348. GOD’S REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRIESTHOOD

(The Abundant Life Series – Batch 5)

Under the Old Covenant that God had with the children of Israel, he required Aaron, his sons and those who would later come from their Levitical lineage (descendants), to serve in the priest’s office. In Exodus 28:1 therefore, he commanded Moses:

“And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.”

In Exodus 40:12-15, he further instructed:

“And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”

To serve in the priestly office therefore, Aaron and his sons had to first be washed with water, holy garments put on them, they had to be anointed and sanctified.

Today, under the New Covenant, God has made all of his children, which are those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ by faith and are commonly known as Christians, priests unto him. There is no longer the requirement therefore for persons from the Levitical lineage to serve as priests unto him, on behalf of the people. Each and every bona-fide believer in the Lord Jesus Christ are now priests.

In reference to such persons, the scriptures state:

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ…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 2:5,9)

In Revelation 1:4-6, it also reads:

“John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Although (1) the instructions given to Moses by God under the Old Covenant were conveyed hundreds of years ago and (2) the office of priests is no longer restricted to those of the Levitical tribe but is now occupied by every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is important to note that God has not changed. In Malachi 3:6, he rightly stated of himself through his Prophet, “For I am the Lord, I change not.” In Hebrews 13:8, it also stated of Jesus, who is God the Son, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

God’s unchanging nature is clearly evident in the scriptures. For example, in Exodus 40:12-15 which we looked at earlier, there were requirements for those who were to serve in the priesthood under the Old Covenant. Of Aaron, it says that:

(1) To serve as a priest, he had to be WASHED

God instructed “And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water…”

Similarly today, to become a Christian, to be adopted into God’s royal family and to serve as a priest unto him, Christians are required to be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. Acts 22:16 therefore states, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

Of believers, the New Testament scriptures also state:

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Titus 3:5)

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” Ephesians 5:25-26

(2) To serve as a priest, he had to PUT ON HOLY GARMENTS

The scripture we looked at in Exodus states “And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments…”

Aaron and his sons could not therefore enter into the holy place without these holy garments which were made according to God’s specific instructions. Similarly, Christians today are clothed in God’s garments of salvation, which grants us access to heaven. We cannot enter this holy place without it.

This is also according to God’s specific instruction in that the holy garments of salvation can only be obtained by believing that God raised Jesus Christ his Son from the dead and confessing with the mouth that he is truly Lord. Romans 10:9-10 states:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Acts 4:12 therefore states of Jesus, who truthfully declared of himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6), ^“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

In Isaiah 61:10 it prophetically reads of Christians, which are those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ in their hearts, confessed with their mouth the truth that indeed he is Lord and have therefore been clothed with God’s righteous and holy garments of salvation:

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

Of the importance of putting on these holy garments before gaining access to the holy place and God’s presence, Jesus gave a parable in Matthew 22:1-3 and 8-13. This was in reference to what had occurred with the Israelites who had rejected God under the Old Testament and the Gentiles that he then graciously turned to in the New Testament and invited into his kingdom. Through the parable, Jesus highlighted the importance and necessity of being clothed in the garments of salvation, in order to be allowed access into God’s heaven, which he likens to a wedding. He stated:

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come…Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Although the man was clearly called to the wedding therefore, it was clear that he and other guests had to wear a special wedding garment in order to gain access. However, while other guests were clothed in this garment, this man for whatever reason, was not and so was put out.

He may have been clothed in some other garment or apparel but not the one that was required and approved of for access to the wedding. Similarly, people will not be allowed into God’s heaven and in his presence without the holy garments of his choice, which is salvation through Jesus Christ his Son. Some futilely seek to clothe themselves in their good works, church attendance, activities that they claim to be doing for God and so on, thinking that these are sufficient to grant them a place in heaven. However, all of these “garments” outside of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ the Lord are unacceptable to God. Isaiah 64:6 says of our efforts to clothe ourselves, even as Adam and Eve futilely sought to hide their nakedness in Genesis 3:7 after they had sinned, by sewing fig leaves together to create aprons for themselves:

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all out righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

In similar fashion to the parable Jesus gave of the man found among the guests to not be attired in the required garment, in Zephaniah 1:7-8, God’s prophet stated, by inspiration from God:

“Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.“

(3) To serve as a priest, he had to be ANOINTED

Aaron and his sons could not serve as priests unto God under the Old Covenant, unless they has been anointed. In Exodus, God told Moses:

“And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”

Similarly today, those who believe on the Lord Jesus and have made a profession of faith with by confessing that Jesus is Lord with their lips, must also be anointed, not by man but by God, in order to acceptably serve as priests unto him. This is faithfully done by God the Spirit, through the regenerative work that takes place, when a person puts his or her trust in Christ Jesus.

The scriptures therefore state of believers:

“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (1 John 2:27)

“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God.” (2 Corinthians 1:21

“But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20)

(4) To serve as a priest, he had to be SANCTIFIED

Aaron and his sons had to also be sanctified, which also means cleansed and justified. The scripture in Exodus where God gave the instructions therefore clearly reads:

“And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office….”

In the same vein, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ today, who form the body of Christ called the Church are not just washed, clothed in the holy garments of salvation and anointed but they are also sanctified by God (positionally) and continue to be sanctified day by day.

The scriptures therefore state in relation to them:

“Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” (Hebrews 13:12)

“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)

“Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”. (1 Corinthians 1:2)

(5) In serving as a priest, his purpose was to MINISTER

God had a purpose in mind and an important role for Aaron and his sons in their serving as priests. It was not for pomp, pride or prestige but they were to minister unto him. In Exodus 28:1 therefore, he commanded Moses “And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office…” In Exodus 40:12-15, he further instructed “And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office…”

Similarly, Christians who have been made a royal priesthood, have a ministering role which they are to engage in to bring glory to God. They have been given different spiritual gifts by God and have different talents, resources and means but God expects each and every single one of them to be involved in ministry and to use what he has given to them in this regard.

Ministering is two-fold, in that on the one hand, believers are expected to minister unto their fellow brothers and sisters (other Christians) where applicable, whether this be through edification, earthly provision to those in need, provoking or motivating them unto good works, rebuking them when need be in love, aiming to restore those who have backslidden back to fellowship, encouragement and support in adversity, in areas of weakness and so on. On the other hand, they are expected to promote the Lordship of Jesus Christ to persons who have not yet been saved and are therefore unbelievers and lost. In so doing, those that believe from the gospel they preach, then become washed, clothed in the garments of salvation, anointed and sanctified, also unto the same ministering purpose. This is called the winning of souls for God and Proverbs 11:30 declares, “…he that winneth souls is wise.”

Of the Christian’s ministering purpose as priests unto God, the scriptures state:

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:10)

^“Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.” (Ephesians 3:7)

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; (2 Corinthians 4:1)

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

“But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)

(Written on 29^th September, 29^th October, 2025, and added to thereafter)