From the age of accountability all mankind
instinctively knows that there is a Supreme Creator and Ruler over all of
creation.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of Elohim is revealed from
heaven against all wickedness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the
truth in unrighteousness,
Rom 1:19 because that which is known of Elohim is
manifest among them, for Elohim has manifested it to them.
Rom 1:20 For since the creation of the world His
invisible qualities have been clearly seen, being understood from what
has been made, both His everlasting power and Mightiness, for them to be
without excuse,
Rom 1:21 because, although they knew Elohim, they did
not esteem Him as Elohim, nor gave thanks, but became vain in their reasonings,
and their undiscerning heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 and changed the esteem of the incorruptible
Elohim into the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds and of
four-footed beasts and of reptiles.
Rom 1:24 Therefore Elohim gave them up to uncleanness
in the lust of their hearts, to disrespect their bodies among themselves,
Rom 1:25 who changed the truth of Elohim into the
falsehood, and worshipped and served what was created rather than the Creator,
who is blessed forever. Amĕn.
By virtue of the fact that there is this Supreme
authority, it is incumbent upon all of mankind to establish how this Supreme
Being has chosen to be in relationship with His Creation.
We see once again in this Torah portion that YHVH has
chosen priesthood. This chosen priesthood has been instructed to function in a
particular way. Even this priesthood has an authority structure and a supreme
leader.
Heb 7:11 Truly, then, if perfection were through the
Lĕwitical priesthood – for under it the people were given the Torah – why was
there still need for another priest to arise according to the order of
Malkitseḏeq, and not be called
according to the order of Aharon?
Heb 7:12 For
the priesthood being changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law1
also. Footnote: 1Heb. 7:12. See “Law” in Explanatory notes.
Heb 7:13 For
He of whom this is said belongs to another tribe, from which no one had
attended at the altar.1 Footnote: 1See “Altar” in
Explanatory notes.
Heb 7:14 For
it is perfectly clear that our Master arose from Yehuḏah, a tribe about
which Mosheh never spoke of concerning priesthood,
Heb 7:15 and
this is clearer still, if another priest arises in the likeness of Malkitseḏeq,
Heb 7:16 who
has become, not according to the Torah of fleshly command, but according to the
power of an endless life,
Heb 7:17 for
He does witness, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Malkitseḏeq.”
Heb 7:18 For
there is indeed a setting aside of the former command because of its weakness
and unprofitableness,
Heb 7:19 for
the Torah perfected naught, but the bringing in of a better expectation,
through which we draw near to Elohim.
Heb 7:20 And
it was not without an oath!
Heb 7:21 For
they indeed became priests without an oath, but He became Priest with an
oath by Him who said to Him, “יהוה has sworn and
shall not regret, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Malkitseḏeq.’ ”
Heb 7:22 By as
much as this יהושע has become a
guarantor of a better covenant.
Heb 7:23 And
indeed, those that became priests were many, because they were prevented by
death from continuing,
Heb 7:24 but (Gk
–yet)He, because He remains forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.
Heb 7:25 Therefore
He is also able to save completely those who draw near to Elohim through Him,
ever living to make intercession for them.
Heb 7:26 For it
was fitting that we should have such a High Priest – kind, innocent, undefiled,
having been separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens,
Heb 7:27 who does
not need, as those high priests, to offer up slaughter offerings day by
day, first for His own sins and then for those of the people, for this He did
once for all when He offered up Himself.
Heb 7:28 For the
Torah appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath
which came after the Torah, appoints the Son having been perfected
forever.
When we who have grown up in the church read this
passage of scripture we immediately assume that the Levitical priesthood has
been done away with. This is impossible – see Matt 5:17-19.
Lev 8:1 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Lev 8:2 “Take
Aharon and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the
bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread,
Lev 8:3 and
assemble all the congregation at the door of the Tent of Meeting.”
Lev 8:4 And Mosheh
did as יהוה commanded him, and the congregation was
assembled at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
Lev 8:5 And Mosheh
said to the congregation, “This is the word יהוה commanded to
be done.”
