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(iii) THE
PRIESTHOOD OF THE NEW COVENANT.
The sectarian idea
is that after John and Jesus proclaimed repentance there
would be no temple service performed by Levites that
God would accept. But this is contrary to the sure word
of prophecy, which testifies that "the Messenger
of the Covenant shall sit as a refiner and purifier of
silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge
them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto Jehovah
(Yahweh) an offering in righteousness. Then shall the
offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the
Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years" (Mal.
3:3,4). And again the prophet records Jehovah's (Yahweh's)
declaration, that "David shall never want a man
to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel: neither
shall the priests, the Levites, want a man before me
to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings,
and to do sacrifice continually... Thus saith the Lord,
If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant
of the night, that there should not be day and night
in their season; then (and not before) may also my covenant
be broken with David my servant, that he should not have
a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites
the priests my ministers". (Jer. 33:17-21) From
this it is manifest that the perpetuity of David's throne,
and the perpetuity of the Levitical ministrations, are
parallel.
Some say that David's throne is now occupied in heaven will
these same visionaries affirm that the Levites are offering
sacrifices there? For the testimony says, "They shall
do sacrifice continually"! The truth is that this testimony
has regard to the time when the kingdom shall be restored
again to Israel. At the time the prophecy was delivered there
were unbelievers who, like some in our day, declared that
the Lord had cast off the house of Israel and the house of
Judah. Therefore said Jehovah (Yahweh) to the prophet, "Considerest
thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families
which the Lord hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? Thus
they have despised my people, that they should be no more
a nation before them. But, if my covenant be not with the
day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances
of heaven and earth: then will I cast away the seed of Jacob,
and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed
to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for
I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on
them" (Jer. 33:17-26). It is from the time of this return,
then, that the perpetuity begins in relation to David's son,
and the Levites. Both houses of Israel are still in captivity;
therefore the return is yet future. When that return is accomplished,
then henceforth even to "the end" appointed, shall
these gracious promises obtain as notable realities in the
land of Israel.
It is therefore a principle of the kingdom of God that the
Levites shall be priests in that kingdom under the New Covenant,
or constitution, as well as under the Old. As it is written, "Thus
saith the Lord, They shall be ministers in my temple, having
charge of the gates of the house, and ministering to the house;
they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the
people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto
them. They shall not come near unto me, to do the office of
a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things
in the most holy place. But I will make them keepers of the
charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for
all that shall be done therein" (Ezek. 44:9-14). The
reason given why they shall not do the office of a priest
before God, but shall act as menials in the service, and in
relation only to the people, is because under the Mosaic Covenant "they
ministered to the people before their idols, and caused the
house of Israel to fall into iniquity". (Ezek. 44:12)
This is the ground of their future degradation from their
former rank, to that of the lowest class of the priesthood
under the New Covenant.
The next class of priests above them is to consist of the
Levites, the sons of Zadok (verse 15). These will have no
immediate communication with the people in performing the
service, but will officiate immediately between the people's
priests and "the Prince", who is then High Priest,
and Jehovah's (Yahweh's) anointed for ever. Zadok signifies
just or justified. Zadok, who was contemporary with David
and Solomon, is their representative father in the priesthood,
as David is their representative father in the royalty, and
Abraham their representative father in the faith. Hence in
the priesthood, the saints are "the sons of Zadok";
(Ezek. 44:15; 48:11) in the royalty, "the sons of the
Prince" (Ezek. 46:16); and in the faith the seed or sons
of Abraham".
Eli and his sons were rejected as representative sacerdotal
men, because the sons were wicked, and Eli honoured them above
Jehovah (Yahweh). Therefore Jehovah (Yahweh) said to him, "I
will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according
to that which is in my heart and in my mind; and I will build
him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for
ever" (1 Sam. 2:29,35). He must therefore become immortal.
Now under the Mosaic Covenant this "faithful priest" was
Zadok, who walked before David and Solomon. When Absalom and
Israel rebelled against the Lord's anointed, Zadok and Abiathar
remained faithful with Jehovah (Yahweh) and his king. But
when David was about to die, Abiathar, who was descended from
Eli, conspired to make Adonijah king instead of Solomon; while
Zadok continued faithful to David. Solomon, however, being
established on the throne, "thrust out Abiathar from
being priest unto the Lord; that he might fulfil the word
of the Lord, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in
Shiloh". He told him he was worthy of death, but he would
spare his life for his father's sake, because he suffered
with him in Absalom's rebellion; he therefore exiled him to
Anathoth, and promoted Zadok to the high-priesthood in his
room (1 Kings 1: 7,39;2:22,26,27,35).
Now these were representative events. Jehovah (Yahweh) will
raise up the faithful of the house of Levi, even Zadok and
his sons, and they shall walk before His Anointed for ever
-- even before the "greater than Solomon" (Matt.
12:42; Luke 11:31) -- when, in "the city of the Great
King", (Matt. 5:35; Ps. 48:2) he sits and rules upon
his throne as a priest bearing the glory (Zech.6:12,13), as
Prince of Israel for ever. This superior class of Levites "shall
come near to me", saith the Lord, "to minister unto
me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat
and the blood : they shall enter into my holy place, and they
shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they
shall keep my charge." (Ezek. 44:15,16) From the seventeenth
verse to the end of this chapter are the ordinances for the
lowest class of Levitical priests.
