1. A protocol independent network packet classification processing system for matching a network packet to one of a plurality of rules organized into sub-lists, comprising: a compare tree engine for: (a) receiving the network packet; (b) accessing content of a preconfigured look up table encoded in a memory using a final address composed of data values obtained from the network packet at specific bit positions identified by a predetermined bit extraction pattern and a predetermined base address, wherein the content is one of a null value indicating absence of a match, a pointer associated with one of the sub-lists, or a new predetermined bit pattern and a new predetermined base address; (c) when the accessed content is the new predetermined bit pattern and the new predetermined base address, changing the final address such that the final address is composed of data values obtained from the network packet at specific bit positions identified by the new predetermined bit extraction pattern and the new predetermined base address; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until the accessed content from step (b) is one of a null value or a pointer associated with one of the sub-lists; (e) when the accessed content is a pointer associated with one of the sub-lists, outputting the pointer; a serial match engine for: receiving the pointer from the compare engine; and executing a linear search of each rule in the one sub-list associated with the received pointer to identify a highest matching precedent rule to preselected bit position values of the network packet.