Christian Churches of God

No. CB117_2

Lesson:

Priesthood of Eloah Reorganisation under David

(Edition 1.0 20071205-20071205)

In this lesson we will review the study paper Priesthood of Eloah: Reorganisation under David (No. CB117) and focus on the reorganisation of the priesthood during the times of David. We will also look at the meaning of the names of the 24 courses of the priests and provide a variety of ways the concepts can be reinforced.

Christian Churches of God

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(Copyright ã 2008 Christian Churches of God, ed. Wade Cox)

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Lesson:

Priesthood of Eloah: Reorganisation under David

Goal:

To review the basic concepts related to the reorganisation of the priesthood under David and the symbolism that is involved in the text.

Objectives:

1. Children will be able to state qualifications for being a priest in the physical sense.

2. Children will know who our High Priest is.

3. Children will be able to identify the number of the courses of the priests under David.

4. Children will be able to identify the number of the courses that returned from the Babylonian captivity

Resources:

The Temple Solomon Built (No. CB107)

The Creation of the Family of God (No. CB4)

Holy of Holies and Ark of the Covenant (No. CB112)

The Priesthood of Eloah under Messiah (No.CB118)

Melchisedek (No. 128)

Relevant Scriptures:

1Chronicles 24:1-31

2Chronicles 36:14:

Ezra 2:36-39

Format:

Open with prayer.

Ask the Children what they can think of that has 24 in it and why the number 24 is significant.

Review the Questions and Answers.

Conduct the activity on the priesthood.

Close with prayer.

Lesson:

Read: The Priesthood of Eloah: Reorganisation under David (No. CB117)

Questions are in bold.

Q1. What are the five duties of a priest?

A. The five things a priest should do are:

1. Live by the word of Eloah (Deut. 8:3; Mat. 4:4; Lk.4:4)

2. Explain the Law of Eloah (Neh. 8:7)

3. Teach the Law of Eloah (Deut. 33:10; Lev.10:11; Ezra 7:10)

4. Keep or preserve the Law of Eloah (Mal. 2:7; Neh. 18:18)

5. Judge by the Law of Eloah (Deut. 17:2-13; 21:5).

Q2. Are we to become trees of righteousness and justice? If so what does that mean?

A. When we live by the Laws of Eloah this is how we become “Trees of Righteousness and Justice” (Isa. 61:3). Trees typically refer to spiritual beings and we are to become spiritual sons of Eloah that are righteous and just; to become perfect, as He is perfect.

Q3. Is the word “priest” applied to all who believe in the One True God and do His work?

A. Yes. The term "priest" is indeed applied to believers (1Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6). All true believers are now "kings and priests unto God." As priests they have free access into the holiest of all, and offer up the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, and do the work of the Living God.

Q4. Did David work under the same laws and ordinances as Moses? Did David also get added information from God as to how the priesthood should be organized?

A. Yes, David functioned under the same ordinances that Moses did. However, he was given a new organisation for the Temple priesthood. Under the direction of God, David established the Temple ordinances.

Q5. Where is Israel to dwell forever?

A. The Lord God had said by David that Israel had to dwell in Jerusalem forever (1Chr. 23:25).

Q6. How many courses or groups did God tell David to divide the priests into?

A. David divided the men into twenty-four courses (1Chr. 24:1-31; 2Chr. 36:14: Lk. 1:9).

Q7. What else can you think of that uses the number 24?

A. 24 is also the number of the Elders around Eloah’s Throne (Rev. 4:4; 11:16); 24 courses of the priests (1Chr. 24:7ff.); 1Chronicles 25 describes the 24 divisions of the musicians; there are 24 hours in our day. There are also multiples of 24, such as with the army in 1Chronicles 27:1-15 we see 24,000 in each of the 12 courses with 288,000 total for the year.

Q8. How did the men know who did which job?

A. Their duties were assigned by lot (1Chr. 24:1-31; 2Chr. 36:14: Lk. 1:9). That means there was a special way they were selected to do the various tasks or jobs in the Temple.

Q9. Did each course or group have a leader or chief of that group of priests?

A. Yes. Each course of priests had its president or chief priest (Ezr. 2:36-39; Lk. 1:5).

Q10. At what age does the Bible state we are an adult?

A. In the Bible, the age of twenty serves as the basis for being an adult.

Q11. What is the age that a man can serve in the House of the Lord as a trainee to the priesthood?

A. If the age of an adult is 20, it logically follows that a man would need to be 20 before he was able to serve in the in the House of the Lord as a trainee (1Chr. 23:24, 27).

Q12. What is the age a man needs to be to be assisting as a priest?

A. Numbers 8:34 states the Levites were 25 before they were able to serve in the Tabernacle as a trainee or assistant priest.

Q13. What is the age a man could function as a priest in his right?

A. In order to be a priest functioning on his own, the sons of Aaron had to be 30 and they worked till they were 50 in the ministry of the Temple.

Q14. What was the age of Jesus when he began his ministry?

A. He was about 30 years of age (Lk. 3:23).

Q15. Did each course have a name?

A. 1Chronicles 24:7ff. gives the names of the 24 courses of the Levites.

Q16. How many divisions or groups of the musicians were there? Was there a man or few men in charge of the musicians?

A. 1Chronicles 25 describes the 24 divisions of the musicians under the direction of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun.

Q17. How was the physical army organized?

