Faithful Unto Death

“Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s House” (Hebrews 3:1‑2 ESV).

— Percival Blenman

The position held by the priesthood was critical to the well-being and survival of the Nation of Israel. Although the king might make essential national decisions, whether good or bad, the priest in his role could also make or break the country.

Responsibilities of the Priesthood

When considering the priesthood, we typically think of the daily and annual sacrifices they made for the people and for themselves (Leviticus 16:3 and following). However, their role went far beyond atonement. The high priest addressed people’s everyday health issues as well as safety issues that affected their homes (Leviticus 13, Leviticus 14:1‑32, 33‑53). He also addressed relationship issues within a marriage (Numbers 5:11‑31). He was also responsible for the financial affairs and repair and maintenance of the temple (2 Kings 12:4‑12, Numbers 18:1‑4, 21). Beyond these responsibilities, the priests made meal offerings for themselves and for others of the priesthood (Leviticus 6:8‑18).

A priest also had to have a good grasp and understanding of the law. This requirement was essential because, in his role, he was expected to abide by the ordinances specified in the law. Additionally, one of his roles was to educate the people on what in the law God required from them (Leviticus 10:10‑11, Deuteronomy 33:10, Deuteronomy 17:9‑11).

The Spiritual and Political Role of the Priest

Like parents who set a moral example for their children at home, a priest was responsible for maintaining a worthy example for his household as well as for the entire nation (Leviticus 21:1‑6).

However, a priest’s moral example extended beyond attending to the needs of his household and those of the nation. He was also expected to counsel the king and to intercede for him with God. One example of this interaction between the king and the priest class can be found in the problematic relationship between the priest and prophet Jeremiah and King Zedekiah. In this example, we see the King inquiring of Jeremiah, “Is there any word from the LORD?” (Jeremiah 37:16‑17). King Zedekiah was looking for directions from God and was turning to the prophet Jeremiah for that information.

Likewise, when a critical decision had to be made on behalf of the nation, such as going to war, the people consulted God through the priest. No one apart from the priest could approach God to burn incense on behalf of the people (Numbers 16:40, Judges 20:27‑28); though priests, prophets, and others chosen by God, could approach God on their behalf (e.g., Judges 6:36‑40).

Therefore, it would be wise for the King of Israel to make significant decisions on behalf of the nation after consulting God through the priest or prophet. The results often could be disastrous if a king made rash decisions without consulting God (see 2 Samuel 24).

Life in Israel When Priests Were Loyal to God

The people of Israel generally followed the example set by the king and the priests. So, when they provided good examples, the nation thrived. As a result, the people enjoyed abundant food, good health, and population growth (Exodus 23:25‑33).

The Israelites not only enjoyed economic prosperity and good health, but they were also triumphant when their neighbors warred against them. For one example, before the city of Jericho became part of the tribe of Benjamin, it was controlled by various Amorite or Canaanite tribes (Joshua 24:11). The town was highly fortified, and the walls appeared impenetrable.

However, God gave the priests a pivotal role in conquering the city of Jericho. God directed that seven priests be prominent in the march around the city of Jericho, blowing trumpets all seven days. Their role in the siege eventually led to the city’s walls falling down in front of Israel. When the wall fell, the Israelites conquered Jericho with little resistance (Joshua 5:13‑6:27). Consider what would have happened if the priests had not done as God and Joshua instructed them during the siege. (This should be a lesson for us today, as a priesthood in training.)

Numbers 25 describes the courageous example of Phinehas (son of Eleazar, son of Aaron), who acted quickly when he saw the disgusting things the Israelites were doing with the Moabite women and sacrificing to their idols (Numbers 25:1‑9). As a result of his positive action against the fornication being committed, a covenant was made to continue the priesthood through his descendants (Numbers 25:10‑13).

Israel Experienced Both Good Priests and Evil Priests

The priest Jehoiada and his wife Jehoshabeath saved the last royal baby, Joash, from murder by his stepmother. They hid him and raised him in the temple until he was old enough to be crowned king (2 Chronicles 22:10‑23:16). (Sadly, Joash did not reciprocate that kindness.)

Jeremiah was an example of a good priest who served faithfully even though, at times, he suffered for his faithfulness. Aaron was also an example of a faithful priest who obeyed the commands of God, despite some personal shortcomings.

