Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them. – Psalm 99:6

Today's Scripture Reading (October 6, 2025): Psalm 98 & 99

I admit, I can be captivated by lists of the G.O.A.T.'s (Greatest of All Time) in any area where you might wish to assemble one. I also recognize that these lists are very subjective. They are also subject to the ravages and changes of time. I recently conducted a survey to determine who people thought might be the G.O.A.T.s among American Presidents. It is a subject that I have explored a few times in my writing, usually because someone has compiled another list that has captured my attention. But I wanted to do a quick survey anyway. I didn't spend a lot of time searching, but basically just took the first three lists that I happened to see.

The first list that came to my attention was a fairly standard rendition of American Presidents. Taking top spot on the list was Abraham Lincoln (civil war and outlawing slavery), followed by George Washington (a Founding Father and the first President), with Theodore Roosevelt (known as a top Conservative advocate) rounding out the top three. It was not a bad list, although the reputation of George Washington has taken quite a hit in recent years because he was a slave owner. Personally, I think we need to be cautious when judging historical characters, ensuring we evaluate them within their own era rather than expecting them to live up to our modern social beliefs and mores. However, I know I am in the minority with that opinion.

The second list was very similar. It kept Abraham Lincoln as the G.O.A.T., followed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who led the United States through the Depression and World War II, with Founding Father George Washington rounding out the top three.

The last list I reviewed was somewhat of an outlier, and it admittedly surprised me. It listed the top three Presidents as Ronald Regan (the Optimistic President), Bill Clinton (the Economy President), and Jimmy Carter (the Peace President). I didn't hate the list, and I think Jimmy Carter's reputation has been steadily rising since the four years he spent as President of the United States. However, I think I would need to be convinced that any of these presidents really deserved to be in the top three. I guess MAGA supporters compiled none of these lists, because Donald Trump was nowhere near the top three.

The Psalmist decides to compose his list of the Greatest Priests of All Time. If this Psalm was written during the time of King David, they might have been watching one of the greatest Priests of Judaism, a priest named Zadok. Zadok and his descendants became the standard for the priests of Israel. The Prophet Ezekiel praises the sons of Zadok because they were formidable opponents of paganism (Ezekiel 43-44). Ezra, one of the best priests of the exile era, was a descendant of Zadok.

But the Psalmist chooses Moses, Aaron, and Samuel as the Greatest Priests of all time. It is a good list. Moses, Aaron, and Samuel seemed to be of a class of their own. The Psalmist says that these three priests called on the name of God, and God answered them. It was something that the Psalmist didn't want his audience to miss. God responded to these priests in a very special and unique way, and they led Israel through difficult times, and deserved to be remembered.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 100