Here then is a change in the Levitical arrangements, and not
an abolition of them. The "service" will be amended,
not abolished. In the service under the Mosaic Covenant there
were "divers washings"; (Heb. 9:10) but in the service
under the New Covenant of the kingdom "washings" are
omitted; for in the Ezekiel Temple there is no laver, or brazen
sea provided. But sacrifices remain; for eight tables are
appointed to be set up in the entry of the north gate on which
the lowest class of the priests are to slay them for the people.
Paul therefore did not mean that the Levitical service was
absolutely and finally discontinued -- that it should be revived
no more; but that it should be amended to adapt it to the
new circumstances created by the sacrifice and high priesthood
of Jesus, which was to supersede the priesthood of Aaron.
If we be asked the reason for the conclusion that Paul meant
amendment, and not final discontinuance of the Levitical service,
we reply, that it is found in the phrase "until the time
of reformation" (Heb. 9:10) used by him. His words are mechri
kairou diorthoseos. The Levitical service continued
unchanged for forty years after the proclamation of "reformation" by
Jesus; so that the kairos or definite time for discontinuance
was not at his preaching, or even the rending of the temple
vail. The Mosaic service was not "imposed until the time
of metanoia" (Heb. 9:10) which is the word
signifying the "reformation" preached. Metanoeite, "Repent
ye", said Jesus. No; it was imposed until the time of diorthosis",
which is not repentance", but emendation, amendment;
from diorthoo, to correct, or make right. The subject of the diorthosis is
the Mosaic Covenant, not the disposition of men.
The Mosaic Constitution must be amended to make way for a
new order of priesthood, and a service which shall show forth
the perfection of its character. The work of amendment in
regard to its foundation was laid in the death and resurrection
of Jesus. It then became necessary to gather out of Judah
sons for Zadok, and the Prince. "Behold, I and the children
whom God has given me are for signs and wonder in Israel" (Isa.
8:18; Heb. 2:13). These children being separated to Jesus
from the tribe of Levi and the nation for the purposes to
be accomplished through them at "the restitution of all
things", (Acts 3:21) nothing remained for that epoch,
but to give the Mosaic constitution a thorough shaking. This
is called shaking the heaven, and was the fulfilment of the
prophecy by Haggai reproduced by Paul in his epistle to the
Hebrews (Hag. 2:6; Heb.12:26,27) "Yet once, it is a little
while, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will shake the heavens
and the earth." The "little while" was 587
years from the delivery of the prediction; and about ten years
from the date of the epistle. It was the last time the nation
of Israel and the constitution of their kingdom were to be
shaken. Their commonwealth was to be shaken that "the
things made" or constituted, by the Mosaic Covenant,
which were incompatible with the rights of the Lord Jesus
founded upon "the word of the oath" (Heb. 7:21,28)
might be "removed"; and that "those things
which" were in harmony with that word, and which "cannot
be shaken might remain". This then was the first stage
of the "emendation", or as the Gentiles would say,
of the amendment of the constitution".
The next work in the carrying out the purpose of emendation
is thus expressed in Haggai -- "I will shake the sea
and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire
of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with
glory, saith the Lord of hosts". (Hag. 2:6,7) When this
was spoken the temple was in ruins, the foundation only being
laid. The people then returned from Babylon said, "The
time has not come that the Lord's house should be built" (Hag.
I:2,4,9); that is, the 70 years that it was to lie waste from
the time of its destruction are not yet, accomplished, 66
years only having elapsed. But Haggai was sent to them to
stir them up to the work, and in four years after, even in
the sixth year of the reign of Darius, it was finished (Ezra
6:15).
When therefore Haggai said, "This house shall be filled
with glory", (Hag. 2:6) he did not refer to the temple
which Jesus frequented but to the temple to stand upon the
same site which is described by Ezekiel, into which "the
glory of the God of Israel", even the Son of Man in the
glory of the Father, "shall come from the way of the
east", and cause the neighbouring earth itself to shine
(Ezek.43:2). This is the only interpretation the prophecy
will admit of; for when Jesus came, he was neither "the
desire of all nations", (Hag. 2:7) nor was he in glory.
The glory of the God of Israel left the temple when the Chaldees
were about to destroy it; and it will not return until Jesus
shall sit upon the throne and bear the glory in the era of "the
regeneration". (Matt.19:28)
The shaking of the heavens and the earth, as we have said,
refers to "the end of all things" (1 Peter 4:7),
constituted by the Old Covenant; but the shaking of the sea
and dry land, to the kingdoms of the Gentiles, and is thus
explained; "I will overthrow the throne of the kingdoms,
and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen
... In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee,
0 Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, and will make
thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, said the Lord of
hosts" (Hag. 2:22 and 23). This period of overthrow is "the
time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation
to that same time", when Michael shall stand up, the
Great Prince who standeth for the Israelites, who at that
time shall be delivered, even all that shall be found written
among the living in Jerusalem (Dan. 12:I; Isa. 4:3).
