The Names of God’s Priests (I Chronicles 6)

“The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari,” I Chronicles 6:1.

In the city where I live there is a Veteran’s Park that displays memorial plaques for each foreign conflict. On those plaques are the different names of people who have paid the price of their lives for our freedom. I confess that when I was a child I did not have a clue what such memorials meant. But now that I am man I have come to see the great sacrifice and service that these men and women have given on our behalf.

This morning I felt that same appreciation for the names in I Chronicles 6. These names were the names of the men who served as the priests for Israel as well as the keepers of the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the Cities of Refuge. These men served in good times and bad. Here are two examples:

1. Azariah served as priest during the good times of the dedication and early years of Solomon’s Temple, (6:10).
2. Jehozadek served during the time of the exile, (6:15).

Both these men and many others served as they awaited the coming of the Great High Priest, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 7:22-28 reveals the great truth of Jesus High Priestly work:

²² This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

²³ The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, ²⁴ but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. ²⁵ Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. ²⁷ He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

We praise the Lord for their time, their service, and their preparing us for the Messiah. But in a greater way we praise the Lord for our Great Hight Priest who is Priest over the Household of faith.

As we praise Him, we realize that He has called us to serve as His Priest to a world that needs Him. We seek not our names on a plaque, but we seek our names to point others to Jesus!!! Oh, that when people hear your name, they think of one who follows Jesus!!!