The Priest, or kohen [ko-hane'], under the Mosaic Law came from the Tribe of Levi, the third son of Jacob by Leah. This was an evolution of sorts, from the way that the priesthood started out in Scripture. In the earliest Scriptures, the Priest, the one who made sacrifices to God, was his own man. You can see this in the case of Cain and Abel:

SUPPORTING ~ Genesis 4:3-5 "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. [4]  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: [5]  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."

In time, the office of "Priest" fell to the Head of the family, such as in the cases of Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (12:7; 13:4), Isaac (26:25), Jacob (31:54), and Job (Job 1:5). Eventually God set apart the tribe of Levi to be His priests, and the family of Aaron within Levi to be His High Priest. The priests lived together in forty-eight cities (Num.35:1-8), of which six were cities of refuge which were assigned to them to use. The priests went up by turns to minister in the temple at Jerusalem, though the Priestly function of the High Priest DID NOT rotate among the 24 classes of priests.

The priests, both the High Priest as well as the lower supporting Priesthood, if they worked full time in the Temple, relied on Israel for their sustenance.  The Priests and Levites who assisted them were given no inheritance or land BY LOT as the other tribes were, though they could own land, if they wanted (1 Kings 2:26; Jer.32:7; Acts 4:36-37), and even make income off of it. In an agricultural community, if you had no land, you had NO wealth. Those who served the Lord full time could not grow enough food to sustain themselves in the city - nor were they supposed to do so. Their riches were to be the Things of God, which they ministered both in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple.

FOCAL ~ Deuteronomy 18.3-4 "And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him."

The priests, since they had no inheritance from the Lord, received a portion of what the people brought to the Temple for sacrafice unto God. When God calls out ministers, even in New Testament times, and sets them apart for full time service to His people, though these New Testament ministers are NOT priests as the Levites were, the Church still has the obligation to support them in their service. The Apostle Paul said:

SUPPORTING ~ 1 Corinthians 9:1 "Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not YE MY WORK IN THE LORD?"

That is, Paul was of the belief that his sole obligation to God was to work and minister among the Corinthians. He went on to say,

SUPPORTING ~ 1 Corinthians 9:6-15 "Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? [7]  Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8]  Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9]  For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10]  Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. [11]  IF WE HAVE SOWN UNTO YOU SPIRITUAL THINGS, IS IT A GREAT THING IF WE SHALL REAP YOUR CARNAL THINGS? [12]  If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. [13]  Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? [14]Even so hath the Lord ordained that THEY WHICH PREACH THE GOSPEL SHOULD LIVE OF THE GOSPEL. [15] But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void."

Paul made it clear that he felt, as the Old Testament Scripture taught, that as a full time New Testament Minister he WAS ENTITLED to support from the Churches that he ministered to. Paul refused to take support from the Corinthians, however, because these people were so carnal that they certainly would have held it over his head. I sympathize, having been placed in that position before, and knowing of other ministers who have had a "paycheck" held over their head by a carnal assembly of believers.

The whole priestly system of Israel was a shadow of which the Body is Christ. The High Priests represented the great Priest, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:

SUPPORTING ~ Hebrews 10:6-13 "In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. [7] Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. [8]  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; [9]  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. [10]  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. [11]  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: [12]  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; [13]  From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool."

The Old Testament High Priest brought forth a sacrafice, without spot or blemish, and offered this sacrafice to God. The sacrafice was a shadow of Christ's sacrafice on the Cross, just as the High Priest was a shadow of Christ to come. Yet our High Priest, when He came, would not come bearing animals without blemish - but would come offering Himself, to pay the penalty for sin once and for all.

In New Testament times the only High Priest we as believers have is our Lord Jesus Christ. We, as members of His Body, are assistants to Jesus or workers for Jesus just as the Levites assisted the High Priest. We certainly do not assist Jesus in the Atonement, nor in His office of intercession, but we are called to serve Him while we walk this earth and beyond. The Scripture calls the New Testament believer "Priest",

SUPPORTING ~ 1 Peter 2:9-10 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: [10]  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."

