; He was the offering as well. As the offering, He shed His blood on Calvary when He gave His life. He then, as Priest, passed into the heavens and ascended on high, and presented the blood to God. Jesus today, sits at the right hand of God making intercession for His bride twenty-four hours a day.
The priests of Israel were but dim shadows of the one Great Priest of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. A few brief passages give us an understanding of the perfection found in the priestly character of Christ:
(1) Christ as Priest is appointed and chosen by God (Heb 5:5).
(2) He is consecrated with an oath (Heb 7:20-22).
(3) He is sinless (Heb 7:26)
(4) His priesthood is unchangeable (Heb 7:23-24)
(5) His offering is perfect and final (Heb 9:25-28)
(6) He Intercedes continually (Heb 7:24-25)
(7) He is the only mediator (1 Tim 2:5)

When Jesus ascended on high, He passed the baton or prayer, to His Church. Jesus told His own to pray many times:
1) Matthew 5:45b, “…and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
2) In Matthew 6:4-6, Jesus tells His own not to pray like the hypocrites. They stood in public and made a show of their prayers for they wanted everybody to see them and hear them. Jesus reveals that the most importance prayers that are offered to God in secret.. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
3) In Matthew 6:9-15, Jesus instructs His disciples how to engage in prayer.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
4) In Matthew 9:37, Jesus tells men to pray for the souls of men.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
5) In Mark 13:33, Jesus tells his disciples to engage in prayer so they won’t lose their discernment of the times.
33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
6) Paul admonishes the Christians in Thessalonica to “Pray without ceasing” (First Thessalonians 5:17).
Lord Tennyson said, “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.”
The Church has been given that priestly office. Every individual Christian should pray and intercede for others. The calling of the priest was to intercede for another, who is a transgressor. God reminds each of us every day, of the need to be priest. How? There are twenty-four hours in every day and twenty-four is the number of the priesthood.
What do you think God would do for a body of believers, if that body volunteered to have one person, each hour pray through their church directory, for their missionaries and for their nation, seven days a week? God would do great things!
In the years gone by, our church would take seventy-two hours and do that. It seemed like heaven came down and glory filled our souls. I recall that God moved in mighty ways, saving souls and adding to the church. Why not start a twenty-four hour prayer chain? You would not have to pray for an hour if you do not wish, but at the top of each hour, pray through the directory, for the missionaries and for our nation. Then wait and see what God would do.

When John was exiled to the Island of Patmos, God gave him great revelation of the last days and even sights of heaven. John tells us in Revelation 1:5, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

The Christians of today have taken the place of the Old Testament priest. We are priest and kings on earth. That is a great honor bestowed on the Church. We have the two greatest callings and responsibilities in the Universe. We are to engage the enemy in prayer, for we have been given that kingly or authoritative right to do so.
John revealed this truth to the Church in Revelation 1:5. A few chapters later, in Revelation 4:1, John pictures the rapture of the Church as he is taken to heaven. In the throne room of God, John reveals the Church’s presence in Revelation 5:8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
I believe the twenty-four elders represent the Church of Jesus Christ. Some writers have suggested that these twenty-four elders represent the priesthood of the Old Testament. That cannot be for verse ten reveals that the elders said, they had been made kings and priest. Only the Church is given the kingly rights, not the Old Testament priest.
Some say the twenty-four represent Israel’s twelve tribes and Christ’s twelve apostles. I cannot see that for many reasons. One reason is the twelve tribes changed. Another reason, is only one tribe was given the priestly office. Then, when I examine the apostles, I discover that one was lost, Judas, so they added another, Mathias, which makes thirteen, and some folks argue that Paul should have been the twelfth disciple. I do not believe any of that matters for the twenty-four elders reveal the very character traits of the Church.
A – Humility and worship (8a)
B – Praise and prayers (8b)
C – Songs of redemption (9)
D - A testimony of their priestly calling (10)
John ends with the greatest news in this world. We shall reign on the earth with Him for one thousand years. To that we rejoice, but we must here and now ask, “Will I be a faithful priest for my Lord and Savior?”

A Christian prisoner, Ivan, was enduring all the horrors of a Soviet prison camp. One day as he is praying with his eyes closed, a fellow prisoner notices him and says with ridicule, "Prayers won't help you get out of here any faster." Opening his eyes, Ivan answers, "I do not pray to get out of prison, but to do the will of God."


"...Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons -- but they are helpless against our prayers." Sidlow Baxter
Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, "Brother, the grass grows on your path."
Today in the Word, June 29, 1992.

Mary, Queen of Scotland fighting against the Church of Jesus Christ said, “I fear John Knox's prayers more than an army of ten thousand men.”
“The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel.” Thomas Watson
‘When you pray, it would be better if your heart would be without words, than your words without heart.’ John Bunyon
“You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” John Bunyon
“Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer." John Bunyon