#DailyDevotion The Old and New Priesthoods

Easter Week 6 Monday

Read Num 8:5–26

Num 8:10-13  When you bring the Levites before the LORD, the people of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites,  (11)  and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of the LORD.  (12)  Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the LORD to make atonement for the Levites.  (13)  And you shall set the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to the LORD.

 

There were different sorts of offerings and sacrifices at the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel. One of these offerings was a wave offering. A wave offering was just that. The priest took what was offered by the people and waved it above the altar. Then the offering was generally partaken by the person offering it and/or the priests. Here the Israelites are presenting the Levites as a wave offering. Their blood would not be spilt as a sacrifice. Instead they would be placed in service to the Lord and the people. The Levites would take the place of all the firstborn of Israel as previously mentioned.

 

But this offering did not take place without the spilling of blood. There were two bulls offered: One for a sin offering and one for a burnt offering. With these sacrifices the Levites were sanctified to serve the Lord and to serve his people. They were to be considered holy to the Lord. Now these bulls are a type that is they stand for Jesus.

 

Jesus is our sin offering and he is our burnt offering. Our sins have been laid upon Jesus by the Father. The spilling of his blood is our redemption from sin. Jesus is our burnt offering. He cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” as he experiences the just punishment for our sins and unbelief. But who is Jesus sanctifying for the priesthood?

 

You are the priesthood Jesus has sanctified by the spilling of his blood and by his death on the cross. St. Peter writes, 1Pe 2:5 “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

 

So with Jesus as our high priest at the right hand of God, we as his priest offer up our bodies as living sacrifices. We forgive, we have mercy and we speak the word of truth about Jesus to those who ask. We proclaim the excellencies of Jesus who has called us into his light.

Heavenly Father, with Jesus as our high priest, grant us ever your Holy Spirit that we may proclaim his praises to your honor and glory and may we forgive those who sin against us and give the forgiveness won for the world to those who do not know you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.