Description

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priests
by Edward T. Welch
 

“Job Descriptions” (Chapter 16)

 
Heart of the Priestly Job Description

• Fellowship with the Lord
• Enjoying his hospitality and protection
• Living in his house

“May we never think that dour obedience is the essence of life in Christ. Lavish meals, satisfaction, peace, and pleasure are the lot of God’s priests. It could be no other way when we are invited to live at the junction of heaven and earth.” - Edward Welch

Duties of the Early Priests

• Care for the weak, orphaned, widows, and poor
• Prayer and encouragement in preparation for battle

“These early descriptions of the priestly mission were always pointing toward something more and someone more. The mission converges on Jesus, the true high priest, and from him our job description explodes with new meaning.” - Edward Welch

• We still care for the weak, but we realize that we too are poor and needy.
• We continue to prepare for battle, but now our battle is against the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Three Aspects of the Priests’ Job Description

• Fill the earth with wise, discerning royal priests.
• Care for the peace and purity of the believing community.
• Reflect the Lord.

Fill the Earth with Wise, Discerning Royal Priests

• The original creation mandate

Genesis 1:28 NIV28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

• The updated new creation mandate

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

“The job of subduing the earth continues unabated from the original commission. We are stewards of earth. But the souls of humanity have become our primary stewardship.” - Edward Welch

1 Samuel 12:23 NIV23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.

“Priests call children, neighbors, and the world to draw near to Jesus.” - Edward Welch

Care for the Peace and Purity of the Believing Community

“The job of priests is to protect and keep God’s house.” - Edward Welch

• Adam and Eve’s failure to protect the Garden of Eden
• The Israelite Priests failure to protect the community of Israel
• Jesus Christ the Great High Priest
• The church, a royal priesthood under Christ
  • Imperfect but Sanctified
  • Seek unity not division
  • Seek justice not favoritism
  • Seek righteousness not wickedness
  • Seek love not selfishness

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 NIV16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

 
Reflect the Lord

• Moses reflected the greatness and holiness of the Lord after having been in his presence.

Exodus 34:29–30 NIV29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.

“Moses represented the people and was invited to draw near. When he drew near, he took on a characteristic of the one he beheld… As God is light, so Moses reflected that light.” - Edward Welch