*If you have not read parts 1 & 2, please do so, otherwise you’ll be lost with this one.*

We are called to be a “Kingdom of Priests” as John told the early church in Revelation 1:6. The chief function of the priest in the Old Testament and today is to “draw near to God.” We do this through praise and worship. While we are given examples of what the priestly function looks like by Melchizedek, David and Jesus, the greatest description of the requirements of the priest are found under the priesthood of Aaron. It is important that we understand God’s standards for priesthood. Those in ministry especially, must realize what God requires of those who lead His people in lifestyles of worship.

There are four main requirements that are expected of God’s priests.

Set Apart
God wants us to be sanctified and pure, set apart from the evil of the world. I’m always amazed and disappointed when I see worship leaders who are actively working to make their worship services more like a secular concert. Don’t get me wrong, I love lights, media, and having the music LOUD, but often I think worship leaders start letting the focus on presentation become a performance. We are not supposed to be modeling the world, we are to model Christ, who’s lifestyle worship was very different from the status quo of the world.

Exodus 19:22 (NLT) Even the priests who regularly come near to the Lord must purify themselves so that the Lord does not break out and destroy them.

Let us make sure our hearts and motives for worship are pure and that we keep our focus on bringing glory to God.

Holiness
Numbers 16:5 (NLT) Then he said to Korah and his followers, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show us who belongs to him and who is holy. The Lord will allow only those whom he selects to enter his own presence.

We need to live a LIFESTYLE of holiness to enter the presence of God. Our weekly, 20 minute dose of worship is not enough to sustain us. We need to constantly and continually live holy and pure before God. Worship is not a moment with God, it is a lifestyle of sacrifice to God. Holiness is an absolute requirement for those who want to enter His presence.

Ordained
Exodus 19:4-6a (NLT) ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”

Notice the possessive nature of God’s description of His people: “I carried you” “brought you to myself” “my own special treasure” “my kingdom of priests, my holy nation”

God has intended great things for those that belong to Him. He is not willing to share us with the idols of this world; rather He has kept us as His own and desires for us to follow only His ways and live by only His standards.

Cleansed
It was very important that all priests kept themselves physically clean when they entered the presence of God.

Exodus 30:21 (NLT) “They must always wash their hands and feet, or they will die. This is a permanent law for Aaron and his descendants, to be observed from generation to generation” Exodus 40:12-13 (NLT) “Present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and wash them with water. Dress Aaron with sacred garments and anoint him, consecrating him to serve as a priest.” Genesis 35:2-3 (NLT) So Jacob told everyone in his household, “Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing. We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”

Exodus 19:10 (NLT) Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing.

Over and over, God expressed how important cleanliness and purity is to those that would stand in His presence. This is a type symbolizing the state of our hearts as we enter into worship. Just as Moses was instructed to prepare Israel for God’s arrival, so we should prepare our hearts and the hearts of our congregation. We must repent of sin and address the unclean parts of our lives that will keep us from communion with God. Through His grace we are made clean and able to come into the Holy of Holies.

1 John 1:9 (NLT) But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

A Warning for Priests
Being a Priest was a great honor and privilege, but came with important requirements that had to be followed with complete obedience to God. Nabab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, were ordained and appointed as priests, but they entered God’s presence improperly.

Leviticus 10:1-3 (NLT) Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said, ‘I will display my holiness through those who come near me. I will display my glory before all the people.’” And Aaron was silent.

In Part 2, I mentioned the responsibility and importance of the sacrificial fires. As priests we must not be careless with the responsibility of entering God’s presence. If we enter improperly, as Aaron’s sons did, by bringing our own traditions and customs that do not meet God’s standards, into His presence we will not honor God. As we are stirring the fire, we must take care that our songs, music, and forms of worship follow God’s pattern for worship, and not allow the world’s influence to enter as “the wrong kind of fire.”

The Kingdom of Priestly worship
In conclusion, we are called to something higher than a mere voice among a multitude of voices. We are all called to be a priest in a royal priesthood, with great responsibility, a high standard of holiness, and a commission to be a light in a dark world. We become that light by living a lifestyle of worship to God, leading others to this same priesthood. This is the Priestly Function of Praise.

1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.