The covenant with the Levites

[31gH9N.9.]

Jer 33: 20,21- Thus says the LORD:" If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David my servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers"

I'm having a hard time reconciling this passage with what is said in Hebrews, especially chp. 8. I'm not going to write that all here because everyone has their own bible they can read or they can look it up on the internet.

This is something I saw as a discrepancy in the past but I put it away for a little while and now I'm back at it again. If I'm understanding Hebrews correctly, it is stating that the Levitical priesthood came to an end " ... For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law." ( Heb. 7:12) But when I reat the Old testament, it sounds like the Levites will still be priests in the future.

I'm going to do some more studying on my own, but I wanted to first make this thread to see what other people thought about it.

 

[R. Hartono]

Hebrew 10-1 For the law was a shadow of good things to come but not the real picture of the things, those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually cannot make the people perfect.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure.
12 But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till His enemies be made his footstool.

 

[mark kennedy]

Looking forward to hear what you learn from your study. I love that kind of stuff.

Jer 33: 20,21- Thus says the LORD:" If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David my servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers"

I'm having a hard time reconciling this passage with what is said in Hebrews, especially chp. 8. I'm not going to write that all here because everyone has their own bible they can read or they can look it up on the internet.

This is something I saw as a discrepancy in the past but I put it away for a little while and now I'm back at it again. If I'm understanding Hebrews correctly, it is stating that the Levitical priesthood came to an end " ... For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law." ( Heb. 7:12) But when I reat the Old testament, it sounds like the Levites will still be priests in the future.

I'm going to do some more studying on my own, but I wanted to first make this thread to see what other people thought about it.

The point of the passages in Hebrews 7 and 8 is that Jesus is superior to the High Priest. It doesn't say the priesthood was set aside, it says the regulation was set aside because it made nothing perfect. The Old Testament sacrifices made nothing perfect but Christ made atonement once and for all:

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Heb. 7:27)
​

During the millennial kingdom the priesthood will offer sacrifices looking back to the cross, just as the previous sacrifices looked forward to it. I don't know if there will be literal blood sacrifices but there will be a Levitical ministry during the thousand year reign of Christ. They didn't just make sin and trespass offerings, they had a music ministry and their cities were dispersed throughout Israel to teach the Law. Israel was always intended to be a ministry to bring the truth of God to the world. Focused on worship they were destined to take the word of God to the world.

The road into Jerusalem will be called the way of holiness. The New Jerusalem will not just be a ministry to Israel but to the world. In the days of Ezra, when the walls were finished Ezra read the Law to a crowd of 40,000 returned exiles in the Kidron Valley. This is where, I believe, Jesus delivered the Sermon of the Mount. As Ezra read the Law the priests mingled among the crowd giving the gist of the meaning, their ministry was focused on worship and teaching.

Picture the scene, the tents people dwelled in during the feast of booths (Tabernacles) scattered throughout the hillside. Ezra is reading the Law, the smell of incense and bread would have filled the air as people with their families settled in and listened to the priest explain the Law, asking questions and hearing the explanation. Then imagine the scene as Christ walks through the Kidron Valley, taking his seat on the hillside and delivering his inaugural sermon in a similar fashion. Now try to picture the scene with a huge valley having replaced the slope with the whole world coming in through the east gate.

My point is simply this, Israel will have a ministry in the New Jerusalem during the thousand year reign of Christ. A teaching and music ministry I think, with the Temple being filled with the glory of God. With the priest of the new Levitical covenant telling all of the day when God will come out of that Temple and his glory will fill the whole earth. Then try to imagine that going on for a thousand years.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[miknik5]

Jer 33: 20,21- Thus says the LORD:" If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David my servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers"

I'm having a hard time reconciling this passage with what is said in Hebrews, especially chp. 8. I'm not going to write that all here because everyone has their own bible they can read or they can look it up on the internet.

This is something I saw as a discrepancy in the past but I put it away for a little while and now I'm back at it again. If I'm understanding Hebrews correctly, it is stating that the Levitical priesthood came to an end " ... For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law." ( Heb. 7:12) But when I reat the Old testament, it sounds like the Levites will still be priests in the future.

I'm going to do some more studying on my own, but I wanted to first make this thread to see what other people thought about it.

What was the levites inheritance

 

[miknik5]

Looking forward to hear what you learn from your study. I love that kind of stuff.

