A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS

When Moses asked God what His name was he was told "I am that I am":

Exodus 3:14-15: God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, YEHOVAH [YHVH] God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

What Yehovah said was not so much an ontological designation or a static notion of being (e.g. "I am that I am"); it was a promise of a dynamic active presence - "I will be there". As God had revealed Himself in His control over nature for the Patriarchs, now Moses and Yehovah's son Israel would know His presence in a day-by-day experience as it had not been known before!

At that moment in time, the nation of Israel became a unique treasured possession of Yehovah destined to become a royal priesthood composed of the entire congregation. Israel, the firstborn of the nations, was given the status of sonship, delivered from Egypt, and made ministers on behalf of themselves and the nations. This role as mediator was announced in Exodus 19:3-6: And Moses went up unto God, and Yehovah called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings and brought you unto myself.

Now, if you will obey me fully, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a treasured possession unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak unto the children of Israel.

Notice: Yehovah placed Israel, His congregation, His treasured possession in the midst of the nations, at the geological center of the world to accomplish and carry out a special task He had in mind for her. Here we have a further unfolding of the second messianic prophecy [Genesis 9:27]. in that, the dwelling of Yehovah in the tents of Shem now become the reign of God as the King of the kingdom of Israel.

The kingdom of God is a holy nation, a kingdom of priests. It has a sacred ministry of priesthood, as well as sovereignty with reference to the nation of the world. As holy, those of Israel are subjects of their holy King, and as priests, they mediate for Him with the nations.

Notice: This is represented in our promise: as a ministry of royalty and priesthood. They are a kingdom of priests a kingdom and a priesthood, combined in unity as royal priests or priest-kings. Israel was to be at once priest-kings and also royal-priests. It was true of the nation as a whole, just as all had been included in sonship!

The distinctive nature and special status that was given to Israel, Yehovah's personal possession was wrapped up in their universal priesthood. They were to be mediators of Yehovah's grace to the nations of the earth, even as in Abraham "all the nations of the earth were to be blessed".

Unfortunately for the people of Israel, they declined the privilege of being a national priesthood in preference to representation under Moses and Aaron [Exodus 19:16-25; 20:18-21]. Therefore, the original plan of God was delayed until the time of the New Testament [covenant] when the priesthood of all disciples was proclaimed [1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10].

That being said, Israel's role of being agents chosen by Yehovah to the needs of the nations was not rescinded, it is active now!

Israel was to be separate and holy; she was to be separate as no other people on the face of the earth. As an elect and called-out people now being formed into a kingdom of priests and kings by Yehovah holiness is not an option. Israel had to be holy even as her God, Yehovah was holy [Leviticus 20:26; 22:31-33].

Note: The reason for presenting all this history is to show the parallels of what Israel of the old covenant was supposed to accomplish, and did not, and what Israel of the new covenant is supposed to accomplish, and is now doing. All who have been grafted into the Israel of God are supposed to witness to the nations, taking the message of salvation - deliverance to the world according to Yehovah's plan and purpose!

Notice the parallels:

1 Peter 2:9:  ...you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: Who in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Romans 11:1-5;  ...Has God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away his people which He foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah? how he makes intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed your prophets, and knocked down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But is the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Note: We have been grafted into the true Israel of the living God Yehovah:

Romans 11:16-36; Romans 12:1-2:  For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root is holy, so are the branches. [the branches of the Olive Tree = Israel] And if some of the branches be broken off, and you [Gentiles], being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them [Jews] partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree; boast not against the branches. But if you boast, you bear not the root, but the root you. You wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spares not you [because of unbelief]. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, IF you continue in His goodness: otherwise you also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in for God is able to graff them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 

For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles comes in.

And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob [May that day soon come]: For this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

For as you in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy because of their unbelief: Even so, these [Jews] now have not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord [Yehovah]? or who has been His counselor? Or who has first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Ephesians 1:3-14: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in the Messiah:

....He has chosen us in him [the Messiah] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having marked us out beforehand unto the adoption of children by Jesus the Messiah to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved. In whom [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood [sin offering sacrifice], the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; Wherein He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself:

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in the Messiah, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being marked out beforehand according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will:

That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in the Messiah. In whom you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after you believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.

Notice:

Ephesians 2:10-22: For we are his workmanship, created in the Messiah Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time you were without the Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

But now in the Messiah Jesus, you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of the Messiah [his sin-offering sacrifice]. For he is our peace, who has made both [believing Jews and Gentiles] one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of two, one new man, so making peace; that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were near.

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now, therefore, you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus the Messiah himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord [Yehovah]: In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

Romans 8:14-17: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with the Messiah; IF so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

So all that is written in the New Testament shown above lets us know what an amazing position we have in the Messiah Jesus. Because of his sin offering sacrifice, we have been reconciled to our God and Father Yehovah. We have been grafted into the true Israel of God consisting of believing Jews and Gentiles who are now all brothers and sisters having an elder brother Jesus who has opened the door for us to walk through.

Now we are the sons of the living God Yehovah who according to His loving grace lets us know He is our God and our Father in the Messiah Jesus. By grafting us into Israel we will be co-rulers and co-inheritors of all the lord Jesus will receive when he takes his place on the throne of David at Zion.

We as the true Israel of Yehovah have been commissioned to take the message that He gave the lord Jesus to give to us, the message of the coming kingdom of God, and all that the name Jesus represents. what a grave and awesome responsibility!

Yehovah has given us to be a witness to the nations which Israel of old failed to do and Christendom has failed to do. We are a small remnant, a called-out Assembly [Congregation] of Yehovah given a message to take to the nations.

Let's be about our business of doing so; realizing that Yehovah will enable us to carry out the commission He has given to us by His indwelling power that is in all of us!