A New Priesthood

Parasha:  B’ha’alotcha “In Your Setting Up”
Torah: B’midbar (Numbers) 8:1  – 12:16

5 And Avinu spoke to Moshe, saying, 6 Take the Levim from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7  And thus shall you do to them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying on them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. (B’midbar 8:5-7)

This ritual was the beginning of the process used to replace the existing priesthood.  After the “golden calf” incident, the Levites were chosen to replace the “First Born Priesthood” which had been operating in Israel for more than four hundred years. 

The “mei chatas” (waters of purification) in verse 7 refers to the waters mixed with the ashes of the red heifer, as we will see in parsha Chukot, chapter 19.

The Levites should then immerse themselves and their clothes in a mikvah.

The people of the nation were to come to the Mishkan and lay their hands on the Levites to ordain them. (The Hebrew word for ordination, semicha, literally refers to the laying of hands.) The Levites will then be officially designated as servants of Avinu.

The Levitical Priesthood lasted approximately fourteen hundred years and had to be reinforced during the latter part of The Judges with the semicha of David HaMelick.

When Yeshua HaMeshiach appeared, He introduced a “new priesthood” to accompany Him in the establishment and operation of The Kingdom of Avinu.

Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Malchitzedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?

(Aharon was a Levite) 

12  For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.

(tithes must now be paid to the Malchitzedekian priesthood)

13  For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14  For it is evident that our Master was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15  This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Malchitzedek, 16  who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17  For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Malchitzedek.” 18  For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19  (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to Avinu.

(The recipients of the tithes changed) 

(We “draw near” – through spiritual sacrifices and offerings – by faith in Yeshua’s sacrifice for us 

20  And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21  but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Master has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’” 22  This makes Yeshua the guarantor of a better covenant. 23  The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24  but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25  Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to Avinu through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 26  For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27  He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28  For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. (Heb 7:11-28 )