Light and Bread

I had mentioned previously that we are going through Leviticus in our Friday morning Bible study. One of the things that popped into my head while reading this section was the connection of the Levitical duties to Christians. Part of the priest’s daily routine was to care for the lampstand.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the children of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually. Outside the veil in the tabernacle of testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it burning from evening until morning before the Lord continually; it shall be an ordinance forever in your generations. Upon the pure lampstand, you shall burn the lamps before the Lord until morning.” (Lev 24:1–4)

The Lord restates an instruction given previously for the construction of the Tabernacle (Ex 27:20–21) that the lampstand was to shed light continuously, day and night. We can understand why light would need to be shone during daylight hours: when the priest went inside the Holy Place to perform duties, the light would keep him from stumbling. The reason for nocturnal use is not so obvious unless we understand that the light being given is God’s light: He has provided it for the priest to properly do his work. Therefore, because the light is God’s, it must shine perpetually, so the priest must attend to the lampstand daily to ensure the light never goes out. In a similar fashion, Christians are asked to do the same with the light of the Scriptures. God’s Word is a lamp and light (Ps 119:105), and while it is eternal, it needs our attention for effective use. True, nothing needs to be added in order for the light to shine; however, for it to shine in and through us during our priestly work, we need to daily spend time in its illumination that the light we work by and reflect does not dim or become extinguished.

The loaves on the table were the Lord’s provision that the priests would be nourished in their daily duties.

“You shall also take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it. Two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake. You shall set them as two deposits, six loaves in each deposit, on the pure table before the Lord. Then you shall put pure frankincense and salt on each deposit, that it may be on the bread for a memorial offering to the Lord. Every Sabbath day it shall be placed before the Lord continually, in the presence of the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. It shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat these things in a holy place; for this is most holy to him from the things sacrificed to the Lord, as a perpetual ordinance.” (Lev 24:5–9)

Here, too, we find another type of Scripture. Once each week we are called to ensure the bread supply for the week. The Christian needs to be fed regularly in order to go about his duties as part of the priesthood. What God has revealed nourishes us as we take it in throughout each day, so that it works to be the gladness and joy of our hearts (Jer 15:16).

While I agree that these furnishings point ultimately to Christ as the Light of the World and Bread of Life; yet, it is the Scriptures that speak of Christ, and through them, we know Him.

Blood and Body, Sprinkling and Washing

I recently heard a good message on Hebrews 10:19–25, and it spurred thoughts on blood, body, and water as they apply to the Christian life.

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God,… (Heb 10:19–21)

Notice that Jesus provided two things that give access. The first was His precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot by which we were redeemed (see 1 Pet 1:19). He completed the sin offering necessary on the Day of Atonement wherein the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the Holy Place (Lev 16:16) and to carry away the transgressions and sins of His chosen people (Lev 16:21). Second, instead of a heavy veil or curtain preventing us from God’s very presence, we have a new and living way in Jesus’ flesh that parallels entrance by His blood, so that what had been accomplished some 2000 years ago continues unabated, allowing us priestly access as we take the Lord’s Supper “which is the medicine of immortality, and the antidote to prevent us from dying, but that we should live forever in Jesus Christ” (Ignatius of Antioch, To the Ephesians 20).

… let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Heb 10:22)

Because of what our Lord Jesus accomplished, the writer encouraged his audience to draw near, to complete the full function of their priesthood. Notice the application of sprinkling and washing. These are taken from the consecration ritual for the priests, further connecting us to our new office and duty. Before the priest could properly enter into his role, he needed to be prepared by the Lord. This included washing with water (Lev 8:6) and the sprinkling of blood mixed with anointing oil (Lev 8:30). These both point to the work of the Holy Spirit. In baptism, we receive “the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Tit 3:5), thus fulfilling what God had promised:

I shall sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be cleansed from all your uncleanness, and I will also cleanse you from all your idols. I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I shall take the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I shall put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My requirements, and you will keep My judgments and do them. (Ezek 36:25–27)

By virtue of God’s consecrating and purifying work, we have both a right and duty to continually come before Him and live out our priesthood. How?

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.
Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works (Heb 10:23–24)

We have been qualified as a royal and holy priesthood (1 Pet 2:5, 9). Let us go on as those who serve in the face of the living God.

