We need to first understand that the Priest stood and still stands as the "watchman" & "teacher" between the opposing areas' of flesh and spirit: Be as positive as you would like, be you reborn in Messiah or not - but the fact remains every person from Adam to the end of time will walk around in a body of flesh and blood that is filthy and which can never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, and these two realms fight constantly for supremacy in each person. (1 Corth. 15:50; Rom. 7:7-25 especially 7, 12-25).
The "Priest" is the friend of the Bridegroom and is called to "school" the Bride for HER Betrothed, Yeshua our Messiah (Eph. 4:11-16) and only once all the work has been done shall Messiah Yeshua present HIMSELF with a Bride without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:25-27).
The Bride is nowhere near ready yet for Messiah to be able to present her to HIMSELF; this obviously will only happen after the Great Tribulation when the Bridal candidate has walked with integrity, fidelity & obedience as led by The Ruach HaKodesh (Friend of the Bride) to the very end of her life or the the coming of Messiah Yeshua, which ever come first, and she exchanges her filthy tatters for Robes of White! A reading of the work done by the Eunuch Hegai in respect of the preparation of Hadassah (Esther) for the king in Esther 2: 8-15 is a revealing exposé and representation of the works of the Ruach in connection with the Bride.
We are told in the Torah what the role of the Priest is, but before you say that is "Old Testament", we need to remember the Levitical Priesthood was a perfect template of what The eternal Melchizedek Priesthood under the High-Priesthood of Messiah Yeshua looks like and the Levitical order is operated under the Authority of Heaven. (Heb. 8:1-6, Heb. 9:23)
And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses. (Lev. 10:8-11 - KJV emphasis indicated by me)
If we take just a moment to look at the words I have underlined above we may see something rather different to our understanding:
Holy: H6944 - kodesh = from H6942 - a sacred place or thing; rarely abstractly sanctify :- consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed thing, holy day, keep pure, keep whole, clean (ceremonially or morally).
Unholy: H2455 - chôl = from H2490 properly exposed, hence profane: common, profane place; unholy = primitive root to bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, defile, prostitute, pollute.
Unclean: H2931 - tâmê = from H2930; foul in a religious sense: defiled, +infamous, polluted, unclean = primitive root to be foul, especially in a ceremonial or moral sense (contaminated):- defile (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, utterly.
Clean: H2889 - tâhôr = from H2891; pure (in a physical, chemical, ceremonial or moral sense): clean, fair, pure (-ness) = primitive root properly to be bright, by implication to be pure (physically sound, clear, unadulterated - to make self, or pronounce self clean, to cleanse, purge, purify (-ier, self).
So YHWH ElShaddai of Yisrael (LORD GOD ALMIGHTY OF ISRAEL) deemed it necessary that the Levitical Priesthood, which was a shadow (read template, representation, portrayal, depiction) of the Eternal Heavenly Melchizedek Priesthood of Messiah Yeshua, was to teach the people of YHWH, for all generations, the difference between what YHWH The Creator and Redeemer of Life told Moshe Face to face was sacred, dedicated and completed perfect (whole) behaviour; what constituted Holy Days; what dedicated items and places of worship were acceptable to HIM and also THOSE NOT ACCEPTABLE TO YHWH which if applied would render HIS people profane and defiled prostitutes unable to come before HIM!
The Priesthood was not only to show the people what was acceptable as set apart worship for YHWH, they, The Priests, were also to show the people of Yisrael (Redeemed Covenant people) what the pure, clean and correct, purifying every day way of life acceptable to YHWH was supposed to entail (i.e what we could eat, what we could wear, what our marriages and relationships were to be like, how judicial systems and courts were arranged and so forth) - and obviously the breaking of these instructions would render us foul, polluted, defiled in both a ceremonial (can't come before YHWH or worship with fellow believers) and moral sense (intentional wrong and perverted actions and lifestyles)!
It is of interest to note that there was a"Sacrifice" or Offer for everything from unintentional sin to thanks offerings - BUT THERE WAS NEVER A SACRIFICE FOR DELIBERATE AND INTENTIONAL SIN! Intentional sin (see knowingly, deliberately, rebelliously, intentionally breaking of the Instructions (Marriage Covenant) of YHWH) resulted in DEATH! Even under the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) we are warned against trampling the Blood of The Messiah under foot and the dire consequences such an action (Heb. 10:26-31).
