The Royal Priesthood

There are two orders of priesthood recognized and set up by God:

1. Order of Levi /Aaron

2. Melchizedek priesthood (Hebrews 7:1-28)

The order of Melchizedek existed before Levi's and Levitical priesthood ended with the end of the Law but the order of Melchizedek is continued forever (that's what the Assembly of Yehoshua follows)

Who are Priests:

Yehoshua is our high priest.

In the Levitical priesthood, only Aaron and his lineage were made priests but this wasn't the initial plan of God. Read Exodus 19:6.

All Israelites were meant to be priests but the problem at Exodus 32 led to selection of only Levites.

Also in the order of Melchizedek, every child of God MUST be a priest (MUST).

There are consequences of a child of God not becoming a priest.

Priesthood is different from gifts of holy spirit or whether you are a male or female

How to become a Priest.

Becoming a priest is different from becoming born again or getting baptized.

The children of Israelites came out of Egypt (born again) and crossed the Red Sea (baptism) but these didn't make them priests, likewise, us.

 The journey to priesthood started at the foot of Mt Sinai. It started with SANCTIFICATION (making yourself holy or set apart)

READ Exodus 19:3-10

In the order of Melchizedek, it follows similar pattern.

1 Peter 1:22-25 spoke about born again.

Then 1 Peter 2:1-5 talked on Sanctification and Priesthood

The same with 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Priesthood has to do with going into Covenant relationship with God.

His Covenant is 10 Commandments which is LOVE

FUNCTIONS of Priests and CONSEQUENCES of not becoming one

1.        Communication with God by going to the Holy place. In Aaron's order, only the priests have access to the Holy Place, then only the High Priest have access to the Holy of Holies. In order of Melchizedek, there is no division between holy place and holy of holies, only the Holy place. Hebrews. 4:14-16 says we should hold on to our profession/calling as priests and (16) for us to receive mercy and grace, we need to come to the throne of Grace which is in the Holy Place.

Only a Priest have such access. No priesthood, no access, no mercy and grace!

2.        Priests are the only one authorized to make sacrifices (in order of Aaron, if any other person does so, either the sacrifice is rejected or even the person is struck dead)

The sacrifice the order of Melchizedek does is not bulls and cattle. They are:

A.       Romans 12:1 Your body as a living sacrifice. This is the same as Sanctification.

B.      Praise and prayers. Hebrews 13:15-16.

The prayers and praises, offered by the saints, act as sweet smelling incense offered to God as stated in Revelation 5:8 and 8:2-5. If you aren’t a priest, hardly will your prayers reach God.

Characteristics of a Priest

1.         Love.  

   EXERCISE: can you remove the word LOVE/CHARITY in 1 Corinthians 1:8 and replace it with your NAME and your name will fit perfectly?

   Read more about LOVE on these links http://skephd.blogspot.com.ng/2014/05/love.html and http://skephd.blogspot.com.ng/2014/05/love-ten-commandments.html

   2. Priests know the secrets of God (Psalm 25:14), how to communicate with him and please him. Just like the juju priests- only them know how to communicate with their deities and please them into action. Do you know how to communicate with and please God? You do if you are a priest. 

   3.  Priests have special dress code such that they don't need to tell anyone that they are priests. Exodus 28:1-2 (order of Aaron). In our order, Psalm 132:8-9 says we, the priests, are clothed with RIGHTEOUSNESS. We wear it by FAITH.Your righteousness and lifestyle must be so clear to people that you don't need to tell them that you're different or set apart. You wear it every moment of your life!

ADDITIONS and CONCLUSION

1.         Exodus 28:43. A priest dies if he bears sin into the holy place; if they offer strange fire like Aaron's children did. This is why YEHOSHUA said in Matthew 5:23-24 that if we carry our gifts to the altar (as priests), and we have something against someone, drop the gifts and reconcile first before doing the offering
2. We wear righteousness by faith and we enter the holy place by faith. But at the end we will be given the main garment we wore by faith (Revelation 19:8) and the temple of God in Heaven will come down to earth (Revelation 21:1-3). It is only those who have lived their lives like people who have gotten righteousness (had the substance of righteousness hoped for, the evidence of righteousness not yet seen) can only be given the garment at the end.Then they shall clearly become priests and kings in the kingdom of God (Revelation 1:6, 5:10, 20:6)

Finally, I urge you to receive Yehoshua and believe in his name so as to become born again. After that, sanctify yourself, come into covenant relationship with God, study his words constantly in order to discover his secrets and let your righteousness be clear to the people at every moment.

Shalom