The point of the passages in Hebrews 7 and 8 is that Jesus is superior to the High Priest. It doesn't say the priesthood was set aside, it says the regulation was set aside because it made nothing perfect. The Old Testament sacrifices made nothing perfect but Christ made atonement once and for all:

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Heb. 7:27)
​

During the millennial kingdom the priesthood will offer sacrifices looking back to the cross, just as the previous sacrifices looked forward to it. I don't know if there will be literal blood sacrifices but there will be a Levitical ministry during the thousand year reign of Christ. They didn't just make sin and trespass offerings, they had a music ministry and their cities were dispersed throughout Israel to teach the Law. Israel was always intended to be a ministry to bring the truth of God to the world. Focused on worship they were destined to take the word of God to the world.

The road into Jerusalem will be called the way of holiness. The New Jerusalem will not just be a ministry to Israel but to the world. In the days of Ezra, when the walls were finished Ezra read the Law to a crowd of 40,000 returned exiles in the Kidron Valley. This is where, I believe, Jesus delivered the Sermon of the Mount. As Ezra read the Law the priests mingled among the crowd giving the gist of the meaning, their ministry was focused on worship and teaching.

Picture the scene, the tents people dwelled in during the feast of booths (Tabernacles) scattered throughout the hillside. Ezra is reading the Law, the smell of incense and bread would have filled the air as people with their families settled in and listened to the priest explain the Law, asking questions and hearing the explanation. Then imagine the scene as Christ walks through the Kidron Valley, taking his seat on the hillside and delivering his inaugural sermon in a similar fashion. Now try to picture the scene with a huge valley having replaced the slope with the whole world coming in through the east gate.

My point is simply this, Israel will have a ministry in the New Jerusalem during the thousand year reign of Christ. A teaching and music ministry I think, with the Temple being filled with the glory of God. With the priest of the new Levitical covenant telling all of the day when God will come out of that Temple and his glory will fill the whole earth. Then try to imagine that going on for a thousand years.

Grace and peace,
Mark

Is this the same temple built during the time of tribulation.

 

[miknik5]

Jer 33: 20,21- Thus says the LORD:" If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David my servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers"

I'm having a hard time reconciling this passage with what is said in Hebrews, especially chp. 8. I'm not going to write that all here because everyone has their own bible they can read or they can look it up on the internet.

This is something I saw as a discrepancy in the past but I put it away for a little while and now I'm back at it again. If I'm understanding Hebrews correctly, it is stating that the Levitical priesthood came to an end " ... For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law." ( Heb. 7:12) But when I reat the Old testament, it sounds like the Levites will still be priests in the future.

I'm going to do some more studying on my own, but I wanted to first make this thread to see what other people thought about it.

If you can break MY covenant

Under the NEW and EVERLASTING COVENANT by the blood of CHRIST we can't break HIS COVENANT.

It will stand forever and is the eternal covenant


We are a priestly people before HIM and the BRANCH from Davids line is CHRIST JESUS

The house of Levi had an inheritance in the LORD. This house of Levi served his brothers

But those who will reign during the 1000 year reign aren't "natural descendants of Levi"

They are spiritual descendents and a priestly people (just as Peter states) to GOD

They are believers in Christ Those who had a part in the first resurrection.

 

[mark kennedy]

Is this the same temple built during the time of tribulation.

God builds the Temple of the Millennial kingdom:

According to Ezekiel's text, the millennial city of Jerusalem and the Temple will together encompass a 2,500 square-mile area. The portion reserved for the priests and Levites is some 50 miles, while the Temple courts will be one mile square. These dimensions are larger than those of the modern State of Israel." (Randall Price, The Temple and Bible Prophecy, p. 531).​

 

[mark kennedy]

But those who will reign during the 1000 year reign aren't "natural descendants of Levi"

They are spiritual descendents and a priestly people (just as Peter states) to GOD

They are believers in Christ Those who had a part in the first resurrection.

They will be all three, Israel repents during the tribulation and goes with the Church into the thousand year reign of Christ. The church didn't replace Israel but were in-grafted into the covenants and promises.

Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. (Rom. 11:19-20)
​

In the end Israel will be saved and the Hebrew believers who were before us will be raised with the Church. There are not to churches, one Jew and one Gentile, together all believers are the body of Christ.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[miknik5]

God builds the Temple of the Millennial kingdom:

According to Ezekiel's text, the millennial city of Jerusalem and the Temple will together encompass a 2,500 square-mile area. The portion reserved for the priests and Levites is some 50 miles, while the Temple courts will be one mile square. These dimensions are larger than those of the modern State of Israel." (Randall Price, The Temple and Bible Prophecy, p. 531).​

Then which temple is built during the tribulation period that the antichrist will sit in?

