In the Old Testament, God established different roles and responsibilities for those who would serve Him and lead His people. Two key groups that emerged were the priests and the Levites.
The priests were responsible for offering sacrifices, overseeing rituals, and teaching God’s laws. They served as mediators between God and His people. The first priests came from the line of Aaron, Moses’ brother. Aaron and his sons were consecrated as priests and given special garments to set them apart for service in the tabernacle (Exodus 28-29). The priests could only come from this family line.
The Levites assisted the priests and had other duties relating to the tabernacle/temple. The Levites descended from the tribe of Levi, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were commissioned by God to help the priests and serve in the tabernacle (Numbers 3-4, 8). The Levites carried out various functions:
- Guarding and transporting the tabernacle and its furnishings
- Assisting with sacrifices and rituals
- Caring for the tabernacle grounds
- Providing music and singing for tabernacle worship
- Teaching God’s laws to the people
So in summary:
- The priests could only come from Aaron’s family line. They offered sacrifices, performed rituals, oversaw the tabernacle worship, and taught God’s laws.
- The Levites came from the tribe of Levi. They assisted the priests in tabernacle duties and worship, helped transport and care for the tabernacle, taught God’s laws, provided music, and guarded the tabernacle.
Priests – Duties and Responsibilities
The priests served as mediators between God and the Israelites. They communicated God’s truths and laws to the people. The priests also offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. Here are some of their key duties:
- Offering sacrifices – The priests presented burnt offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings, and peace offerings on the altar to atone for sins and restore fellowship with God (Leviticus 1-7).
- Burning incense – The burning of incense by the priests symbolized the people’s prayers ascending to God (Exodus 30:7-8).
- Lighting the lamps – The priests ensured the menorah was kept burning and properly supplied with olive oil (Exodus 27:20-21).
- Blessing the people – The priests pronounced blessings over the people, invoking God’s protection and favor (Numbers 6:22-27).
- Wearing special garments – The priests wore unique vestments that set them apart for service and reflected their consecration to God (Exodus 28).
- Inspecting for leprosy – The priests examined people for skin diseases and quarantined those with infectious diseases (Leviticus 13-14).
- Blowing trumpets – The priests used trumpets to signal assemblies,mobilize the camp, and declare feasts and new moons (Numbers 10:1-10).
- Teaching God’s laws – The priests instructed the people in the Law of Moses, helping them live according to God’s commandments (Leviticus 10:11).
- Presiding over ceremonies – The priests led major religious festivals and oversaw important covenant ceremonies, like circumcision.
The priests served full-time in assigned divisions. They lived off a portion of the tithes and offerings brought by the people (Numbers 18:8-24). The high priest held special duties, like entering the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). God called the priests to live holy lives and set an example for the nation.
Levites – Duties and Responsibilities
The Levites assisted the priests in tabernacle worship and carried out other critical functions.
After the Exodus, God set apart the tribe of Levi instead of all the Israelite firstborn sons. He numbered every male Levite from a month old and up for duties relating to the tabernacle (Numbers 3:11-13, 40-51). The Levites did not receive a territorial inheritance like the other tribes. God stated He would be their inheritance (Numbers 18:20-24).
The Levites performed these key roles:
- Guarding the tabernacle – They protected the tabernacle from improper approach and encroachment (Numbers 1:53).
- Transporting the tabernacle – They carried the tent, furnishings, and utensils during travel and setup (Numbers 1:50-53).
- Assisting the priests – They helped perform sacrifices, manage procedures, and maintain the tabernacle (Numbers 18:2-6).
- Temple duties – They later carried out maintenance and menial tasks in the temple as needed (Ezra 2:70).
- Teaching the Law – They traveled through the towns instructing people in God’s Law (2 Chronicles 17:7-9).
- Leading music/praises – They sang, played instruments, and led worship for tabernacle services (1 Chronicles 15:16-24).
- Record keeping – They kept genealogical records and helped document the people’s ancestry (Numbers 3:5-10).
The Levites camped around the tabernacle and played a vital role in Israel’s religious life. They received tithes from the people as payment for their service and subsisted on those offerings (Numbers 18:21-32). God intended the tribe of Levi to model devotion and faithfulness to Him.
Key Differences Between Priests and Levites
While the priests and Levites worked closely together, several factors distinguished the two groups:
- The priests all descended from Aaron, while the Levites came from Levi’s tribe.
- Only priests could offer sacrifices, burn incense, and enter the Most Holy Place.
- The priests wore special priestly garments that set them apart.
- Levites assisted the priests and handled more menial tabernacle tasks.
- The priests pronounced blessings, inspected leprosy, and presided over major ceremonies.
- Levites focused more on tabernacle upkeep, record keeping, and music.
In the temple, the Levites continued supporting roles like cleaning and maintenance. Priests maintained more exclusive duties like offering sacrifices and entering the Holy Place. While the Levites taught people and led music, the priests still bore primary teaching authority as they interpreted and taught God’s Law.
So in brief:
- Priests descended from Aaron and held special status.
- Priests performed exclusive duties and led tabernacle worship.
- Levites descended from Levi and assisted the priests.
- Levites handled more routine tabernacle tasks.
Together, the priests and Levites led Israel’s worship life and served the spiritual needs of God’s people.
Priesthood Changes in the New Testament
The role of priests and Levites changed significantly in the New Testament:
- Jesus serves as High Priest of a new covenant and offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice (Hebrews 3:1, 7:23-28).
- Animal sacrifices are no longer required because of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1-18).
- All believers now form a “royal priesthood” with direct access to God (1 Peter 2:9).
- Church leaders like overseers, elders, and deacons now provide spiritual leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-13).
- External temples give way to the spiritual temple of believers’ bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
While the old covenant priesthood was limited and temporary, Jesus established a perfect and permanent priesthood through His sacrifice. All believers can now approach God’s throne without an intermediary priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). So the New Testament imagery shifts from a special priestly class to a universal “priesthood of all believers.”
Lessons We Can Learn
The Old Testament priests and Levites provide us several important lessons:
- God desires every part of His people’s lives to be consecrated to His service.
- God’s work requires the service of many types of people with different gifts and roles.
- Faithfulness in “small” jobs pleases God as much as “big” ones.
- God’s holiness demands that sin be atoned for by blood sacrifice.
- Jesus perfectly fulfills the role of High Priest and fully atones for our sin.
- All believers now serve God as part of a royal priesthood.
While we no longer have earthly priests, we can still commit ourselves as “living sacrifices” to God, which is our true spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1).