God’s plan was for Israel as a nation to be “a Peculiar People,” as “a Kingdom of Priests.” Since they didn’t obey His Voice as a nation, God chose the family of Aaron and his sons to minister unto Him in the Priest’s office. This was known as the “Levitical Priesthood” because Aaron was from the tribe of Levi. It was also known as the “Aaronic Priesthood” since Aaron was the first High Priest.
When Christ died on the cross a change was made per Hebrews 7:12. Another priest arose after a new order, “the Order of Melchizedek.” Aaron was the head of the Old Testament Priesthood. Christ is the head of the new spiritual priesthood.
The sons of Aaron were automatically priests under the old priesthood. In the new priesthood the believers in Christ are automatically priests with Christ as their High Priest.
In I Peter 2:9 a believer is a “Royal Priest” part of a “Holy Nation” and as such Christ and His believers have become the replacement for the Old Testament Aaronic Priesthood for this dispensation on God’s time clock. Israel will be restored during the Millennium where both Jews and Gentiles will serve under Christ as King of kings and High Priest of all priests.
Our purpose as priests under Christ is to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to the Father via the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as our Lamb that takes away our sins and the sins of the whole world.
Worship is one of the first responsibilities of the priest. Spiritual sacrifices are comprised of worship first of all. The Father seeks true worshippers to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. (John 4:23)
When Israel was being attacked by enemy nations, Jehoshaphat appointed singers to praise the Lord, “Give thanks unto the Lord for His mercy endures forever!” As they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against Ammon, Moab, and Mt. Seir and they were defeated. The enemy ended up destroying one another and when Israel arrives on the scene, they find no one to fight, just dead bodies lying on the ground.
When the King of Aram heard that Elisha was revealing his military secrets, he sent an army to capture him and his servant at Dothan. The servant of Elisha arose early in the morning and saw all the soldiers surrounding the city. He cried to Elisha, “My Lord! What shall we do?” Elisha replied, “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Elisha prayed, “Lord open his eyes, so that he might see.” When the servant looked again he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
I have seen God bless a congregation so many times when we all forgot about each other and gave ourselves to just praising and worshipping Him in testimony and song and prayer. Healings, miracles, changed lives, new directions, new strength, new faith, and new hope, all can flow freely where God is able to manifest His Holy Presence freely. When we worship God for what He has done for us and for what He can do for others including our loved ones, and for whom He is, miraculous things can happen as Elisha and Jehoshaphat experienced firsthand. God dwells in the praises of His people and where His Spirit is there is liberty to experience Him freely.
We as humans become blinded to our own greatness, when in reality it is God who gave each of us whatever gifts, skills, abilities, talents, we possess. We possess nothing. God possesses all things. We only borrow from God. When we die, we give it all back to God. God then decides what He will give us to keep for eternity.
We can’t even draw our own breath without God enabling us to do so. Yet we take claim for our finances, our material possessions, our intelligence, our accomplishments, our skills, our education, as though we are our own god.
C. S. Lewis said:
“Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.”
The sooner we give it all back to God in praise and thanksgiving, the sooner we will be ready to see with the eyes of Elisha causing us to desire to sing praises to our God when all hell is surrounding us.