Priestly Patriarchy

As I continue to investigate the Biblical standards for godly fatherhood, a second figure emerges from the mist of our culture's lies. It is the figure of a priest.
While the prophet represents a father's responsibility to instruct, train and warn his children, the priest represents a different aspect of fatherhood.
Biblically, the priest operated in two functions. First, he represented man to God. When the Levitical priesthood was created in Exodus, it was created because the Hebrews were unable to keep the covenant they had made with God at the foot of Mount Sinai. Because of the Holiness of God and the Sinfulness of Mankind, if God was going to dwell in the midst of the Hebrews, there would have to be some safeguards to prevent God's holiness from destroying the nation.
The first of these safeguards was the tent (tabernacle) which became the temple under King Solomon's reign.
The second safeguard was the priests. No other person was allowed to approach the holy vessels. No other person was allowed to offer sacrifices or incense. No other person was allowed into the Holy Place. No one except the High Priest was allowed into the Most Holy Place, and then only once a year and not without the blood of the atoning sacrifice. Any one other than the descendants of Aaron who presumed to approach God in this way was killed (Numbers 16:1-35). It was the responsibility of the priests to represent man before God.
The second function of the priest was to represent God to man. The priest spoke blessing onto the people (Numbers 6:23-27); revealed the judgments of God by use of the Urim and Thummim, (Exodus 28:30); and confronted evil where it existed, even in high places (2 Chronicles 26:16-20).
Similarly, it is the father's God-ordained responsibility to intercede on behalf of their children and to exhort their children on behalf of God.
In the New Testament, Jesus Himself is represented as our High Priest, our Intercessor. In Hebrews 7-10, Jesus offered a better sacrifice and comes from a better priesthood than the Levitical priests. For this reason, he was able to enter once behind the veil, where he now sits to offer permanent atonement for God's people. He lives forever to make intercession on our behalf! (Hebrews 7:25)
Job recognized his responsibility to intercede on behalf of his children. "When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, 'Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.' Thus Job did continually." (Job 1:5)
While I cannot always know every thought that crosses the mind of my child, I do know very well what dwells in their hearts. God says very clearly that sin has my children captivated. Apart from God's grace applied through faith, none of us can ever escape from sin's grip in our lives.
It is my responsibility and privilege to plead with God for the very souls of my children. I do not have to offer sacrifices for them as Job did because the final sacrifice has been offered and it was so perfect that to offer another would be blasphemous!
Another Intercessor in the New Testament is the Holy Spirit. "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27)
As a father, I have the responsibility and privilege to pray not only for the salvation of my children, but also for God's Will to be enacted in their lives. While much has been made of "free will", we must never limit the extent of God's ability to reach into the soul of man and change his "will". For some reason unknown to me, God uses the prayers of the saints to accomplish great and mighty things. We can see such things demonstrated throughout Scripture and not less so now. God can use the prayers of parents to reach the souls of unregenerate, sinful children and change them into regenerate, righteous men and women.
Equally God can use the prayers of parents to reveal and guide their children into His will for their lives. One prayer uttered by my mother with fear and trembling was that God would do "whatever it takes" to guide her children to follow His will. Fortunately, it did not take too much and all of her children are seeking God's will with their lives.
My priestly responsibility as father does not end when I pray for my children to be saved and follow God's will. I must also represent God before my children.
Paul closely links fatherhood with this idea in 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12, "You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory."
Fathers represent God to their children. As God's representative, I must exhort my children to live a life that is worthy of the God who calls them into His own kingdom and glory. When they sin, I must instruct them and correct them. When they display righteousness, I must affirm them and encourage them. When they are weak-willed, I must strengthen them. When they are unsure, I must guide them. When they are faced with a difficult decision, I must implore them to follow God's righteousness in all things.
I must do this. This is not an option for a godly father. This is the responsibility given and ordained by God. No one else can accomplish this task in the way that the father can.
Our instruction cannot be clearer. Our exhortation cannot be any more earnest. "We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20) We have a few short years of ultimate influence in the lives of our children. Let us use these years to influence them toward God and godliness, making the most of the time because the days are evil!