The following are the talking points of Natan’s Shavuot message that he gave at Shavuot NW 2105. I hope you find these thought provoking and edifying. Natan

YHVH Is Preparing a Kadosh (Set-Apart) Priesthood

• Ezekiel 43:8 teaches us that man’s religious thresholds (standards) must be the same as YHVH’s, and man’s entry points into relationship must correspond with those of YHVH. Usually, men’s standards are lower than YHVH’s. Men’s low spiritual standards are abominable in the eyes of YHVH and prevent us from coming into close relationship with him. Men’s lower standards can even bring YHVH’s fiery and fierce judgment against us as this verse teaches us.
• In Numbers 18:7 and 20 we learn that the Levitical priesthood of old who had no inheritance in the land and had no share among Israel. Similarly, we as YHVH’s holy priesthood have no inheritance or share in this world. Our inheritance is in YHVH and in his world to come.
• Elohim exists outside of the physical dimension and transcends human understanding and is unknowable except by divine revelation. Religious systems tend to reduced Elohim’s righteousness down to more manageable proportions and trivialize his glory and transcendence. In so doing, we risk making and worshipping a god in our own image, which is idolatry.
• Before Yeshua went to the cross, he went in and cleansed the outer courtyard of corporatism and greed. When Yeshua returns, he’s going to come suddenly to his temple and to cleanse the sons of Levi (Mal 3:1–4). He’s coming back for pure priesthood who’s not part of a corporate, greedy religious system and everything that defiles, profaned it. All syncretistic systems and traditions of men will be eliminated. He wants living stones in his new temple, not dead ones that are spiritually lifeless. Those who abide in the outer court will be judged. The outer court is for the gentiles (Rev 11:1–2). It’s a place of an unholy mixture of worldly and religious affairs. Gentiles need to cease being Gentiles and become grafted in redeemed Israelites. The Laodiceans are those who are unacceptable to YHVH. They haven’t progressed past the outer court.
• In Malachi’s day, the priests were to bring only perfect, undefiled, unblemished and worthy of YHVH’s holiness (Mal 1:6–7, 10–13). Today YHVH’s royal priesthood is to bring him the kadosh sacrifice of a broken, contrite spirit and circumcised heart and the offering of their dedicated lives placed on his altar. Instead, many have brought defiled sacrifices of religious services and good works done with self righteous motives and primarily for the praises of men and mixed with the pagan traditions of this world.
• YHVH is presently cleansing his temple and preparing a priesthood and temple — a redeemed remnant- that he can take up to his holy mountain (the New Jerusalem) and abide with in his shekinah. This is the bride of Yeshua who will dine with him at his banqueting table (Rev 19:6–8). At his very moment, he’s knocking on the doors of those who are lukewarm (Rev 3:20). To come up to YHVH’s mountain to partake of what he wants to share with us, we must hunger and thirst for righteousness to be filled (Matt 5:6).
• YHVH’s priests are to be those who know the difference between the holy and the profane (Lev 10:10; Ezek 44:23; 22:26) and who are in covenant relationship with YHVH, who fear him, YHVH’s Torah is in their mouth, who reverence his name, and who have spiritual knowledge on their lips with which to teach the people (Mal 2:1–7).
• For those who sighed and cried for the abominations done in Jerusalem, YHVH placed a mark on their foreheads to protect them from his judgments (Ezek 9:6). He will do the same in the last days for his 144,000 king-priests. Pray that we might be those who will be counted worthy to escape YHVH’s refining end time judgments upon his lukewarm people (Luke 21:36). Such judgment begins first at the house of YHVH (1 Pet 4:17). This is the separating of the wheat and tares (Matt 13:24–30; Mal 3:18). YHVH will spare those who are his in the day of his fiery judgment (Mal 3:17).
• Malachi 3:1–4 and 4:1–6 prophesies that YHVH will send his messenger before him to prepare the way for Yeshua. He is coming and he’s coming back for a clean temple, clean priesthood and a spotless bride. His coming is suddenly and will be like a refiners fire. He will start by purifying his priesthood to offer him a sacrifice in righteousness.
• What are the characteristics of those YHVH is purifying and preparing for himself? They fear YHVH, fellowship with each other, YHVH hears them; they meditate on his name and they belong to YHVH (Mal 3:16).
• Elijah is coming before that great day to prepare YHVH’s the way for Yeshua and to prepare his people for him (Mal 4:1–6 cp. Matt 3:2–3). At Mount Carmel, Elijah urged the people to stop wavering between YHVH and Baal and to draw near to the altar of YHVH and to worship him and put away the baalim (1 Kgs 18:18, 21). When they did, the fire of YHVH fell and consumed the sacrifice and the drought ended and it rained on the land after a prolonged and crippling drought (1Kgs 18:24, 30–32, 38–39, 41–46). This is the picture of spiritual revival following repentance. We must pray that YHVH will send Elijah soon to restore all things as Yeshua promised (Matt 17:11), and that we’ll recognize him when he does.
