HISTORY
Genesis 2:15 CSB
“The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.”
Terms:
To work — AVADH (Work, Serve, Cultivate, Worship)
To watch over — SHAMAR (Keep, Watch, Guard, Preserve)
“From the very beginning, God designed humanity to be priests—called to know Him deeply and guard that relationship through faithful obedience.”
Numbers 3:13 ESV
“for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.””
Exodus 32:26 ESV
“then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.’ And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.”
Beware: the devil seeks to undermine your priesthood through cultural and religious distortions, luring you away from your work and your duty to protect your inner sanctuary.
FUNCTION/DEFINITION
Genesis 14:18-20 NIV
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
The Hebrew root of kohen emphasizes service—acting as a servant or minister on behalf of the community and God
At the heart of a priest's calling is the responsibility to keep the covenant, acting as the vital link between God and humanity.
Exodus 19:5-6 NIV
“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.””
God’s plan would have to be instituted in divinity: not based on human lineage or legal qualifications, but on God’s own oath.
Psalm 110:4 NIV
“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.””
CHRIST BETTER
Hebrews 7:15-22 ESV
“This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’” This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.”
Jesus is True and Better:
Jesus’s priesthood shattered human limitations and fulfilled the standard. Through Him we gained direct, unhindered access to God because His life was utterly untainted by sin: This makes Him true and better.
Only Jesus could enter the unblemished, divine sanctuary - one not built by human hands: This makes Him true and better.
Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek - an order without human lineage. This speaks directly to His divine authority, restoring the very essence of what Adam lost in the Garden: This makes Him true and better.
Jesus gave Himself as the supreme, ultimate sacrifice - a sacrifice once and for all: This makes Him true and better.
Jesus is able to empathize with us and make supplication and petition in true intercession: This makes Him true and better.
NOW ONTO US
1 Peter 2:9-10 ESV
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
Revelation 1:4-6 ESV
“John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Our Responsibility As Priests:
1. To offer our bodies as a living sacrifice
Romans 12:1 ESV
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Watch where you put your body, what your hands touch, what your eyes behold
2. To offer praise
Hebrews 13:15 ESV
“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
Watch the confession of your lips, we bring the fire to church
3. To offer our substance
Hebrews 13:16 ESV
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Watch where you place your substance; your tithe and offering
4. To offer service
1 Peter 4:10-11 ESV
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Behold the true and better Priest: Jesus. His perfect, sinless life opened an unprecedented path directly to God. Entering a sanctuary untouched by human hands, His priesthood divinely reversed Adam's fall through His ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice.He now stands as our compassionate intercessor, relentlessly petitioning on our behalf.