Priesthoods

Create Date: 23-May-2021
 

Last updated: 28-Jun-2023
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 Sections

1 The Ancient Priesthoods 2 The Levitical Priesthood
3 The Christian Priesthood 4 The Future Priesthood

The Ancient Priesthoods Before the Levitical Priesthood

There are at least four Priesthoods mentioned in the Old Testament that:

The four Priesthoods unto God were:

  1. The Head of the Household
    The head of the house hold was the priest of the family unto God.  This has always been the case.  This is evidenced by many examples such as:
    (a) Adam, after the Garden of Eden, instructed all of the descendants about the specific requirements of an offering to the Lord as evidenced by the coats of skin that God gave Adam and Eve after they sinned.  This had more of a purpose than giving a piece of clothing as it taught by the shedding of Blood there would be  a covering for sins.  A covering of animal skin, which required the death of an animal was a temporary action that points to the redeemer, Jesus Christ whose death was a permanent payment for sins.
    (b) The incident of Cain and Able. 
  2. An Unknown Receiver from Jacob's Tithe and Oath Promise
    Jacob, in Genesis 28:22, makes a commitment to give a tenth unto God, where we do not know the method or the receiver.
  3. Jethro, the Priest of Midian
    Jethro, the priest of Midian in Exodus 3:1, has seven daughters where one is given unto marriage to Moses and Mosses lived with them.  In the account of Moses, the scriptures do not say Jethro's Priesthood was invalid. 
  4. Melchizedek King of Salem
    Melchizedek, in Genesis 14:17-20, who Abram gave a tenth of everything to him.  The New Testament speaks about Jesus Christ being after the order of Melchizedek.
Genesis 3:21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.
Genesis 28:22 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Jehovah will be my God, 22 then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
Genesis 14:17-20 17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Exodus 3:1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Exodus 18:1 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
Hebrews 7:17 For it is attested of Him, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

The following is an excerpt from the Melchizedek topic:

There are some incorrect speculations of the identity of Melchizedek, where there is a belief that Melchizedek was:

  • Shem which is highly unlikely, since Shem's genealogy is known.
  • An Angel, which is not possible, since an Angel would not be a king over the city of Salem.
  • It is Theophany appearance, which is not correct because: 

    (a) There simply is just not enough evidence to come to this conclusion.  The two Hebrew Scriptures point that Jesus Christ was "after the order of Melchizedek" which means it was similar.  The scripture does not state Jesus Christ was not Melchizedek.
    (b) Melchizedek was king over Salem, lived there and was known there.  If Jesus was Melchizedek then that would mean that Jesus Christ had a body on earth before the birth from Mary, and that is absolutely not possible.  Furthermore, Theophany appearances in the Old Testament were temporary and then they vanished.
     
  • There are two references to the Book of Jashar in Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18, which is not part of the Old Testament for two reasons:

    (a) There is no copy of it that is verifiable to be the original.
    (b) The original is merely a book containing unknown information that the Jewish Scribes of that period of time of the writing did not consider it scripture so copies were not maintained with the rigors of the other Old Testament books, otherwise we would have copies of the original

    There are currently some different Book of Jashar copies today that have all been identified as either deceptions or forgeries that were absolutely not from the time of the scriptural reference.  In the supposed Book of Jashar, there is a reference stating Melchizedek is Jesus Christ, which is sometimes read and heard in some theological discussions in modern-times.  Because the current different copies of the Book of Jashar are deceptions and forgeries, then nothing in them can be consider as accurate and factual.

An Interesting Point

According to some Biblical Scholars, which this author agrees, regardless of the time in history, if someone had qualities about themselves that had Faith there is a God which they were seeking but never heard about Jesus Christ, then God can still extend His Grace to have a person given the chance to accept Jesus Christ after death. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This author first heard of this assessment, based on many scriptural passages, from J Vernon McGee on one of "Thru the Bible" radio program decades ago.  J Vernon McGee is by no means a fringe, radical or liberal-minded theologian who conservative views and commentaries have been referenced by many great Theologians.  This author has also heard this when listening to MP3 commentaries while driving, where the additional comment is made that if a person never heard of Jesus Christ and was never seeking God in their life, then they would not accept the gift of Jesus Christ at the moment after death.

Note that if this belief of the availability of Salvation for those who never had the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ in life is an option given by God, which this author believes is the case, then this handles the problems with the Classical Questions against Christianity.  Additionally, this option is implied and provable by the Age of Accountability principle.

The Levitical Priesthood

The Levitical Priesthood started with Moses' older brother Aaron during the Exodus from Egypt Time Period.  All the descendents of Aaron, along with others that were selected from the tribe of Levite became Priests.  Aaron was the first High Priest of all of Israel.  The Law was written down as given by Moses who received it directly from God through an Angel

The Levitical Priesthood ended when Caiaphas tore his garment at the forbidden, illegal and satanic trials against Jesus Christ that were held during the night of the 14th of Nissan to cause the Crucifixion at 9am on the morning of the 14th of Nissan. 

Leviticus 21:10 “The priest who is chief among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose nor tear his clothes.

The Christian Priesthood

The Christian Priesthood began in the book of Acts when the Holy Spirit indwelled permanently in all Christians.  In the Old Testament Period, the Holy Spirit could enter and leave a person, which is why King David prayed to God to not take away His Spirit.

We all are Priests to Jesus Christ:

Everyone of us, in every Dispensation, are to be Ambassadors for God, which we received a new title in the New Testament as a priest to everyone.  In the Old Testament, the head of the household was the priest of his family, which was required in the Levitical Laws.

John 14:17 even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
1 Peter 2:5 ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:16 that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Revelation 1:6 and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 5:10 and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth.

The Future Priesthood

During the 1,000 Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ and in Eternity, the city of Jerusalem will contain a New Temple, where there will be Priests that perform many of the practices that were set up during the Levitical Priesthood.
 
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: over these the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

What to read next?

What is Salvation?  Is it possible to lose Salvation?  We have eternal life.  Evolution is not real.  When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it.  Rewards in heaven.  Do we Tithe?  What does the 3rd Commandment tell us?  What is Grace and Mercy?  Is there an Age of Accountability?  Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?