Topical Bible: Christian Minister: Priests and Levites

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The roles of priests and Levites are integral to the religious and communal life of ancient Israel, as outlined in the Old Testament. These roles were established by God to maintain the spiritual and ceremonial order among His people. The tribe of Levi was set apart for specific religious duties, with the priesthood being a subset within this tribe.

The Tribe of Levi

The Levites were descendants of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. God chose the tribe of Levi to serve in the tabernacle and later in the temple, as a replacement for the firstborn of Israel, who were originally consecrated to Him (Numbers 3:12-13). The Levites were not given a territorial inheritance like the other tribes; instead, their inheritance was the Lord Himself and the tithes and offerings of the people (Numbers 18:20-24).

Duties of the Levites

The Levites had various responsibilities, including assisting the priests, maintaining the tabernacle (and later the temple), and teaching the Law to the people. They were divided into different families, each with specific tasks. For example, the Kohathites were responsible for the care of the sanctuary's most sacred objects (Numbers 4:4-15), while the Gershonites and Merarites had duties related to the tabernacle's structure and coverings (Numbers 4:21-33).

The Priesthood

The priesthood was a specific office within the tribe of Levi, descending from Aaron, the brother of Moses. Aaron and his sons were anointed as the first priests, with Aaron serving as the first high priest (Exodus 28:1-3). The priests were responsible for performing sacrifices, maintaining the altar, and interceding for the people before God. They also had the duty of blessing the people (Numbers 6:22-27).

High Priest

The high priest held the highest religious office in Israel. He was the only one permitted to enter the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle, and later the temple, once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) to make atonement for the sins of the nation (Leviticus 16:2-34). The high priest wore special garments, including the ephod, breastplate, and turban, which symbolized his unique role (Exodus 28:4-39).

Priestly Garments and Consecration

The consecration of priests involved a detailed process of washing, anointing, and offering sacrifices (Exodus 29:1-37). The priestly garments were designed for glory and beauty, signifying the holiness required of those who served before God. These garments included the linen tunic, robe, ephod, breastplate, and turban, each with symbolic significance (Exodus 28:2-43).

Levites and Priests in Worship

The Levites and priests played a central role in Israel's worship. They facilitated the sacrificial system, which was a means of atonement and fellowship with God. The priests offered daily sacrifices, maintained the lampstand, and ensured the bread of the Presence was set before the Lord (Leviticus 24:1-9). The Levites assisted in these duties and were also involved in music and singing during worship (1 Chronicles 15:16-22).

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, the role of the priesthood is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is described as our great high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). Through His sacrifice, He has made a way for all believers to approach God directly, rendering the Old Testament sacrificial system obsolete. Believers are now considered a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), called to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

The roles of priests and Levites in the Old Testament provide a foundation for understanding the holiness, order, and worship that God desires from His people. Their service foreshadows the ultimate priestly work of Christ, who mediates a new covenant between God and humanity.

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Ezra 2:61,62
And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:
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Ezra 9:1,2
Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
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Ezra 10:18-24
And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
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Nehemiah 13:4-13,28,29
And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied to Tobiah:
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Zechariah 7:5,6
Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did you at all fast to me, even to me?
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Library

A New Order of Priests and Levites
... God for men is a part of the Christian priesthood that ... with one of those whom God
has made priests and Levites ... has done for thy soul." And the minister being a ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/a new order of priests.htm

The Cities of the Levites.
... That tithes were granted to the priests and Levites, not only ... here taught; and so
the studies of the law and gospel together rendered the minister of the ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 97 the cities of.htm

part 1
... it is no wonder that the majority of Christian enterprises in ... of our God, unto the
priests that minister in the ... of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/tithing/part 1.htm

A Godly Reformation
... Once more the king turns to the priests. ... calls those who love Him; not to minister
to self ... If Christian people thought more earnestly on what Jesus Christ means ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/a godly reformation.htm

Hezekiah
... before Him, to serve Him, and that ye should minister unto Him ... this was attended
with many difficulties; but the priests and the Levites labored untiringly ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 28 hezekiah.htm

Glad Givers and Faithful Workers
... of the Lord, even vessels to minister, and to ... The humble craftsmen were more reliable
than the priests. ... A Christian workman should be a 'faithful' workman, and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/glad givers and faithful workers.htm

Whether it is Lawful for Clerics to Kill Evil-Doers?
... their firstborn." Again Moses made the Levites slay twenty ... 1 Kings 15), Elias slew
the priests of Baal ... Now the secular power as "God's minister" lawfully puts ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is lawful for 3.htm

On the Management of the Resources Collected for the Support of ...
... You, therefore, O bishops, are to your people priests and Levites, ministering to ...
from God, and unspeakable honour and glory, if you duly minister to the ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec iv on the management of.htm

Ezra, the Priest and Scribe
... the Levites should have been the first to respond. ... They had enjoyed the fullest liberty
to minister to the ... had been built, in which the priests conducted the ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 50 ezra the priest.htm

How Xerxes the Son of Darius was Well Disposed to the Jews; as ...
... of the posterity of Jeshua the high priest, and of the priests and Levites, and
Israelites ... and went as he was, without wishing himself, to minister to the ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how xerxes the.htm