THE PRIESTHOOD
After Yah had given Moses, the man of Yah, the Ten Commandments, he also gave him instruction on how to set up the Tent of Meeting or Tabernacle. After this he was instructed to set up an order of priesthood beginning with his brother Aaron. With this came a set of rules and regulations concerning the office of the priesthood and their duties.
At this point we need to look at what a priest does. The key to understanding the priesthood is found in Exodus. We read, “Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve Me as priests. The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance. In this way you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.” NIV They were to offer sacrifices, keep the light burning in the Holy Place, concentrate the bread, offer sacrifices, and burn incenses upon an alter, which symbolizes prayers for the people.
The office of priesthood was to minister before the Lord and to serve Him. They were never to minister to the people. That was reserved for an especially called and dedicated person. Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and the prophets of the Old Testament are examples of these people. When Yah has something to say to His people He never calls upon the priesthood. He always speaks to the people through a man whom He raises up for the purpose. And, He always did this outside the priesthood. These are called prophets.
Prophets
Prophets were Yah’s messengers to His people. He sent them to rebuke, bless, and instruct those who are called by His name. I do not recall anywhere that He sent prophets to those that were not His, or to the lost. In Ephesians four we see prophets listed as one of the gifts to the body of believers for the perfecting of the saints. So we know from this, that the office of a prophet was brought over into the New Covenant by the words of Paul who wrote the letter to the Ephesians. While the believer is in immaturity it might be necessary for Yah to send a prophetic word to them through this office. This gift, however, as well as the other four ministering gifts, were given “until” that which is perfect has come.
Many think this perfection of the saints will only take place upon the Lord’s second return. If we stay with the spirit of the Word, we understand that it is speaking about “the |2677| maturing |3588| of the |0040| holy ones.” Literal Bible with Strongs Definitions. Paul puts it this way, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” NIV
So, the five ministry gifts or offices have a duration and when a believer matures in understanding of spiritual things there is no longer need to be taught by a ministry, or to have a prophet speak Yah’s words or will to them. Each believer will be well aware of what Yah is speaking and understand His will. When a believer reach this stage of development he or she begins hearing the Spirit for himself, and what is spoken by any ministry only becomes confirmation of what Father is already speaking to the believer’s heart. They have become spiritually mature.
Maturity
A believer is first born of the Spirit in an immature stage. There is the little matter of “carnal thinking” to deal with because the soul or intellect of the believer must come into conformity with the spirit born within. This is called the renewing of the mind or “Soul Salvation”, and this is a process of maturing until we begin to understand and think with the mind of the spirit. Old things are passed away, behold all things become new. When a believer reaches this point in their growth, when the mind is spiritual, then that which is perfect has come, and that which is in part is done away with. The believer’s thinking is no longer double minded, partly carnal and partly spiritual. They understand both equally as well.
At this point in growth, a believer no longer needs the ministry gifts, for the Spirit Himself shall teach all things, taking of HIS and showing it unto the believer. The believer has put away childish carnal things, and now speaks spiritual things as a mature spirit being, for it is where the believer’s life now flows.
The Royal Priesthood
The order of religious priesthood was consummated in YahShua Messiyah. He not only became the sacrifice, but He also became a High Priest forever. He entered the Most Holy Place in heaven to offer His own blood as restitution for our sins. Upon His death on the cross the religious ordinances came to an end. Priesthood was no longer needed to offer sacrifices, for His blood was shed once for all.
YahShua destroyed the priesthood upon the cross, bringing in a spiritual priesthood after the order of "Melchizedek". Melchizedek was not a priest by birth, or bloodline such as Aaron. He was a priest by divine appointment. The religious order of outward ordinances became obsolete, receiving a deadly wound to its head, authority. But, shortly the deadly wound was healed. The religious church world has restored the literal priesthood calling them ministers, fathers and pastors. However, they have it all backward, which is not surprising because man always does things backwards. These ministers, fathers, and pastors stand and boldly minister to the people, while as we discovered in Exodus, the Yah ordained priesthood ministered to Him. It is mans attempt to “do” what is a spiritual act.
His priesthood lineage was passed on to us upon our becoming sons of Yah, for Yah has made us all both kings and priests. However, this priesthood is spiritual and has no outward ordinances or duties. The priesthood of the New Covenant is to minister before the Lord from the heart, to keep the light of the truth burning, to consecrate our thought, attitudes, and position. The spiritual priests offer up the incense of praise and prayer.
As in the “old priesthood” under the law, we are not to minister to the people, but unto Yah, the Father. Under the New Covenant it is the Holy Spirit that is sent into the world especially for the purpose of speaking Yah’s word to the people. Hear the words of YahShua concerning Him and His work. “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own. He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is Mine and make it known to you.” NIV
From this you can see that Yah’s intention was that the Holy Spirit speak to the people for Him. However, while immature and carnal in thinking the believer looks to someone who, in his or her eyes, is greater than he or she to get spiritual insight into Yah. Immature believers look where the carnal mind directs, but Yah is faithful to speak even then. The vessel He speaks through is of little importance, though man gives it importance. It is the message that counts, not the vessel carrying it. Thus the carnal minded religious person sets some believers above the others and sets them in offices of ministry. This is not the plan of Yah.
The sad part is than when a believer follows his carnal thinking, he or she will set up false things. Anything that comes from the carnal thinking is religious and can not, and I say, can not bring maturity for it is birthed out of the carnal. However, Yah has sent His Holy Spirit into hearts crying, “Abba Father!” Spiritual understanding comes through no other means. This is the way Yah ordained from the lips of YahShua Messiyah, and it is through revelation of the Holy Spirit that believers begin to understand with spiritual minds.
The royal priesthood is a spiritual one, and it does not do religious service. All mature believers are kings and priests, and as such, rule with authority in the Kingdom, and the dutiy of the royal priesthood is, “To offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Yah--this is your spiritual act of worship.” NIV I am always available to answer the questions of a hungry heart. It is Yah's will that we help one another up the hill to transfiguration. However, keep in mind that it is not revelation knowledge that we should seek, but "HIM". Spiritual understand will automatically come as we become more aware of "HIM" and become more like "HIM". Many fall short of full sonship by becoming too caught up in the revelation, and not caught up "IN HIM". "HE" must have preeminence in our life even in our getting of revelation knowledge. I can not stress this enough.