Understand Who We Were to Know Who We Are

Under the Mosaic Law God instituted a class of people called Priests. There were lessor priests and one great High Priest. The Priests served to administer the Law that God gave to Moses. They performed this by teaching the people the Law and by administering both the moral and ceremonial components of the Law.

Among these things were the appeasement of God through animal sacrifices to him. The lessor priests administered the ordinary sacrifices for the people but the High Priest administered a special sacrifice for the people once a year. He did this by entering the most holy of holy places in the Jewish Temple once a year with a blood sacrifice.

Fast forward to New Testament times. Jesus is now both our King and High Priest. However his priesthood descended from a character named Melchizedek which was superior to the Priesthood that descended from Moses’ brother Aaron. He too enters the most “Holy of holy places” with a blood sacrifice. However he doesn’t enter into a man made temple with animal blood he enters into Heaven itself to give his own blood directly to Jehovah God. A sacrifice which is so excellent that mankind can come closer to God than they ever have (historically).

In addition, the “lessor priests” who at one time offered a blood sacrifice for the people on a daily basis are now ordinary followers of Christ. There is no longer a spiritual class distinction among God’s people. We, as Christians, are all priests. We no longer offer up blood sacrifices but instead offer up spiritual sacrifices… our own lives (like Jesus) that sacrifice for the benefit of others.

“As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:8-9.

Let’s understand who we are and where we came from that we might serve better.