CHAPTER 6 PRIESTS FOREVER
Before examining the wilderness journey itself, I would like to take a closer look at a concept which was introduced in the first part of this book. Throughout the first 5 chapters I stated that I believe that God's pattern for the Tabernacle in the wilderness shows us that it is absolutely necessary for us to complete, or walk through each of the stations in that Tabernacle if we are to eventually receive God's Glory. In short, we are to walk as Jesus walked. The question now is, what relationship if any existed between Jesus, His ministry, and the Tabernacle in the Wilderness?
We know that Jesus was and is our High Priest (Heb.3:1 & 4: 14). He was chosen from among men by the Father (Heb.3:2). According to Heb.7:21 "the Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: You are a priest forever." We know that God does not lie (Titus 1:2, II Sam.7: 28, I Sam.15:29, Nu.23:19 & Heb.6:18). Nor does He speak without acting (Nu.23:19). When God swears by Himself that is sufficient (Gen.22:16-17). Therefore since we know that Jesus is our present and future High Priest, it is fair for us to ask "What did Jesus do as High Priest, and what effect if any does that have upon us today?"
The earthly Tabernacle was a copy and shadow of what is yet to come (Heb.8:5). The earthly Tabernacle was used to worship God under the rules of the first covenant (Heb.9:1). Perhaps a look at the Old Covenant High Priest will show us that he was a copy or foreshadow of Jesus who is out permanent High Priest. The old priests died, but "... Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood" (Heb.7:24).
As has just been mentioned, our great High Priest Jesus was called from among men. The first high priest Aaron, was also called by God and set aside from among men (Ex.28:1). Korah and two hundred fifty others presumed to burn incense at the altar when they had not been called as priests. They did not believe Aaron had been called out and set aside by God (Nu.16:1-50). Those two hundred fifty were destroyed instantly (vs.35). Only descendants of Aaron, a Levite, could burn incense before the altar (vs.40). Aaron's budded staff was a further sign to the multitude that Aaron had in fact been called by God to perform his high priestly duties (Nu.17:8).
Before Aaron began his duties as High Priest Moses was instructed to "bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water" (Lev.8:6 & Ex.29:4). We know that Jesus was washed with water before beginning His ministry, and that He said in Matt.3:15 that it was proper to perform this washing in order to fulfill all righteousness. Immediately after Aaron was washed he was clothed with garments of the priesthood which gave him dignity and honor (Ex.28:2 & Ex.29:5). These garments were the physical sign of his authority. After Jesus' baptism He was immediately clothed with the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:16, Mk.1:10, Lk.3:22 & John 1:32). I believe that the Spirit which descended upon Jesus like a physical dove served as a sign to those who witnessed the event that Jesus likewise was clothed with dignity, honor, and power from the Father above. This would indeed appear to be the case, for not only did the Father send the Holy Spirit, but He verbally stated for all to hear that "You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased" (Lk.3:22).
No one but Aaron and his sons and their descendants could serve as priests inside the curtain and before the altar (Nu.18: 7). This is reemphasized in Heb.7:14 wherein we are told that under the Old Covenant only descendants of the tribe of Levi were able to serve in the temple. Of these, only descendants of Aaron could serve before the altar. This was made clear to Korah and reaffirmed when Uzziah, a king from the tribe of Judah, attempted to offer incense at the altar in II Chron.26:16-21. As a result of his transgression, Uzziah received leprosy and subsequently died from that disease.
From the institution of the Old Covenant until the time of Jesus, Uzziah's action is the only recorded incident of a member of the tribe of Judah attempting to act as a priest in the Tabernacle. We are shown in Heb.7:11 that the old priesthood under the order of Aaron was imperfect. Therefore it was necessary that there be a change in the order of priesthood. Jesus became a priest in the Order of Melchizedek (Heb.5:10). According to Heb.7:12 when there is a change in the priesthood, there must also be a change in the law. As man, Jesus was of the house of David (Matt.1:1) which was of the tribe of Judah. Judah was the tribe from which most kings were descended.
Jesus was and is King of Kings (I Tim.6:15). His lineage denotes one of royalty. Therefore, this new order of priesthood should now show a relationship to kingship. In Gen.14:18 we find that Melchizedek was King of Salem, and that he was a priest of the God Most High. As such, prior to the Old Covenant law, kingship and the priesthood were related, and Jesus reunited them again. According to Heb.7:2 the name Melchizedek means "king of righteousness." The word "Salem" means "peace." Salem was an old name for the city of Jerusalem. As ruler of that city, Melchizedek was a ruler of peace. According to Isaiah 9:6 our Lord is the Prince of Peace, and that is a peace which will be everlasting. He is the very God of peace (Ro.15:23, II Cor.13:11 & Phil.4:9). Surely then, Jesus is a royal priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Since Jesus is the new High Priest in a different order, what is the change in the law which is served by this new priesthood? John 13:54 says, "a new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (see also 14:15-31 & 15:7-17). I John and II John also contain tremendous directions and teachings on this "new command." While other teachings on love are given in other books of the New Testament, notably I Corinthians chapter 13, I believe that the importance placed upon love and its relationship to Jesus in the new order of priesthood are most often revealed in the writings of John. The topic of agape love was gone into when Jesus reinstated Peter in John 21: 15-19. John was the disciple capable of agape love and the one set apart by Jesus who said in John 21:22 "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?" Finally, it was John to whom the Lord revealed the great revelation found in the Book of Revelation.