SUPPORTING ~ Revelation 1:4-7 "John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; [5]  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, [6]  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. [7]  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."

Because we are to assist, and praise, and witness of, and glorify Him who died for us, our Great High Priest Jesus Christ!

Deuteronomy 18.5-8  "For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever. [6]  And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose; [7] Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD. [8]  They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony."

God thoroughly DESPISED the Pagan practice of sacrificing their children to determine their demonic god's will. Our Father considered that, if His people committed such an act, it would be a PERSONAL AFFRONT to Him:

SUPPORTING ~ Deuteronomy 12:31  "Thou shalt NOT DO SO UNTO THE LORD THY GOD: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods."

Fausset's Encyclopedia (p.485) states, "Kimshi represents Moloch as a hollow brass human-like body with ox's head, and hands stretched forth to receive. When it was thoroughly heated the priests put the babe into its hand whilst drums were beat to drown the infant cries, lest the parents should relent." It seems hard to understand how such wickedness could be justified by religious zeal, yet such is the seduction of satanic power.

God has always promoted two truths as His best will for us: to love Him, and to love our neighbor. Satan's counterfeits, often manifested in RELIGION without a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus, promotes evil rather than love.  When I consider my precious Jesus, who told His disciples "Allow the little children to come to Me", and "If you offend one of my little ones, it would be better for you to tie a millstone around your neck, and cast yourself into the sea" - and knowing how precious the Lord holds the child - I shudder to consider the judgment and damnation of God that will come on all those who sacrificed His own to false gods.

Satan has a lot of false religious items he lays out for the foolish to use, but child sacrifice - this is the worst of the lot. 

FOCAL ~ Deuteronomy 18:10b "or that useth divination"

"Divination", the Hebrew {qecem [keh'-sem]}, means "to be an oracle", and is closely related to the other terms here; 

FOCAL ~ Deuteronomy 18:10c-11 "or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch [11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer."

L.M. Grant's Commentary says "Practicing witchcraft or soothsaying was also firmly forbidden, as well as the claim of interpreting omens, that is, anything that appeared to be unusual, to which superstition might attach some hidden meaning. One who pretended to have discernment to interpret such things was the victim of satanic deceit. Sorcery, also forbidden, is the practice of delving into spiritism by the use of drugs."

The practice seeking the will of the gods by examining and interpreting omens, by using animal bones and the patterns that they made when they fell to the ground, by casting of spells, by going into a trance via the use of drugs, or by calling up the dead was forbidden by God. God called His people to:

SUPPORTING ~ 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? [15]  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? [16]  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. [17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, [18]  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

Israel would forget these loving warnings from their Lord and Savior, and in later years would fall into Satan's counterfeit religion. Saul, the first mortal King of Israel, would die a horrible death at the hands of the Philistines because he went to the witch of Endore:

SUPPORTING ~ 1 Chronicles 10:7-13 "And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. [8] And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa. [9]  And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people. [10]  And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. [11]  And when all Jabeshgilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, [12]  They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days. [13]  So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it"

Israel itself would fall, along with the Holy City of David, because it ignored God's warnings on the occult:

SUPPORTING ~ Isaiah 29:1-5 "Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. [2] Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. [3]  And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. [4] And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. [5]  Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly."

FOCAL ~ Deuteronomy 18.12-14 "For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. [13]  Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. [14]  For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do."

Satan uses the occult to ensnare people.  The Bible warns us against:

SUPPORTING ~ 1 John 2:16-17 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. [17]  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

Satan uses the occult to lure people in believing that they are gaining possessions, power, and prestige - when in reality the occultic power erodes the society and the person to the point where no evil is too great. It's a lot like scar tissue. I have a terrible place on my left leg that is a reminder of the dangers of riding a motorcycle. While I was riding one day a young man pulled out in front of me - and the resulting impact crushed my left leg. Though the leg was surgically restored, it remains in a deadened state - the trauma killed the nerves down one side of it. The occult is like that. It scars the soul, removes sensation, and before you know it you are sacrificing your children to some false god.

