Lesson Outline for Aug 14, 2025
Men You Are Called to Be A Priest
Goal – For men to know their role as priests; only Jesus is our High Priest
- How many of you are 1st generation Christians?
- Reading about an example is good, but walking with an example is better?
- Where in God’s word do we see the first mention of a priest?
- What are some characteristics of a priest?
- What are priests’ responsibilities, roles and functions?
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Hebrew and Greek Terms / Definitions
- A priest’s office – #H3547 “kahan” minister as a priest,
- Priest – #H3548 “kohen” principal officer, chief ruler; #G2409 “hiereus” one who offers service to God, one who offers sacrifices, devote a life to Christ, Jew and Gentile alike
- Melchizedek – #H4442 King of Salem, the place in which Melchizedek is King; #G3198 “king of righteousness,” of justice
- Salem– #H8003 – “salem” complete peace, perfect peace, complete, finished
The green is the author’s notations in the verses below. Bold text added for emphasis
The First Priest
Before there were Levitical Priests
Gen 14:17-20 ESV – “17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor (of God as originating or creating; creator) of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
Psa 110:1-4 ESV – 1 A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2 The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! 3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
Heb 7:1-2 ESV – “1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.”
- We see there is something special about Melchizedek, what is still a mystery
- Abraham gives a tithe, King of Peace, Melchizedek brings bread/wine
- Levite priests established 500 yrs later
- He blessed Abraham by “God Most High”
- Jesus Christ is from the “Mechilzedek order” not Levites
A priests responsibilities
We can’t fulfill what we don’t know
Lev 10:8-11 ESV – “8 And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 “Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, 11 and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them by Moses.” ”
Lev 14:33-48 ESV – “33 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 34 “When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a case of leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession, 35 then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘There seems to me to be some case of disease in my house…, 48 But if the priest comes and looks, and if the disease has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, for the disease is healed.”
Lev 15:31 ESV – “31 “Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst.””
- Priests set themselves apart – why does it mention “wine and strong drink”
- We teach and instruct God’s word to our family
- Intercede, sacrifice and bring gifts
- Are spiritually strong to stand against the culture currents
- We identify and eradicate disease in our house and lives
- We clean the house for the territory we take and is give to us – generational, bloodline, personal, corrupt
- Leprous context included mold, mildew, etc
We have a High Priest
Jesus Christ is our High Priest and modeled our priesthood
Heb 4:14-16 ESV – “14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Heb 5:1-10 ESV – “1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
- Jesus Christ is our High Priest
- Jesus appoints us as priests, just as His Father appointed Him
- We are priest under the order of Jesus Christ – only Jesus can fulfill the order of Melchizedek
We are priests
Set apart; to live holy lives
1 Pet 2:5, 9 ESV – “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.”
Rom 12:1 ESV – “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.”
Matt 27:51 ESV – “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.”
2 Kings 11:15-18 ESV – “15 Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains who were set over the army, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to death with the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of the LORD.” 16 So they laid hands on her; and she went through the horses’ entrance to the king’s house, and there she was put to death. 17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people, that they should be the LORD’s people, and also between the king and the people. 18 Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest posted watchmen over the house of the LORD.”
Rev 1:5-6 ESV – 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- You are called by God to be priests; responsible for ensuring the spiritual needs of our family’s are met
- We come boldly to the throne – We don’t require a RELIGION or PRIESTS
- We are to be living sacrifices; dying for Christ is to live for Him; crucify our flesh
- We inspect our houses
- Baal promised fertility, fruitfulness, increase, gain, prosperity – see any correlations
- We tear down every false alter and false god in our lives
- We are houses / temples – we keep our house clean no disease (sin)
- We sacrifice and teach our family about sacrifice; we’re responsible for leading our family and household to the Cross
Decree – I am and will be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God; I will be a priest over myself, my home, my family
Last thoughts and considerations
- SET YOURSELF APART – we’re responsible for our family and homes
- Priest over yourself first; can’t lead and sacrifice a family if you can’t do it for yourself
- Let your family and others see a priest; talk is cheap
- Walk in compassion, mercy, grace – but stand STRONG on God’s word
- Jesus Christ will bless us, just as Abraham was blessed
- Tear down every false alter / idol – it starts with us
- Quantity time with God and your family avails quality time
- We can’t expect our community, state, nation to shift to God if we don’t
- Is in covenant with Jesus
- Leads family away from temptation (Matt 6:13)
- Leads himself and home in serving the Lord (Josh 24:15)
- Teaches and follows God’s ordinance (Ex 24: 12)
- Makes atonement (Num 15:28)
- Proclaims Jesus’ Excellency (1 Pet 2:9)
- Is compassionate; anticipates challenges beforehand and intercedes / leads (Heb 4:14-15)
- Is a Strongman for his house (Mark 3: 27)
- Wise with his resources and finances – Tithes
- Bring peace to our family, home and environment (Gen 14)
Other verses for self-study
Exo 28:1 ESV – “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests–Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.” (God establishes priests via the Levites)
Lev 14:33-48 ESV – “33 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 34 “When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a case of leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession, 35 then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘There seems to me to be some case of disease in my house.’ 36 Then the priest shall command that they empty the house before the priest goes to examine the disease, lest all that is in the house be declared unclean. And afterward the priest shall go in to see the house. 37 And he shall examine the disease. And if the disease is in the walls of the house with greenish or reddish spots, and if it appears to be deeper than the surface, 38 then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house and shut up the house seven days. 39 And the priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the disease has spread in the walls of the house, 40 then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the disease and throw them into an unclean place outside the city. 41 And he shall have the inside of the house scraped all around, and the plaster that they scrape off they shall pour out in an unclean place outside the city. 42 Then they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones, and he shall take other plaster and plaster the house. 43 “If the disease breaks out again in the house, after he has taken out the stones and scraped the house and plastered it, 44 then the priest shall go and look. And if the disease has spread in the house, it is a persistent leprous disease in the house; it is unclean. 45 And he shall break down the house, its stones and timber and all the plaster of the house, and he shall carry them out of the city to an unclean place. 46 Moreover, whoever enters the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening, 47 and whoever sleeps in the house shall wash his clothes, and whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes. 48 “But if the priest comes and looks, and if the disease has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, for the disease is healed.”
Heb 5:1-10 ESV – “1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”
Heb 7:1-10 ESV – 1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. 4 See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. (read /study all of Heb 7 for more on Jesus compared to Melchizedek)
