Priesthood of the Firstborn

[8thdaypriest]

I just came to this realization the other day, and wanted to share it. 

The coming One would be LIKE Melchizedek - who was a king as well as a priest.

I've been asking HOW Jesus could be a priest AND a king.  He was a "son of David".  That's how He can be king - of Israel.  But what about the priesthood?

BEFORE Mount Sinai, the priesthood was inherited by the firstborn, along with a "double portion". 

At Mount Sinai, because of the golden calf incident, the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi and specifically Aaron and his descendants. 

THAT was a CHANGE of the priesthood!  The LORD changed the priesthood. 

I believe that - because of what Jesus did - God CHANGED it BACK - to the priesthood of the "firstborn".  And THAT is how Jesus can be a priest as well as a king.

If I am headed to Walmart (13 miles away) I make several turns.  I turn left, then right, then right again, then left.  My turns do NOT mean that I changed destination.  Neither do God's "turns". 

Jesus IS a "firstborn".  He was the "firstborn" son of Mary/Joseph, but more than that.  He was God's "firstborn". 

Colossians 1:15 "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."

So - what about our priesthood?

Exodus 4:22 "Then you shall say to Pharaoh,`Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn. (NKJ)

We are "grafted in" to Israel - by faith in Jesus (Rom. 11).  Right?  Which means we ARE the LORD's "firstborn" - which means we inherit the priesthood (with Christ), along with a "double portion".

The LORD said to ALL Israel, "You will be to Me, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exo 19:6).  This was the LORD's "destination".  The golden calf, caused a detour. 

Peter wrote, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1Pe 2:9 NIV)

Is this not confirmed in the prophecy of Isaiah?

Isaiah 61:3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion [grieve over sin]-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. 5 Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. 6 And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. 7 Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. 8 "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed." (NIV)

Levite/Aaronic priests did NOT receive a "double portion" - or for that matter - ANY inheritance "in the land".  The LORD was to be "their portion".  This passage is NOT describing Levite/Aaronic priests. 

According to Revelation 20:6, everyone who has part in the "first resurrection"  "will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him a thousand years". 

 

 

 

 

 

[JoeMo]

20 hours ago, 8thdaypriest said:

We are "grafted in" to Israel - by faith in Jesus (Rom. 11).  Right?  Which means we ARE the LORD's "firstborn" - which means we inherit the priesthood (with Christ), along with a "double portion".

I agree that we Gentile believers are grafted into Israel and will inherit the Kingdom.  However, I can't help but suspect that ethnic Israel could somehow hold a special classification in the Kingdom.

Those who accept preterism and supersessionism (replacement theology) as "Gospel" need to seriously reconsider their worldview.  Christian Gentiles did not "replace" Israel as God's chosen people, we were "allowed" in by the grace of God.  The future everlasting King of the universe will be a Jew; and will sit on David's (who was also a Jew) throne.  We will keep feast days and Sabbath; and will obey all that the Lord has commanded (those commandments being given to us through Israel).

[8thdaypriest]

Believers "grafted in".    Unbelievers "broken off" ("cut off").   SIMPLE.   What is finally left - will BE Israel redeemed. 

Which is WHY Paul said, "thus all Israel will be saved".  

Jesus does not become King BECAUSE He is a Jew, or because He is a son of David.  David had many sons. 

Jesus will become king BECAUSE He triumphed over Satan and sin.  He fulfilled the covenant perfectly, and thus will inherit the promises of the covenant. 

We inherit IF we belong to Him - regardless of DNA descent. 

As for "prominent positions" - I seriously doubt those will be based on DNA descent.  Only 3 of the men who left Egypt, crossed into the promised land - Caleb, Joshua, and Eleazar the High Priest.

 

[8thdaypriest]

Christians who were burned as human torches, and thrown to lions in the arena, or beheaded by ISIS, would be placed in LOWER positions simply because they didn't have the right DNA. 

I can't believe that. 

[JoeMo]

1 hour ago, 8thdaypriest said:

I can't believe that. 

That's okay.  Either way, if I make it to the Kingdom, I will be Okay with however God wants to do it.  One of the things that makes eschatology such an interesting subject is that we don't really "know" how prophecy will unfold, we can only conjecture until it actually unfolds.  One thing I am sure of - God did not permanently replace Israel with Christianity  (i.e., replacement theology or "supersessionism" is wrong).

[8thdaypriest]

2 hours ago, JoeMo said:

God did not permanently replace Israel with Christianity  (i.e., replacement theology or "supersessionism" is wrong).

I AGREE Joe.  Why would you think that I believe in "replacement theology" ?  Were you writing your reply to me, or to others reading this thread?

The TREE is still the TREE.  Some (not all) of the branches have been "cut off", and some new branches have been "grafted in" - but it's STILL God's TREE.  

And the name of the TREE is "Israel".  

The name of the TREE is not "Christians". 

[8thdaypriest]

I have been searching for an answer to Hebrew Roots teachers, who say that Jesus CANNOT ever be a priest on this earth. 

I believe HE can be - and will be - just like Melchizedek, who was a priest and a king - on the earth. 

The Hebrew Roots folks say that God never changes, and that HE will never change any command that He has ever spoken.  If they are right, then Jesus CANNOT BE a priest on earth - like Melchizedek.

That is why I want to study - very carefully - exactly what HE said.  Was the covenant, the command, or the promise conditional or unconditional? 

The promise to Abraham was unconditional.  Abraham's SEED would inherit "the land".  That promise passed through many generations before finding fulfillment - in Christ. 

Same for the promise to David, that a son of His would rule over Israel forever.  (Israel would have to EXIST forever, for David's son to rule Israel forever - for the promise to be true.) 

The priesthood was NOT unconditional.  Their consecration involved a "blood covenant".  A "blood covenant" is NOT unconditional, unless - as with Abraham - only the LORD Himself were to take the oath by passing "through the pieces". 

[JoeMo]

14 hours ago, 8thdaypriest said:

Why would you think that I believe in "replacement theology" ?

I DON'T think you believe in replacement theology, Rachel!  You are one of the people who moved me to look at literal and spiritual Israel as the chosen people of the Kingdom; which I now wholeheartedly accept. I apologize for leaving that impression.  That statement should have been a separate paragraph.  It was meant to all in general - not for you.

You had asked me about Joel Richardson's opinion about Gentiles in the Kingdom.  I infer from his book "When a Jew Rules the World that Gentiles are indeed part of Israel. I also infer that because Jesus was an ethnic Jew; because the throne of David is a representation of the united ethnic Israelite kingdom, and because the sons of Israel and apostles of Christ were ethnic Israelites, that at least these ethnic Israelites hold a higher office than us Gentiles.