Question: Members of the Restored Church have two kinds of
priesthood. In the Bible there were also
two priesthoods, the Aaronic and the Melchizedek. What is the Aaronic
Priesthood?
“Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of the Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the
keys of the ministering of angels, and of the
gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.
...” Doctrine and Covenants 13:1
“The second priesthood is called
the Priesthood of Aaron, because it was conferred upon Aaron and his seed
throughout all their generations. Why it is called the lesser priesthood is
because it is an appendage to the
greater, or Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power in administering outward
ordinances.” Doctrine and Covenants
107:13-14
“And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key
of the ministering of angels and the preparatory
gospel.” Doctrine and Covenants 84:26
Members of the Restored Church believe the Aaronic Priesthood is a
preparatory priesthood, and that it holds the keys of outward ordinances.
An ordinance is something we must perform by
the law of God.
“[T]he law of commandments
contained in ordinances. …” Ephesians 2:15
“[K]eep the ordinances, as I
delivered them to you.” 1 Corinthians 11:2
In Moses’ time, as God was leading the
children of Israel out of the wilderness, God gave laws and ordinances to
Israel through Moses. The people then covenanted to do all that God commanded
them.
“Ye shall do my judgments, and
keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus
18:4
“And he took the book of the
covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and
be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and
said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you
concerning all these words.” Exodus 24:7-8
This sealed the covenant, or promises, between
God and Israel. The man who received this covenant, Moses, was a priest.
“Moses
and Aaron among his priests. …” Psalms 99:6
Moses the priest was to teach the people what
they needed to know and do.
“And thou shalt teach them
ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and
the work that they must do.” Exodus 18:20
After the covenant was made, God commanded Moses
to give Israel ministering priests.
“And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with
him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s
office.” Exodus 28:41
The ancient Aaronic Priesthood was divided
into two main groups. There were the men
of the Israeli tribe of Levi that were called to provide many functions for the
maintenance of the tabernacle. They were part of the priesthood, but not named
priests.
“Bring the tribe of Levi near,
and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And
they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the
tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. And they
shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the
charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. And thou
shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto
him out of the children of Israel.” Numbers 3:6-9
“But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. …” Joshua 18:7
Levites became part of the priesthood first by
the laying on of hands as offerings by Israel to God.
“And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands
upon the Levites: And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an
offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the services of the
LORD. …
And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from
among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in
the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children
of Israel. …” Numbers 8:10-11, 19
Then there was Aaron and his sons. They were anointed by Moses to be priests to
Israel.
“And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and
sanctify him; that he may minister unto
me in the priest’s office. And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them
with coats: And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that
they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for the anointing shall
surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” Exodus 40:13-15
One of the functions of the Aaronic Priesthood
was to offer sacrifice:
“To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices,
which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the
LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and
offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD. And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet
savor unto the LORD.” Leviticus 17:5-6
The Aaronic Priesthood collected tithes.
“And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the
Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to
the chambers, into the treasure house.” Nehemiah 10:38
The priesthood was also to protect the truth
of God’s covenant and laws. Indeed, God was very particular as to who should be
allowed to even carry the Ark of the Covenant, which carried the divine law and
the covenant between God and Israel.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Write
thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant
with thee and Israel.” Exodus 34:27
“That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant
of the LORD, saying, Take this book of
the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God,
that it may be there for a witness against thee.” Deuteronomy 31:25-26
“[T]he sons of Kohath [Levites]
shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they
die.” Numbers 4:15
It was members of the priesthood, including
the Aaronic, that wrote scripture, or accepted inspired works as scripture.
“And Moses wrote all the words
of the LORD. …” Exodus 24:4
“Now go, write it before them in
a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for
ever and ever.” Isaiah 30: 8
“The words of Jeremiah the son
of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.” Jeremiah 1:1
The Aaronic Priesthood is connected to the law
of Moses.
“And Moses wrote this law, and
delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the
covenant of the LORD. …” Deuteronomy 31:9
“[T]his law in a book out of
that which is before the priests the Levites.” Deuteronomy 17:18
As the priests were responsible for the
teaching and correction of the people, it would have to be priests that
approved of words that were in line with God’s laws, and to disavow teachings
that strayed from God’s words. What were the basic tenets of the Law of Moses
overseen by the Aaronic Priesthood?
In addition to many commands that were
cultural and designed to assist ancient Israel in avoiding pagan practices, the
Israelites were commanded to love God, to love their neighbor, and to not do
anything that harms another person, or do no ill to another. These are best
represented by the Ten Commandments.