This is the era of the resurrection of "the heirs" (Heb.
6:17) of "the kingdom which cannot be moved". (Heb.
12:28) Michael (Mi who, cha like, el God),
the great power of God, even Jesus the great Prince of Israel,
appears at this crisis "to subdue all things to himself",
(Phil. 3:21) and to complete the work of emendation. He smites
the image of Nebuchadnezzar upon its feet (Dan. 2:34), and
grinds its fragments to powder. He brings the king of the
north, who is Head over an extensive region, to his end (Dan.
11:45; Ps. 110:6). He causes Gog to fall upon the mountains
of Israel; and expels the Gentiles out of his land (Ezek.
39:4), that they may tread his holy city under foot no more.
Having made the nations lick the dust like a serpent, and
bound their power as with a mighty chain, he proceeds in the
building again of the tabernacle of David, and in the setting
up its ruins -- that is, in the restoring again of the kingdom
of God to Israel, or in "the restitution of all things" (Acts
3:21) belonging to the Mosaic law, compatible with his exercise
of the functions of High Priest in Israel. When this work
is accomplished the diorthosis or emendation will be complete
(Psa. 10:16; Micah 7:16,17; Rev. 20:1-3).
If the Mosaic Covenant of the kingdom bad been found faultless,
then should no place have been sought for the second (Heb.
8:7). The priesthood of the Mosaic was changeable, passing
from father to son. This was deemed by the Lord a very important
defect, which must therefore be amended. He determined therefore
that the priesthood should be changed -- that it should no
longer "be left to other people" (Dan. 2:44) --
but should be unchangeable in the hands of Messiah and the
saints, or Zadok and his sons. But this purpose could not
be carried into effect so long as the Mosaic constitution
of the kingdom continued in force; for this restricted the
priesthood to the tribe of Levi, and made no provision for
a priest of the tribe of Judah.
Now Jehovah (Yahweh) purposed that the High Priesthood of
the nation should be changed from the tribe of Levi and the
family of Aaron, to the tribe of Judah and the family of David.
Hence this change of the priesthood being determined, there
was decreed of necessity a change also of the law (Heb. 7:12).
As Christ's priesthood was not authorized by the Mosaic Covenant,
something was necessary on which to found it. This necessity
was provided for in the Word of the Oath which runs thus -- " I
have sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever
after the Order of Melchizedec" (Ps. 110:4 and Heb. 7:21)
This oath was uttered by Jehovah (Yahweh) upwards of 500 years
after the Law was given from Sinai, and constitutes the right
of David's son to the priesthood of the kingdom; as the oath
sworn to David also entitles his son to its throne for ever.
The grand peculiarity, then, of the new Constitution of the
kingdom over the old is the union of the high priesthood
and kingly office in one person, of the tribe of Judah and
family of David unchangeably, or for ever. Under the
Mosaic, the priesthood and royalty of the kingdom were separate,
and restricted to two distinct families and tribes the priesthood
to Levi and Aaron; the royalty to Judah and David. But this
will be amended, and the Lord Jesus, in whose veins once flowed
the blood of Levi, Aaron, Judah and David (Luke 1 :5, 36),
will unite in himself the kingly and priestly offices, when
he sits and rules upon his throne and bears the glory.
Well, Jesus of Nazareth was manifested to Israel as Son of
God at his baptism. It was clearly proved that he was the
Christ, and therefore entitled to the things defined in the
word of the oaths to himself and his father David. But "he
was made under the law" (Gal. 4:4), to which he yielded
a perfect obedience in all things. He never entered the Court
of the Priests, nor the Holy Place; nor attempted to do service
at the altar. Being of the tribe of Judah, the Law forbad
him to advance beyond the Court of the Israelites, or to minister
in holy things. So long as the Mosaic law continued in practical
operation, and he inhabited the land, he must have remained
among the people. Had Israel continued in their country under
the law to this day, and Jesus had remained with them until
now, and they had been willing to acknowledge him, and submit
to his government, he would not have ascended the throne until
the constitution was dedicated and amended; "for",
says Paul, in view of this condition of affairs, "if
he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there
are priests that offer gifts according to the law" (Heb.
8:4).
The emendation of the covenant must have been preceded by
its dedication. This could only be accomplished by the death
of the mediator. The death was the dedication of the covenant
in his blood; as he himself said, "This is the New Covenant
in my blood which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matt.
26:28; Luke 22:20), -- and to show the connection between
the covenant and the kingdom, he said, "I will not drink
of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come".
(Matt.26:29) But when he came to life again after this dedication,
he could not even then inherit the kingdom. The Mosaic Covenant
must have been changed; an emendation, however, to which the
party in power would by no means consent, as the amendment
would have put them all out of the government. Pilate and
Herod, Caiaphas and the Council must have surrendered their
offices into the hands of Jesus, who would have promoted in
their place his own disciples and friends. But they would
not hear of such a thing; therefore it remained only for Jesus
to absent himself, and to abolish the kingdom until the time
appointed in the wisdom of the Father for its restitution
to Israel under a better, more permanent, and perfect order
of things.
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