The responsibilities of a priest are central to serving God with dedication and reverence. God claimed the entire tribe of Levi for full life service to Him, making the Levites the priests of Israel, devoting their lives to maintaining and enforcing the correct worship of God, first in the tabernacle, and eventually in the temple. A major responsibility of the priesthood was to give their lives in service to God, though often they did so reluctantly, as seen in the time of Malachi. Personal, moral purity was essential to the priesthood, with God requiring physical perfection in His priests to teach the lesson of purity and holiness. The high priestly family of Aaron and his sons held the highest responsibility and privilege to serve in the holy place and the most holy place of the tabernacle and the temple. Priests were to act as guardians and defenders of God's truth and creation, a role that extends to all humans in a broader sense. The prophet Malachi warned the priests of Israel about their declining spiritual conditions, highlighting their lack of honor and reverence through despising God's name, pride, disobedience, unacceptable attitudes, laziness, failure to magnify God's name, hypocrisy, weariness for things related to God, and deception in offerings. As spiritually holy and royal priests today, we must take our responsibilities seriously, recognizing the honor and privilege of being called to such glorious service. We are compelled to live a life of sacrifice to God through our conduct, faith, and acceptable spiritual sacrifices. Under the spiritual High Priest, Jesus Christ, who is faithful and pure, we must emulate Him as His royal priesthood, ensuring we do not fall into the same attitudes of dissatisfaction or contempt as the ancient priests, but instead honor and revere Him in all we do.

God is preparing us for a great purpose, which includes not only ruling in His Kingdom but also serving as priests. We are called to be a royal priesthood, as stated in Revelation 5:10, where it is declared that we have been made kings and priests to our God and shall reign on the earth. This dual role emphasizes that we must actively prepare to be priests just as we prepare to rule. Even now, we bear priestly responsibilities, offering up spiritual sacrifices, which are as crucial today as they will be in the future. If we do not practice being a priest in the present, we will not be ready for the responsibilities of the World Tomorrow. A priest's primary function is to assist people in accessing God, mediating and reconciling between God and humanity to foster union with Him. This role involves not only reconciliation but also teaching a way of life to strengthen and improve that relationship. During the Millennium, represented by the Feast of Tabernacles, the priestly work will be immense, with more sacrifices required than in any other period of God's plan, indicating the significant responsibility we will carry in offering spiritual sacrifices on behalf of the people before God. In the past, God provided saviors and leaders to deliver and teach Israel, and He will follow this pattern in the future with king-priests who are His sons, serving under the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ. Our role as priests includes judging, teaching, and mediating, helping to lead others out of sin and into fellowship with God. This fellowship, established through sacrifice, must be renewed daily through continued sacrifices, as our relationship with God fluctuates and requires constant strengthening. A priest is a bridge-builder, aiding in accessing God by offering sacrifices, which are gifts to Him meant to establish or maintain fellowship. These sacrifices are not limited to death but include the offering of a life lived in dedication, devotion, and service. The greatest sacrifice is self-sacrifice, giving of oneself in obedience to God's will, as exemplified by Jesus Christ, Who offered His life entirely to align with the Father's purpose. We are called to present our bodies as living, holy, and acceptable sacrifices before God, following His example in practical, daily application of His teachings in every aspect of our lives. This preparation is essential to fulfill our future roles as kings and priests in His Kingdom.

The responsibility of a priest is to embody and reflect the holiness of God, serving as a constant reminder to the entire nation and church that everyone is to strive for holiness as God is holy. Priests, through their religious instruction and living example, act as intermediaries between God and the people, bridging the gap with guidance and demonstration of a holy life. Under the New Covenant, all believers are called to be a kingdom of priests, created in the image of Jesus Christ, bearing priestly responsibilities to each other under the High Priest, the Lord Christ. This intimate association with the Father, the Son, and each other within God's family demands that the whole family become holy as He is holy. Holiness is paramount for those called to serve God, requiring priests to maintain a high standard of moral and ceremonial purity. Physical imperfections or deformities disqualified a priest from service until healed, reflecting the perfection of God in body and spirit. Priests were to avoid defilement, adhering strictly to God's commands without deviation or innovation, as seen in the severe consequences faced by Nadab and Abihu for using unauthorized fire in their offering. Ceremonial regulations further emphasized the carefulness with which priests must conduct their lives, prohibiting service when unclean until purification was achieved. The priest's life was hedged with restrictions to maintain a state of holiness, including strict rules on marriage within their lineage to ensure purity of descent, and prohibitions against imitating pagan practices. Even temporary defilement, such as contact with the dead, rendered a priest unfit for duty until cleansed, underscoring that sin and death are enemies of God and defiling to those who handle holy things. These stringent standards, while burdensome, were designed to typify the perfection of Jesus Christ, the ultimate model of holiness for all priests, emphasizing the highly responsible position of representing God before the people. God demands a very high level of holiness from all called to this office, expecting the highest conduct and attitude before Him, the world, and the church.

