And so Ezekiel has it. The Lord will bring the whole house of Israel up out of their graves into the land of Israel; and then set His Sanctuary and tabernacle in the midst of them for evermore. The Sanctuary is not "the land of Israel" nor the people; for it is set in their midst , and is built and forms a part of the city whose name is, "The Lord is there." THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST The priesthood of the worldly Sanctuary of first covenant belonged to the sons of Levi; but that of the heavenly, of the better covenant, to the Son of God.
He fulfills both the Priesthood of Melchizedek and Aaron . In some respects the Priesthood of Christ resembles that of Melchizedek; and in others that of Aaron or Levi. 1.He was "made an High Priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." Taxis, rendered order, properly signifies "series, succession." Christ, like Melchizedek, had no priestly descent of pedigree; Hebrews 7:3 (margin) i.e. He never followed nor will have a successor in office; and "because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood," (which passeth not from one to another; margin) verse 24.
The Priesthood of Levi to be continuous had many and a succession of priests, "because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death;" verse 23. 2.Being after the order of Melchizedek, He is superior to the sons of Levi; because He blessed and received tithes from them in Abraham; verses 1,7,9,10. 3.He is King and Priest; a King by birth, being from the tribe of Judah, and a Priest by the oath of His Father; verses 14, 21. 4.Being Himself perfect, and His priesthood unending, He is able to "perfect forever" and "save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." He was not called after the order of Aaron; i.e. not in his succession; but this does not at all prove that the Priesthood of Aaron was not typical of the Priesthood of Christ. Paul distinctly shows that it is: After calling upon us to "consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession (or religion), Christ Jesus," he lays the foundation of the investigation by drawing the analogy between Moses over his house ( oikos , people) and Christ over His, (1)(Hebrews 3:1-6) and says: "Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after ." This clearly shows that the Mosaic economy was typical of the divine. (2) He shows that He was called of God to be an High Priest "as was Aaron;" Hebrews 5:1-5. (3) Like Aaron and his sons, He took upon flesh and blood, the seed of Abraham, "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin," was made "perfect through suffering," and "in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren; that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people;" Hebrews 2:4. [ # 4 WAS SKIPPED---THIS IS THE NUMBERING OF THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE ] (5)Both were ordained for men in things pertaining to God: that (they might) offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;" Hebrews 5:1; 8:3. (6)Paul evidently considered the Levitical priesthood typical of Christ's from the pains he takes to explain the analogies and contrasts between them; (7)"And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this Man , because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood." (8)"Who needeth not daily , as those high priests to offer up sacrifices, fi rst for His own sins, and then for the people's; for this He did once when He offered up Himself." (9)"For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity ; but the word of the oath which was since the law, maketh the Son who is consecrated (perfected, margin) for evermore;" Hebrews 7:23-28. (10)"But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry" than theirs; Heb 8:6. (11)"By how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant" than theirs; Hebrews 8:6. (12)"But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle" than theirs; Hebrews 9:11. (13)"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood , He entered in once into the holy place." verse 12. (14)"For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ , who, through the eternal spirit offered Himself without spot to God purge your conscience ;" verses 13, 14. (15)"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands , which are figures of the true ; but into heaven itself ; verse 24. (16)"Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;" but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself ;" verses 25, 26. (17)"And as it is appointed unto (the) men (priests) once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." verses 27, 28. (18)"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect;" but "by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified;" Hebrews 10:14. (19)"It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins;" "but a body hast Thou prepared Me ;" verses 4, 5. These are a part of the contrasts or comparisons the Apostle draws between the Levitical priesthood and Christ's, and there is a resemblance in every instance, but Christ's is superior to Levi's. - I add one more.
Hebrews 8:4,5. "For if He were on earth He should not be a priest, seeing that there (many, they) are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things." The features of the substance always bear a resemblance to those of the shadow, hence the "heavenly things" referred to in this text must be priestly service "in the heavens" (verses 1,2) performed by our High Priest in His Sanctuary; for if the shadow is service , the substance is service also.