Daily Devotional, Year 3 – April 26 (God’s Royal Priesthood Today! Part 3: “Priest of the Home”)
By admin On February 13th, 2021.
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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – April 26
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God’s Royal Priesthood Today! Part 3: “Priest of the Home”
To read Part 1, go here…June 16th (God’s Royal Priesthood Today!)
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In the wilderness wanderings, God set up the sanctuary service to be an illustration of the priesthood and atonement concerning Christ and His Church.
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After all, let’s not forget what those seven candlesticks represent…“The mystery of the seven stars which thou saw 
in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest ARE THE SEVEN CHURCHES.” Revelation 1:20
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Yes, the seven golden candlesticks in the Old Testament temple of God actually represent the Church of God through the ages, as enlightened by the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence!
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Holman – The Tabernacle in the Wilderness – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD
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And so, the sanctuary service was symbolic of Christ and His Church.
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Now, God has confirmed this fact in various ways.
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For instance, listen to 1st Peter 2:9…“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light:”
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Now it is becoming evident that the Old Testament priesthood was symbolic of Christ and His Church, symbolized by the 7 candlesticks of the sanctuary service!
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the holy of holies-www.thebiblerevival.com-public domain
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A HIGH AND HOLY CALLING
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But the reason for even bringing this up is so that in every Christian home, the father needs to rise up to this, his God-ordained high and holy calling.
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That’s right, the father is to take up the mantle of the office of priest for his home: his wife and his children.
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And it would be very advisable for each father to study the Books of Moses to get a clearer picture and insight into just what a solemn and holy office that he has been given by God!
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Family Prayer Before Meal – Wikimedia – US-Govt. – Public-Domain
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ELI, THE UNFAITHFUL PRIEST
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A priest was a very important and sacred duty.
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And there was to be no flippancy or irreverence in the life of the priest.
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He was commanded to conduct himself in a very solemn and holy manner.
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Such accounts as the story of Eli, were given to us to show just how important it is to bring up our children in the “nurture and admonition” of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
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God eventually struck down Eli and his two sons, because neither Eli nor his sons took their office seriously!
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Eli and Samuel – John Copley – 1780 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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A SHAME TO NEGLECT THIS DUTY
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It is the solemn duty of the father to raise his family to love the Lord.
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And for any father to neglect this sacred commission by God is a great shame on that man which will not easily be erased!
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And if he has a Christian wife, it should be her delight to see the father take the reins in the household and conduct the daily routine in such a way that the Lord God is the exalted Member of that family!
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Prayer at Day’s End – Angelus by Jean-François Millet – Wikipedia – Public Domain
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“WINE IS A MOCKER”
Proverbs 20:1
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And let’s not forget that the priesthood was NOT to take wine and strong drink into the temple of God.
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And so, neither should the father, the priest of the home (nor the mother) put alcohol into their own body temple, which is (or at least, should be) the holy temple of the Lord!
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Offering a toast with sparkling wine flutes – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike license
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“The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.”
1st Corinthians 15:56
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It is all too often in society to treat sin with cavalier lightness. For example, the parent might say with a chuckle, “Now Johnny, we don’t want to be telling fibs”. Such flippant and apathetic responses to a child’s sins, only deaden their little consciences to the horrific nature of sin, thus unfitting them for Heaven.
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Listen to Paul…“…that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.” Romans 7:13
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Of course, the root of the problem is, the parents, themselves, have blunted consciences, and so they naturally treat sin with slightness, not only in their own lives, but also in their children’s lives!
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Such a modern-day tragedy!
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kids – children – Mohawk haircut – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”
Ephesians 6:4
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Last, but certainly not least, fathers, we must make sure to live with our family in such a way as to show them that Heaven is a place to enjoy. And the parents need to show much heavenly love for their children. Whether engaging them in their little games and sports, or hugging them often, or just making life in the home nice and breezy.
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This is an integral part of what it means to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”
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The Christian parents must, kindly, patiently, and gently, guide your children through their childhood in such a way which will cause them to desire, yes, even yearn, to walk side-by-side with you along the joy-filled highways and byways of eternity!
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Family eating meal – Wikipedia – Public Domain
Family Portrait – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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STRENGTH FOR THE DAYS AHEAD
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In the coming days, as the condition of the world continues to grow increasingly and hopelessly evil, the more should children be firmly and decidedly on the Lord’s side!
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Anti-Christian rally in Chicago – cropped image – Wikimedia
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GOOD NEWS: DOOR OF MERCY STILL AJAR
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The Good News is, that God has allowed just a little time for His professed people to show that they really mean business with God.
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And every father who claims a connection with God must begin to put away his own selfish amusements and self-aggrandizing pursuits which have had pre-eminence for much too long; and begin to turn the family back to a Heaven-ward direction.
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And if the children are still willing, the father should begin to conduct both morning and evening sacrifices (family worships).
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And the father should begin to conduct himself in a Christlike manner, whether at work, or at rest, or even at recreation with his family.
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Family Prayer Before Meal – Wikimedia – US-Govt. – Public-Domain
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WIVES MAY HAVE TO FILL IN
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Now for those wives whose husband still is in darkness, they may be able to commandeer the children to have family worships each day even without the father’s presence.
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And as she does this, day-and-night prayers should be ascending for that “missing-in-action” father to return to the Lord, to take up his great commission as priest of the home!
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Pilgrims Progress – Christiana – We Are All Undone – Wikimedia – Publi Domain
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TO READ PART 4, CLICK HERE…May 28 (God’s Royal Priesthood Today! Part 4: “Priest of the Home (CONTINUED)” )
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
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“Dear Lord, Give me the grace to rise to the responsibilities of being a royal priest. Give me the grace to pray without ceasing, no matter where I am…
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READ MORE…
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To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Ark of the Covenant Constellation, Pt. 2: How To Enter The Most Holy Place”
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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THE HOLY AND MOST HOLY PLACE
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“And thou shalt put the Mercy Seat upon the Ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.” Exodus 26:34
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The Tabernacle in the wilderness was a picture of God. Just listen to Revelation… “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Revelation 21:22.
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So, instead of dwelling upon all the fine points of the earthly tabernacle, let it suffice to be said, this earthly tabernacle is merely a metaphor of God Himself. And the Most Holy Place is the heart of that temple, and upon the Ark, represents God’s throne, as is written…
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“And David arose…to bring up from thence, the ark of God…the LORD of hosts that dwells between the cherubims.” 2nd Samuel 6:2.
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So, if, as it states here, that God dwells “between the cherubims”, then this is speaking of the Mercy Seat over the Ark. But even though it speaks thus, we need to keep in mind that the temple itself, represents God Himself, as is written… “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Revelation 21:22.
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Holy Place & Most Holy Place – Wikipedia – public domain
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ARK SEEN IN HEAVEN
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“And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in His temple the Ark of His Testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” Revelation 11:19
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The above verse from Revelation, speaks of God’s Temple in Heaven being opened. But this great constellation, the Sagittarius Constellation is actually the constellation of the Ark of the Covenant. So these two events go hand in hand simultaneously. The Ark Constellation, as sketched into this Wikipedia star-chart, is a representation of the heavenly Ark, as God begins to open up the spiritual concepts of that true Ark to our minds.
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ABOVE PICTURE – Ark of the Covenant Constellation (aka Sagittarius) – seen in warmer months.
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READ MORE…
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To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Ark of the Covenant Constellation”
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TOMORROW:
April 27 (Planet Earth, Devil’s Island, Part 5: “Name Your Prison!”)
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