In what ways does Exodus 40:15 connect to the New Testament priesthood of believers? Setting the Scene • Exodus 40:15 — “Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve Me as priests. Their anointing will confer on them a permanent priesthood throughout their generations.” • Aaron’s sons are set apart through oil, clothed in priestly garments, and granted an enduring office in Israel’s worship life. Threads That Run Through the Testaments • An anointed priesthood • Access to God secured by sacrifice • Ongoing, generation-spanning ministry • Service that blesses the wider covenant community How the Verse Foreshadows the New Testament Priesthood of Believers 1. Anointing → Spirit-Empowered Life • Exodus 40:15 speaks of literal oil; the NT speaks of the Spirit. • 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 — “He anointed us, placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts.” • 1 John 2:20, 27 — the believer’s “anointing from the Holy One” that “remains.” 2. Consecration for Service → Every Believer’s Calling • Aaron’s sons “serve Me as priests.” • 1 Peter 2:9 — “a chosen people, a royal priesthood… to proclaim the virtues of Him.” • Romans 12:1 — presenting our bodies as “a living sacrifice” is priestly work. 3. Access Mediated → Access Granted • Old-covenant priests alone approached the sanctuary. • Hebrews 10:19-22 — we now “enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near.” • Revelation 1:5-6 — Christ “made us to be… priests to His God and Father.” 4. Perpetual Priesthood → Eternal Reality in Christ • “Permanent priesthood throughout their generations.” • Hebrews 7:24 — Jesus holds His priesthood “permanently.” • Believers share in that permanence: Revelation 5:9-10 — “You have made them… priests… and they will reign.” 5. Corporate Identity → Global Body • Aaron’s line was limited to one family; believers’ priesthood spans “every tribe and tongue” (Revelation 5:9). • Ephesians 2:18 — “Through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit,” Jew and Gentile alike. Practical Takeaways • Rely on the Spirit’s anointing for daily ministry. • Embrace unrestricted access to the Father—regularly draw near. • Offer continual sacrifices of praise (Hebrews 13:15) and good works (Hebrews 13:16). • Understand that priestly service is not optional; it is the believer’s new identity. • Anticipate an eternal, undiminished priestly role in the coming kingdom, as Exodus 40:15 hints and Revelation confirms. Conclusion Exodus 40:15, while rooted in the Tabernacle’s rituals, prophetically sketches the contours of the church’s calling: Spirit-anointed, sacrifice-grounded, permanently appointed priests who serve God now and forever through Christ. |
    |