Jesus said in John 5:46 that Moses wrote about Him, and we know that Moses wrote about the Tabernacle in the wilderness and the Levitical priesthood. Since the sanctuary was a copy and shadow of what was to come, and we know that the old priesthood pointed to Jesus, I believe that it is fair to ask whether the duties performed by Aaron as he went through the old Tabernacle were also a foreshadow of what Jesus would do. Not only do I believe that the answer to that question is 'yes,' but I believe that if we will closely examine the Gospel of John, we will actually see Jesus performing those duties during the course of His ministry.
In the old Tent of Meetings, otherwise known as the Tabernacle in the wilderness, there were seven separate steps or stations These were:
1) Door or gate to enter
2) Brazen Altar
3) Laver
4) Lampstand
5) Table of Shewbread
6) Altar of Incense
7) Ark of the Covenant
Ex. 27:16-17 & 38:18-19
Ex. 27:1-8 & 38:1-7
Ex. 30:18-21 & Ex. 38:8
Ex. 25:31-40 & Ex. 37:17-24
Ex. 25:22-30 & 37:10-17
Ex. 30:1-10 & Ex. 37:25-28
Ex. 25:10-22 & Ex. 37:1-9
At various times, the priest would perform certain duties at each of these stations. The stations themselves were set up in the Tabernacle in the order listed above.
In John 10:1,2,7 & 9, and particularly in vs. 7 we find Jesus referring to the door or gate. In vs. 7-8 He says, "...I am the gate for the sheep ... whoever enters through me will be saved..." As the door or gate, Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6 & Acts 4:12). Before performing any duties the priests must go through the first step, they had to actually enter into the tabernacle through the gate. Continuing in chronological order through the Gospel of John, I believe that we will find each of the next 6 stations.
The Altar for Sacrifice is the place in the Tabernacle where animals were offered unto the Lord. In John chapters 11 & 12 Jesus discussed death and its relationship to Him. In John 11 Lazarus was raised from the dead. In vs. 25 Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life." In chapter 12 Jesus predicts His own death (12:20-33) and in vs. 24 likens himself to a kernel of corn which must die in order to produce many seeds. Remember, Jesus is the lamb of God (John 1:29) who was offered as a sacrifice for us. That one sacrifice was sufficient (Heb.7:27). He has clearly revealed to us that He was the Lamb that would be offered in the second station.
The Basin where the old order priests were to wash so as not to die represents the third station (Ex.30:20 & Lev.8:6). In John chapter 13 Jesus washed the disciples' feet and taught on the subject of cleansing. On the Day of Atonement, the Levitical High Priest would lay aside all his clothes and wash before offering the yearly sacrifice which covered all the people's sins for the following year (Lev.16:4). Jesus' teaching on cleansing took place the day before He Himself was offered as that one final sacrifice which made us pure in spirit forever. Interestingly enough, we see in John 13:4 Jesus also removed His clothes. This time however He merely washed the disciples' feet with water. Peter felt that more was needed (John 13:9), but Jesus said that those who have had a bath (washed in the blood of Jesus) need only to wash their feet ie. purify their daily walk (John 13:10).
We also have had a bath. We have been washed in the blood of Jesus (I Cor.6:11, Heb.10:22, Rev.1:5 & Heb.9:22). We know from Prov.17:9 that he who covers an offense promotes love, and from Prov.10:12 that love itself covers all wrongs. According to I John 4:15-16, I Pe.4:8 & Ja.5:20 Jesus is love and His love has not only covered us (atoned for our sins), but it has washed us clean. Now we only need to clean our feet, for we have been bathed in His blood. As we walk with Jesus in our daily life we pick up sin symbolically on our feet (Matt.10:14). As such, the only portion of the disciples anatomy which Jesus washed in John 13 was their feet. I believe that the water which He used was symbolic of the good news of peace and the Word which spreads that news. The Church itself is made Holy through "... the washing of the water through the word" (Eph.5:26) and our feet have been shod with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace (Eph.6:15). The third step has been completed.
