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Revelation 1:6
“And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6
At Sinai, God declares to the Hebrew people that they shall be unto Him a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” This verse is preceded by the admonition of God that they should obey His voice and keep His covenant. As the Israelites learned very quickly, they were prone to fall into God’s disfavor because of their rebellious and sinful hearts. Only through the revelation of the forgiveness of God and the atoning blood of the lamb could they be brought into a relationship with the Almighty that made them “holy” as God intended. Only through Jesus are we enabled to become God’s holy priesthood. By the washing away of our sins, Christ makes us obedient to the word of God and His commands. By this relationship we are declared God’s priesthood. It is a priesthood of all believers as it should have been for the Hebrews. But the issue of our holiness is made clear by the example of the OT Levites, who received the priesthood instead of the whole community because they alone stood for the Lord in purging sin from the camp after the evil of the Golden Calf had spread through the people.
The Hebrew word for priest (Kohen) is also translated prince throughout the OT, demonstrating the holy quality of leadership required in those who represent God . These men were to teach the message of the sanctuary, which is the same as the gospel: the atoning blood of Christ, the washing away of our sinfulness, and our transformation into obedient children of God. But they were also partakers of the kingdom of God that is not of this world.
Micah (4:8) says that the first dominion shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem; that bride of Christ who are His church, His people. That first dominion was the dominion of Genesis (1:28) to which Adam and Eve failed their responsible stewardship. They chose to follow their own leading, to be their own gods, rather than obey the word of the Lord. Because of their action, they lost hold of the promises of God and the delight of the Sabbath rest found in Him alone. They lost the dominion placed in their hands. Yet the dominion is restored in their future Son, who is to be born of the city of God, and He will give us a right to that dominion by virtue of His love, His forgiveness, and our faith in Him. Adam and Eve denied their faith in God and searched for repentance. God covered their shame with the righteousness of the innocent lamb and gave them the promise of His redeeming work. To Him be the glory forever, for the dominion lost is given to Him, and He wants to share eternity with us in His kingdom. Home | About Us | Bible Study | Billerica Blog | Bible Commentary | Devotional | Online Giving | Ministries | Prayer | Media | Bookstore | News | Calendar | Contact Us | Sermons
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