By Richard L. Spangler
This part of
the teaching we shall look at ourselves as kings and priests. The scriptures
for this are:
1 Peter 2:9-10 (AMP) 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation,
[God's] own [d]purchased, special people, that you may set
forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who
called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.10Once you were
not a people [at all], but now you are God's people; once you were unpitied,
but now you are pitied and have received mercy.
Exodus 19:5-8 (AMP) 5Now therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep
My covenant, then you shall be My own peculiar possession and treasure from
among and above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine.6And you
shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation [consecrated, set apart to
the worship of God]. These are the words you shall speak to the Israelites.7So
Moses called for the elders of the people and told them all these words which
the Lord commanded him.8And all the
people answered together, and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do.
And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.
These
two scriptures, among many, make reference to being kings and priests. This
goes back to very beginning when God told Adam; he had dominion over all the
earth. This is kingship. A king has authority and power to establish laws and
to enforce those laws. Adam only had one greater authority above him and that
was God, The King of Kings.
The
kings of Israel were supposed to represent the King of Kings, the Lord God to
his people. They were to be examples the goodness, the mercy, and protection of
God for his people. The king was also to lead the people to God. The king was
to seek the counsel of God on how to lead the people. Sadly nearly every king
of Israel failed in these responsibilities.
The
priests were not only to make sacrifices to God and worship Him; they were to
teach the people about God. They were to teach people that, their sin kept them
from God but that God had made a way through the atonement sacrifices for their
sins they could have a relationship with God. The priests were also to teach
all the people of the earth God’s message of love and mercy through the
atonement. God never intended that Israel were the only ones to have relationship
with Him.
Priests and kings have a relationship with God. They are invited to do
more than just make petitions in the Throne of God. They are invited into the
banquet hall; share the table of God’s blessings, to eat and drink with Him.
They can hear God plans and discuss those plans and with God’s help implement
those plans. They are also given their own authority and power under the King
of Kings to do the work they have been assigned.
We
believers in Christ Jesus are the kings and priest of God today. We have been
given authority, Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-18 and the power came in Acts
2:1-4.
As
great as all this is we, as with the servant, are more than a king or a priest.
In fact, we are much more as we will see in Part 3.
©COPYRIGHT 2012 RICHARD SPANGLER
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