Many Christians view astrology and the horoscope as harmless fun, yet are really just deluding themselves. If you play with a poisonous snake, sooner or later expect to be bit. God expects us as His children to live our lives day by day trusting in Jesus:

SUPPORTING ~ Matthew 6:34  "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

The only thing we as believers need to know about tomorrow is that Jesus will be with us as we go through it. To seek out answers that God Himself has not decided to reveal to us shows Him that we REALLY don't trust Him.  We are to be God yielded, not yielded to Satan and the occult.  God taught Israel, and teaches us in the Church Age, that we are DAILY in a spiritual battle, not against flesh and blood, but against the forces of darkness. 

SUPPORTING ~ Ephesians 6:12-18 " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [13]  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [14]  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; [15]  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; [16]  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. [17]  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: [18]  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints"

When the believer forgets this, he opens himself up to demonic oppression, much like Saul did.  John Maxwell writes, "Today the occult is big business. Astrology entices millions to trust the stars for daily guidance. Mediums flourish because people want to consult the "other side" to know what lies beyond the grave. Occult literature sells fast. Movies dealing with demon possession are box office hits. An article on Satanism stated, "Today, more than forty-five identifiable groups are involved in sorcery [witchcraft, satanism, voodoo] in America." Our society is searching for answers in all the wrong places." (Mastering The Old Testament, Deuteronomy, Page 231)

Doctor Willmouth states, "All these practices were forbidden because they deny God's Sovereignty, and lead people away from the Lord by deception. And such practices can lead to a satanic bondage. The Bible repeatedly warns against these practices (Lev.19:31; 20:27; 2 Chron.33:6; Jer.10:2; Gal.5:19-20). Christians can find all their answers to their questions about life in God's Word."

In the midst of these warnings against false prophets, Satanic deceptions, and false religions, the Lord prophecies through Moses that a Prophet like Moses will rise up out of Israel, and that this Prophet MUST be heeded if Israel is to be blessed.

This promise that God gave Israel blessed the nation on two levels: 

First, they knew that they would not be bereft of Divine Leadership. God used His prophets to speak His Word to Israel - in fact, the Old Testament Prophets were much like the New Testament Preachers and Evangelists. God raised up a line of prophets in Israel and instituted the office because:

FOCAL ~ Deuteronomy 18:16  "According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not."

the people were frightened when they saw the Shekinah Glory of God from the Mountain of God when the Law was given:

SUPPORTING ~ Exodus 20:18-19 "And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. [19]  And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die."

God therefore had compassion on the people and raised up the prophets to act as mediators between the people and God. The American Tract Society Bible Dictionary states:

"The Old Testament prophets were special agents of Jehovah, raised up and sent as occasion required, to incite to duty, to convict of sin, to call to repentance and reformation, to instruct kings, and denounce against nations the judgments of God, 2Ki 17:13 Jer 25:4. They aided the priest and Levites in teaching religion to the people, especially in the kingdom of Israel, from which the true priests of the Lord withdrew, 2Ki 4:23; and cooperated with the kings in public measure to promote piety and virtue. They were humble, faithful, self-denying, fearless men, 2Ki 1:8 Zec 13:4 Mt 3:4; aloof from the pleasure and luxuries of life, 2Ki 5:15; often persecuted, and slain, Mt 23:34-37 Heb 11:32-38 Jas 2:10; but exerting a powerful influence as witnesses for God. Some of them were called from the plough and the herd, 1Ki 19:20 Am 7:14 Zec 13:5. There were also "schools of the prophets," first mentioned in the time of Samuel, established at Gibeah, Naiotyh, Bethel, Gilgal, and Jericho, where young men were instructed in religion and prepared to guide in religious worship, 1Sa 10:5 19:20 2Ki 2:3,5 4:38. Many of the "sons of the prophets" here taught became not only religious teachers, but inspired prophets."