Lev 8:6 So Mosheh
brought Aharon and his sons and washed them with water,
Lev 8:7 and put
the long shirt on him, and girded him with the girdle, and dressed him in the
robe, and put the shoulder garment on him, and girded him with the embroidered
band of the shoulder garment, and with it tied the shoulder garment on him,
Lev 8:8 and put
the breastplate on him, and put the Urim and the Tummim in the breastplate,
Lev 8:9 and put
the turban on his head. And on the turban, on its front, he put the golden
plate, the set-apart sign of dedication, as יהוה had commanded
Mosheh.
Lev 8:10 And
Mosheh took the anointing oil and anointed the Dwelling Place and all that was
in it, and set them apart.
Lev 8:11 And he
sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all
its utensils, and the basin and its base, to set them apart.
Lev 8:12 And he
poured some of the anointing oil on Aharon’s head and anointed him, to set him
apart.
Lev 8:13 And
Mosheh brought the sons of Aharon and put long shirts on them, and girded them
with girdles, and put turbans on them, as יהוה had commanded
Mosheh.
Lev 8:14 And he
brought the bull for the sin offering, and Aharon and his sons laid their hands
on the head of the bull for the sin offering,
Lev 8:15 and it
was slaughtered. And Mosheh took the blood, and put some on the horns of the
altar all around with his finger, and cleansed the altar. And he poured the
blood at the base of the altar, and set it apart, to make atonement for it.
Lev 8:16 And he
took all the fat that was on the entrails, and the appendage on the liver, and
the two kidneys with their fat, and Mosheh burned them on the altar.
Lev 8:17 And the
bull, and its skin, and its flesh, and its dung, he burned with fire outside
the camp, as יהוה had commanded
Mosheh.
Lev 8:18 And he
brought the ram of the burnt offering, and Aharon and his sons laid their hands
on the head of the ram,
Lev 8:19 and it
was slaughtered. And Mosheh sprinkled the blood on the altar all around,
Lev 8:20 and he
cut the ram into pieces. And Mosheh burned the head, and the pieces, and the
fat,
Lev 8:21 and he
washed the entrails and the legs in water. And Mosheh burned the entire ram on
the altar. It was a burnt offering for a sweet fragrance, and an offering made
by fire to יהוה, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh.
Lev 8:22 And he
brought the second ram, the ram of ordination, and Aharon and his sons laid
their hands on the head of the ram,
Lev 8:23 and it
was slaughtered. And Mosheh took some of its blood and put it on the tip of
Aharon’s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of
his right foot.
Lev 8:24 And he
brought near the sons of Aharon, and Mosheh put some of the blood on the tips
of their right ears, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big
toes of their right feet. And Mosheh sprinkled the blood on the altar all
around,
Lev 8:25 and took
the fat and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the entrails, and the
appendage on the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, and the right thigh,
Lev 8:26 and from
the basket of unleavened bread that was before יהוה he took one
unleavened cake, and a cake of bread anointed with oil, and one thin cake, and
put them on the fat and on the right thigh,
Lev 8:27 and
placed all these in the hands of Aharon and in the hands of his sons, and waved
them as a wave offering before יהוה.
Lev 8:28 Mosheh
then took them from their hands and burned them on the altar, on the burnt
offering. They were ordinations for a sweet fragrance. It was an offering by
fire to יהוה.
Lev 8:29 And
Mosheh took the breast and waved it, a wave offering before יהוה. It was Mosheh’s portion of the ram of
ordination, as יהוה had commanded
Mosheh.
Lev 8:30 And
Mosheh took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the
altar, and sprinkled it on Aharon, on his garments, and on his sons, and on the
garments of his sons with him. And he set apart Aharon, his garments, and his
sons, and the garments of his sons with him.
Lev 8:31 And
Mosheh said to Aharon and his sons, “Cook the flesh at the door of the Tent of
Meeting, and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of the
ordinations, as I have commanded, saying, ‘Aharon and his sons are to eat it.’
Lev 8:32 “Then
burn the rest of the flesh and the bread with fire.
Lev 8:33 “And do
not go outside the door of the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the days
of your ordination are completed – for he fills your hands for seven days.
Lev 8:34 “יהוה has commanded to do, as he has done this
day, to make atonement for you.
Lev 8:35 “And stay
at the door of the Tent of Meeting day and night for seven days. And you shall
guard the duty of יהוה, and not die,
for so I have been commanded.”
