The Priest in the Life of Israel

I Samuel 2:27-30, 35; 4:12-18

GOLDEN TEXT: “For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God.”—Hebrews 5:1

THE priesthood of Israel was the channel through which God dealt with, and dispensed His blessings to, His typical people. The priestly service was rendered in connection with the tabernacle and its arrangements. It was based upon the typical sacrifices of various kinds of animals such as bulls, goats, rams, etc. This service pointed forward to a larger and more effective service to be rendered to all mankind by Jesus and His church—a service which was to be based upon the shed blood of Jesus, the Redeemer, and the associate sacrifices of His body members.

All of God’s promises to Israel were conditional upon the nation’s obedience to His laws, and this was particularly true with respect to the priesthood. The spiritual life of the nation depended upon a healthy spiritual condition. How could the nation as a whole render obedience to God, if the example of the priesthood was that of disobedience? When young Samuel came on the scene in Israel there was just such a corrupt condition existing in the priesthood.

Eli was then the high priest. He was not himself a flagrant transgressor of God’s law. His chief sin seemed to have been in failing to take a firm stand with respect to the conduct of his sons. They continued to corrupt the services of the tabernacle in a shameful manner, yet their vacillating old father did little about it, although as high priest he, was the one who should have taken action to suppress the corrupt practices of his sons.

Herein is an important lesson for all who essay to serve the Lord. To all followers of the Master the apostle writes, “Ye … are … an. holy priesthood, to offer … sacrifices.” (I Peter 2:5) Jesus is our High Priest, and as under priests, offering sacrifice “holy, acceptable unto God,” (Romans 12:1) we have a responsibility toward each other, even as Jesus, the High Priest, has and discharges faithfully His responsibility toward all of us.

Our responsibility is, first of all, to keep ourselves in the love of God and to see that our service is in keeping with His plan. Then we are to be watchful that those with whom we co-operate are complying with the truths of the divine plan and are ordering their lives in harmony therewith. To give our “God bless you” to the service of those who are undermining confidence in the truth makes us as guilty as the wrong-doer. Eli had no grounds upon which to plead faithfulness to the Lord as long as he condoned the actions of his sons; nor could the Lord accept our claims of loyalty to the truth as long as we help to sponsor those in the service who are not in harmony therewith.

During the time when God was dealing with typical Israel He took upon Himself the responsibility of removing unfaithful priests. During the Gospel Age God’s dealings with the antitypical priesthood are somewhat different. He seldom removes untrue leadership from the church, although He withdraws His favor from us as individuals if we are unfaithful. He invites His faithful people to withdraw co-operation from the unfaithful, to separate themselves from the evil. The great body of professing Christians long ago became a mere nominal church, Scripturally styled “Babylon,” and the Lord’s people are invited to come out of Babylon—“Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”—Rev. 18:4

Experience has proved the wisdom of this course, for the faithful minority is never able to reform the unfaithful majority. Hence it is that the faithful, sacrificing priests of this Gospel Age have, as a whole, been a “come-outer” class. Blessed, indeed, have been those who have not been too slow in discerning the evil with which they were surrounded, and, discerning it, to separate themselves from it.

Another marked difference between the typical priesthood of Israel and the antitypical priesthood of this Gospel age is in the nature of sacrifices offered. Jesus, the High Priest over the church, did not offer a bullock to represent Himself, as did the high priest in the type, but sacrificed His own life—“My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51) Likewise, His body members, the under-priesthood of this age, present their own bodies in sacrifice, and thus share with Jesus in a priestly service on behalf of all mankind.—Rom. 12:1; I Cor. 15:29

For every high priest that God selects from among men, will be appointed to act on behalf of men. And since they with all mankind are beset with weaknesses and imperfections, they will be then expected to deal gently with the ignorant and with those that are out of the way, even as God has been dealing gently with them. For this priesthood mankind has been waiting, while groaning and travailing under sin until now. This priesthood will not compromise God’s justice nor will they vengefully cause suffering to anyone.

As it was essential that the priesthood of Israel be pure and that all the services be conducted according to the Lord’s instruction, so it is now with respect to the antitypical priesthood. Jesus, our High Priest, was pure and wholly obedient to the divine will in every service He rendered. It is incumbent upon us that we strive to be like Him, that we follow in His footsteps, that we be sanctified by the truth and thus qualified to render acceptable service to our God.

QUESTIONS:

What was the purpose of Israel’s priesthood?

What is the relationship of the church to Jesus, the antitypical High Priest?

Explain the difference between the sacrifices offered by Israel’s priesthood, and those offered by the Gospel age priesthood?

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