“And thou shalt love the LORD
thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
Deuteronomy 6:5
“[T]hou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself: I am the LORD.” Leviticus
19:18
“For this. Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, Thou
shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and
if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying,
namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour. …” Romans 13:9-10
Some have supposed that God had intended a
universal priesthood for ancient Israel.
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,
then ye shall be a peculiar treasure
unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. …”
Exodus 19:5-6
The key word in this section of scripture is
shall. This blessing of being a kingdom of priests, a peculiar treasure, will
come sometime in the future, after Israel has obeyed the voice of the Lord and
kept its covenant. The Lord does not say
the priesthood is yours if you just believe in me. Israel will become a nation of priests once
it has kept its covenants and obeyed God. This is not universal
priesthood. It is priesthood attained by
obedience to God and the keeping of covenants.
There was disagreement as to who should be a
priest in the time of ancient Israel. Some assumed they had the right to be a
priest. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were three men who rebelled against Moses and
Aaron, and attempted to do priestly offerings themselves, without divine
authorization. They were punished for this.
“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. 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. … And Eleazer
the priest took the brasen censors, wherewith they that were burnt had offered;
and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar: 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
his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.” Numbers 16:32-33,
39-40
Clearly, priesthood is not universal, but
conditional. There was also a proper method for priests to serve the Lord.
Priests who thought they could take their own initiative and depart from the
Lord’s methods of doing things were also punished.
“And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his
censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before
the LORD.” Leviticus 10:1-2
The sons of Aaron helped perform sacrifices
that were symbolic of cleansing the people from sin, and helped the people
understand when they had been sinning.
“If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments
of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against
any of them. ...” Leviticus 4:2
“And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden
to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he
guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.” Leviticus 5:17
“And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin
that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him. …” Leviticus
5:13
Being cleansed from sin was what God wanted
for ancient Israel. However, although they went through the motions,
forgiveness from sins was denied them. After Israel had covenanted to keep the
law of God, they worshipped false Gods, and broke that covenant. They then had
no right to become a nation of priests, and God hid His face from them.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy
fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the
strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me,
and break my covenant which I have
made with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I
will forsake them, and I will hide my
face from them. …” Deuteronomy 31:16-17
In breaking the covenant, Israel would not
have the gift of forgiveness of sins for generations.
“[A]nd that will by no means
clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children,
and upon the children’s children, unto the third and fourth generation.” Exodus
34:7
“Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of
temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw
my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart,
and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they
should not enter into my rest.”
Psalms 95:8-11
Ancient Israel could not be cleansed because
they would not know the ways of God. The ancient Israelites were offered the
rest of Christ but had refused it.
“For unto us was the gospel
preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them,
not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do
enter in to rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter
into my rest” Hebrews 4:2
They were allowed a shadow of things to come.
“For the law having a shadow of
good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with
those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers
thereunto perfect. For then would they not ceased to be offered? because that
the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in
those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it
is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.”
Hebrews 10:1-4
“[T]here are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve
unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God
when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make
all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath
he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a
better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been
faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For
finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of
Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day
when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant,
and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.” Hebrews 8:4-9
As I will demonstrate in subsequent chapters,
working through the atonement of Christ, and being a witness of His power and
mercy by His forgiveness is how we come to know God. Ancient Israel’s children would
also not be able to be cleansed from their sins, as their fathers had broken
their covenant. The choices of parents greatly affected their children. A day
was coming where the children could be free from sin, and God would write His
law in their hearts. They then would know God.
“In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour
grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for
his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set
on edge. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the
house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in
the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I
was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I
will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and
write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my
people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they
shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith
the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no
more.” Jeremiah 31:29-34
Because ancient Israel broke its covenant with
God, they were under a lesser law and priesthood, for Moses the priest was
taken from their midst.
“And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto
Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I
have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but
thou [Moses] shalt not go over thither.” Deuteronomy 34:4
They could have had the Lord’s rest. For Moses had seen God face to face.
“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.”
Deuteronomy 34:10
And Moses knew the Lord’s ways.
“He made known his ways unto
Moses. …” Psalms 103:7
Israel merely had a shadow of things to come.
If they had kept their first covenant they would not have required a second.
Luckily, a new covenant was coming, with the higher priesthood and law.
Watch- The Power of the Aaronic Priesthood