Lev 8:36 And
Aharon and his sons did all the words that יהוה had commanded
by the hand of Mosheh.
This Levitical priesthood was never done away with, it
was meant to point us to a superior priesthood – that of Messiah. Only those
who abide by the Torah of YHVH’s Levitical priesthood will find themselves united
to the Messiah in his Melechtzedek Priesthood.
Eze 43:26 ‘For seven days they shall make atonement for
the altar and cleanse it, and ordain it.
Eze 43:27 ‘And when these days are completed it shall
be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests make your burnt
offerings and your peace offerings on the altar, and I shall accept you,’
declares the Master יהוה.”
Eze 44:1 And He brought me back to the outer gate of
the set-apart place which faces east, and it was shut.
Eze 44:2 And יהוה said to me,
“This gate is shut, it is not opened, and no one enters it, because יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl has entered by it, and
it shall be shut.
Eze 44:3 “The
prince, as prince, he sits in it to eat bread before יהוה, coming in by way of the porch of the gate,
and going out the same way.”
Eze 44:4 And He
brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the House. And I looked and
saw the esteem of יהוה filled the
House of יהוה, and I fell on my face.
Eze 44:5 And יהוה said to me, “Son of man, set your heart
and see with your eyes and hear with your ears, all that I say to you
concerning all the laws of the House of יהוה and all its
Torot. And you shall set your heart to the entrance of the house, with all the
exits of the set-apart place,
Eze 44:6 and shall
say to the rebellious, to the house of Yisra’ĕl, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “O house of Yisra’ĕl, enough of all these
abominations of yours,
Eze 44:7 that you
brought in sons of a foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in
flesh, to be in My set-apart place to profane it, My house! That you brought
near My food, the fat and the blood, and you broke My covenant because of all
your abominations.
Eze 44:8 “And you
did not guard the charge of that which is set-apart to Me, but you have set
others to guard the charge of My set-apart place for you.”
It is possible only those who have been chosen to obey
the Torot (instructions) of the priesthood will be part of the Bride of Messiah
in the Messianic age.
YHVH has appointed a set apart priesthood in Messiah to
bring His people back to the Torah and back to the full restoration of the
Temple service in Yerushalayim in the Messianic age.
Eph 4:4 one body and one Spirit, as you also were
called in one expectation of your calling,
Eph 4:5 one Master, one belief, one immersion,
Eph 4:6 one Elohim and Father of all,1 who
is above all, and through all, and in you all. Footnote: 1Mk.
12:32,34, 1 Cor. 8:6, 1 Tim. 2:5, Mk. 12:29-34.
Eph 4:7 But to each one of us favour was given
according to the measure of the gift of Messiah.
Eph 4:8 That is why it says, “When He went up on
high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”
Eph 4:9 But what does “He went up” mean, except that
He also first went down into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He who went down is also the One who went up
far above all the heavens, to fill all.
Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some as emissaries, and
some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers
Eph 4:12 for the perfecting of the set-apart ones, to
the work of service to a building up of the body of the Messiah,
Eph 4:13 until we all come to the unity of the belief
and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a perfect man, to the measure of
the stature of the completeness of Messiah,
Eph 4:14 so that we should no longer be children,
tossed and borne about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of men, in
cleverness, unto the craftiness of leading astray,1 Footnote: 15:6,
also 2 Cor. 10:5, 2 Cor. 11:3-14, Gal. 1:6-9, 2 Tim. 3:1-8, 2 Tim. 4:2-4, 2
Peter 2:2-22, Jud. vv. 10-19.
Eph 4:15 but, maintaining the truth in love, we grow
up in all respects into Him who is the head, Messiah,
Eph 4:16 from whom the entire body, joined and knit
together by what every joint supplies, according to the working by which each
part does its share, causes growth of the body for the building up of itself in
love.
Eph 4:17 So this I say, and witness in the Master,
that you should no longer walk as the gentiles walk,1 in the
futility of their mind, Footnote: 11 Cor. 12:2, and Jer. 10:2.
Eph 4:18 having been darkened in their understanding,
having been estranged from the life of Elohim, because of the ignorance that is
in them, because of the hardness of their heart,