The first reference to the necessity of consecration is found in Exodus 28:3: “and thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priests office.”
The Levitical priests had to be consecrated before they could, “minister“ unto Yahweh as priests. You can learn more about this required ceremony by reading Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8. These chapters describe the process of consecration that Moses supervised.
There is another consecration in the future for the Levitical priesthood. This will occur at the beginning of the 1000-year reign of Messiah. Reference to this event is found in Ezekiel 43:27: “seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it, and they shall consecrate themselves.”
You will note that the Levitical priests who are called to officiate during Messiah’s reign must “consecrate” themselves. No supervision is mentioned. There is no leadership like Moses mentioned. The ceremony is very different than the one you find in Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8. There is one consistent similarity: it requires seven days to be consecrated. On the eighth day they are ready to minister before Yahweh. (Leviticus 9:1; Ezekiel 43: 26-27)
Where did this requirement of consecration come from? To answer this we must look at the “pattern” given to Moses in Exodus 25:9: “According to all that I [Yahweh] shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and a pattern of all the instruments there of, even so shall ye make it.”
This pattern was for the Tabernacle. Yahweh also provided David similar guidance for the temple. We find this in first Chronicles 28:11: “Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasures there of, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the Mercy Seat.”
Yahweh personally provided Moses and David with detailed instructions. Yahweh does things very precisely. There is no room for failure. Yahweh is not the author of confusion. (1 Corinthians 14:33)
The patterns given to Moses and David are based on heavenly realities. Even the detail of the lampstand or candlestick was subject to the guidance provided by Yahweh. Paul tells us in Hebrews 8:2 that there is a “true tabernacle“. What Moses and David supervised were just imperfect examples of the perfect spiritual reality.
The Scriptures are very clear about the requirements Yahweh has for the buildings and their contents. What about the priesthood? Paul gives us this insight in Hebrews 8:5: “who [the Levitical Priests] serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.“
As there is a true tabernacle and earthly tabernacle, there is a heavenly priesthood and an earthly priesthood. The earthly priesthood is the Aaronic or Levitical priesthood. The heavenly priesthood is the order of Melchizedek.
Messiah is the High Priest of the order of Melchizedek. Aaron was the first Levitical High Priest and his sons followed in his footsteps. Messiah could not be a high priest here on earth. (Hebrews 8:4) He was not of the lineage of Levi or Aaron. He is and has been the heavenly high priest of the order of Melchizedek. It was he who has always existed and was the high priest who met with Abraham. (Genesis 14: 18)
We know who the High Priest is for the Order of Melchizedek. Who are the priests? The priests under the Levitical High Priest were descendants of Aaron. The priests of the order of Melchizedek are the firstfruits, the elect, or the saints who are resurrected when Messiah returns. These were called by the Father and chosen by Messiah. These were known by the Father and Son from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 25:34; Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 1:2)
The elect are called and chosen to have the key of knowledge revealed to them. (Luke 11:52) With that key, they are able to enter the path that leads them to the better resurrection and participation in the priesthood of the order of Melchizedek. Messiah is the door through which they must enter. (John 10:9)
Once baptized in the great name of YahwehShua, they receive the down payment of Messiah’s Spirit through the laying on of hands. They are not without sin but have the ability to repent and have an advocate always available to speak on their behalf. Through this process we are now the sons (in the Greek the word children is used rather than sons) of Yahweh. (1 John 3:2) As sons we are able to be priests in the order of Melchizedek under the authority of our High Priest YahwehShua. Our relationship with YahwehShua is similar to that held between the Levitical high priest and their descendants. We too, are being prepared to be priests in the order of Melchizedek. (1 Peter 2:5; 2:9)
Let’s review what we have learned. There is a pattern that allows the heavenly things to be reflected in our physical reality. There was an earthly Tabernacle and Temple as well as a sanctuary revealed to Ezekiel for the 1000-year reign of Messiah. There is also a heavenly priesthood as well as an earthly priesthood.
But notice that the physical Aaronic priesthood was required to become consecrated. This process required seven days of being confined in the Tabernacle. On the eighth day and precisely on the eighth day, they would emerge and be allowed to serve before Yahweh.