A. The courses of the army also tied to the months (1Chr. 27:1-15). Again we see the symbolism of 12 with 24,000 in each course with 288,000 total for the year.

Q18. Did Israel and Judah always obey Eloah? If not what was a major consequence?

A. Both Israel and Judah were taken captive by different nations and forced to leave their lands and work as slaves in far-off countries. This did not happen the first time the tribes disobeyed Eloah. It is was when sin by the majority of the people became a longstanding and common practice.

Q19. Did all 24 courses of the priesthood return from the Babylonian captivity?

A. Not all of the people or priesthood returned from the captivity. There were four courses (Ezr. 2:36-39) of the 24 courses (1Chr. 24:1-19), which returned from Babylonian captivity.

Q20. Were the returning 4 courses of the priests divided to come to the complete number of the 24? If so what might be symbolized by that?

A. These 4 courses were subdivided into 6 making 24 courses total per the footnote in Ezra 2:39 in The Companion Bible. This seems to symbolize the falling away and replacement of Beings in God’s government, until all become one with the Father.

Q21. Did the organisation that David set up and Solomon implemented stay in effect till Messiah?

A. Yes. The system David set up continued to be implemented up to Messiah’s first coming on earth.

Q22. Did things change at all when Messiah became the perfect/acceptable sacrifice to restore mankind and the fallen Host to Eloah?

A. Yes, things did change from Messiah’s acceptance above his partners and the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost in 30 CE. The Order of Melchisedek, through Jesus Christ and the Church, was implemented as a spiritual priesthood.

Q23. Are we to be functioning as spiritual priests now? Are we to be living, explaining, teaching, keeping and judging by the Laws of Eloah now?

A. Yes. We are to do all those things.

Q24. Who is our High Priest now?

A. Jesus Christ, or Joshua the Messiah.

Q25. Will Messiah soon return to earth to function as our High Priest and King and bring in the period of Just Rule?

A. Yes, in 2027, which is the 50th or Jubilee Year of the 120th Jubilee, the 6000 years of the creation from the closure of Eden is completed. 2028 starts the Period of Just Rule.

Activity Options: The Priesthood of Eloah: Reorganisation under David

• The 24 Courses

Supplies: You may want to use the table below as a guide (or create your own) and enlarge the document of the courses of the priests; tag board, ruler.

Directions: Have a chart already drawn out with 2 columns the heading ‘Name of the Course’ and ‘Meaning of the Course’ as it relates to the Plan of God. Children first draw the slips out of the hat for the 24 courses and place them in the correct numerical order. Next they select from the meaning of the names and attempt to match them with the name of the course. Sections of names may be grouped together – i.e. names that are tied to the spring holidays etc. You can also colour-code the sections to aid the children with working with difficult names.

q

Name of the Course	Meaning of the Course in relation to the Plan of God
1^st Course Jehoiarib = "Jehovah contends" 2^nd Course Jedaiah = "Jehovah has known"	Jehovah contends for the elect and has known them from the foundation of the world. This relates to predestination, which is the beginning of the Plan of Salvation.
3^rd Course Harim = "dedicated" 4^th Course Seorim = "barley"	Messiah is the dedicated sacrifice of the barley harvest. The first-fruits are dedicated to God. This is represented in God’s Plan of Salvation by the Passover season in the First month of the year.
5^th Course Malchijah = "my king is Jehovah" 6^th Course Mijamin "from the right hand"	Christ is given God’s authority as our Saviour and King. After his resurrection and ascension, Jesus Christ now sits at the right hand of God.
7^th Course Hakkoz = "thorn" 8^th Course Abijah = "Jehovah is (my) father"	This is the pricking of the conscience of men for our calling into the Faith and service of the One True God. Yahovah is the Father of us all.
9^th Course Jeshuah = "he is saved" 10^th Course Shecaniah = "dweller with Jehovah"	Those that accept their calling through baptism and faith are saved. They look forward to dwelling with Yahovah.
11^th Course Eliashib = "God restores" 12^th Course Jakim = "He will raise"	We look forward to the restoration of Israel. And the raising of the dead in preparation of the millennial rule of under Christ.
13^th Course Huppah = "canopy": chamber, room, closet; divine protection (fig.) 14^th Course Jeshebeab = "dwelling of the father"	At the return of Jesus Christ, the elect are given divine protection. And those raised are able to dwell or Tabernacle with the Father.
15^th Course Bilgah = "cheerfulness" 16^th Course Immer = "he hath said"	The earth will cease its groaning and the planet will be restored to joy and will live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. As he hath said
17^th Course Hezir = "swine" 18^th Course Aphses = "to break"	Satan is released at the end of the Millennium to turn the people to uncleanness; and break the people of their self-righteousness.
19^th Course Pethahiah = "freed by Jehovah" 20^th Course Jehezekel = "God strengthens"	This represents the Second Resurrection where all humans and the Host are freed from the bondage under sin and Satan. And they are strengthened by God in truth.
21^st Course Jachin = "He will establish" 22^ndCourse Gamul = "weaned"	God will establish all people and give them understanding; as they are weaned from milk.
23^rd Course Delaiah = "Jehovah has drawn" 24^th Course Maaziah = "consolation of Jehovah": to take refuge, bring to refuge, seek refuge	God has drawn all men and Host to him; to bring them to refuge in the City of God.