These passages of Scripture not only promise Israel that a continued line of prophets would be instituted in Israel, but also prophesied of the coming of The Prophet, the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord. I find it interesting that the High Priestly line, descended from Aaron, was a type of  Christ in the New Testament when He, as we studied, offered up HIMSELF as the one and only sacrafice for our sins, then sat down on the right hand of God the Father - ever making intercession for us. In the same way Moses was a type or a representative shadow of "The Prophet". Many prophets rose up, called by God to speak His Word, but none were ever like Moses until Jesus came. Though Joshua was blessed by Moses, he failed to come up to where Moses was with God:

SUPPORTING ~ Deuteronomy 34:9-12 "And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses. [10]  And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, [11]  In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, [12]  And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel."

Elijah and Elisha, both great prophets - Isaiah and Jeremiah, mighty men for God, Daniel .... the list goes on. Whenever God chose a new prophet for His people, each generation of leaders in Israel would ask the question "Are you the Prophet?". The question was designed , not to determine if this person was called to the office of prophet, but WHETHER OR NOT he was THE Prophet, the Messiah. Year by year the elders asked that question - and year after year they heard the answer, "No, I am not THAT Prophet". The elders, one year, when Israel once more had fallen out of God's favor because of their hard heartedness, heard of a prophet preaching and baptizing the children of God. This prophet, wild and ragged, neither shaved nor coffured, this prophet - perhaps he was THE Prophet. The elders went to where John was baptizing and asked:

SUPPORTING ~ John 1:19-24  "And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? [20]  And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. [21]  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou THAT prophet? {Darby = "Art thou the prophet?"; International Standard = "Are you the Prophet?"; Twentieth Century = "Are you 'the Prophet'?"} And he answered, No. [22]  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? [23]  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. [24]  And they which were sent were of the Pharisees."

Oh, the Pharisees. Always so close, and yet so far! John the Baptist was not THAT Prophet, and it would not be the religious crowd that found Messiah, promised to come at the closing of Moses' life. No,

SUPPORTING ~ John 1:43-45 "The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. [44]  Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. [45]  Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

No, it would be the common man, the sinner in the street who would recognize Jesus. Jesus, "of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write" was that Prophet spoken of in Deuteronomy 18. Jesus Himself even referred to this when He told the Pharisees:

SUPPORTING ~ "John 5:45-47  "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. [46]  For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. [47]But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?"

And later the Apostles, in their great sermon on the Day of Pentecost, recognized Jesus as the Prophet, the Messiah, the One Whom Moses foretold:

SUPPORTING ~ Acts 3:22-23 "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. [23]  And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."

The people's search for that Prophet who would "be like Moses" ended with Jesus Christ - and any who would not hear His message would certainly be "destroyed from among the people". These words would become so prophetic for Israel, in rejecting the Prophet Jesus, would be dispersed and scattered under Roman Imperialism.

FOCAL ~ Deuteronomy 18:17-19 "And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. [18]  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, LIKE UNTO THEE, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. [19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

God told Moses that the Prophet, Messiah, would be like Moses himself. The similarities between Moses and Jesus are indeed striking - though not surprising, for what God promises, He always keeps. Moses was instrumental in establishing the Kingdom of Israel under the Law of God, whereas Jesus Christ is instrumental in establishing the Kingdom of God and the Church. Moses mediated the covenant which would be the constitution of the nation Israel, and Jesus mediated the New Covenant in His Blood that gave salvation to all who would call on Him. Moses knew the Lord face to face (Deuteronomy 34:10), and so does Jesus. God put His Words in Moses mouth, and Jesus came, not with His own agenda, but representing the Word of God. Those who rejected Moses as leader of Israel under God lost their lives, and those who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of All lose eternal life.

FOCAL ~ Deuteronomy 18:20-22 "But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. [21]  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? [22]  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."

There were two tests that could be used to determine if a prophet was speaking God's Word. First, the message had to be given "in the name of the LORD". God's prophets would never bring strange fire before the children of Israel, nor would their teaching encourage worship of any god outside of the One True God. Second, the prophecy has to come to pass.