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Priesthood and Patterns (Part 2)

 


As an African, the concept of priesthood is not alien to me. I am aware and quite familiar to men devoting themselves to the service of deities that represent different things. These men know the dos and don’ts of the deities they represent. They know the kinds of sacrifices that inspire specific actions from the deities. This is a very established structure that is entrenched for centuries in territories and even to the family level. Just like every territory has a priest, every family also has a priest.

The priest, being knowledgeable of the patterns of the deity is sought after to know how to appease the deity when they have challenges or they want something. This is a practice that perfectly coincides with the pattern that God gave Moses in the wilderness. God instructed Moses to ensure that every single thing he makes in the tabernacle is the exact replica of what he has seen on the mountain. As the Israelites progressed in their journey to the Promised Land, they continued to see the acts of God, but never wondered what the ways- patterns of God looks like.

In the African tradition, you cannot self appoint a priest. The deity chooses. This is why the priests often have apprentices under the tutelage of the leader regarded as the Chief Priest. This chief priest is the encyclopedia of stories, sacrifices, history and strength of the deity they worship. This same pattern exists in the Old Testament in the worship of God where there is a chief priest who has access to the Shekinah presence of God and directs every activity in the temple.

It is amazing how these two cultures align with the same pattern despite being in different continents. The similarities are too consistent for it to be a coincidence. It certainly must be the pattern of operation in the spirit realm. The spirit realm, unlike the physical realm, is not disorganized and chaotic. It is well arranged and functions by a set of rules. These rules are what the priests learn so that they can get results when they make prayers.

The African priesthood culture is strikingly similar with the Jewish pattern, but there are two major differences. These differences are the focus for this week. First, the Jewish culture recognizes only one God and pattern, but the African priesthood has many deities with different patterns. The pattern for Sango (Yoruba god of thunder) is different from Ogun (the Yoruba god of Iron). This multiplicity of patterns is against the way of our God.

God instructs us clearly that there is only one way! Only one way! Today, Christ is our pattern. We do not have many patterns; we have just one- Jesus Christ. Secondly, while the African tradition does not permit just anyone to become priests, God declared that we are a kingdom of kings and priests. God wants us to be priests. This means that God does not want a selected few to understand his patterns; He wants everyone to know His ways.

Taking a cue from the African deity priests, God wants everyone to know how to appease Him, offer the right sacrifices for different situations and how to worship Him. God does not want any believer to be excused from the responsibility of learning His patterns. There are some believers who contract it out to their pastor or church leader while they simply hear from them. This is not the pattern of the New Testament. We are called to learn Christ. This is the most noble of all calling- to know Jesus Christ.

Comments

Pleasant Ishola said…
Wow..
Awesome discovery
3 October 2022 at 23:03
Bisadezoe said…
God bless you sir🧎🔥
4 October 2022 at 03:41
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