Hearts Sprinkled; Bodies Washed

In recent years I have changed my position on baptism from something done to show what was spiritually accomplished at an earlier time to being the defining moment for identification with Christ. Why? Simply put, Scripture refers to baptism as the active agent (cf. Rom 6:1–4, Col 2:11–14, 1 Pet 3:21–22 Acts 2:28; 22:16). There are also passages like Titus 3:4–7 that do not reference baptism by name, but clearly bring out what is being done through washing. For years I had been taught to spiritualize this text because of the preconception that baptism is for making your faith public—which it does—but a good lexicon will tell you it refers to a ceremonial religious washing with H₂O. A few months ago, my attention was drawn to another example of washing that I had previously read and spiritualized.

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Heb 10:19–22)

Access to God had previously been restricted to the priesthood, and only the High Priest could enter the Holiest, and only on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:11–16). Since Jesus, in His high-priestly office, applied His precious blood on the heavenly mercy seat as the full final atonement, all believers, in their vocation as a priesthood, have gained access.

While the people were consecrated corporately as a chosen people through the sprinkling of blood and the Word of God (Exod 24:3–8), priests were consecrated individually (Exod 29:1–37) with their primary duty being the daily service (Exod 29:38–46). Part of the consecration rite involved the following actions:

Bodies washed

And Aaron and his sons you shall bring to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall wash them with water. (Exod 29:4)

Blood sprinkled

And you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar, and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and on his garments, on his sons and on the garments of his sons with him; and he and his garments shall be hallowed, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him. (Exod 29:21)

The parallels should be obvious: as the Levitical priests were washed with water and sprinkled with blood, in similar fashion, believers receive the same consecration for priestly service—though with a difference. The Mosaic covenant stipulated that Aaron and his sons were sprinkled with blood so that it spattered on their garments, whereas the author of Hebrews speaks of application on the heart, turning what had been a physical act to one that is spiritual. Since Christ was the last sacrifice, the blood would need to be Divinely applied. One might think that the washing is also solely spiritual in nature, however, the writer is careful to specify that their washing had been with actual water. Had he intended the communicate solely the spiritual, we might have expected “washing with the Holy Spirit” or some such wording. As written, we must conclude that water is used, and that the Holy Spirit is actively involved in the transaction in order to give the full sanctifying and consecrating effect as Cyril of Jerusalem instructs:

For since man is of twofold nature, soul and body, the purification also is twofold, the one incorporeal for the incorporeal part, and the other bodily for the body: the water cleanses the body, and the Spirit seals the soul; that we may draw near unto God, having our heart sprinkled by the Spirit, and our body washed with pure water. When going down, therefore, into the water, think not of the bare element, but look for salvation by the power of the Holy Ghost: for without both you cannot possibly be made perfect. (“On Baptism,” Catechetical Lectures III.4)

The author of Hebrews used this association to the priest in order to build the case that these believers stood in a unique position with a holy vocation that their past life in Judaism could never afford: the recipients had the holy privilege of open access to God’s presence, so they should not lose heart and return to Judaism but persevere in their adversity. To do so, he recounts what has been accomplished in them through working of each Person of the Godhead, demonstrating how each part of the work stands within redemptive history as it was promised to His people and fulfilled in Christ. To turn back now would be paramount to unbelief and God’s wrath, but the writer was confident that they would remember their baptisms and confidently continue in the faith they had received.

An Unexpected Gift

Have you ever received a gift that caused you to stop and think about the giver.  These vary in shape, size, and worth.  A familiar form comes at the naming of a child, wherein parents consider several options that are important to them as a way of bequeathing something special to the child.  For, instance, my first and middle names came through my parents’ maternal great-grandfathers’ middle names.  I consider that a cherished heirloom and blessing.  There are other gifts that come as a mixed blessing or even a burden.  At the time, we may question the purpose of the gift or the motive of the giver, but we accept it grudgingly and discover later that the gift was far more precious and appropriate than first expected.

