A Kingdom of Priests
“And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
Exodus 19.6
In the third month after the children of Israel had made their departure from Egypt, and were camped in the wilderness of Sinai, the Lord gave Moses a special message to speak to the children of Israel:
“You have seen what I [the Lord] did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. AND YOU SHALL BE TO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS AND A HOLY NATION.”
A Kingdom of Priests… This is an amazing concept to contemplate – a kingdom made up entirely of priests. Can you imagine what it would be like if all the citizens in a kingdom were musicians, or a kingdom in which everyone was an architect? In this kingdom God is talking about, everyone would be a priest.
Interestingly, this was not an idea that would just remain in the Old Testament nor even apply only to the biological descendants of Israel. Instead, God brought this “kingdom of priests” reality to the Body of Christ by reintroducing it in the New Testament.
In the book of I Peter, the Apostle Peter relates the living hope and eternal blessings that have been generously bestowed upon us through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. With such a great inheritance before us, Peter urges us to lay aside all malice, pretence, envy, and hurtful talk. If we have indeed tasted that the Lord is good and gracious, we should like newborn babes drink deeply of God’s pure kindness and earnestly desire the pure milk of the Word. We must come to Christ, who is the living Cornerstone of God’s Temple – the Source of life. He was rejected by men, yet He is precious and chosen by God. And now, God is building us, as living stones, into His spiritual Temple. God said – “I Am placing a stone in Jerusalem, a chosen cornerstone, and anyone who believes in Him will never be disappointed.” (I Peter 2.1-6)
To us who believe, He is very precious. But for those who reject Him, He is “the stone that makes people stumble, the boulder blocking the way” (I Peter 2.7-8). Those who reject Him stumble because they do not listen and obey God’s Word and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them. But for those who believe in Jesus and follow Him, I Peter 2.9 NLT says:
“…you are a chosen people. You are a KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, God’s holy nation, His very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.”
Exodus 19.6 is announced all over again: You shall be to Me a Kingdom of Priests and a holy nation… But now we know the purpose for being a kingdom of priests – it is so we can show others the goodness of God, how He brought us from darkness to light, from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
As Believers, we are called to be priests. What exactly is a priest? A priest is a mediator. He represents the people to God and God to the people. When the word “priest” is mentioned, often people think of pulpit ministry. Perhaps being a pulpit preacher is not your particular assignment from God, or perhaps it is. Being a kingdom of priests is not about pulpit preaching – it is about bridging the gap between God and people.
As the Body of Christ, we are called to be a Kingdom of Priests. No matter what our individual assignments from God might be, we are all called to be Ministers of Reconciliation. II Corinthians 5.18 tells us that God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation – reconciling people to God. Those who are in Christ are not the same any more, the old life is gone and a new life has begun. This newness of life is from God, who brought us back to Himself through what Christ did. And now God has given us the task of reconciling people to Him.
God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message He has given us to tell others. We are Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into right relationship with God.
God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. And now as ones who have been made right with God and as His representatives, we are called to speak out, as though Christ Himself were pleading through us – “Be reconciled to God!”
God has given us the task to urge people to become friends with God – because He is already a friend to them. He has called us to show others His goodness and make known His willingness to bring them out of the darkness and into His marvellous light.
What an awesome privilege it is that God has given to us to be partners with Him in bringing people back into right relationship with God. Not only is it a great privilege, it is also a great responsibility.
The Lord said that we are a chosen people, a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation. As His holy nation, we must live holy lives. We cannot accurately represent God to the world if our lives are not holy, set apart. This world is not our home. I Peter 2.11-12 tells us “you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very soul. Live an exemplary life among [unbelievers]. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honourable behaviour, and they will be won over to God’s side and give honour to Him when He comes to judge the world.” (I Peter 2.11-12 NLT/ MSG)
Several translations, including the Authorized Version, render I Peter 2.9 as “…a royal priesthood…” The Greek word from which this particular word “royal” is translated means “kingly in nature.” The family of Greek words that this word comes from speak of that which pertains to a king – his dominion or realm, his sovereignty and foundation of power, his palace or place of residency, his nature, and of that which is belonging to or befitting the sovereign.
