Many biblical scholars claim that the priesthood with its formal duties started with Aaron and his sons. The term, priest, is used in passing on a few occasions before that time, but there is little information from reading the Bible alone. What was the nature of the authority and duties of a priesthood holder before Moses? I have tried to find out what those of other faiths believe and there is little to be found on this topic. Many would say that they are "priests" only in the sense that they are first-born with some privileges, but have not formally been conferred the priesthood because it didn't exist until Aaron and his sons. Of course, modern revelation, including the Pearl of Great Price and the Doctrine and Covenants, tell us otherwise and provide much valuable information.
I also think that the Book of Mormon can teach us a great deal. I base that on the fact that Lehi, a prophet from the tribe of Manasseh, made an altar and sacrificed and that his son, Nephi, built a temple. The Aaronic priesthood was strictly following a line of priesthood holders from the tribe of Levi. That is why I believe that Lehi and Nephi and their decendants in the Book of Mormon had a more ancient priesthood authority after the order of the Son of God or Mechizedek ("the king of righteousness"). Lord Wilmore makes the same case here with additional arguments.
In the Book of Mormon, the term "priesthood" exists but is not that common. It is more commonly referred to as the "(holy) order of (the Son of) God". I have noticed something that the Book of Mormon teaches us about the priesthood in ancient times. Notice the similarities between these three verses.
Helaman 8:18
Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of these things, but there were before the days of Abraham who were called by the of God; yea, even after the order of his Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.
Alma 13:2
And those priests were ordained after the of his Son, in a that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption.
Alma 13:16
Now these were given after this , that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a of his order, or it being his order, and this that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord.
The common denominator is clear: One of the main functions of the priesthood ordination, ordinances and the priesthood itself was to help people look forward to Christ for redemption. How exactly was that done? What was it about the priesthood itself that pointed people to Christ? I have more questions than answers here, but I might have some speculative ideas.
First of all, according to Alma 13:2, the ordination itself was pointing people towards the redemption through Christ. I am not sure how, but my guess is that the ancient priest-king tradition and the anointing with oil and laying on of hands, symbolizes the coming of the Messiah (the anointed one).
When it comes to the priesthood duties and how they might point people to Christ, I think that happened in both a direct and in an indirect manner.
The priesthood directly pointing to Christ
When reading about the "order of God" in the Book of Mormon, it is clear that one of the main priesthood duties was simply to teach and testify of Christ. Alma 5:44 is one example.
For I am called to speak after this manner, according to the of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded to stand and testify unto this people the things which have been spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come.
Another one in Alma 13:1
I would that ye should remember that the Lord God priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people.
"These things" refer to the plan of redemption that Alma had just spoken about in Alma 12.
The priesthood indirectly pointing to Christ
And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy order of God, after which ye have been received. (Alma 7:22)
The holy order (priesthood) was used to "receive" people who could then "walk" after that order. My interpretation is that this is describing temple covenants. Speaking about temple characteristics in the Book of Mormon, LeGrand Baker writes:
In Isaiah and the Psalms, and elsewhere in the scriptures, our movement through the events of this drama is symbolized as climbing a mountain. There, the code words “path,” “way,” and “highway,” “walk,” and “run,” all represent the ordinances and covenants we must do and keep in order to make that ascent
The ancient temple rites were pointing towards Christ through a lot of symbolism. The high priest himself served as a type of Christ. Thus, the priesthood and its ordinances were presented in a way "that [the people] might look forward to [Christ] for a remission of their sins".
The Melchizedek Priesthood today
Today, when we are ordained to and exercise the Melchizedek Priesthood, we think about ordinances and blessings, but perhaps not how it might point us to Christ and the atonement. But I wonder if we should learn from the Book of Mormon, rather than just saying that it doesn't apply since the priesthood organisation and temple ordinances are different today.
As the Book of Mormon describes, one of the main duties of the priesthood is still to teach and testify of Christ. In that sense, there is not much difference between the "order of the Son of God" as described in the Book of Mormon and the responsibility of the Melchizedek Priesthood today.
What about the ordinances? Some of them are very different today. We don't kill animals and sprinkle their blood, for instance. Still, perhaps we need to learn from the Book of Mormon and see how ordinances today help us look to Christ and his atonement? For instance...
- All ordinances are done in the name of Jesus Christ.
- Baptism symbolizes Christ's burial and resurrection, the sacrament is the token of his flesh and blood, etc.
- In the temple, there is much symbolism pointing us to Christ. For instance, the word for atonement in Hebrew is based on the triliteral root, 'kpr', which means "to cover" and has to do with clothing.
- I also love Lord Wilmore's idea of miracles pointing us to the greatest miracle of salvation. Adinistering to the sick, for instance, should point our minds to the greatest Healer and the spiritual healing that He offers.
With all this in mind, perhaps the priesthood being exercised in a way that points us to Christ is just as applicable today as in Book of Mormon times. We just need to recognize the symbols and let them point us to Him.