YESHUA ha’Mashiach the Son of our Father YHWH is everything wrapped in ONE! It is my prayer that you will see all the roles and titles that YESHUA has and is doing on our behalf; and how no one on this earth can be redeemed without His blood and the many functions that He performs. Without accepting His free gift no one on this earth will even have a chance during judgment day!
John 3:18
“He who believes in Him is not judged, but he who does not believe is judged already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only brought forth Son of ELOHIM.”
He is The Written Word that became Living Flesh!
Before we can get into the roles of YESHUA we must understand that He is the entire Word! The Written Word that became Living Flesh and how He said this about Himself openly.
John 4:45-47
“Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, in whom you have put your expectation. For if you believed Moses, you would have believed Me, since he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how shall you believe My Words?”
I love this scripture because YESHUA told the Pharisees that He is the written Word that became Living Flesh. If they believed in the writings of Moses who wrote the Torah then they would believe the words of YESHUA since Moses wrote about Him. And then for modern day Christianity that rejects the Torah, Laws, and Commands, YESHUA says that if you don’t believe the writings of Moses who wrote the Torah, then how can you believe His words being that He is the Torah/Word? You can’t because rejecting the Torah is rejecting YESHUA the written Word that became Living Flesh.
Revelation 19:13
“And having been dressed in a robe dipped in blood-and His Name is called: THE WORD OF YHWH.”
So we see that YESHUA is the WORD OF YHWH, just as He said in the Scripture above in John 5:45-47.
John 1:1-2
“In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with ELOHIM, and the WORD was ELOHIM. He was in the beginning with ELOHIM.”
Ephesians 6:17
“Take also the helmet of deliverance, and the sword of the Ruach (Spirit), which is the WORD OF YHWH.”
John 14:6
“YESHUA said to him, “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
It’s truly amazing again to see how YESHUA breaks down that He is again the written Word/Torah made flesh because all He did was sum it up with that statement. Let’s look at the Holy Scriptures to define The WAY, The TRUTH, and The LIFE and see how they ALL connect to the Torah!
Psalms 119:1
“Blessed are the perfect in the WAY, who walk in the Torah of YHWH”
Psalms 119:142
“Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and Your Torah is TRUTH.”
Proverbs 13:14
“The Torah of the wise is a fountain of LIFE.”
YESHUA is Our High Priest
A lot of believers know that YESHUA is our High Priest, but may not the importance of the priests in Scripture; therefore, we must discuss the importance of the role of the priests and how YESHUA has taken over this role. The priests are from Aaron the brother of Moses whom all came from the tribe of Levi the Levites, so they are all brothers (Levites) but have different functions. The Levites were officers, judges, gatekeepers, guards, bore the Ark of the Covenant, taught of the Law of YHWH, and helped oversee the building of the House of YHWH. Whereas the priests did the slaughter offerings burned the incense, and did the blessing in the Name of YHWH.
1 Chronicles 23:13-14
“And David divided them into divisions, of the sons of Levi: of Gereshon, Qehath, and Merari. Of the Gereshonites: La’dan and Shim’i. The sons of La’dan: Yehi’el the head, then Zethan and Yo’el, three. The sons of Shim’i: Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran three. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of La’dan. And the sons of Shim’i: Yahath, Zina, and Ye’ush, and Beri’ah. These were the four sons of Shim’i. And Yahath was the head and Zizath the second. But Ye’ush and Beri’ah did not have many sons, so they were reckoned as one father’s house. The Sons of Qehath: Amram, Yitshar, Hebron, and Uzzi’el, four. The sons of Armam: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was sanctified, he and his sons (priests) forever, that he should sanctify the most holy, to burn incense before YHWH, to serve Him, and to give the blessing in His Name forever.”
1 Chronicles 6:48
“And their brothers, the Levites, were appointed to every kind of service of the Tabernacle of the House of ELOHIM. But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the Most Holy Place, and to make atonement for Yisra’el, according to all that Moses the servant of ELOHIM had commanded.”
They were born into the priesthood (bodily descent) and if there was a change in priesthood that means there is a change in sacrificial system with the blood of YESHUA versus the animals for the sin, guilt, peace, and burnt offerings.
The High Priest lived like the other priests; however, they had a few extra special responsibilities. For example, they were the only ones who could enter into the Holy of Holies (2nd Veil) once a year on Yom Kippur, to atone for his sins, the sins of his household, and the congregation of Yisra’el (Leviticus 16). The earthly high priest was human so he would die and also had to make atonement for his own sins. YESHUA doesn’t die and was sinless and He now intercedes for us continually. YESHUA is now our High Priest, so we can see the importance of this role.