THE ONLY SACRIFICE ACCEPTABLE FOR COVERING INTENTIONAL SIN WAS OFFERED BY YESHUA OUR MESSIAH and was already ordained and executed in the Heavenlies before the foundations of the Earth were laid; the blood of bulls and goats was just an earthly substitute until Messiah completed His act of Worship before HIS Father on Golgotha in these last times (1 Pet. 1:13-21); that is how Adam and Eve were able to have a Sacrifice offered for their sin by YHWH HIMSELF (intentional breaking of the Instructions given by YHWH) in Gen. 3:21.
We must understand that YHWH The Creator has from the very beginning divided HIS Creation - light, dark; water, land; firmament, waters; day, night; man, woman; holy, profane; clean, unclean; Tree of Life, tree of the knowledge of good and evil - (H914 - bâdâl = a primitive root; to divide (literally or figuratively - separate, distinguish, select) and the Division was good in HIS sight (H2896 - tôb = best, beautiful, bountiful, kindly, prosperity).
Whilst we mention the Trees in the Garden, one being the Tree of Life and the other the tree of Death; it is interesting to note that it was food that caused man to err and cause the slow and painful demise of mankind needing to be atoned for by the agonising Death of Messiah Yeshua AND YET TODAY OUR "PRIESTS OF YHWH" STILL TEACH US TO EAT WHAT YHWH SAID WE MAY NOT EAT (Lev.11)! We know of course that Yeshua never ate unkosher food, but Peter was instructed to in Acts 10 to do so! NO NOT TRUE: Read Acts 10 and ponder verses 17, 19 (note 3 men and 3 times the sheet came down), 20 and verse 28 which gives the full answer to the vision Kephas had earlier in Chapter 10! It is all about doing away with the Traditions of man which said that the Jews could not associate with Gentiles - absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with food!
Remember dear reader in the time of Yeshua pork, seafoods and all else we may consider food today WERE NEVER CONSIDERED FOODS - ITS LIKE ME EATING MY DOG - UGH! That is why Kephas was shown the vast array of unclean animals BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT UNCLEAN WAS and people set aside by YHWH ARE NOT UNCLEAN!
If we look closely at what your denomination may teach regarding the days of worship, holy Festivals, diets and how your "Priests" live their lives and instruct on matters of life and worship you may see that what your denomination, and your "Priest" tells you to do is the exact opposite of what The Bible and YHWH tells us is Holy and Clean. In fact they are telling you do what is not good, what is not - best, beneficial, beautiful, bountiful, kindly and prosperous. They are seemingly leading you astray and away from Messiah and not towards Unity with HIM! They may be leading you to do what is profane and unclean!
But then again your "Priest" may tell you that Jesus died so we can now have Grace to do all we want, and that those pesky Jews just did not make the cut and they all went to hell - BUT NOW BECAUSE OF A NEW COVENANT THE THINGS THEY WENT TO HELL FOR DOING WE CAN DO TODAY - NOW ALL WE NEED TO DO IS PRAY OVER STUFF, OR WHATEVER, AND WE MAKE WHAT IS FOUL, ROTTEN AND ABOMINABLE FOR ETERNITY, INSTANTLY CLEAN, HEALTHY, ACCEPTABLE AND HOLY! Thats witchcraft, not Grace!
We say we have been called to be a Royal Priesthood? Well maybe we should be very sure of what YHWH calls Holy and Clean, and not be found living the life style of a prostitute and teaching others the same! We may find that when we stand before Yeshua our hoped for Bridegroom one day HE may say:
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
And you may answer: "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?"
To which HE may reply: "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
(Mat. 7:21-23)
Knew - (Covenant implications = translated in KJV also as - aware; understood; perceived; sure - so never knew you can also legitimately be translated as :- was never aware of you; never understood you; never perceived you; was never sure of you!)
Iniquity - (illegality, violation of law, lawless one)!
You may want to listen to the Bridegrooms advice if you wish to be considered as His Bride one day:
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
(Mat. 7:24-25)
If you agree with my thought, and your "Priest of YHWH" is not teaching what the Word say he should teach, you may want to come out of your denomination or assembly!
Just a thought, so please check if I am right in what I think!
Shalom
Bo'az
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