The concept of an ordained ministry within the Church of Israel is deeply rooted in the biblical narrative and the historical development of Israel as a covenant community. The ordained ministry in ancient Israel was established by divine command and served as a vital component in the spiritual and communal life of the nation.

Priestly Ordination

The priesthood in Israel was instituted by God through Moses, with Aaron and his sons being set apart for this sacred office. The ordination of priests is detailed in the book of Exodus, where God commands Moses, "You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. Then you shall take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him with its woven waistband" (Exodus 29:4-5). This ordination process involved ceremonial washing, clothing in sacred garments, and anointing with oil, signifying their consecration to serve as mediators between God and the people.

Levitical Role

The Levites, a tribe set apart for service to the Lord, played a crucial role in the religious life of Israel. They assisted the priests in the tabernacle and later in the temple, performing duties that included teaching the Law, maintaining the sanctuary, and leading worship. Numbers 8:14-15 states, "In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be Mine. After you have purified them and presented them as a wave offering, they may come to perform their service at the Tent of Meeting."

Prophetic Ministry

In addition to the priestly and Levitical roles, the prophetic ministry was another ordained office within Israel. Prophets were called by God to deliver His messages to the people, often calling them back to covenant faithfulness. The prophet Jeremiah's call exemplifies this divine ordination: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5).

Judicial and Teaching Functions

The ordained ministry in Israel also included judges and teachers of the Law. Judges were raised up by God to deliver Israel from oppression and to administer justice. The book of Judges recounts the cyclical pattern of Israel's disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance through judges like Deborah and Gideon. Furthermore, teachers of the Law, such as Ezra, played a significant role in instructing the people in God's statutes and commandments, as seen in Nehemiah 8:8 : "They read from the Book of the Law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read."

Continuity and Fulfillment

The ordained ministry of Israel finds its continuity and fulfillment in the New Testament Church, where Christ is recognized as the ultimate High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16) and the apostles and elders are appointed to shepherd the early Christian communities. The structure and functions of the ordained ministry in Israel provide a foundational understanding of spiritual leadership and service, emphasizing the importance of divine calling, consecration, and faithful execution of duties in accordance with God's will.Exodus 29:9
And you shall gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

"He Ordained Twelve"
... the twelve patriarchs stand as representatives of Israel, so the ... were to stand as
representatives of the gospel church. ... of the men whom He had chosen; all ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 30 he ordained twelve.htm

The Apostolic Scriptures.
... No apostle labored more zealously to divest the Church of Israel of its ... sentence
he left to the elders of that church, but upon which he had determined by ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxx the apostolic scriptures.htm

Comparison Between the False Church and the True.
... Elijah, Micaiah, and others in Israel, Isaiah, Jeremiah ... flatterers of the Pope greatly
extol their Church. ... office, nevertheless, because they had been ordained ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 2 comparison between the.htm

The Organization of the Apostolic Church.
... so strikingly exhibited in the nation of Israel, should still be ... had its elders;
and every city had its presbytery ... upon its merits; for the Church there enjoyed ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter iii the organization of.htm

The Gospel Message in Antioch
... Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." Acts 9 ... heavenly places might be
known by the church the manifold ... But neither of them had as yet been formally ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 16 the gospel message.htm

A Liberal Church
... are much greater than were those of ancient Israel. ... For these objects many church
members do not hesitate to ... Christ, having given up all that He had, then gave ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 32 a liberal church.htm

The Seven Deacons
... of the world many groups of believers had been formed ... a man to be a wise ruler in
the church. ... Summoning to Jerusalem "all the princes of Israel, the princes of ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 9 the seven deacons.htm

Jew and Gentile
... ancient rites and ceremonies committed to Israel had gained a ... and with the dignity
of a church established by ... work of the men whom God had ordained to teach ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 19 jew and gentile.htm

The Ministry of Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth.
... son-in-law of the High Priest of Israel [111:1 ... The apostle therefore saw that if
a Church could be firmly ... much longer than in any other place he had yet visited ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter vii the ministry of.htm

Go Teach all Nations
... For this work the church was established, and all who take upon themselves its sacred ...
Christ had been the guide and teacher of ancient Israel, and He ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 86 go teach all.htm

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