The people of God had been rocked with multiple instances of rebellion against God’s order:

• Aaron and Miriam sought share in the prophetic office with Moses. (Num 12)
• Ten spies gave a bad report of the Land of Promise, so the people chose not to enter. (Num 13)
• When God told the people that generation would not see the Land, they attempted to enter anyway. (Num 14)
• Korah, Dathan, and On sought to share in the leadership of Israel. (Num 16:1–40)
• Each of these ended with God’s righteous discipline against the instigators, after which the people grumbled again resulting in more discipline. (Num 16:41–49)

Finally, the Lord set up a sign whereby all would know which house would serve Him in the priestly ministry: Aaron’s rod budded.  By this time everybody had learned their lessons—so much so that the people were afraid of YHWH’s presence among them:

So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish!  Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lᴏʀᴅ must die.  Shall we all utterly die?” (Num 17:12–13)

To quell the people’s fear, Aaron and his sons were given a divine gift of greatest import:

Then the Lᴏʀᴅ said to Aaron: “You and your sons and your father’s house with you shall bear the iniquity related to the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity associated with your priesthood.… Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve.  I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.” (Num 18:1, 7)

Stop and soak that in.  Aaron’s tribe alone carried the burden of iniquity for the sanctuary and the priesthood.  No other person need fear for their safety because they will not come into the Lord’s presence.  However, this does place on the shoulders of Aaron’s tribe the sole ability to come before the Lord, so that they were the sole mediators representing men to God.  They alone could touch the holy things, offer the appointed sacrifices, and pronounce a declaration of cleanness or absolution of guilt.  You can see, then, that both great responsibility and authority come together in this gift.

When Jesus came into this world and completed the work given Him by the Father to do, He fulfilled all that was limited in the Aaronic priesthood and sacrifices—their scope and nature—by virtue of His all-sufficient atoning death.  What Aaron and his sons could never complete in their service of bearing iniquity, our Lord Jesus took upon Himself as the ultimate High Priest.  This work was the Father’s gift of service delivered to and gladly received by the Son in the eternal counsels of the Godhead.  Jesus continues His High Priestly work ever interceding before the Father on our behalf (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25).

Believers now are a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:4–5, 9–10), having been adopted as sons and coheirs, and are in right standing to come before God presenting spiritual sacrifices.  In the same way as the old priesthood, we now are called to intercede on behalf of our brethren.  Within the framework of the Aaronic priesthood, most of the offerings allowed a portion for the priest to eat.  Whether someone came because of guilt from a sin or trespass, or from gratitude for what the Lord had done for him, the priest received nourishment through the work of intercession.  In like manner, Christians now are nourished within their worship, whether through confession and absolution of sin or feeding on the body and blood of Jesus as true food and true drink (John 6:53–58).

Besides the corporate aspect, we also find it individually as believers share in one another’s burdens (Gal 6:1–2).  We pray for each one before the Lord for His loving-kindness and righteous dealings.  If there is sin, seek repentance and confession that forgiveness and reconciliation might be given.  If there is a burden to bear, bear it as well.  If a burden is released, enter into their joy.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep (Rom 12:15).

We can see, then, that the work of believers to intercede on behalf of one another is not grievous but a great endowment from a most generous Benefactor.  As a priesthood, we are privileged to have access before the throne of grace, both corporately and individually, to “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16) for our mutual nourishment that the whole body might be built up in Him.

Kings, Priests, and Promises

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lᴏʀᴅ, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely.  And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lᴏʀᴅ is our righteousness.”

For thus says the Lᴏʀᴅ: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices forever.

The word of the Lᴏʀᴅ came to Jeremiah: Thus says the Lᴏʀᴅ: If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night will not come at their appointed time, then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests my ministers.  As the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the offspring of David my servant, and the Levitical priests who minister to me.  (Je 33:14-22)

At the time of the prophet Jeremiah, Babylon was besieging Jerusalem. Both as comfort in the face of fear and uncertainty, as well as promising a future, God reaffirms to His people the offices of king and priest.  He had made a covenant with David (2 Sa 7:12-16) guaranteeing that his throne would endure forever as confirmation of Jacob’s prophetic blessing.

The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
    nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
    and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.  (Ge 49:10)

Those promises, made centuries apart, were still effective, though not yet realized.  Now, at the brink of national destruction, the people would be questioning whether or not the covenants were still valid.  An invading army would soon breach the walls and carry off the people to a strange land.  Where was the future?  In this scenario, the Lord reaffirms His word.  The promises of rule and priesthood are as certain as the covenant of day and night (Ge 8:22), possibly inferring that the offices were more certain than natural order.

