Have
you ever needed help from the Lord? Who hasn’t?! Yet, how does one do that? Is
it necessary to sacrifice a lamb or bull? Or do you need to offer a grain or
peace offering as described in the book of Leviticus? Or do you need to take a
trip to a festival in Jerusalem? If you are like most people who have read the
Bible you have questioned why certain things were necessary (especially in the
Old Testament (OT), and why people don’t practice some of the things which were
done back then. The concept which I am referring to is one of the most
misunderstood principles for understanding the Bible, and it is one of the
reasons why there are numerous views on some Biblical passages.
Hebrews
7:12 says, “For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a
change of the law.” A priest is a mediator between God and mankind. Throughout
the Bible we find three priesthoods (ages) each having their own law, place of
worship and sacrifices. The first is known as “The Patriarchal Age” which began
with Adam and Eve and ended when Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount
Sinai. The second is known as “The Mosaic Age” which began on Mount Sinai and
ended with the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. And the final age is known
“The Christian/Church Age.” This began with the death of Christ and will last
until Jesus returns. At that point, time will be no more. The chart below gives
a comparison of The Three Great Ages.
The
Patriarchal Age (Job
1:5)
|
The
Mosaic Age
(Exodus 28:1)
|
The
Church/Christian Age (1
Peter 2:9)
|
|
Priests
|
Fathers: The fathers
of the households who served as priests, offering sacrifices and mediating
for their families.
|
Levities: Aaron’s
male descendants of his son Levi functioned as the priest.
|
Christians: Every
believer is acts as a mediator between God and the sinful world by being
responsible to tell others about God. (1 Pet. 2:9). Jesus is the only High
Priest and mediator between God and us as believers. God spoke through Jesus
(Heb. 1:2) and His apostles (Eph. 2:5).
|
Law
|
Oral: God spoke
directly to the fathers. This law was passed down orally through the
generations.
|
Written: God inspired
Moses and the Prophets to write the OT.
|
Spiritual: God
inspired the Apostles who wrote the NT (2 Tim. 3:16). This law has also been
written on the hearts of all believers (Heb. 8:10-11).
|
Worship
|
Family altars
(Job 1:5)
|
The Tabernacle
during the wilderness wandering period, and then primary at the Temple in
Jerusalem afterward.
|
Worship is to be
done in spirit and truth within every believer (John 4:23-24).
|
Sacrifice
|
Animals (Gen.
8:20; 22:13)
|
Unblemished
Animals (Lev. 22:18-20)
|
Jesus the Lamb of
God (Heb. 10:10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19)
|
There
is a false assumption/teaching that some believers have greater access to God
than others. Some in fact teach that a person must confess their sins to
someone whom those sins were not committed against and that somehow this person
can forgive them or bring them back into a proper relationship with God. It is
easy to see how one might come to that conclusion when they do not understand
Hebrews 7:12 as stated above. However, that is clearly not scriptural! Now
under the New Covenant within the Church Age each and every one of us as
Christians can go boldly into God the Father’s presence through Jesus Christ
(Heb. 4:16). Therefore, you don’t have to go to another Christian, a deacon,
elder, pastor, priest, minister or other church leader when you need help from
the Lord. Jesus Christ has cleared the communication lines.
Furthermore,
when a person has a proper Biblical understanding of the priesthood, every
Christian’s purpose in life becomes clear. 1 Peter 2:9 states the reason for
which every Christian is a priest: it is “to declare the praises of Him who
called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” God has given us the
wonderful light of salvation and the incredible privilege of being royal
ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:18-21).
We are honored with the joy of leading others to the forgiveness, mercy,
grace, love, joy, peace, and purpose of serving the King of kings. When one
fully understands even a same portion of all of the blessings which God has for
us, why wouldn’t they want to tell it to the world?! Therefore, may having a
proper understanding of God’s Word transform your life into the life for which
you were created to live!
Because
of God’s amazing grace,
Matt
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