Further Words on Priesthood

"One Year Bible" Old Testament History Passage (for Feb. 19 -- sorry, I'm a day late)
Leviticus 7:28-9:6

"...for today the Lord will appear to you."  Leviticus 9:4b (NKJV)

Wow!  What if you heard that in your early morning devotions?  What if God gave you certain instructions and said, "Here, do this...because when you've done them, I'm going to appear to you."  What would be your response?  Probably, you wouldn't mind anything asked of you at that moment.  You would just do it with great joy and anticipation.

EVERYTHING in Leviticus aims at this idea -- God "appearing" to Israel.  EVERYTHING in Leviticus points symbolically and typologically toward the same thing happening for us as New Testament Christians. 

Priesthood is preparational for the presence of God.  That's what it does.  Priestly ministry prepares us for presence.  In today's passage, four things had to happen for every priest to function:

1.  Washed (8:6)
2.  Clothed (8:7)
3.  Anointed (8:12)
4.  Consecrated (8:22-23)

One last word:  there are two "directions" in all of Scripture -- God toward man and man toward God.  The Good News is that God has thoroughly, finally, and completely come to us in Christ.  He has come down to where we are.  But that is not the end of the story.  He now draws us up to where He is!  This is "man toward God."  You don't have to do a thing for God to come to you.  He comes to you just as you are!  But for you to go to where He is, you must change.  You must allow Him to straighten you up. 

You must be WASHED.  You need an entirely new set of CLOTHES.  You need the ANOINTING  of the Holy Spirit.  And you must allow Him to touch all areas of your life with the blood of His sacrifice -- that is CONSECRATION.