Being a king is not just in name only. We expect a king to look, act, speak and live like a king. According to I Peter 2.9, as a royal priesthood you and I are to be kingly priests – priests who are “kingly in nature”. We are to carry a regal-ness which diffuses the fragrance of the King and Kingdom that we represent. We are not representing just any king – we are representing Jesus – the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Therefore our manner of life must reflect Who He is.
This is why I Peter 2 further urges us – “In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them.” (vv. 14-15 NLT)
As a kingdom of priests, it is necessary that we walk upright and blameless. We must stay away from complaining and arguing, because such things lead to distraction from the things of God and from the fulfilling of our assignment in His Kingdom. We are to live clean, innocent lives in a world full of darkness, crookedness, and perversity.
Those who do not know God live in a dark, hopeless, crumbling kingdom. We are to let our lives shine brightly before them – testifying that a better kingdom, a better life does exist and they can be a part of it. Part of our job as a kingdom of priests is to help people to change kingdoms – change their citizenship from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light.
There is only One Kingdom that will endure. Revelation 11.15 tells us that “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and His dominion endures throughout all generations. (Psalm 145.13)
In such unstable times, people are desperately crying out for stability, for assurance, and for security. They are searching for an anchor for their lives and for their families. The kingdom of God is the only place where they can find what they are looking for – and it is our responsibility to lead them to it.
We may be experiencing difficulties in our own lives – priests are not exempt from trials and challenges. Yet, if we know God, we have an eternal hope and assurance from His Word that He will faithfully provide and care for our every need, regardless of the circumstances. Those in the world do not have such hope. So we must represent the hope of Jesus to them.
Maybe we do not have all the answers to all that is going on in our world today – but we know the One who does know. Our mandate is to make HIM known – His goodness, His mercy, His abundance, His Love.
Let us truly be to Him a Kingdom of Priests and a holy nation – an everlasting Light of Jesus to the world!!
Copyright © First Love Ministries International aka FERVOUR
All Rights Reserved
“And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
Exodus 19.6
In the third month after the children of Israel had made their departure from Egypt, and were camped in the wilderness of Sinai, the Lord gave Moses a special message to speak to the children of Israel:
“You have seen what I [the Lord] did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. AND YOU SHALL BE TO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS AND A HOLY NATION.”
A Kingdom of Priests… This is an amazing concept to contemplate – a kingdom made up entirely of priests. Can you imagine what it would be like if all the citizens in a kingdom were musicians, or a kingdom in which everyone was an architect? In this kingdom God is talking about, everyone would be a priest.
Interestingly, this was not an idea that would just remain in the Old Testament nor even apply only to the biological descendants of Israel. Instead, God brought this “kingdom of priests” reality to the Body of Christ by reintroducing it in the New Testament.
In the book of I Peter, the Apostle Peter relates the living hope and eternal blessings that have been generously bestowed upon us through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. With such a great inheritance before us, Peter urges us to lay aside all malice, pretence, envy, and hurtful talk. If we have indeed tasted that the Lord is good and gracious, we should like newborn babes drink deeply of God’s pure kindness and earnestly desire the pure milk of the Word. We must come to Christ, who is the living Cornerstone of God’s Temple – the Source of life. He was rejected by men, yet He is precious and chosen by God. And now, God is building us, as living stones, into His spiritual Temple. God said – “I Am placing a stone in Jerusalem, a chosen cornerstone, and anyone who believes in Him will never be disappointed.” (I Peter 2.1-6)
To us who believe, He is very precious. But for those who reject Him, He is “the stone that makes people stumble, the boulder blocking the way” (I Peter 2.7-8). Those who reject Him stumble because they do not listen and obey God’s Word and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them. But for those who believe in Jesus and follow Him, I Peter 2.9 NLT says:
“…you are a chosen people. You are a KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, God’s holy nation, His very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.”
