A bit about priests and altars…and sacrifices

Some background information to get us started— In Old Testament times, God set up a priesthood through Aaron and his sons. Their assistants, so-to-speak, were all the rest of the tribe of Levi. When the priests and the Levites came into the promised land, they weren’t given any inheritance like the other tribes, except for a few towns and some surrounding pasturelands. God had no intention for them to become farmers— their primary duty was to serve the tabernacle, so He arranged that they should live by the work they would do.

All of the Israelites were required to make various offerings— grain offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings, burnt offerings, fellowship offerings, freewill offerings. But a very large part of these offerings became the property of the priests. For instance, with the grain offering, the priest was to “take a handful of fine flour and oil…and burn the memorial portion on the altar.” “Aaron and his sons shall eat the rest of it.” Lev.6:16.

The same was true when the sin offering was slaughtered—“the priest who offers it shall eat it.” Lev.6:26. God’s gift to the priests is extended even further in Numbers 18:8—“all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion and regular share.” And it doesn’t stop there— God says, “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain.” Num.18:12. In fact, “the first offspring of every womb, both man and animal, that is offered to the LORD is yours.” Num.18:14.

One of the worst examples of abuse in this department was Eli’s sons. 1 Sam.2:12-29. They took what they were allowed but then extorted far more.

But leaving all that behind, look at the Apostle Paul’s comments. He says, “Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?” 1 Cor.9:13. “Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?” 1 Cor.10:18.

All this preamble finally brings us up to the key New Testament verse on the subject: “We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.” Heb.13:10. In other words, those priests who were still just doing their duty at the time the book of Hebrews was written had no right to the better Altar and greater Sacrifice, which is Christ.

And so the wonderful conclusion is this: As we “break the bread” and “drink the wine”, we portray the spiritual benefit we get as a spiritual priesthood, as we eat of that Sacrifice which, as believers, we now have a right to.