In ancient Israel, the office of priest was reserved for Aaron and his direct descendants from the tribe of Levi. The priest was to represent the people before God and offer sacrifices in the tabernacle/temple on their behalf. These sacrifices, however, were only types and shadows that pointed to the need for a greater sacrifice to come. The person of Christ offered such a sacrifice as our faithful high priest to atone for our sins. The church now carries out its priestly role as people who seek to maintain purity in God’s temple, offer sacrifices of praise, and offer up prayers directly to God both for ourselves and others.