Ezra was another example of a faithful priest. He played a significant role in restoring the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 3:1‑13). Apart from the book that bears his name, Ezra may have played a role in writing some content of the 1st and 2nd Books of Chronicles. It is also thought that he contributed to Psalm 119.¹

(1) Adams, Heather (2023, October 9). Who Was Ezra and Why Is His Book Significant? Bible Study Tools. https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible‑study/topical‑studies/who‑was‑ezra‑and‑why‑is‑his‑book‑significant.html

However, not all priests were exemplary models of faithfulness. First, we have the examples of Nadab and Abihu, who did not seek God’s guidance when they used a censor to offer “strange fire” before God. Their offering of strange incense was unauthorized, and they paid for it with their lives (Exodus 30:9, Leviticus 10:1‑2). Then, there is the example of Eli’s sons (Hophni and Phinehas), who were ruthless and corrupt. These men selfishly extorted resources from the people for their own benefit. These men were eventually put to death by God, resulting in God rejecting Eli’s household (1 Samuel 2:12‑36).

These bad examples of priests did nothing to enhance the reputation of the priesthood.

The Spiritual Health of Israel When the Priesthood Failed

Sadly, not all priests remained loyal to their oaths to promote pure worship. The first such failure began even before the priesthood was officially established in Leviticus 8. When Moses was on the mountain to receive the commandments from God, the people wondered what had happened to Moses and became restless. They approached Aaron and demanded he build an idol so that they could worship it. What did Aaron do? Did he take a stand and refuse to follow the people’s wishes? No! Aaron buckled and complied with their wishes, and so the people engaged in idolatry. When Moses came down from the mountain, he was confronted with chaos and revelry in the camp. He confronted Aaron, who did not take responsibility for his failures but suggested that the golden calf simply came out of the fire (Exodus 32:17‑24). Aaron’s failure resulted in Moses taking corrective action to fix the situation that his brother had created (Exodus 32:19‑20).

Another failure occurred during the time of the prophet Hosea. At that time, even those who served as priests made sacrifices to false gods on the tops of mountains and hills. These priestly failures resulted in God pronouncing His punishment upon Israel and Judah (Hosea 4:4‑5:2).

The Long‑Term Impact of Disloyal Priests

When the priests set a poor example and joined the people by engaging in false worship, the adverse effects were not limited to the moral and spiritual health of the nation. It eventually led to the people being taken into captivity by other nations. The northern Kingdom of Israel had replaced the Levitical priests, worshipped golden calves, and then were taken captive by the Assyrians (1 Kings 12:28‑31, 2 Kings 17:5‑23). However, captivity would eventually extend to the Kingdom of Judah, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged and captured Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:10‑17). The failures of various kings and priests caused both kingdoms to lose their independence and be humiliated by foreign nations.

The Antitypical Priesthood and Kingdom Blessings

With the typical priesthood, we saw failures on the part of imperfect men who did not always faithfully fulfill their roles. However, there is reason for optimism when looking at the example of the Lord Jesus, who is now both the High Priest and the King.

In contrast to Aaron with the golden calf, when Jesus faced a compromising situation, he took decisive action, like faithful Phinehas did when faced with Baal worship. When Jesus saw money changers at the temple taking advantage of the people, he wasted no time driving them out, saying, “My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers” (Matthew 21:12‑13).

Christ faithfully completed his role in making the ultimate sacrifice once and for all time when he died for our sins (Hebrews 10:1‑18). He remained steadfast under the pressure of men and suffered unto death on our behalf (Hebrews 12:2, Isaiah 53:5, 7).

One can only imagine our present condition if Christ had not remained faithful in his oath to God (Hebrews 10:9). What if Christ had succumbed to Satan’s tempting offer, which required him to worship the Devil (Matthew 4:9)? Happily, that did not happen! Jesus remained faithful and true to the end (Revelation 3:14), and so became the true High Priest.

In like manner to the antitypical High Priest, there is also an under‑priest class in training, which we call the Church (1 Peter 2:5, 9). The Church must follow in the footsteps of Jesus and suffer like the example of Jesus, while they remain faithful even unto death (1 Corinthians 10:16, Revelation 2:10).

Happily, Christ remained faithful in the face of every challenge presented to him while on earth (Hebrews 4:15). His faithfulness provides solid ground for hope. Therefore, Jesus’ faithful sacrifice, which was done once and does not require repetition, gives us a better hope for the future that will not lead to disappointment (Hebrews 7:20‑28, 1 Peter 1:3).