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royal Priesthood A study on spiritual privilege by KEN CHANT

WONDER Come, let us on the sea-shore stand And wonder at a grain of sand; And then into the meadow pass And marvel at a blade of grass; Or cast our vision high and far And thrill with wonder at a star; A host of stars – night’s holy tent Huge-glittering with wonderment.

If wonder is in great and small, Then what of Him who made it all? In eyes and mind and heart and limb Let’s see the wondrous work of Him. In house and hill and sward and sea, In bird and beast and flower and tree, In everything from sun to sod, The wonder and the awe of God. Robert Service (1874 -1958), The Wonderer, St. 6 & 7.

In this world there are many things about which to wonder, but none surpass in astonishment this statement from 1 Peter 2: 9 – “You are a royal priesthood!”

Our priesthood is based upon the one ordained by God for Israel. v Of that priesthood, three things could be said (Ex 29: 8 -9) –

1. it was established by law 2. it was not based on merit but on birth 3. it was governed by rules

Which leads me to say concerning us that our royal priesthood stands upon –

(A) AN INDELIBLE LAW This is not a matter of personal whim, but of divine mandate, which means two things —

1. It belongs only to those who are chosen v see Numbers 16: 8 -33 (and cp. Le 10: 1 -2).

2. Those who are chosen cannot be denied v Peter is emphatic: we are a royal priesthood! v Not “could be. . . may be. . . (or even) will be. . . ” – but “ARE” !

Christian victory begins here, by accepting our God-given identity as lawful members of the heavenly company who have free access to the throne of God v But that must also mean that we have —

(B) AN IRREVOCABLE RIGHT Here is a startling fact – The very essence of religion has always been to build barriers between God and people, saying “stop here, you can go no further!”

But the very essence of the gospel is to tear down those barriers and to open a door to the throne of God!

Therefore the message of the gospel can be summed up in the saying – “The way into the holiest is now made open to everyone who believes, by the blood of the everlasting covenant!”

Cp. Hebrews 4: 16; 10: 19 -23; Revelation 22: 17; John 3: 14 -17; etc. v But in contrast with this open door created by the gospel, note. . .

1. THE BARRIERS RELIGION BUILDS – v Even Israel’s God-given religion existed mostly to keep ordinary people away from God. v It embodied many restrictions –

a) a restriction of person only the race of Israel only the ceremonially clean

b) a restriction of provision only the sacrifices prescribed only the prayers of the guiltless

c) a restriction of place – only the City of Jerusalem only the appointed priests

v These barriers are illustrated by the Temple, which was still standing in the time of Jesus –

Notice the impossibility of ordinary men and women ever gaining access to the holy of holies, where the glory of God dwelt between the wings of the cherubim! Leviticus 1: 3

2) THE DOOR THE GOSPEL OPENS v But now the Tabernacle and Temple, with their walls, doors, and veils are no more.

Instead, the blood of Jesus is sprinkled on the mercy seat in heaven, and all who believe have open access to the very throne of God!

a) A Continuing Fallacy v Yet despite this wonderful open door, there is still a popular teaching, based on the Temple, which holds that Christians fall into three groups –

l l l the great majority who are still in the "outer court" the minority who have advanced into the "holy place" the heroic few who have managed to press into the "holy of holies". Most Holy Place

Even if that idea is not actually held as a doctrine, it is frequently expressed in practice.

Thus, people are often told by worship leaders, preachers, and others, that they can enter the "holiest" only after much effort in song, prayer, worship, fasting and the like.

b) Access is by Divine right v Note, however, that the "holiest" could not be entered by force, but only by divine right. v Access depended, not upon merit, but only upon birth!

Think about Antiochus IV Epiphanes (1 Mc 1: 20 -25, 5464), plus Nebuchadnezzar; Cyrus, Alexander the Great; Pompeii the Great; Julius Caesar; etc.

c) No Place Closer to God • Note that you cannot get any closer to the throne of God than the "holiest", which is where the "shekinah" is located.

What happens if you to try to press on past the "holiest"? – You find only a desert!

So no-one can “break through” to the presence of God. v Indeed, there is not even any need to do so, if one possesses –

i. an invitation from the Father; and ii. a legal right to approach the throne – cp. Sir 45: 13, “Before him there were none such, neither did ever any stranger put on (the priestly garments), but only his children and his children's children perpetually. ”

So reject as dead “religion” anything that tries to erect some new barrier! Instead, we should boldly seize God’s promise of —

(C) AN INELUCTABLE GRACE The promise of God is wonderfully tough, sure, dependable! v But it does depend upon us observing certain rules. v Cp. Nasreddin Hodja and the priest, “Adding Action to Prayer” –

(1) Enter by the Blood Alone See Hebrews 10: 19 -23 Set yourself firmly against anything that tries to deny your right of instant access to the throne through the blood.

(2) Cast Aside False Fears Our main barrier is guilty fear; we feel like usurpers.

Cp. Saul's reaction to God's call (1 Sa 9: 21), so that even after he was anointed (10: 1 -2) he hid himself (10: 2022).

That reluctance by Saul to accept the royal title built insecurity into his reign, so that he always felt threatened, and eventually decayed into ruin.

Contrast Saul's timidity with David's glad acceptance of the divine commission.

His origins were more humble than Saul's, yet he boldly embraced the word of God and went from strength to strength (albeit through conflict!).

(3) Speak with Royal Authority Never forget that we are royal priests!

Here is one place where silence is not golden, for it can bring defeat, as George Herbert said in his Wise Sayings (1651) –

“For want of a nail the shoe is lost; for want of a shoe the horse is lost; for want of a horse the rider is lost; for want of a rider the war is lost. ”

So we may say that for want of a bold word of faith our victory may be stolen by Satan.

We have a right to speak the word and will of our King into existence, over sin, sickness, defeat, despair, poverty, the devil.

So speak bravely and firmly, and brook no denial!

CONCLUSION When the young Sir Walter Raleigh first joined the court of Queen Elizabeth I, he idly engraved with his diamond ring on a window of the palace the words –

“Fain would I climb, Yet fear I to fall. ” The Queen noticed the lines, took another stone, and completed the quatrain –

“If thy heart fail thee, climb not at all!”