1 Peter 2:9

        I.         Introduction.

                              A.             Thinking of ourselves as priest is kind of troubling due to the way priest are thought of today.

1. Man has redefined what the priesthood should be by placing requirements and honor upon the priesthood where there is no Biblical authority to do so.

2.  Therefore as Christians we back way from this aspect of our service to God.

                              B.            We must understand as Christians we are priest, part of the Royal Priesthood of Christ.

1. The goals of these lessons are to :

a)       Show the purpose of the Old Testament Priesthood and our relationship to.

b)      Educate Christians concerning their service as priest.

                              C.            First let’s start with the history of priest.

1. In order to understand our priest hood we must understand the original intent of priest.

2. I will use the historical time periods as they relate to our relationship with God.

a)      Patriarch period.

b)      Moses period.

c)       Christian period.   

      II.                        Priests of the Patriarch  Period.

                              A.            The word priest has always denoted one who offers sacrifices.

1. In every language of all the original manuscripts in which the Bible was translated from.

a)       Hebrew word kohen, Greek word Hierus and the Latin word sacerdos,

2.  A sacrifice is an offering to honor or appease God.  The slaughter of an animal was required.

3. Sin created the need for a priest to offer sacrifices for sin.

a)      Started with Adam and Eve. Where did God get the animal skins to make their clothes?

4. The only way to pay the penalty was by the loss of the sinner’s life.

5. God provided an alternative by using the blood of animals until the blood of Christ.

                              B.            At first every man was his own priest.

1. He presented his own sacrifices before God.

a)      Cain and Able.

Genesis 4:3-4 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 

2. Later the priestly duties were performed by head of the family

a)       Noah (Ge 8:20)

Genesis 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

b)      Abraham (Ge 12:7; 13:4)

a.       (Genesis 12:7) Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.  (NKJV)

b.      (Genesis 13:4) to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD. 

c)       Isaac (Ge 26:25)

a.       Genesis 26:25 So he built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac's servants dug a well. 

d)      Jacob (Ge 31:54)

a.       Genesis 31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain.

e)      Job (Job 1:5).

a.       Job 1:5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.  (NKJV)

                              C.            The word priest was first applied to Melchizedek (Ge 14:18).

1. Genesis 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 

    III.            Priest of Law of Moses.

                              A.            Under the Levitical arrangements the office of the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi.

1. Only one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron.

2. Certain laws respecting the qualifications of priests are given in Le 21:16-23.

                              B.            There are ordinances also regarding the priests' dress (Ex 28:40-43) and the manner of their consecration to the office (Ex 29:1-37).

1. Their duties were diverse (Ex 27:20,21; 29:38-44; Le 6:12; 10:11; 24:8; Nu 10:1-10; De 17:8-13; 33:10; Mal 2:7). They represented the people before God, and offered the various sacrifices prescribed in the law.

                              C.            Priests  lived together in certain cities

a)      Forty-eight of which six were cities of refuge.

b)       They went from the cities taking turns to minister in the temple at Jerusalem.

    IV.            Priest of the Christian period.

                              A.            The whole Levitical priest system was a shadow of which the body is Christ.

                              B.            The priests foreshadowed the great Priest, Jesus who offered "one sacrifice for sins" "once for all" (Heb 10:10,12).

                              C.            There is now no human priesthood. (See Epistle to the Hebrews throughout.)

1. The term "priest" is applied to Christians (1Pe 2:9; Re 1:6)

2. Where the term is applied to Christians it is spiritual.

3.  All Christians are now "kings and priests unto God."

4. As priests they have free access into the holiest of all.

a)      Which the Levitical or patriachical priests never had.

5. And offer up the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, and the sacrifices of grateful service from day to day.

      V.            Conclusion.

                              A.            Next week we will examine our duties as priest in the holy nation. 1 Peter 2:9

                              B.            It’s important not to forget our Royal Priesthood and be excited because we have been blessed with the honor of serving the King.

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