Tag Archives: Priest

Sabbath Manna: Without Holiness, No One Will See Elohim!

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Heavens Gates Opening

Scripture reveals that the saints are to be a holy or set-apart (kadosh)
priesthood, not a profane (worldly and polluted) one. If Yeshua calls us his kadosh and royal priesthood, then let’s own that identity and start acting like one!

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see YHVH. (Heb 12:14)

Holiness Is YHVH’s Chief Quality

Holiness is the chief attribute of Elohim and the most defining aspect of his character. It has to do with the fact that Elohim is entirely good and without evil or moral defect and totally sinless. This is why the spiritual beings around his heavenly throne are constantly crying, “Holy, holy, holy” in his Presence (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8). This is why one of his titles is The Holy One of Israel,which is used more than thirty times in the Tanakh (e.g., 2 Kgs 19:22; Ps 71:22; Isa 1:4; Jer 50:29). This is why the high priest who ministered in the Tabernacle of Moses and later in the temple wore a golden crown or headplate with the words inscribed on it, “HOLINESS TO YHVH.” Not only was this pointing upward to YHVH’s set-apartness, but man himself is to become holy or set-apart even as YHVH Elohim is set-apart, for we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews that the attribute of holiness is a prerequisite for a man coming into the Presence of Elohim (Heb 12:14).

YHVH Elohim made mankind in his own image (Gen 1:27), so that man could eventually become his glorified spirit children (John 1:12; Rom 8:14–15; 2 Cor 6:18; Gal 4:5–6; 1 John 3:1–2; Rev 21:7). As part of the process of becoming an immortal child of Elohim, man must become holy as he is holy (Lev 11:44, 45; 20:7, 26; 1 Pet 1:16). This is the ultimate destiny of those who will submit to YHVH’s process of transforming man from profane or polluted, sin-ridden beings to becoming holy or set-apart. What does this process involve and how does it affect you?

YHVH Is Preparing His Saints to Be a Kingdom of Priests

In the Bible, YHVH declared that it was the destiny of the Israelite nation to become a chosen and peculiar people and a kingdom of priest—to be special and unique among the nations of the world—to reflect the character and nature of YHVH Elohim—to be holy (in Hebrew, kadosh) as he is kadosh. The Hebrew word kadosh means Continue reading →

 

The Levitical Priesthood Vs. the Priesthood of All Believers

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Numbers 3:11–13, I myself have taken. Here YHVH chooses the tribe of Levi instead of the firstborn male of each Israelite family to be Israel’s spiritual leaders. When the Israelites exited Egypt, YHVH chose and sanctified the firstborn male of each family to the be spiritual leader of his home in what is called the law of the firstborn (Exod 13:2, 11–16). As it had been the responsibility of the firstborn to lead his family spiritually, and, as the patriarch of his family, to pass down the family legacy and spiritual traditions to the next generation, YHVH now placed this mantle on the shoulders of the Levites. It was now their responsibility to teach the Israelites what YHVH had commanded them to do (Deut 24:8). They became the Torah teachers in Israel (Deut 33:10; Neh 8:7, 9, 13; 2 Chron 30:22) along with the priests (Lev 10:11; Mal 2:7). They were scattered throughout the land of Israel for this purpose (2 Chron 17:8–9). The reason that YHVH gave this responsibility over to the sons of Levi was because the firstborn of each family had failed to lead their families in YHVH’s paths of righteousness, and they failed to prevent the Israelites from golden calf worship (Exod 32). Only Levi remained faithful to YHVH during the golden calf incident, and thus YHVH granted them the blessing of the priestly service (Exod 32:26–29).

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Originally, it had been YHVH’s intent for the entire nation of Israel to be a kingdom of priests (Exod 19:6) in order to be a light to the nations and lead the nations to YHVH and his Torah by their righteous example (Deut 4:6–8). This is why YHVH placed the land of Israel, and specifically Jerusalem, at the center of the major trade routes of the ancient world between Africa, Asia and Europe.

The Levitical priesthood (along with the elaborate tabernacle sacrificial system) was a temporary institution that YHVH added (Gal 3:19 cp. Jer 7:21–22) to the nation of Israel’s legal system because of the firstborn’s failure to prevent Israel from Continue reading →

 

Seven Steps to Consecrating the Priests/Saints

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Exodus 28:1–29:46, Note the seven steps required to consecrate the priests for service in the tabernacle. Let’s compare them with the steps a believer goes through to become a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into [Yeshua’s] marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). These steps relate to the process a believer goes through from initial salvation to his ultimate glorification.

  1. The priests were taken from among the children of Israel (Exod 28:1). This prefigures divine election. YHVH calls or chooses each person. Yeshua called his disciples (John 15:16–19). They did not call or choose him, but they had to respond to that call.
  2. They were then brought into the door of the tabernacle (Exod 29:4). The door of the tabernacle is Messiah Yeshua who is the door to the sheepfold. No man comes to the Father except through Yeshua (John 10:1–18 and 14:6). The door is comprised of four colors, which speak of the person and work of Yeshua: blue, scarlet, white and purple. It also speaks of the four Gospels, which are the door to understanding the Person and work of Yeshua.
  3. They were washed (Exod 29:4). Upon accepting the work and Person of Yeshua, one must be immersed for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) to identify spiritually with the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua (Rom 6:3–14), and the washing of the water of the Word (Eph 5:26).
  4. They were clothed in their official garments (Exod 29:4–9). The redeemed believer is to put on the robes of righteousness. (Gal 3:27, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Messiah have put on ­Messiah.”) Paul talks about fruits of righteousness through Yeshua in Philippians 1:11. Righteousness is Torah obedience (Ps 119:172) and is a mark of the end-time believers/saints (Rev 12:17 and 14:12) and of the bride of Messiah (Rev 19:8).
  5. They laid their hands on the head of the animals that were sacrificed, blood was shed and sprinkled on Aaron and his sons, matzoh (unleavened bread) was waved and burnt, and they ate the flesh of the ram and the matzoh (Exod 29:10–26, 32–33). Each believer has to take personal responsibility for his own sins. The sacrifice of Yeshua, the Lamb of Elohim, at the cross must become personal to each person each must have his own personal relationship with Yeshua. Each must “eat” the flesh and “drink” the blood of Yeshua individually (John 6:35–58). Communion pictures this and is a personal and individual matter.
  6. They were anointed with oil (Exod 29:21). Each person must receive the Set-Apart Spirit (Ruach) of Elohim
  7. They are sanctified or set-apart for a special, divine purpose (Exod 29:44). Only after going through these steps is one set apart unto YHVH as a set-apart priesthood doing the set-apart work of YHVH.

Only on the basis of following YHVH’s steps, as outlined above in a spiritual manner, can one have fellowship with the Father. And what was the result? Relationship with the Father! Read Exodus 29:44–46 below,

And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar. I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their Elohim. And they shall know that I am YHVH their Elohim, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am YHVH their Elohim. (emphasis added)

This is all accomplished through Yeshua living in us spiritually. Yeshua is the Chief Cornerstone of the spiritual building of which the saints are a part (Eph 2:20). He is the end result or goal of the Torah (Rom 10:4). He is the Author and the Finisher of our Faith (Heb 12:2), the Beginning and the End, the Aleph and Tav (Alpha and Omega, Rev 21:6; 22:13) of everything. He is calling us to be  his “royal priesthood.”

 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of Elohim, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Pet 2:4–10, emphasis added)

Our faith in Yeshua stays alive and vibrant because of the sacrifices of devotion and praise we offer up daily—morning and night as did the priests of old.