The affirmation through Jeremiah of the Davidic rule is remarkable for at least three reasons:

Given to both Israel and Judah – Israel had been taken into Assyrian captivity approximately 125 years prior, yet here the covenant was restated with both halves in full share of what would come.  What was cut off will be restored.

Righteous Branch – A righteous one will reign, even one more righteous than “the man after God's own heart.”  David was a sinner, though accounted righteous for his faith.  The coming King will be greater in every way because of His intrinsic righteousness.  No sin will be found in Him.

A name – How many cities and nations do you know that can rightfully accept the name “The Lᴏʀᴅ our righteous”?  At that time, the Lord will dwell among His people, and He shall be their God.  The Righteous One will be among a righteous people that He pronounced clean and holy by virtue of Christ’s shed blood.

For these promises to come to pass, it seems that God Himself would need to undertake the mission.  But that’s the point.  The coming messiah, who will establish David’s throne forever, will be God in flesh.  He is the only one worthy and able to fulfill the task.

What about the priesthood?  Looking at the passage, we have an odd remix of the Mosaic code that deserves some investigation.

No atonement sacrifices – No Sin or Guilt offerings are mentioned, as well as the lack of the Day of Atonement.  The reason for these omissions should be self-evident: the time of restoration will be when sin and guilt are removed.  Jesus, doing what animal bloodshed could not do, has become the last atoning sacrifice by taking on Himself all sin and paying the price of redemption in full on our behalf.  Nothing is left to accomplish.

Lack of high priest – The high priest was required to perform specific duties, especially on the Day of Atonement, but he is missing.  Jesus became our high priest after the order of Melchizedek.  He continues forever in this role in the beauty of holiness, bearing us before the Father on His heart and shoulders, ever representing man to God and God to man.

Continual sacrifices – Burnt offerings, grain offerings, and miscellaneous sacrifices take place.  How is this possible?  If Jesus is the final sacrifice, how can any remain?  The answer seems to be in accepting these as typological rather than literal.  The offerings and sacrifices mentioned were sweet savor and other freewill offerings.  Rather than slain animals, they are our worship and obedience as the Lord Jesus rules over us.  This will be the overflow of gratitude, similar to that worship pictured in the book of Revelation, for whatever comes from the Father, having humble acceptance and full assurance that it is both good and perfect.

Continuing Levitical priesthood – There is a priesthood that remains.  As our Lord Jesus became a high priest after another, better order, so we are a holy, royal priesthood according to that order, replacing what could not be fulfilled by the Levitical priesthood.  The new priesthood is unending as we continually are ministering before God, having received Him as our inheritance.

As mentioned, there was a temptation by those in Jerusalem and Judah to lose hope and turn their backs on these certainties—basically giving up on God.  Any who did were rejected by the Lord.  These are precious promises.  Similarly, the writer of Hebrews also warns to not turn back from promises made certain by the Lord of glory and expressed in clear testimony.  God is faithful.  Let us run with endurance.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  (He 12:1-2)

Messiah's Priesthood

For by this statement, "The Lord has sworn, and will not repent: You are a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek," with an oath God has shown Him (on account of your unbelief) to be the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek; i.e., as Melchizedek was described by Moses as the priest of the Most High, and he was a priest of those who were in uncircumcision, and blessed the circumcised Abraham who brought him tithes, so God has shown that His everlasting Priest, called also by the Holy Spirit Lord, would be Priest of those in uncircumcision.  Those too in circumcision who approach Him, that is, believing Him and seeking blessings from Him, He will both receive and bless.  And that He shall be first humble as a man, and then exalted, these words at the end of the Psalm show: "He shall drink of the brook in the way," and then, "Therefore shall He lift up the head."

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 33

Prepared for Priesthood

For just as that Jesus (Joshua),* called by the prophet a priest, evidently had on filthy garments …, and is called a brand plucked out of the fire, because he had received remission of sins when the devil that resisted him was rebuked; even so we, who through the name of Jesus have believed as one man in God the Maker of all, have been stripped, through the name of His first-begotten Son, of the filthy garments, i.e., of our sins; and being vehemently inflamed by the word of His calling, we are the true high priestly race of God, as even God Himself bears witness, saying that in every place among the Gentiles sacrifices are presented to Him well-pleasing and pure.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 116

* Zechariah 3:1-10.