“Priesthood. Nicolaitans.”
“Priesthood. Nicolaitans.”
Blessings folk!
Let us back up a couple of verses.
The people were being led into rebellion by their leadership - some Levites.
God judged the rebels - ground opened up, fire from heaven.
The people then accused Moses/Aaron of causing the death of the leaders.
God had given instruction to hammer the censers held by those judged into sheets to cover the altar.
This was to be done as a reminder.
Reminder of what?
Num 16:39-40
So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered,
and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar,
as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the LORD;
so that he will not become like Korah and his company—
just as the LORD had spoken to him through Moses.
Only the descendants of Aaron could “come near to burn incense before the Lord”.
The Levitical priest had other roles and functions.
They had calling and purpose.
They simply could not function as Aaronic priests.
The word used here is “laymen”.
It literally means “stranger”, “foreigner”.
The idea is that someone who is “stranger/foreign” to the descendants of Aaron.
The term “laymen” is bandied about carelessly today,
Within the western church we have created a dichotomy of faith/role/functioning that is not found in the Word.
We created clergy vs. laity.
There is no such distinction in the New Covenant.
The Lord is clear about this.
Rev 5:9-10
And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals;
for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men
from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God;
and they will reign upon the earth.”
1 Pe 2:4-5
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men,
but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
you also,
as living stones,
are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:9-10
But you are A CHOSEN RACE,
A royal PRIESTHOOD,
A HOLY NATION,
A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION,
so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
for you once were NOT A PEOPLE,
but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD;
you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
Each and every true believer is a part of the holy priesthood of God.
We offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Note who we are.
We are…
- Chosen race
- Royal priesthood
- Holy nation
- A people of God’s own possession
To what purpose?
To proclaim His excellencies.
Again, there is no “clergy/laity” in the Body of Christ.
Again, yes, yes, yes, yet I be heard wrong.
There are roles.
There are functionings.
There are the manifestations of the Holy Spirit to the building up of the Body.
But, there is no hint of what most of us experience now.
And we wonder why things are awry…?
The Word warns us about those who will seek to draw distinction.
Jude in his letter tells us much about those who “crept in”.
Revelation gives an interesting insight…
Rev 2:6
‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Rev 2:15
‘So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
We know little of the “Nicolaitans”.
We do know that the Lord hated their deeds.
We do know that the Lord hated their teaching.
The word “Nicolaitans” means “power over the people/destruction of people”.
Many are the modern Nicolaitans.
Selah!
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