Hebrews 7:26-27
“For it was fitting that we should have such a High Priest-kind, innocent, undefiled, having been separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens, who does not need, as those high priests, to offer up slaughter offerings day by day, first for His own sins and then for those of the people, for this He did ONCE FOR ALL, when He offered up Himself.”
Hebrews 7:13-14
“For He (YESHUA) of whom this is said belongs to another tribe Yahudah (Judah), from which no one had attended at the altar (because the priests from tribe of Levi did the slaughter offerings). For it is perfectly clear that our Master arose from Judah, a tribe about which Moses never spoke of concerning priesthood, and this is clearer still, if another priest arises in the likeness of Malkitsedeq, who has become, not according to the law of fleshly command (bodily descent), but according to the power of an endless life, for He witnesses, “You are a Priest FOREVER according to the order of Malkitsedeq.”
Hebrews 4:14-15
“Therefore, since we have a great Kohen ha’Gadol (High Priest) who has passed through the heavens, YESHUA the Son of YHWH, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a High Priest unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was tried in all respects as we are, apart from sin.”
Hebrews 2:17-18
“So in every way He had to be made like His brothers, in order to become a compassionate and trust worthy High Priest in matters related to YHWH, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For in what He had suffered, Himself being tried, He is able to help those who are tried.”
It was necessary for YEHSHUA to become flesh so that He can intercede for us as He became as one of us; therefore, making Him the perfect High Priest on our behalf to intercede at the throne.
The High Priest had to make atonement for their sins, for their household, and for the assembly of Yisra’el by slaughter offerings, but YESHUA offered up Himself and not the blood of bulls and goats. So without accepting His free gift of atonement, then who is atoning for your sins today?
We know that the priest are not in the Temple performing the slaughter offerings for sin anymore even if they wanted to because there is no Temple. YESHUA’s sacrifice as the Seh ha’ YHWH (The Lamb of YHWH) who takes away the sins of the world is Who atones for our sins!. The children of Yisra’el needed the priests to slaughter animals to atone for their sins, just as the world needs YESHUA to atone on behalf our sins as He has taken on the role of High Priest passing through the heavens and sitting down at the right hand of YHWH in heaven:
Hebrews 8:1-3
“Now the summary of what we are saying is: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Greatness in the heavens, and who serves in the Sanctuary and of the true Tent, which YHWH put up, and not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and slaughtering’s. So it was also necessary for this One to have somewhat to offer (His own blood.)”
What are functions did the priests have?
So taking a look at all the functions of priests will give you a clear idea of how important YESHUA really is as our High Priest, knowing that the earthy Sanctuary is a shadow and a copy of the One in Heaven. There were punishments involved if anyone broke the protocol of the priests or the Levites.
1. Part of Saul’s fall was his unlawful sacrifice that only the priests could do
1 Samuel 13:8-14
“And he waited for seven days, according to the appointment with Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to be, as he had finished the offering the burn offering, look, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him, to bless him. Then Samuel said, what have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered at Mikmash, so I said, “The Philistines are going to come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not appeased the face of YHWH.’ So I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have been foolish. You have not guarded the Command of YHWH your ELOHIM, which He commanded you. For now YHWH would have established your reign over Yisra’el forever. But now, your reign is not going to stand. YHWH shall seek for Himself a man after His own heart, and YHWH shall command him to be a leader over His people, because you have not guarded what YHWH commanded you.”
How do we know that Samuel was a priest?
Psalms 99:6
“Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those calling up His Name.” They called upon YHWH and He answered them.”
Saul did an unlawful sacrifice of a burnt offering to YHWH when he was from the tribe of Benjamin and not a priest like Samuel from the tribe of Levi, which is why he was supposed to wait for Samuel and not perform the burnt offering himself. Saul did not guard the Command/Law of YHWH This Scripture is clear about stressing the importance of priests and their role.
Exodus 29:8-12
“Then you shall bring his sons and put long shirts on them, and shall gird them with girdles Aaron and his sons and put the turbans on them. And the PRIESTHOOD SHALL BE THIERS FOR AN EVERLASTING LAW. So you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. And you shall bring near the bull before the Tent of Appointment, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. And you shall SLAUGHTER THE BULL BEFORE YHWH, by the door of the Tent of Appointment…”
1 Chronicles 6:48
“And their brothers, the Levites, were appointed to every kind of service of the Tabernacle of the House of ELOHIM. But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the Most Holy Place, and to make atonement for Yisra’el, according to all that Moses the servant of ELOHIM had commanded.”