The fourth step or station of the Tabernacle was the Lampstand. I believe the Lampstand is symbolic of the Church (see Rev.1:20). Through the Church the wisdom of God is to be made known (Eph.3:10) and we can only understand that wisdom through the Spirit of God (I Cor.2:7&10, see chapter 3 of Needful Things and chapter 2 of The Last Enemy). The Spirit of God is what makes the light shine from the Church. In Nu.4:9 we are told that the purpose of the lamp was to give light. According to Ex.27:20 and Lev.24:2 the olive oil is the fuel which makes the lamp bring forth light. We know from Matt. 3:16 that the dove is symbolic of the Holy Spirit and the dove returned to Noah in Gen.8:11 carrying an olive branch. Since oil is what makes it possible for the lamp to shine, and the Holy Spirit is needed in order for the Church to shine, then John chapter 14 should provide us with information concerning the Holy Spirit, if in fact Jesus really is taking us on a chronological journey through the temple.
It does exactly that. According to John 14:2 Jesus advised the disciples that He must go to the Father to prepare a place for them. He then comforted them by saying in vs. 16 "... I will ask the Father and He will give you another counselor to be with you forever... the Spirit of Truth." The Church was being formed (the Lampstand) and Jesus was promising the Holy Spirit (the oil) so that the Church could shine (Matt.5:14). That would explain why Jesus told the disciples not to go forth after His accession until after they (the Church) had been filled with oil (the Holy Spirit - Acts 1:4-8).
The 15th chapter of John now brings us symbolically to the fifth station, the Table of Shewbread. In the old Tabernacle the Shewbread was on the table at all times (Ex.25:30). The priests ate this bread on the seventh day (Lev.24:9). The body of Jesus, His flesh, was symbolized by the bread of the Lord's Supper (Matt.26:26, Mk.14:22 & Lk.22:19). We know that the Word (Jesus) became flesh (John 1:14). The bread was therefore symbolic of His Words and commands. These Words (bread) are life to us. We are to eat them as the priests ate the Shewbread. The bread was made of flour and oil (Lev.2:4). The oil (olive oil again) is still symbolic of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:12 we find that the Spirit opens the Word to us by guiding us into all truth. We should not attempt to be a Word Christian without being a Spirit led Christian. All this was taught by Jesus immediately after He had instituted the sacrament of the Lord's Supper wherein he offered up the Bread and the Wine.
II Cor.2:15 says that we are to God the aroma of Christ. Our prayers are bowls of incense (Rev.5:8 & Ps.141:2) which have been set before our Father in heaven. The Incense Altar in Ex.30:1-10 is a foreshadow of the prayers which we are to offer under this new law. If our prayers are the incense symbolically offered at the sixth station, then John 16 should lead us into a new type of prayer for the New Covenant. According to John 16:23 it does; for Jesus said "...My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete" (emphasis added). In John 14:13 Jesus said He would do what the disciples asked in His name. However now, as He symbolically progressed closer to the seventh and final step, we are told that the Father Himself will give unto us if we ask in Jesus' name (His nature). This indeed was a new form of prayer.
The seventh and final station was the Ark of the Covenant. The Father was there (Lev.16:2). In John 17 Jesus went before the Father directly in prayer. Not in anyone's name, but directly. Jesus lives forever to intercede for me (Heb.7:25). While no man on earth has yet dealt directly with the Father, face to face, and gone through that seventh station, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is performing that part of the new priesthood for us right now.
Jesus fulfilled the law (Matt.5:17) and also fulfilled the old priesthood duties. He is now performing His duties as High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. The priesthood is by heredity after the order is established. All of Aaron's sons and their sons on down were priests, and the High Priest was chosen from among them. Jesus became High Priest by the choice of the Father. However, we are the same family as Jesus, He calls us brothers (Heb.2:11), and we are sons of God (Ro.8:14, I John 3:1 & Eph.2:10). Therefore, we should, by spiritual heredity, be priests. Not High Priests, but priests in the same order as Jesus. WE ARE!!! Revelations 1:6 says we have been made priests in order to serve Him. We "...are a chosen people, a royal priesthood..." (I Pe.2:9).
sPriests are to offer sacrifices. Under the Old Covenant they did so with animals and shewbread. Under the New Covenant the sacrifices should be different, for the law is different. Melchizedek was a king. Jesus is the King. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah Spiritually we are His brothers. Spiritually therefore we are likened unto the tribe of Judah, and Judah means praise (see chapter 15 of Needful Things). Our sacrifice should be one of praise. According to Heb.13:15 we are to "... continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name."
God tells us that "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge I also reject you as my priests." We do not wish to be rejected because we have rejected knowledge. We are told in Heb.7:1 and Gen.14:18 that the Melchizedek order of priesthood is one which serves the "God Most High." Nu.24:16 tells us that knowledge is from the Most High. We should not stop seeking God or ever put ourselves in the position of rejecting His knowledge. We are told in Ps.107:10 that those who sit in deepest darkness and gloom are those who rebelled against the Word of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.
We are kings and priests because of Jesus. We should take our position as seriously as He took His. We should be as devoted to that position as He was. He has given each and every one of us an invitation to come before His throne as priests, kings, brothers to Jesus, and indeed as His very sons. In love we should accept that invitation, and in faithfulness perform our duties as priests.