If there is a physical requirement of consecration for the Levitical priesthood, what about the 144,000 priests who are to be in the better resurrection? They are resurrected during the seventh age which is also the seventh day of their consecration. They will spend 1000 years of our time or one day of Yahweh’s time to complete this process of consecration. During the next or eighth age they emerge and then are fully qualified to serve before Yahweh.
What is their service? They are to be judges. They will judge angels. (1 Corinthians 6:3) They will also judge the 12 tribes. (Matthew 19:28) Remember what John tells us in John 5:22: “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.”
Paul taught us that we are the image of Messiah. (Romans 8:29) John teaches us that we “shall be like him.” (1 John 3: 2) Therefore, our first major responsibility is to judge all angels and the rest of mankind. This is only the beginning. Our duties will grow and develop in the new heavens and earth. (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13)
When did the consecration of the saints begin? The physical genetic code for all the saints as well as all mankind was created within Adam. Yahweh guarded the existence of that genetic material until the time for each person’s physical birth. Ninety nine percent of the genetic material that is found in each human cell is the same for all humans. The remaining amount of genetic material produces the variations that we find among mankind.
While this is very interesting, what Scriptural basis do we have to make these statements? In Hebrews 7: 10 you find this very interesting information: “For he [Levi] was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.“ What this tells us is that the genetic material that became Levi was already in the loins of Abraham at a much earlier time. Additional information is available regarding the existence of the genetic code in the narrative concerning Jacob and Laban found in Genesis chapter 30. I would suggest that you do some additional reading about the science of genetics and the genetic code. A helpful website is:
https: www.sciencedaily.com/terms/genetic_code.htm.
The genetic code and the plan of the ages (Ephesians 3: 11) are concepts that help explain when the consecration of the saints began and when it is to be completed. The plan of the ages is as follows:
1 Adam
2 Noah
3 Abraham
4 Moses
5 David
6 The man, Messiah Yahshua
7 The firstfruits: Messiah YahwehShua and his saints
8 The completion of consecration for the saints and the beginning of judgment.
The first seven periods of the plan of the ages represents the first seven days that the Levitical priests were consecrated. The eighth age represents the completion of consecration for the saints just as the eighth day represented the completion of consecration for the Levitical priests.
The pattern of consecration is repeated in the plan of the ages. (Ephesians 3:11) The genetic material which had been created within Adam was expressed during each age as determined by Yahweh. The 144,000 saints were not programmed to arrive until the sixth age and be resurrected in the seventh age. These saints will complete the process of consecration at the end of the seventh age and be presented as judges in the eighth age. This insight regarding the saints is consistent with the physical pattern required of the Levitical priests. The consecration of the Aaronic priesthood is in fact, patterned after OUR spiritual consecration.
The purpose of the ages was to permit the preparation or consecration of the new priests who were selected to be with Messiah when he returns. Yahweh has given us a revelation in Genesis 1:1 that adds to our understanding. He has, in fact, declared the end from the beginning. (Isaiah 46:10)
The Scriptures contain much information about our future. An example of this insight begins in Genesis 1:1 where the existence of the firstfruits is introduced. The traditional translation of this verse from the King James Version is as follows:
“In the beginning g-d created the heaven and the earth.” My alternative translation, which is taken from the Hebrew, offers this insight: “for the sake of the firstfruit Elohim [mighty ones] created the heaven and earth.”
The Hebrew word that is translated “in the beginning“ is bereshith. This Hebrew word consists of a preposition, be, and the feminine, singular noun, reshith. The preposition can be translated in multiple ways: in, for the sake, of, etc. The noun, reshith, has the meaning of firstfruits, Strong’s number 7225.
We are told in 1 Corinthians 15:23 that Messiah is the first of the firstfruits. In James 1:18, the saints, are called a “kind of firstfruits.”
Both the Hebrew and the Greek word for firstfruits is a feminine singular noun. From Genesis to Revelation, the firstfruits are revealed. (Revelation 14:4) We are able to know the end from the beginning.
HalleluYah!
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