GOD tells Moses, to tell the children of ISRAEL:
Exodus 19:5
King James Version
5 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:
Finally, I understood.
Why God wanted ISRAEL to be a HOLY nation.
Thanks to the HOLY SPIRIT, I was led to the uncontestable verse:
Exodus 19:6
King James Version
6 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.
No wonder, the Levites.
No wonder, God kept telling Israel:
Leviticus 11:45
King James Version
45 For I am the Lord that bringeth you
up out of the land of Egypt,
to be your God:
ye shall therefore be holy,
for I am holy.
Leviticus 20:7
King James Version
7 Sanctify yourselves therefore,
and be ye holy:
for I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 20:26
King James Version
26 And ye shall be holy unto me:
for I the Lord am holy,
and have severed you from other people,
that ye should be mine.
No wonder, Abraham needed the blessing of Melchizedek, the "priest of the most high God".
Genesis 14:18-20
King James Version
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem
brought forth bread and wine:
and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him,
and said,
Blessed be Abram of the most high God,
possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God,
which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.
And he gave him tithes of all.
But because man had a problem being holy, the LORD JESUS descended from heaven.
He was called the "great high priest".
Hebrews 4:14-16
King James Version
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest,
that is passed into the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.
High priests were ordained, and "called of God".
Hebrews 5:1-4
King James Version
5 For every high priest taken from among men
is ordained for men
in things pertaining to God,
that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant,
and on them that are out of the way;
for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason hereof he ought,
as for the people, so also for himself,
to offer for sins.
4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself,
but he that is called of God,
as was Aaron.
Thus, the LORD JESUS glorified not Himself, but was ordained by the FATHER, to be a "priest forever after the order of Melchisedec".
Hebrews 5:5-8
King James Version
5 So also Christ glorified not himself
to be made an high priest;
but he that said unto him,
Thou art my Son,
to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place,
Thou art a priest for ever
after the order of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days of his flesh,
when he had offered up prayers and supplications
with strong crying and tears
unto him that was able to save him from death,
and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son,
yet learned he obedience
by the things which he suffered;
For which, JESUS became the "author of eternal salvation".
Hebrews 5:9-10
King James Version
9 And being made perfect,
he became the author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey him;
10 Called of God an high priest
after the order of Melchisedec.
Scripture describes Melchisedec, and the Levitical priesthood, through these verses.
Hebrews 7:1-10
King James Version
7 For this Melchisedec,
king of Salem,
priest of the most high God,
who met Abraham returning
from the slaughter of the kings,
and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all;
first being by interpretation King of righteousness,
and after that also King of Salem,
which is,
King of peace;
3 Without father,
without mother,
without descent,
having neither beginning of days,
nor end of life;
but made like unto the Son of God;
abideth a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was,
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham
gave the tenth of the spoils.
5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi,
who receive the office of the priesthood,
have a commandment to take tithes of the people
according to the law,
that is,
of their brethren,
though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them
received tithes of Abraham,
and blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction
the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men that die receive tithes;
but there he receiveth them,
of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so say,
Levi also,
who receiveth tithes,
payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father,
when Melchisedec met him.
Because man's ways were not perfect, GOD had to send PERFECTION Himself -- His SON, JESUS.
Hebrews 7:11-18
King James Version
11 If therefore perfection were
by the Levitical priesthood,
(for under it the people received the law,)
what further need was there that another priest
should rise after the order of Melchisedec,
and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For the priesthood being changed,
there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
13 For he of whom these things are spoken
pertaineth to another tribe,
of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda;
of which tribe Moses spake nothing
concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet far more evident:
for that after the similitude of Melchisedec
there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made,
not after the law of a carnal commandment,
but after the power of an endless life.
17 For he testifieth,
Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18 For there is verily
a disannulling of the commandment going before
for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
In JESUS -- and His NEW TESTAMENT -- lies our hope for eternal life.
Hebrews 7:19-28
King James Version
19 For the law made nothing perfect,
but the bringing in of a better hope did;
by the which we draw nigh unto God.
20 And inasmuch as not without an oath
he was made priest:
21 (For those priests were made without an oath;
but this with an oath by him that said unto him,
The Lord sware and will not repent,
Thou art a priest for ever
after the order of Melchisedec:)
22 By so much was Jesus made a surety
of a better testament.
23 And they truly were many priests,
because they were not suffered to continue
by reason of death:
24 But this man,
because he continueth ever,
hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them
to the uttermost that come unto God by him,
seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest became us,
who is holy,
harmless,
undefiled,
separate from sinners,
and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not daily,
as those high priests,
to offer up sacrifice,
first for his own sins,
and then for the people's:
for this he did once,
when he offered up himself.
28 For the law maketh men high priests
which have infirmity;
but the word of the oath,
which was since the law,
maketh the Son,
who is consecrated for evermore.
This PERFECT PRIEST, also became the PERFECT trespass OFFERING, for all our sins.
As man, He did not come from the priestly tribe of Levi.
Hebrews 7:14
King James Version
14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda;
of which tribe Moses spake nothing
concerning priesthood.
And yet, JESUS, the SON of GOD -- a "minister of the sanctuary" -- was to be the PATTERN for ALL priests, as ordained by GOD.
Hebrews 8:1-5
King James Version
8 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum:
We have such an high priest,
who is set on the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty in the heavens;
2 A minister of the sanctuary,
and of the true tabernacle,
which the Lord pitched,
and not man.
3 For every high priest is ordained
to offer gifts and sacrifices:
wherefore it is of necessity that this man
have somewhat also to offer.
4 For if he were on earth,
he should not be a priest,
seeing that there are priests that offer gifts
according to the law:
5 Who serve unto the example and shadow
of heavenly things,
as Moses was admonished of God
when he was about to make the tabernacle: for,
See, saith he,
that thou make all things
according to the pattern shewed to thee
in the mount.
But there's more.
On the day GOD appoints, His holy city -- the new JERUSALEM -- shall come down from heaven, that tabernacle will now be with men.
Revelation 21:3
King James Version
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,
Behold,
the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he will dwell with them,
and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them,
and be their God.
And all sorrow will be no more.
Revelation 21:4
King James Version
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow,
nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.
On that day, there will be no more need of a temple.
Revelation 21:22
King James Version
22 And I saw no temple therein:
for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb
are the temple of it.
No wonder, we are asked to be holy.
For, we shall be in the PRESENCE of GOD, and the LAMB.
Revelation 21:27
King James Version
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it
any thing that defileth,
neither whatsoever worketh abomination,
or maketh a lie:
but they which are written
in the Lamb's book of life.
With the proper warnings given.
Revelation 22:11-12
King James Version
11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still:
and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still:
and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still:
and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12 And, behold,
I come quickly;
and my reward is with me,
to give every man according as his work shall be.
No wonder, JESUS, the great high priest, warned the SEVEN churches:
Revelation 22:16-17
King James Version
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you
these things in the churches.
I am the root and the offspring of David,
and the bright and morning star.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say,
Come.
And let him that heareth say,
Come.
And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will,
let him take the water of life freely.
Related material:
The LAMB of GOD as trespass OFFERING
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