Today we’re comparing the requirements needed to hold the Melchizedek Priesthood. The first example comes from the LDS Church and the other examples comes from God’s word. We’re praying Mormons give the biblical requirements an honest read and will desire to know why God set such a high standard.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, p 882, 884; “Specific standards of worthiness to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood include personal integrity, chastity, obedience to the divine laws of health, and faithful contribution of tithes to the Church. Beyond these traits, it is expected that men will progress in developing attributes of godliness….
…The Melchizedek Priesthood is an eternal priesthood. Before mortality, God delegated authority and responsibility to worthy individuals. This holy priesthood was the means by which that action was taken. After this life, those who have been valiant and have honored their priesthood will continue to bear it and to have the responsibility to use it in serving others. Adam, the first of the spirit children of God to live on earth, received the holy priesthood…”
In the numerous bible passages we’re listing here you’ll notice a theme of sorts. If you weren’t from the line of Levi or Aaron, you weren’t qualified to hold the priesthood. From the time of Jesus’ death for our sins on the cross, the priesthood went from Levi and Aaron to Jesus exclusively, meaning there weren’t any other priesthood holders from then on.
We’ll explore the part believers play as being members of a royal priesthood at another time, but for now we’re limiting our look to these two categories.
Numbers 3:10; “And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.”
Numbers 16:1-3, 31-33, 40, 46-49a; “Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. 40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses. 46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 49a Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred…”
Numbers 18:1-2; “And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.”
Deuteronomy 21:5; “And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried.”
Numbers 16:46. … ‘…the plague is begun…’
Can you imagine that scene? It’s hard to picture our benevolent God striking down a group of people because of their misbehavior. However, if we’re to accept that God is love we have no choice but to accept that same loving God demands justice. In the passage from Numbers 16 we first saw that He struck down 250 men because of their unbelief and no sooner than the shock of that scene quieted down, more was to come.
God isn’t a vengeful God, but He is a God who expects and demands our total devotion to Him.
The one thing we mustn’t tamper with is the operation of the priesthood. The priesthood is fulfilled in Christ, it’s nontransferable.
Application for Today
Teach a Mormon how to meditate, wonder, and investigate how and why Jesus fulfills this role and why they can’t.
Hebrews 4:14-16 – He’s the perfect priest who feels our infirmities
Hebrews 7:23-28 – His eternal intercession for us, even the uttermost, He is holy, harmless, undefiled
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