Animalistic Priesthood holders

      

Animalism is a "preoccupation with or motivation by sensual, physical, or carnal appetites rather than moral, spiritual, or intellectual forces" according to Dictionary.com.  This describes two priesthood holders in 1 Samuel named Hophni and Phinehas.  The were sons of the high priest Eli.    1 Samuel 2:12-17 details their behavior:
"12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.

13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;

14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.

15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord."

      Not only did these priests harass and bully the people they also took advantage of women.  1 Samuel 2:22 says, "Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."  These men were animalistic, following their carnal appetites.

      At the same time the Bible tells us a wonderful story about a random woman named Hannah from the tribe of Ephriam.  Her husband had two wives.  Her sister wife, Peninnah had children but Hannah had none.  Peninnah continually harassed her to tears for having no children.  She was completely miserable.  1 Samuel 10-17 describes her desperation:  

"10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.

13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad."

      God answered her prayer and she gave birth to a boy.  She named him Samuel.  Her family was not of the tribe of Levi.  Her husband was not a descendant of Aaron.  They were not involved with the priesthood work but she did give her son to God.  He lived and worked at the sanctuary with the priests.      Though we forget the story of the priests Hophni and Phinehas, we all remember the story of Samuel.  He grew up to become a great prophet and leader in Israel.  He anointed Israel's first two kings, Saul and David.  Please read this interesting story of Hannah, Samuel, Eli, Hophni and Phinehas in the first four chapters of 1 Samuel.  

      

Translated correctly???

      Can the Bible be trusted today?  Has it been corrupted through thousands of years of translations, corrupt scribes and wicked churches?
      In Psalm 119:127, the psalmist greatly valued God's word.  "Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold."  Psalm 119:72 says, "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver."  David also spoke of God's teachings in psalm 19:10, "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb."  But what about today?  Was God able to preserve his word through the centuries?  Is that within his great power?  Mosiah 3:5 calls God Omnipotent.  This is attributing to God infinite power.  If God has unlimited power, then he would be able to preserve His word in spite of the corruption of finite men.  2 Nephi 9:20 and Moroni 7:22 state that God knows "all things".  If God knows all things, then He would know how to preserve his word.  God clearly has the power and know-how to preserve his word, but did He say He would preserve it?  In Matthew 24:25, Jesus gave this promise, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."  The apostle Peter compared people to God's word in 1 Peter 24-25, "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.  The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever...."  These are big promises!!  God word will endure longer than heaven and earth and longer than man and his glory.  That is a long time!
      Because of the fine work of modern archeologists, we have thousands of manuscripts to study.  There are around 2,000 Old Testament, Hebrew and Chaldean manuscripts or manuscript fragments.  These date back to the 7th century BC.  There are between 5,000 and 6,000 New Testament Greek Manuscripts from a variety of countries.  Because of persecution, the early church was spread out over a number of countries.  If there were doctrinal changes, we would be able to track them over the thousand years of writing and from different countries.  There are small writing errors, but the doctrine of the Bible has remained consistent throughout time.  That is an amazing feat.  We have an amazing God!
      (An exception may be the Alexandrian text.  It is said to be weaker on the deity of Christ.)
   

Sharing God's GLORY???

1 Nephi 20:11 says, "...I will not give my glory unto another."  Some people try to rationalize this away by saying God will not give His glory to people who go about it the wrong way.  They say that God wants everyone to be like Him.  However the context is not about overly ambitious people who go about it the wrong way.  We see in verse 9 that he is talking about people who are not cut off.  Verse 10 says, "...I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."  He is speaking to these people when He says He will not give His glory to another.  In verse 12 He speaks to Israel and says, "...I am the first, and I also am the last."  There was no God before Him that He had to share His glory with. And there is no god after Him that he will have to share his glory with. Isaiah 42:8 says, "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."  Isaiah 44:8 says, "...Is there a God beside me?  yea, there is no God; I know not any."  Isaiah 44:6 says, "...I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."  Isaiah 45:5 says, "I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me:..."