Exodus 19.6 is announced all over again: You shall be to Me a Kingdom of Priests and a holy nation… But now we know the purpose for being a kingdom of priests – it is so we can show others the goodness of God, how He brought us from darkness to light, from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
As Believers, we are called to be priests. What exactly is a priest? A priest is a mediator. He represents the people to God and God to the people. When the word “priest” is mentioned, often people think of pulpit ministry. Perhaps being a pulpit preacher is not your particular assignment from God, or perhaps it is. Being a kingdom of priests is not about pulpit preaching – it is about bridging the gap between God and people.
As the Body of Christ, we are called to be a Kingdom of Priests. No matter what our individual assignments from God might be, we are all called to be Ministers of Reconciliation. II Corinthians 5.18 tells us that God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation – reconciling people to God. Those who are in Christ are not the same any more, the old life is gone and a new life has begun. This newness of life is from God, who brought us back to Himself through what Christ did. And now God has given us the task of reconciling people to Him.
God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message He has given us to tell others. We are Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into right relationship with God.
God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. And now as ones who have been made right with God and as His representatives, we are called to speak out, as though Christ Himself were pleading through us – “Be reconciled to God!”
God has given us the task to urge people to become friends with God – because He is already a friend to them. He has called us to show others His goodness and make known His willingness to bring them out of the darkness and into His marvellous light.
What an awesome privilege it is that God has given to us to be partners with Him in bringing people back into right relationship with God. Not only is it a great privilege, it is also a great responsibility.
The Lord said that we are a chosen people, a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation. As His holy nation, we must live holy lives. We cannot accurately represent God to the world if our lives are not holy, set apart. This world is not our home. I Peter 2.11-12 tells us “you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very soul. Live an exemplary life among [unbelievers]. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honourable behaviour, and they will be won over to God’s side and give honour to Him when He comes to judge the world.” (I Peter 2.11-12 NLT/ MSG)
Several translations, including the Authorized Version, render I Peter 2.9 as “…a royal priesthood…” The Greek word from which this particular word “royal” is translated means “kingly in nature.” The family of Greek words that this word comes from speak of that which pertains to a king – his dominion or realm, his sovereignty and foundation of power, his palace or place of residency, his nature, and of that which is belonging to or befitting the sovereign.
Being a king is not just in name only. We expect a king to look, act, speak and live like a king. According to I Peter 2.9, as a royal priesthood you and I are to be kingly priests – priests who are “kingly in nature”. We are to carry a regal-ness which diffuses the fragrance of the King and Kingdom that we represent. We are not representing just any king – we are representing Jesus – the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Therefore our manner of life must reflect Who He is.
This is why I Peter 2 further urges us – “In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them.” (vv. 14-15 NLT)
As a kingdom of priests, it is necessary that we walk upright and blameless. We must stay away from complaining and arguing, because such things lead to distraction from the things of God and from the fulfilling of our assignment in His Kingdom. We are to live clean, innocent lives in a world full of darkness, crookedness, and perversity.
Those who do not know God live in a dark, hopeless, crumbling kingdom. We are to let our lives shine brightly before them – testifying that a better kingdom, a better life does exist and they can be a part of it. Part of our job as a kingdom of priests is to help people to change kingdoms – change their citizenship from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light.
There is only One Kingdom that will endure. Revelation 11.15 tells us that “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and His dominion endures throughout all generations. (Psalm 145.13)
In such unstable times, people are desperately crying out for stability, for assurance, and for security. They are searching for an anchor for their lives and for their families. The kingdom of God is the only place where they can find what they are looking for – and it is our responsibility to lead them to it.
We may be experiencing difficulties in our own lives – priests are not exempt from trials and challenges. Yet, if we know God, we have an eternal hope and assurance from His Word that He will faithfully provide and care for our every need, regardless of the circumstances. Those in the world do not have such hope. So we must represent the hope of Jesus to them.
Maybe we do not have all the answers to all that is going on in our world today – but we know the One who does know. Our mandate is to make HIM known – His goodness, His mercy, His abundance, His Love.
Let us truly be to Him a Kingdom of Priests and a holy nation – an everlasting Light of Jesus to the world!!
Copyright © First Love Ministries International aka FERVOUR
All Rights Reserved