The Kingdom Of Priests
The Kingdom of Priests
By: Irnawan Silitonga
Let us first examine the covenant between Yahweh and Israel before we look at our own covenant mediated by the Lord Jesus. In Exodus 19:5, it is written: “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…”
Let us pay special attention to the phrase ‘a kingdom of priests’, which is one of Yahweh’s promises to Israel if they obey His voice. The term kingdom of priests here means that each person from the nation of Israel would become both a king and a priest to other nations. What does it mean to be a king and a priest to other nations? In the Bible, the term ‘king’ is associated with ‘throne, authority, and the right to judge’. The term ‘priest’, on the other hand, refers to ‘a mediator’—one who stands before God on behalf of others and stands before others on behalf of God.
As we know, Israel failed when they worshiped the golden calf while Moses was on the mountain receiving the two tablets of stone. As a result, only the tribe of Levi was given the right to serve as priests, and even then, they ministered not for other nations but for the other tribes of Israel. Being a priest is an extraordinary blessing. A priest is given the right to perform two functions: to minister to God and to minister to people. Yet not every Levite was given the right to become a priest. We read in Ezekiel 44:10–16: “But the Levites who went far from Me when Israel went astray… Yet the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of My sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister to Me…”
From these verses, we understand that there were Levites who turned away from God when Israel went astray, and there were Levites from the house of Zadok who remained faithful in their duties. It was these faithful Levites to whom God granted the right to draw near to Him and minister before Him. Therefore, the right of priesthood was given only to the sons of Zadok, for only they were permitted to approach and serve the Lord.
What about us today? 1 Peter 2:9 declares, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…” The Church is the kingdom of priests. This means that every member of the Church is both a priest and a king. To whom does the Church serve as a priest? II Corinthians 5:19 says, “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
Thus, the Church serves as a priest on behalf of the world—ministering to God for the sake of the world, and ministering to the world for the sake of God. But just like Israel, the Church has fallen so deeply that as a whole, it can no longer function as a priest for the world. The Church has been divided into clergy and laity, ministers (pastors) and congregation. The teaching that supports this division is known as ‘the doctrine of the Nicolaitans’. The word ‘Niko’ means ‘to conquer’ or ‘to rule over’, and ‘Laos’ means ‘the people’ or ‘laity’. Thus, a group of leaders has subdued the common believers and usurped God’s authority, as if they alone have the right to serve God and rule over others. This division introduced ‘human government’ into the Church. Yet, God has His overcomers—a group of people who represent the fallen Church and continue to function as priests. Hallelujah!
We have seen Yahweh’s covenant with Israel concerning the kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:5–6) and also I Peter 2:9, which affirms that believers are a royal priesthood. Now let us reflect on God’s declaration in Exodus 19, “For all the earth is Mine.” Yahweh appointed Israel as His treasured possession, as a kingdom of priests, and as a holy nation because He owns the earth. If we examine Exodus 19:5–6 closely, we see that God’s ownership of the earth is deeply connected with His appointment of Israel as a kingdom of priests. Yahweh made Israel a kingdom of priests because He owns the earth—and He has a plan and responsibility for it.
What is Yahweh’s plan for the earth? In Isaiah 49:6, it is written: “…I will make you a light for the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Paul also quoted this verse in Acts 13:47. Thus, Yahweh established Israel as a kingdom of priests and a light to the nations so that His salvation might reach to the ends of the earth. This means that Yahweh’s will is for the earth to be saved, and He will accomplish this through His chosen people.
II Corinthians 5:19 again declares: “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” Here it is affirmed that we, as believers, have been entrusted with the message of reconciliation so that the world might be reconciled to God. Before we can proclaim this message, we must clearly understand that Christ has taken away the sin of the world.
Let us look at several verses that affirm that Christ has removed the sin of the world—not just the sin of believers. John the Baptist testified about Jesus, saying that He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). I John 2:2 declares, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Thus, the Father reconciled the world to Himself by removing its sin through Christ’s sacrifice, and He has entrusted this message of reconciliation to us.
Let us now reflect again on our calling as believers to be a kingdom of priests. As priests, we act as mediators—we bring the world to the Father and bring the Father to the world that He so loves, for He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him may be saved. Indeed, in this present age, the Father chooses only some to be saved. Yet, we must continue to proclaim that the Father has already taken away the sin of the world through the sacrifice of Christ. We should not proclaim that only a few are saved while the rest are condemned to eternal hellfire, for such a message is not a message of reconciliation, nor is it good news.
The Father has a beautiful plan for this earth—for the whole world, for all humanity. His grace is boundless. In the ages to come, He will continue to offer His grace. Even in the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’, the Spirit and the Bride will still say: “Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). May we truly function as priests who bring the message of reconciliation to this world.
Amen.