Priesthood Requirements - Exodus 29

The Bible requirements for becoming a priest are found in Exodus 29.  Please read the chapter for more details.
Priesthood Requirements - Exodus 29
1. Select one young bull and two rams that are without blemish.
2. Take unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil and wafers anointed with oil. 
3.  Put the food in a basket.  Bring the animals and food to the door of the tabernacle.
4.  The priests must be washed with water at the door of the tabernacle.
5.  The high priest must put on the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, the breastplate and the intricately woven band of the ephod.  Then the high priest must put on the turban and the holy crown of the turban.
6.  Take the anointing oil and pour it on the high priest's head and anoint him.
7.  Put tunics on the other priests.  Gird them with sashes and put hats on them.
8.  Bring the bull before the tabernacle and have all the priests put their hands on the head of the bull.
9.  Kill the bull by the door of the tabernacle.
10.  Take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the alter with your finger.
11.  Pour all of the blood beside the base of the alter.
12.  Take all the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them and burn all of it on the alter.
13. Take the flesh of the bull, with its skin and it's offal and burn it outside the camp as a sin offering.
14.  The priest must put their hands on the head of one ram.
15.  Kill the ram and sprinkle it's blood all around the alter.
16.  Cut the ram in pieces, wash the entrails and legs and then put it back together with its head.
17.  Burn the whole ram on the alter as a burnt offering to the Lord.
18.  The priests must put their hands on the head of the other ram.
19.  Kill the ram and put some of its blood on the priests' right ears, right thumbs and right big toes.
20.  Sprinkle the blood around the alter.
21.  Take some of the blood that is on the alter with some anointing oil, and sprinkle it on the priests and their garments.
22. Take the fat of the ram, the fat or the tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, the two right kidneys and the fat that is on them, the right thigh, one loaf of bread, some cake and wafers and put these in the hands of the priests.
23. Wave these things as a wave offering before the Lord and then burn them on the alter as a burnt offering to the Lord.
24.  Take the breast of the first ram and wave it as a wave offering.
25.  Consecrate the thigh of the heave offering and the breast of the wave offering.  These shall be from Israel for Aaron and his sons forever.
26.  The son of Aaron who becomes high priest must put on the holy garments for seven days when he ministers in the most holy place in the tabernacle of meeting.
27.  Take the ram of the consecration and boil its flesh in the holy place.
28.  The priests must eat the flesh of the ram and the bread by the door of the tabernacle.
29.  Eat the things with which the atonement was made.
30.  If any of the bread or flesh is left over in the morning, it must be burned with fire.
31.  The priests must be consecrated seven days.
32.  Offer a bull everyday for seven days as a sin offering for atonement.
33.  Clean the alter each day and anoint it to sanctify it.

In the Bible, you had to be a descendant of Aaron to become a priest.  It was not open to any other Israelites.

Melchisedec Priesthood - Authority to Baptise

   Does my church have authority from God to baptize? Can a person be saved and filled with God’s Spirit at my church?

The answer is found in Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, the Aaronic or Levitical priesthood served an important role in offering sacrifices for the sins of the people. But when Christ offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice on the cross, that system was fulfilled. No longer was it necessary to offer animals for sin offerings. We all deserved to die for our own sins, but Jesus took our place on the cross and paid the price once and for all.

Hebrews 4:14 says, “We have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.”

Hebrews 5:6 tells us that Christ is “a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”

Hebrews 6:20 says, “Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”

And Hebrews 7:17 repeats this truth: “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”

In the Old Testament, when a high priest died, his son became the next high priest. The priesthood passed through many men because each one eventually died. But Christ is different. He rose from the tomb and lives forever to be our High Priest. Hebrews 7:21–24 explains:

“Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec: by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.”

To help us understand this, think of how we elect a United States Senator. We see their ads on TV and their signs around town. They promise to represent our state and work for our best interests. Once elected, the Senator leaves New Mexico and goes to Washington, D.C., to represent us in Congress.

In a far greater way, Christ, our great High Priest, represents us before God the Father in the heavenly tabernacle. Hebrews 9:24 says, “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”

Hebrews 9:11–12 also declares, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

And Hebrews 8:1–2 affirms, “We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”

Because Jesus is our eternal High Priest—alive forever and interceding for us—our authority as His church flows directly from Him.

Yes, my church has authority from God to baptize through Christ.

Jesus was crucified to fulfill the Aaronic and Levitical priesthood. He then became our High Priest after the order of Melchisedec and ever lives to intercede for us before the throne of God.

Praise God for His many blessings!