2. Jeroboam failed to see the importance of the Levites when he fell!
1 Kings 12:28-31
“So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. See, your mighty ones O Yisra’el, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!” And he put up one in Beyth El, and the other he put in Dan. And this matter became a sin, for the people went before the one as far as Dan. And he made the house high places, and MADE PRIESTS FROM ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE, WHO WERE NOT OF THE SONS OF LEVI.”
2 Chronicles 13:9-11
“Have you not thrown out the priests of YHWH, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests, like the PEOPLES OF THE LANDS (PAGANS), so that whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams then becomes a priest of non-mighty ones? But as for us, YHWH is our ELOHIM, and we have not forsaken Him, and priests are serving YHWH, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, in the work, and are burning to YHWH every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense, and the showbread is put on the clean table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps to burn every evening, for we are guarding the Charge of YHWH our ELOHIM. But you have forsaken Him.”
3. 1 Chronicles 23:13
“The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was sanctified, he and his sons forever, that he should sanctify the most holy, to BURN INCENSE before YHWH, to serve Him, and to give the blessing in His Name forever.”
So as we see Aaron and his sons the priests were the only ones to burn incense before YHWH as one of their functions, so what happened to anyone who did not follow the instructions of YHWH like Saul and Jeroboam?
2 chronicles 26:14-21
“And Uzziyahu prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, and spears, and helmets, and body armor, and bows, and sling stones. And he made machines in Jerusalem, devised by skilled men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. And his name spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong. But when he became strong his heart was lifted up (pride), to his destruction, for he TRESPASSED against YHWH his ELOHIM by entering the Temple of YHWH to BURN INCENSE on the altar of incense. And Azaryahu the PRIEST went in after him, and with him were eighty PRIESTS of YHWH, who were brave men. And they stood up against King Uzziyahu, and said to him, “It is NOT for you, Uzziyahu, to BURN INCENSE to YHWH, but for PRIESTS, the sons of Aaron, who are holy to burn incense. Get out of the Sanctuary, for you have TRESPASSED, and there is no esteem to you from YHWH ELOHIM.” And Uzziyahu was wroth. And he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was wroth with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the House of YHWH, beside the incense altar. And Azaryahu the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and saw that he was leprous on his forehead. And they hurried him from there. And he also hurried to get out, because YHWH had struck him. And King Uzziyahu was a leper until the day of his death…”
So the king Uzziyahu trespassed against YHWH by burning incense which was unlawful for him to do because it was for the priests the sons of Aaron to do. And the result was him dying a leper.
Now you can see the significance of Saul doing an unlawful sacrifice and how Jeroboam made priests of anyone that wasn’t a Levite, and Uzziyahu burned incense that wasn’t lawful for him to do either, but a duty of the priests.
So, If YESHUA is fulfilling this role as our High Priest from the tribe of Judah and not the earthly priests from the tribe of Levi, then how can anyone be saved without Him? Not only did He die for our sins and restore us to the favor of YHWH and redeem us by His blood, but is also serving as our High Priest doing this functions on our behalf in heaven. This shows the entire world needs Him and does not stand a chance on judgment day without Him. We see that Aaron and his sons did the work, but YESHUA is bearing it all serving in the true Tent not made by man, but by YHWH.
We will serve Him and kings and priest
We see the role of the Levites and priests and it’s importance because this covenant will be fulfilled when YESHUA returns to reign as we will serve Him as kings and priests. So it is important to understand these roles since we have one of the functions.
Exodus 19:5-6
“And now, if you diligently obey My voce, and shall guard My Covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession above all the peoples-for all the earth is Mine-and you shall be to Me a reign of PRIESTS and a holy nation. Those are the words which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’el.” We see the Covenant will be fulfilled with YESHUA’s reign:
Revelation 1:5-6
“And from YESHUA ha’Mashiach, the trustworthy Witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us KINGS AND PRIESTS to His ELOHIM and Father, to him be esteem and rule forever and ever. Ahmein.”
Revelation 5:9-10
“And they sang a renewed song, saying, “You are worthy to be take the scroll, and to open its seals, because You were slain, and have redeemed us to YHWH by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and made us KINGS AND PRIESTS to our ELOHIM, and we shall reign upon the earth.”
Revelation 20:6
“Blessed and holy is the one having part in the first resurrection. The second death possesses no authority over these, but they shall be PRIESTS of YHWH and of Messiah, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
What the Levites and Priests did was a shadow and a copy of what is done in the Tabernacle in heaven and we will serve YHWH and YESHUA as priests for 1,000 years when He reigns on earth. ELOHIM willing next week we will be discussing all the other many roles and titles of YESHUA and as always may YHWH bless you in the Name of YESHUA.