If we want to understand the new priesthood, we must understand the purpose and function of how it was initially set up under the order of the Levites.
When we understand how the covenant was renewed through our Messiah, we will gain more understanding of what it means to be a part of a royal priesthood. The new covenant and the new priesthood go hand in hand, since both have been renewed. The priesthood office of the Levites is also referred to as the “Levitical Priesthood” or the “Aaronic Priesthood.” Aaron and Moses were both from the tribe of Levi, and it was only the descendants of Levi that were able to occupy this priestly office. Aaron was the progenitor of the Levitical Priesthood.
The reason that it is important to understand the purpose of the priesthood is because the ministry of the Levitical priests and the function of the physical tabernacle teaches us that Yahuah is specific and intentional on how He is to be approached. The lessons that we can learn from the Old Testament (I prefer to call it the Tanakh) is that it shows us HOW to approach our Creator. It teaches us of His holiness/set-apart-ness. It teaches us that He does not accept worship that is not commanded by Him. Anything outside of those commands or contrary to them, is sin. It teaches us how sin is unable to be within His presence. It teaches us that the penalty of sin is death.
One day as I was studying Scripture, something caught my attention as I was reading through the accounts of Exodus and Leviticus—it was the amount of detail that Yahuah gave Moses on how to build the tabernacle as well as detail the design of the priestly garments.
Chapters, upon chapters, upon chapters of detail after detail after detail. My flesh felt led to skip through those chapters, as my flesh said, “this doesn’t seem very important.” But then the Ruach (Holy Spirit) immediately impressed upon me: “but why would I go into so much detail if it wasn’t important?”
This was the beginning of a beautiful revelation of how the priesthood of “old” is prophetic to the new priesthood we are called to be a part of.
“But the Levitical priesthood doesn’t apply to us.” Yes, but are there deeper implications to understanding this “new” priesthood. I want you to pay attention to something...
“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
Exodus 19:5-6
“But I thought it was just the tribe of Levi that was called to the priesthood?”
This is why we must read the Bible as one entire book. This is prophecy. But Yahuah gives us more than one witness, of course.
“But you shall be named the priests of Yahuah, they shall call you the servants of our Elohim. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall boast.”
Isaiah 61:6
Yahuah was not just speaking to the children of Israel--He was speaking to the mixed multitude among them as well.
And then we see this SAME prophecy and proclamation woven into the New Testament.
“...you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Elohim through Yahusha Messiah.”
1 Peter 2:5
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”
1 Peter 2:9
“...To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto Elohim and his Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Revelation 1:6
“And have made us kings and priests unto Elohim, and we shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:10
“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of Elohim and of Messiah, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
Revelation 20:6
Scripture tells us that when Messiah returns, those in covenant with Yahuah will get to reign with Yahusha as priests. If we don’t understand what that means right now, how are we going to expect to be part of that?
The priesthood training is right now, and it has everything to do with those who will be part of the first resurrection. Understanding the prophetic pictures that the Tabernacle and the Priesthood paints is so important to the body today because this has everything to do with our identity.
Everything about Yahuah’s physical Tabernacle is prophetic to the Tabernacle in heaven that is not built with human hands. THIS is the Tabernacle that Yahusha our High Priest currently sits in. But before this can be tied in and make any sense, I had to spend time in Episode 11 (Season 3) on The Promise Perspective Podcast going through the different aspects of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. I had to spend some time talking about the Levitical priesthood. When we talk about atonement and the role of the Levitical priesthood, we have to understand that atonement required blood sacrifice.
Remember, the root of the word for covenant implies an act of “cutting.” The life is in the blood. Israel had to know that their sins had to be atoned for by means of animal sacrifice. When we talk about the renewed covenant, especially in terms of Yahusha as our sacrificial Lamb in which He placed Himself on the altar in the heavenly Tabernacle for atonement of sins, this is the catalyst that allowed for the prophecy to be fulfilled in which now, we are invited into this new priesthood.
This priesthood, in this particular moment in time, does not require animal sacrifices. By believing in Yahusha as our Messiah, we place Him on the altar for remission of sins, to wash us clean, to take the penalty of the law that says sin = death, and nail it to the stake. We agree in our hearts to no longer desire to remain in sin, and because sin is transgression of the torah (law), we are agreeing to following Him by keeping the commandments. Yahusha currently sits in the heavenly Tabernacle as our High Priest, constantly interceding on our behalf now, so that when we stumble or fall short, He is our Mediator to the Father. We are able to come to the Father through Him. The grace we have now under the new covenant is so abundant because of the heavenly occupancy of where our Messiah sits in the tabernacle in heaven. This is why it is SO important to study the pattern of the tabernacle given to Moses that the children of Israel built, because it is a literal replica of the heavenly sanctuary and tabernacle!
We must understand that we are in the world, but not OF the world.
We are citizens of a kingdom to come.
We are a royal priesthood.
We must understand what this means now if we are to rule and reign with Messiah as priests during the Millennial Reign.
“But He, because He remains forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save completely those who draw near to Elohim through him, ever living to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 7:25
So, how did Yahusha become our High Priest?
At the time that the books of the Old Testament were written, the only tribe that was allowed to occupy the priestly office was the tribe of Levi. As most of us know, Yahusha did not come from the tribe of Levi—His lineage was of the tribe of Judah. However, I would like to point out that on the east side of the tabernacle built by the children of Israel under the leadership of Moses, is where the tribe of Judah pitched their tents. Judah was the closest tribe of Israel (besides the Levites’ tents) to the entrance of the sanctuary of Yahuah (see Numbers 2:2-3). That’s not a coincidence.
I’d like to point out a passage from Hebrews 7:11-17:
“Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Master arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Yahuah does nothing without first revealing it to His prophets, right?
“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
The author of Hebrews is reminding us of the prophecy in Psalm 110:4, and is connecting the order of Melchizedek to the Messiah. It’s also important to point out that the word “order” in both Hebrew and Greek does not refer to a lineage. It refers to a pattern, manner, rank, arrangement or orderly condition. The author of Hebrews brings up Psalm 110:4 multiple times.
We don’t know much about Melchizedek, other than the fact that he was a priest of Elohim and the King of Salem. The order of Melchizedek differed from the order of Aaron in the fact that priests, even the High Priest of the Levitical Priesthood, were not able to be kings of Israel. They could only be priests. The order of Melchizedek made him both a king and priest. This is why the prophecy of Psalm 110:4 is so important, because our Messiah is also both king AND priest, which is the same “order” in which Melchizedek was of.
Melchizedek appears to be a type and shadow that points to our Messiah, confirmed through prophecy, and manifested as reality once our Messiah fulfilled the will of the Father during His First Coming.
“And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.”
Hebrews 7:15-16
The power of an endless life, made manifest through Yahusha, came to be both atonement for sin and the mediator of a new covenant.
“But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to Elohim through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”
Hebrews 7:24-27
The Book of Hebrews seamlessly weaves together the depth, beauty and significance of our eternal King and High Priest who gave His life for ransom in order to occupy this position and call others to reign with Him as His priests and people.
Let us not forget that we are called to be a Kingdom of Priests.
We have access now to the tabernacle in heaven that is coming down to earth after our King and High Priest returns, which is why at this moment in Yahuah’s timeline, we are called “the living stones of a spiritual house.”
Only the remnant will understand the depth of the calling we have to be a part of a royal priesthood.
For deeper study, please check out Episodes 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 (Season 4) on The Promise Perspective Podcast, and download my free e-book, "Tour of the Tabernacle Study" under my Bible Study Resources tab.
With love,
Stephanie