Rev. Don Campbell

Numbers 18-20

THOUGHT FOR TODAY, March 3, 2019

LIVING SACRIFICES

Aaron was about to be gathered to his people, and God instructed Moses to bring him and his son, Eleazar up to Mount Hor. Moses stripped Aaron of his priestly garments and put them on Eleazar. Normally the oldest son of the high priest would succeed him, but Nadab and Abihu had been struck down by God, so the next in line was Eleazar. According to history, this line of succession was not faithfully followed.

A Jew was a Jew because his father was a Jew and his father was a Jew before him, and so forth. A priest was a priest because his father before him was a priest, and his father before him was a priest, and so forth. Jesus, himself, was a Jew, as the genealogies in Matthew and Luke clearly show. However, Jesus was not in the line of succession to be the high priest. His becoming high priest was by direct appointment of God and ended forever the priestly line of succession.

“Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:11-17).

The Levitical priesthood has been abolished, but the priesthood has not been abolished. Every child of God is a priest: “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” (1 Peter 2:9). John declares Jesus to be the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings on earth: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Revelations 1:5-6).

In contrast to the animals who lived to die, we die to live. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him” (Romams 6:5-8).

Paul urges, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).

CONNECTIONS – Philippians 4:18, 2 Corinthians 8:5

1. What does Paul call the contribution given by the Philippian Christians for his support? (Philippians 4:18).

2. What does he say the Corinthians did before contributing to his support? (2 Corinthians 8:5).