 

[mark kennedy]

Then which temple is the antichrist sitting in?

The third one, the one described by Ezekiel is generally referred to as the fourth. You ask good questions.

 

[miknik5]

They will be all three, Israel repents during the tribulation and goes with the Church into the thousand year reign of Christ. The church didn't replace Israel but were in-grafted into the covenants and promises.

Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. (Rom. 11:19-20)
​

In the end Israel will be saved and the Hebrew believers who were before us will be raised with the Church. There are not to churches, one Jew and one Gentile, together all believers are the body of Christ.

Grace and peace,
Mark

In Christ there is no longer Jew or gentile. Yes those who will reign will be ALL those who had believed who had passed from death to life and therefore have a part in the first resurrection

Jew and gentile

and all who believe are part of spiritual ISRAEL.

 

[miknik5]

The third one, the one described by Ezekiel is generally referred to as the fourth. You ask good questions.

So that third temple will be destroyed and during the millennium another temple will be built. Is that what you are saying?

 

[mark kennedy]

So that third temple will be destroyed and during the millennium another temple will be built. Is that what you are saying?

Well yea, that's the way I've always understood it. The immense size of the temple described in Ezekiel makes it unlikely that it will be the one defiled during the Tribulation.

 

[miknik5]

In Christ there is no longer Jew or gentile. Yes those who will reign will be ALL those who had believed who had passed from death to life and therefore have a part in the first resurrection

Jew and gentile

and all who believe are part of spiritual ISRAEL.

They will be all three, Israel repents during the tribulation and goes with the Church into the thousand year reign of Christ. The church didn't replace Israel but were in-grafted into the covenants and promises.

Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. (Rom. 11:19-20)
​

In the end Israel will be saved and the Hebrew believers who were before us will be raised with the Church. There are not to churches, one Jew and one Gentile, together all believers are the body of Christ.

Grace and peace,
Mark

I think we said the same thing

 

[miknik5]

Well yea, that's the way I've always understood it. The immense size of the temple described in Ezekiel makes it unlikely that it will be the one defiled during the Tribulation.

And the Jews who don't know Christ will be just making any temple?


Wouldn't they duplicate Ezekiel's temple?

If they follow GOD's WORD, why would they make a temple not following the specifications in Ezekiel

 

[mark kennedy]

I think we said the same thing

I was mostly responding to this.

But those who will reign during the 1000 year reign aren't "natural descendants of Levi"

The physical descendants will be there, along with all Hebrews from redemptive history. There will be physical descendants of Levi, even Moses himself I expect.

 

[mark kennedy]

And the Jews who don't know Christ will be just making any temple?

Wouldn't they duplicate Ezekiel's temple?

If they follow GOD's WORD, why would they make a temple not following the specifications in Ezekiel

Most likely they would follow the Mosaic Law, the dimensions would be along the line of Solomon's Temple, like the second Temple did. It's just too big to be of human creation.

By faith he (Abraham) dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Heb. 11:9-10)
​

After the thousand years are ended the this city is surrounded:

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison...And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Rev. 21:7,9)
​

God brings a new city from heaven after this, this one doesn't have a Temple because God is with them. In the wilderness God was in the Tabernacle, latter the Temple. Ezekiel describes the ark of God and the glory of God leaving the Temple. In the first century it was in the person and work of Christ. In the Millennial kingdom it will be in the third Temple. In the eternal state, God will be with us and there will be no need for a Temple.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[miknik5]

I was mostly responding to this.

The physical descendants will be there, along with all Hebrews from redemptive history. There will be physical descendants of Levi, even Moses himself I expect.

Moses qualifies as in Christ

It's the generation of those who came out of the tribulation who did not physically die yet who will be there

 

[miknik5]

And after the 1000 years those who rebel will be made manifest that it was their own inequity within them

Since Satan will be bound during that time and then let loose to father those who rebel for the last battle which GOD who can see 1000 years as a day already foreknew this rebellious lot

 

[miknik5]

There won't be any physical "levites". In fact. I believe they'll be ashamed that they thought themselves priests outside of GOD's GRACIOUS PROVISION in CHRIST JESUS