As followers of Christ, we are called into a profound responsibility that echoes through time. Jesus Christ, our High Priest, has established a new reality where He is the Temple, central to the worship of God. Being in Him, we are part of that Temple, and thus, we are also part of His priesthood. This is not a future promise alone but a present calling, for we are already in Christ, sharing in His priestly work. His mission becomes our mission, as we are to follow wherever He leads, both now and into eternity. The Bible reveals a progressive development of priesthood, beginning simply and growing in complexity as part of God's pattern. In Exodus 19:5-6, God declares to Israel that if they obey His voice and keep His covenant, they shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. This promise extends to the church, as seen in I Peter 2:9, where we are called a royal priesthood, a holy nation, tasked with proclaiming the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Revelation 5:9-10 further confirms this destiny, showing us as kings and priests to our God, reigning on the earth, redeemed from every tribe and nation. The responsibilities of a priest, though not fully detailed here, are significant and distinct from those of a king. While a king's duties are broad, a priest's role involves specific spiritual functions critical to God's purpose. Historical examples, such as Cain and Abel offering sacrifices in Genesis 4, indicate early priestly acts within families, implying a system already known to them. Later, in Genesis 14:18-19, Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God, blesses Abram, conferring good and possibly providing sustenance, demonstrating a priest's role in encouragement and spiritual support. Additionally, in Exodus 12:3-6, before the formal priesthood was established, heads of households acted as priests during the first Passover, suggesting a familial priestly responsibility. As we prepare for the return of Christ, we must embody the character and qualities expected of priests under His leadership. This preparation is urgent, for in the Millennium, we will assist Him in the dynamic work of salvation, starting with the Israelitish people and extending to all nations. Our oneness with Christ, as emphasized in Galatians 3:26-29, unites us as Abraham's seed, heirs to the promise, sharing in the same spiritual essence and purpose. Thus, we are to live out these priestly traits now, aligning our lives with God's expectations to fulfill the sacred duties awaiting us.

Priests bear responsibility to wear head coverings during service at the tabernacle. This practice signals submission to the authority of God who resides there. The high priest wears a turban of fine linen with a gold crown engraved holiness to the Lord fastened across the forehead by a blue cord. Ordinary priests wear hats of fine linen. White linen on the head symbolizes righteousness and wisdom. The high priest must bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow. All priests must avoid iniquity and death by wearing linen trousers from the waist to the thighs when ministering. Priests hold responsibility to make distinctions between the sacred and the profane and between the clean and the unclean. They must teach the Israelites all the decrees which the Lord has spoken. They must not drink wine or strong drink when entering the tent of meeting. They must maintain single-minded devotion and clear thinking to avoid reckless or presumptuous conduct. Priests bear responsibility to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. They must present their bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God as reasonable service. This requires devoting intellect eyes ears tongue arms hands legs feet and all members to service in religious life family life and work. They must put to death fornication uncleanness passion evil desire covetousness anger wrath malice blasphemy and filthy language. They must put on the new man renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. They must allow the mind of Christ to direct humble submissive conduct. They must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling without complaining or disputing. They must hold fast the word of life and shine as lights. These actions prepare priests to serve under the High Priest Jesus Christ in a royal holy and righteous priesthood that operates universally and eternally.

A priest must be righteous from the inside out as the minimum requirement for service. This righteousness forms the foundation for everything else and aligns one with the law of God. A priest must also pursue holiness by separating from the evil of the world in attitude and conduct. This separation occurs through conformity to the law of God and through being a vessel of the Holy Spirit. A priest must gird up the loins of the mind by remaining focused on the Kingdom of God and on matters pertaining to salvation and service to Christ. This requires sobriety, self-control, and freedom from the rashness and confusion of the world. A priest must always be ready for vigorous and active service. Jesus Christ exemplifies this readiness by living continually to make intercession for those who come to God through Him. A priest must have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray while remembering personal weaknesses. This remembrance tempers responses to the problems of others. A priest must sympathize with weaknesses without approving sin and must bear one another's burdens. Jesus Christ models this compassion by dealing kindly with people despite knowing their hearts and their unworthiness. The robe of office sets a priest apart and dignifies the holder of the office with authority. The high priest alone wears this blue robe. Its color signals the pleasant difference and separateness of God from mankind. The seamless construction of the robe with its strengthened neckband symbolizes that the character and faithfulness of the high priest cannot be torn away. The bells on the hem of the robe assure hearers that the priest remains alive and faithful in service while also reminding them that the sound of God's word continues to go forth to the earth.