The presiding elders (senior pastors) of today's churches must go before the Lord and seek His guidance in bringing forth the ministries and gifts latent in the congregation. They must not be foolish or impractical, on the one hand, or unwilling to submit themselves to apostolic-prophetic spiritual authority, on the other hand.

The difference between the elder and the apostle is that one has authority over that which is seen; the other has authority over that which is unseen. Neither is to usurp or despise the authority of the other.

Under the old covenant, the elders had authority over the daily life of the Israelites. The priests had authority over the Tabernacle of the Congregation—over that which represented the heavenly Kingdom.

Under the new covenant, the elders have authority over the conduct of the churches, over that which can be seen with the physical eye. The ministries and gifts of the Spirit of God have authority over that which cannot be seen. They operate in the realm of spirits, by the authority of Christ.

It is not uncommon for the elders to encroach on the jurisdiction of the apostles and prophets, or for the apostles and prophets, and other spiritual ministries, to despise the wisdom and experience of the elders.

It is the will of the Lord that the elders rule well, and that the apostles, prophets, and other ministries that deal with the invisible Kingdom of God listen to the advice of the elders.

It also is the will of the Lord that the elders recognize they are not rulers of the Kingdom of God but are shepherds and overseers of the earthly realm.

As God restores the apostolic and prophetic ministries it is the duty of the elders to not hinder the moving of the Holy Spirit but to make it possible for their charges to experience all of the Divine virtue, blessing, enablement, and glory that the Holy Spirit is bringing to the churches.

If the elders refuse to allow the Holy Spirit to bring the Glory of Christ to their flocks, the Lord will judge those elders as unfaithful stewards and will remove them from their positions of responsibility.

The difference between eldership (government), and the Divinely ordained, anointed, priesthood, goes back to the days of Moses.

Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: (Exodus 3:16)

There was no Levitical priesthood at this time but there were elders—men to whom the nation looked for authority, wisdom, and guidance. God recognized and honored the role of the elders of His people.

Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. (Exodus 12:21)

Next we come to what probably was the origin of the Sanhedrin, the Council of Israel.

And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. (Exodus 24:1)

To be continued.