• It’s time for YHVH’s people to separate from the defilement of the world and to get cleansed (2 Cor 6:17–7:1) to come out of Babylon (Rev 18:4). Most redeemed believers will fail to do so, and that which they have sown to the flesh will be destroyed in YHVH’s refining fires of judgment in the end times. They will come into YHVH’s kingdom saved but without rewards (1 Cor 3:13–15; cp. 5:5). As temples of the Holy Spirit, we must take these admonitions seriously and now is the time to detoxify spiritually (1 Cor 3:16–17).
• Not every redeemed believer will function as a priest in YHVH’s millennial kingdom. The Scriptures clearly teach from the Torah, through the Prophets, Writings and the Testimony of Yeshua that only a properly sanctified priesthood will be able to abide in the glory of YHVH’s Presence. YHVH is presently purifying for himself a holy priesthood as he moves people from the outer courtyard of human religion into the inner sanctuary of his temple where he abides. He is preparing a Zadok priesthood of individuals who will be able to discern between the holy and the profane and who have learned to walk out the latter as opposed to the former. The pattern was established at Mount Sinai and continued in the tabernacle service. No impure vessel or unconsecrated priest was ever allowed to enter into the tabernacle, much less go into YHVH’s Presence in the holy of holies. YHVH’s Presence is a consuming fire (Exod 19:22, 24). Yeshua’s face shines like the sun. Fire from the holy of holies leaped out from the Presence of YHVH and consumed the sons of Aaron who were ministering in a profane way. Sin is combustible like wood, hay and stubble and will be destroyed by YHVH’s refining fires of judgment. Sin has separated man from YHVH and must be repented of before coming into YHVH’s Presence. It was YHVH’s original plan to have a kingdom of priests (Exod 19:5–6), and holy priesthood (1 Pet 2:9) who had prepared themselves to come into YHVH’s Presence (Exod 19:10–13) on the third day (Exod 19:16). No man could approach the fiery Presence of YHVH on Mount Sinai without following the protocols YHVH had set out. We are now approaching the third day since Yeshua’s ascension when his redeemed Israelite, one new man bride-priests must likewise must consecrate themselves in preparation for his return (Hos 5:15–6:2). The heavenly shofar will sound once more at Yeshua’s return (1 Cor 15:51–53; 1 Thess 4:16–17; Rev 11:15–18) as it did the first time at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:19; 20:18) to call his consecrated people into his Presence. Therefore, the saints must be spotless and blameless on day of Yeshua’s coming (2 Pet 3:11–14).
• This priesthood will have the very mind of Yeshua as symbolized by the high priest who wore a crown of gold inscribed with the words, “Kadosh/Set-Apart (i.e., holiness) to YHVH” (Exod 39:30–31). Being set-apart is the chief attribute that describes the character of YHVH, which is why the spiritual beings in heaven’s throne room are constantly declaring “kadosh, kadosh, kadosh” to the King of the Universe.
• Mount Sinai is the first place in Scripture symbolizing the holy throne room of YHVH. The next place was the most set-apart place in the Tabernacle of Moses. Later, it was the Temple of Solomon. The tabernacle and temple are long gone and the saints are now the temple of YHVH’s Presence on earth. Their hearts are the earthly throne room where YHVH now dwells. When YHVH-Yeshua returns, he will once again tabernacle with his people in the New Jerusalem with people who have pure, sanctified, spotless, sin-free and circumcised hearts. Those who minister in YHVH’s millennial temple must be circumcised both in heart and in the flesh (Ezek 44:9). Physical circumcision isn’t a pre-condition for salvation, but it is required for obtaining the spiritual reward of ministering in YHVH’s temple in his Presence as a bride-king-priest in his eternal kingdom. Only a small remnant of redeemed believers will enjoy this great reward. The majority, though saved, will find themselves further away from YHVH’s Presence in the outer court of his temple. Even the size of the tabernacle or temple rooms point to this reality. The courtyard is the largest area of the tabernacle complex with room for the largest number of people. From there, the rooms get smaller as one progresses into the holy of holies. It is only large enough for a sanctified remnant to fit therein. It is a square cube in shape (15 feet square) and symbolically prefigures the New Jerusalem, which is also in the shape of a square cube. The way to the most set-apart place is straight and the door is narrow and many will seek to enter it, but will not be able (Luke 13:23–24). Few find this door (Matt 7:13–14). Not everyone who says, “Master, Master” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of YHVH (Matt 7:21–23).