Priesthood

God is a Spirit: ..." John 4:24

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Gen 1:26

And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Ex 19:6

Many, MANY, verses can be posted here on how the purpose of God is to have a spiritual kingdom of priests! Yet, Lets get deep in Him!

And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.

Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.

Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity.

And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.

But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein.

But the priests the Levites, THE SONS OF ZADOK, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they SHALL COME NEAR TO ME TO MINISTER UNTO ME, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD: THEY SHALL ENTER INTO MY SANCTUARY, AND THEY SHALL COME NEAR TO MY TABLE, TO MINISTER UNTO ME, and they shall keep my charge. Ezekiel 44:10-16

How clear that there was a class of Levites who busily served in the temple, AND yet they were not SERVING HIM; they were merely serving the HOUSE. If an Israelite came along to the temple and wanted to worship God, those Levites would come to his aid and help him offer his peace offering and his burnt offering. They would help him drag the sacrifice to the altar, and they would slay it.

Surely that was a grand work to be engaged in! And God took account of the service of those Levites who helped men bring their offerings to the altar, and who ministered to the house.

However. There was a problem! See they departed from the Lord; because of their departure from the Lord, HE STRIPPED THEM OF THEIR PRIESTHOOD, and all that they did was not ministry to Himself.

"...And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me...."

YES! They were serving the house, BUT THEY WERE NOT SERVING GOD! AND they were NOT CALLED PRIESTS, for theirs was a one-sided ministry!

I can see the present.

Now ask yourself "What does it mean to serve God and serve His temple?"

Lets look at the Lord's answer --->"But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, THEY SHALL COME NEAR TO ME TO MINISTER UNTO ME; and they shall STAND BEFORE ME to offer unto Me the fat and the blood."

Do we see the condition?

All ministry that can truly be called ministry "unto the Lord" are the ones drawing near to Him and standing before Him. See such ministry is confined to a certain place, "They shall enter into My sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table to minister unto Me."

Ministry that is "UNTO GOD" is in the INNER SANCTUARY, in the HIDDEN PLACE, ALONE WITH GOD, NOT IN THE OUTER COURT EXPOSED TO THE CROWD!"

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19

Let me say in grace and truth! Unless we really know what it is to draw near to God, we cannot know what it is to serve HIM!

I hunger and thirst after righteousness for many many years and I have listened to many many sermons. I will tell you I have heard the preacher say, "Ohhhhhhh God is in this church" "Ohhhhhh come Holy Spirit in this church." "Isn't wonderful to be in the house of God!" Come on now raise you hand if you have heard that!

That kind of preaching tells me it is impossible to stand afar off and still minister to Him. It is nothing but vain glory of the preacher acting like he knows God has decide to visit the service. I'll tell you some in vain glory have God on a leash and they have the ability to release Him any time they say "God bless you!"

We CANNOT serve HIM from a distance, weighed down by the activities of so called church services or even the activities of this WORLD.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

NOTICE we MUST worship God IN spirit and IN TRUTH! Notice the word "spirit" it is lower case which means YOU MUST WORSHIP GOD IN YOUR MOST INNER BEING .... I tell you God is in my place right now for I know the truth!

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 2 Corinthians 6:16

See in the outer court you approach the people; in the Holy Place you approach the Lord! It is only as we draw near to Him that we can minister to Him.

I love this quote and before I quote it I like you to think about this verse --->I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 1 Timothy 2:8 (you think we are to be walking around every where with our hands raised praying? Let the Spirit speak!)

QUOTE = Oft times we sing the old hymn, SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER, and it is a lie upon our lips for we haven't spent even a half hour in prayer in days. But everyone who ministers to the Lord knows the preciousness of such seasons in the secret place of His presence, the sweetness of lingering there in communion with Him. It need not be physically alone, BUT alone in the attitude of heart, the whole being lifted up unto Him, and flooded with His presence. And more and more as we learn what this means, our ministry unto Him becomes a PERPETUAL STATE OF MIND AND BEING, rather than a momentary exercise.

What the Father is showing the Royal Priesthood is that we LIVE AND WALK AND HAVE OUR BEING IN THE SPIRIT, the mind of the Father communicating unto us continual;ly, His nature ruling, His presence abiding.

I like to look at the "sons of Zadok" By the way Zadok means "righteous."

See we may think as many do, that these sons of Zadok, because they did not minister TO THE HOUSE, had no ministry whatever UNTO MEN.

NOT SO!

For the Lord had a further word for these sons of Zadok, and gave them this instruction: And when they go forth into the utter (outer) court, even into the utter court TO THE PEOPLE, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and THEY SHALL TEACH MY PEOPLE the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy THEY SHALL STAND IN JUDGEMENT (as judges); and they shall judge it according to My judgements." Ezekiel 44:19,23,24

Can we not see by this that their is NO PRIESTHOOD OF ANY ORDER which is excluded from the dual ministry which true priesthood embodies. To abolish either of these roles would be the destruction of the Priesthood itself.

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1 Corinthians 3:17

Quote =I love to read in Acts 13 about the Prophets and Teachers in the Church at Antioch, that 'as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said: Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.' We see there one principle that governs the work of God in the New Testament dispensation. The Holy Spirit only commissions men to the work AS THEY ARE MINISTERING TO THE LORD. Unless ministry to the Lord is the thing that governs us, the work will be in confusion.

See God DOES NOT WANT VOLUNTEERS FOR HIS WORK; HE CALLS THEM WITH A HOLY CALLING!

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:8

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” Exodus 4:10-12

Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ... 2 Timothy 1:9

For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” Exodus 19:5-6

Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, ... Proverbs 1:24-26

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11

God will NOT have any preach the gospel because they want to!

The work of the Lord is suffering serious damage today at the hands of so called men of God; IT LACKS THOSE WHO CAN SAY AS CHRIST DID: "He that sent me..."

Brothers and Sisters, for work of God is GOD'S OWN WORK, and one can not do the work unless called of God! Neither churches, nor missionary societies, nor evangelistic crusades do His work or even send men forth to do it.

The truth be seen "THE AUTHORITY TO COMMISSION MEN IS NOT IN THE HANDS OF MEN, BUT SOLELY IN THE HANDS OF GOD!"

Serving the Lord does not mean that we do not serve our fellow-men, but it does mean that all service to men has service to the Lord as its basis. IT IS SERVICE GODWARD THAT URGES US OUTMANWARD!

Time we see that the Priesthood is foundational to the outworking of His redemption and central to His plan of the ages.

The covenant of God still stands today--->Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be A PECULIAR TREASURE UNTO ME ABOVE ALL PEOPLE: for all the earth is mine: AND YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, AND A HOLY NATION. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Exodus 19:5,6

See and hear --->But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ... 1 Peter 2:9

See and hear --->And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:6

See and hear --->And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 5:10

See and hear --->Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

Oh the beloved of the Lord, come, let us now open our hearts and minds wide to Him. Come, and as we look upon this glorious ministry and its life-flow to ALL the families of the earth, let us yield ourselves unto God that He may work His wondrous work in our lives, bring us into such union with His Word (Jesus), the High Priest of our profession, that we become in the nature and authority His ROYAL-PRIESTHOOD in the earth!

The manifestation of the sons of God for which ALL creation is in travail is nothing more nor less than the FULL MANIFESTATION of God's fully developed and empowered body of KING-PRIESTS AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEK. Those called by a Holy calling unto this ministry and indeed, A PEOPLE FOR HIS PURPOSE!