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Kingdom of Priests

“ ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ ” – Exodus 19:6

These were the words of God to Israel, even before they received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.  As a priest serves as an intermediary between God and men, so this “kingdom of priests” had been called by God to bring God’s Word to man.  As a holy nation with such a high calling, its people also should have been holy (that is, consecrated to God) in life and witness.  But instead, after almost 2,000 years, God had to lament: “But as for Israel He says, ‘All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.’ ” – Romans 10:21

A day will come when “all Israel will be saved” – Romans 11:26, but God has, in the meantime, chosen a new people, in whom “there is neither Jew nor Greek…for you are all one in Christ Jesus” – Galatians 3:28.  We are now “one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” – Romans 12:5

“But you will be called the priests of the Lord; you will be spoken of as ministers of our God.” – Isaiah 61:6

We now have been given the same high privileges long ago given to Israel.  We who belong to Christ have been “born again” into the “kingdom of God” – John 3:3, and this is nothing less than a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.  Peter said: “…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2:5

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Not only are we a holy priesthood, we are a royal priesthood, a kingdom of priest-kings.  “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” – 1 Peter 2:9-10

“You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” – Isaiah 62:3

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The following verse is written twice in Deuteronomy to stress it’s importance:

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” – Deuteronomy 7:6

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” – Deuteronomy 14:2

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The following is written in the Book of Revelation:

We, indeed, have a high calling, and should devote our lives to showing forth His praises, for “To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood – and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.” – Revelation 1:6

“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” – Revelation 5:10

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Apostle Paul wrote:

“…to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God.” – Romans 15:16

“…of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.” – Ephesians 3:7

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As priests of the Lord – as the redeemed of the Lord – we are commanded to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” – Mark 16:15

“ ‘This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.’ ” – Matthew 24:14