“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1 Peter 2:9, KJV 1900)
On the last post, I looked at Jesus as an eternal king priest, after the order of Melchizedek. Jesus fills a role that was established before the Law and the Levitical priesthood. I will likely mention this again, but there are many significant things that come to us from Jesus becoming the great high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
One of these is that there has been a cessation of the Levitical priesthood. Since Jesus is our high priest forever, who offered the final sacrifice for sin once and for all, there is no longer a need for a priesthood after the order of Aaron and there is no further need for sacrifice. (I know I am getting ahead of myself and that I say this again as I continue through the book of Hebrews.) Jesus’ perfect sacrifice of Himself dealt with the problem of sin completely for all who would believe in Him. Therefore, the Levitical priesthood and the requirement of the Law for sacrifice has ceased.
The Lord impressed upon me a second significant point regarding Jesus as the eternal king priest after the order of Melchizedek. Peter wrote that every believer has been brought into a royal priesthood, not just a priesthood. This is a priesthood of a different order from the Law. As I mentioned in a previous post, the Levitical priesthood were not in the lineage of kingly rule. It was a priesthood, but not a royal priesthood.
Christ the king and priest has brought us into a royal priesthood. In this royal priesthood, we have a present and future aspect. In the present, we have been chosen as a very special and peculiar people. In this royal priesthood, we are called to stand out as peculiar people. We are to stand out as those of the light, as royal ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20). We are not to be like everyone else. Our devotion, our works of service, our voices are all to focus on worshipping the Lord God Almighty. We are to offer the sacrifice of praise unto Him who has called us (Heb 13:15).
Yet, there is also a glorious future aspect to our position in this royal priesthood. John wrote about this in Revelation.
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6, KJV 1900)
This should give us great assurance for the future. John tells us that in the Millennial Kingdom, we will be priests of God and Christ, and that we will reign with Him. God who began this work in us has a great plan for our future in His kingdom.
So, for today, let us act like the members of the royal priesthood that we are. Moreover, let us keep our eyes on the goal. There is a day coming when we who believe will experience the glory of Heaven and will reign with Him in His kingdom.
Renewing the Heart 