“ The Importance of a Holy Priesthood”


BIBLE READING: Ezekiel 44-45
DISCUSSION                 
                As God further reveals this vision to Ezekiel of the future Temple, He has some special instructions to the Levites.  As we know, the Levities were the priests of the nation and were responsible for making sure that all the offerings and sacrifices of the people were being done in the appropriate way.  Even though these priests were ordained by God, there was still a possibility of them being corrupt and corrupting the entire process of the worship and sacrificial systems.  We have already seen from the history of the Israelites, from men like Nadab and Abhiu the sons of Eli, as well as Abijiah and Joel the sons of Samuel, that it was possible for the priesthood to be corrupt.  God wanted to make sure that the Levities understood the importance of holiness when it comes to conducting the sacrifices and the worship of the people.  In this vision that God is giving to Ezekiel of this new Temple, he takes Ezekiel 44.15-31 to remind them of the responsibility that rest upon them as being the go between to man and God.  These guidelines were to serve as a reminder of not only the holiness of God, but also of the holiness that He expected of His priests.  Today, each Christian fulfills the duty of a priest.  Peter says that we are a “royal priesthood” who serve under, what Hebrews called, our High Priest in Jesus.  Holiness is an important aspect of being these priests.  If we are to go into the presence of God to worship, it is vital that we understand the importance of being holy.  I Peter 1.15-16 tells us that we are to be holy as He is holy.  As we constantly seek to maintain this lifestyle of holiness, that should serve as some premaintenance to keep us from corrupting ourselves and those around us, which is what got the Israelites into captivity in the first place.
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