Sat.’s Devo- The Office of the Priest

Read: Leviticus 20:22-22:16; Mark 9:1-29; Psalm 43:1-5; Proverb 10:18 The Lord warned the Israelites not to do the wicked things that the previous people had done. They cross-bred, sacrificed children, worshipped many gods and participated in many other detestable things that the Lord hated. If they did these things the land would literally vomit or spew them out. God told his children that they were not to eat unholy animals but make a distinction between what is holy and what is not. They were not to consult mediums or people who consult spirits of the dead. This means that we cannot take into our minds and spirits any other spirit but Christ. Our food is God’s Word, not the word of anyone who is not of Christ. God gave the priests even more instructions because these were the people who would minister to Him for the people. It was extremely important that they stay close to the Lord and keep themselves holy. They were not to touch a dead person unless they were their own flesh and blood. To me this means that we are not to have fellowship with darkness unless that darkness is in our own family. They are the ones we are responsible for. They were not to even marry a woman who was not a virgin. This speaks of us not making a covenant with anything that has been defiled. The high priest has the highest position and Jesus became our high priest. He was not to ever leave his hair uncombed or tear his clothing. Hair has to do with the covering on our head. God was Jesus’ covering. Jesus spent hours with his Father getting his instructions. He was totally submitted to his authority. None of Jesus’ clothing was torn. This would show blasphemy. The priests would tear their robes to protest something that opposed God. The high priest was to only marry a virgin which is what the Bride of Christ will be. She will be dressed in white and pure. The high priest was to be spotless and blameless. Jesus had no sin; he was the spotless lamb slain for the sin of the world. God told Aaron that he and his sons were to be very careful with the sacred gifts that the people gave to him. The priests that offered the people’s gifts had to be clean in their hearts. They had to be completely pure in what they did with the gifts because they were responsible for the gifts are offered to God. I think about our gifts we bring to our churches. We give them to the Lord, but it is the staff of the church that must decide how to use that money for God’s purposes. It is not our responsibility to make sure they do this; it is theirs. They will be responsible for using God’s money rightly. The gifts given to the priests were only to be consumed by them and not any other person who was not a priest. God’s gifts are for his body of priests and are not for non-believers. I think this is talking about our spiritual gifts. Jesus talked about throwing your pearls before swine. The easiest way not to do this is to walk in the spirit and then you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh and you will be doing God’s will. Anyone who violates this was required to pay the priests 20% plus what he stole. I think there is about to be a great reset of the balance as the ones who have stolen the children’s food are going to have to repay. In Mark, Jesus had just asked his disciples who they thought he was. They answered correctly so he took the three that were his closest up on a mountain and showed him his glory. Elijah and Moses stood with him. Elijah stood for the prophets and Moses stood for the law. Both of these agree that Jesus is Lord. God spoke from heaven and told his disciples that, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” Only Jesus remained on the mountain. Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had just seen until he had risen from the dead. They didn’t get the “rising from the dead” part but they did keep it to themselves. They asked him why the scriptures said that Elijah had to come before the Messiah came since they didn’t see Elijah before Jesus had shown up. Jesus explained that he did come. He came in the body of John the Baptist. When they returned to the people, they were all gathered around a boy who had an evil spirit that the disciples had been unable to cast out. Jesus commented that they were a faithless generation. The demon immediately manifested in the boy. Jesus turned to the father and demanded that the father have faith. The man declared his faith and prayed for even more faith. Jesus cast the demon out because the crowd was growing. When the disciples asked him later why they couldn’t cast out the demon, he told them that this kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting. In other words, the person casting out this kind of demon must come prayed up and empty of the world. Lord, we see through a glass darkly. Help us to see more clearly. May we be ready for every task you send us on filled with the Holy Spirit and power. Empty us of ourselves.