FOURTH QUARTER 2019

SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #9

NOVEMBER 30, 2019

“TRIALS, TRIBULATIONS, AND LISTS”

 

 

“Where are the Priests?”

 

Our lesson quarterly asks a vital question. “Where are the Priests?” Lest we rush to use this question as an opportunity to detail failings of pastors and administrators, let us remember Exodus 19:6, where God was speaking through Moses to the WHOLE nation of Israel, “you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” God’s goal has always been that every one of His people will function as priests – representatives and ambassadors – for Him and His kingdom.

 

Peter echoes this idea in 1Peter 2:9, “you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” To the question of the lesson – and Ezra – “where are the priests” – we might respond by pointing the finger at leadership and saying, “yeah, where are you guys!”, or we might more appropriately say, “Lord, here I am, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). Because, from God’s perspective, we are all “the priests”!

 

In Ezra 8, after delineating the households that left “Babylon”, Ezra notes a missing party. Notice Ezra 8:15, “I looked among the people and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi .”, or, as the NLT puts it, “I found that not one Levite had volunteered to come along.”

 

Notice Ellen White’s commentary on this time in prophetic history:  PK 612-617.

 

“In the issuing of this decree by Artaxerxes, God's providence was manifest. Some discerned this and gladly took advantage of the privilege of returning under circumstances so favorable. A general place of meeting was named, and at the appointed time those who were desirous of going to Jerusalem assembled for the long journey. "I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava," Ezra says, "and there abode we in tents three days." Ezra 8:15.

 

Ezra had expected that a large number would return to Jerusalem, but the number who responded to the call was disappointingly small. Many who had acquired houses and lands had no desire to sacrifice these possessions. They loved ease and comfort and were well satisfied to remain. Their example proved a hindrance to others who otherwise might have chosen to cast in their lot with those who were advancing by faith.

 

As Ezra looked over the company assembled, he was surprised to find none of the sons of Levi. Where were the members of the tribe that had been set apart for the sacred service of the temple? To the call, Who is on the Lord's side? the Levites should have been the first to respond. . . .

 

There was pressing need of men of God to act as teachers of the people. And besides, the Jews remaining in Babylon were in danger of having their religious liberty restricted. Through the prophet Zechariah, as well as by their recent experience during the troublous times of Esther and Mordecai, the Jews in Medo-Persia had been plainly warned to return to their own land. The time had come when it was perilous for them to dwell longer in the midst of heathen influences. In view of these changed conditions, the priests in Babylon should have been quick to discern in the issuance of the decree a special call to them to return to Jerusalem.”

 

This call is for us. Before we can call people out of Babylon, we need to get Babylon out of us. Again, we will never be able to powerfully give the three angel’s messages, including the call to leave Babylon, when we as the Levites of God’s kingdom, are still, consciously or unconsciously, living or thinking or relating or functioning on the principles of Babylon. Do we even see how frequently, and to what degree, we function from a foundation of the principles of Babylon – of the motivational reality that originates not in God’s heart or kingdom, but from Satan’s kingdom of Babylon.

 

When we look around us, how often do we identify the “problem” in the church as “them”. If I’m a leader, I feel that if the laity would just be more committed and engaged, then things would move forward to God’s kingdom. If I’m a lay person, do I see in leadership, a lacking work ethic and “put on” enthusiasm? If I’m conservative, do I see in the other side of the church a lack of appreciation for doctrine and obedience, and if I’m liberal do I point to the other side and see judgmentalism and a lack of compassion?

 

As a Levite in Babylon, and infected by Babylon, the first call is to self-examination – and repentance. Too often in order to evade my own shortcomings and lukewarmness, we give in to the temptation to see the failures in the others in order to quiet and stifle the voice of our own conscience telling us about Babylon in us.

 

This will never occur by a more stringent effort to finally get my act together. This will not occur by more vivid portrayals of how terrible the time of trouble will be or how amazing heavenly mansions will be. This will never occur by loading ourselves and the other priests and Levites down with a greater sense of evangelistic obligation.

 

It is ONLY the goodness of God that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). This will only occur as we are brought deeper and deeper in our appreciation for the beauty and breadth of God’s love and goodness for us as seen in the life and death and heavenly ministry of Christ for us. The revelation of the goodness of God in Christ will supply the depth of motivation needed to bring this generation to a final repentance – not to be repented of.

 

“And (Jesus) shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.  Malachi 3:3

 

Where are the priests? Where are the priests? Where are the priests? Lord, I want Your goodness to do a work of repentance in my heart, which leads to a purity and righteousness, which will finally allow You to reveal to the world – my family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers – the beauty of your character in my life. Get Babylon out of me! And may I be a priest and Levite for you. Here I am Lord – please – SEND ME!

 

~Bob Hunsaker