February 1 - Kingdom of Priests

 Read today’s texts first: Exodus 30-32; Acts 8 

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

God’s Kingdom is for those who “get up and go,”
not sit back and complain. It’s time to make the
comfortable pew uncomfortable! 

Israel received the same commission as the church (compare Ex. 19:6 with 1 Pet. 2:9).  As God’s chosen people, they were to be both kings and priests (Rev. 1:6), each one directly accountable to the King of Kings and the Great High Priest – Jesus.  No one man, or even one group, was intended to function as sole mediator (priest) or monarch (king).  Israel and the church were theocracies, where God alone would rule.  All of us as God’s people are to be directly accountable to God and, at His leading, bring His presence and His rule to all the other peoples of the earth, as priests and kings.

Israel was not supposed to have one human king, like all the other nations.  God knew that such power would corrupt one man and predicted that if they appointed a king he would amass wealth, power, and wives (Deut. 17:16-17; 1 Sam.8) – can you say “Solomon!”  When one person is king then the rest of the people relegate responsibility to him and they can just sit back and complain.   Some churches try to do that with their pastor while they take a seat with the scornful in the comfortable back pew.

The same applies to the priesthood.  Every one of us, as citizens in God’s holy nation, is to be in direct relationship with God, mediating between Him and those who don’t yet know Him.  But Israel, like us sometimes, didn’t like that personal accountability.  That’s why they kept their distance from the thunder and smoke of Mt. Sinai and said to Moses, you go meet with God and tell us what He wants (Ex. 20:18-21).   It was that distance from God that led to their “dance with the devil” – dancing, drunkenness, and debauchery (Ex. 32).  It was then that the Levites, the only Israelites willing to be accountable to God and Moses, stepped forward.  They became priests by default.

In our New Testament reading of Acts 7 yesterday and 8 today, we see Stephen and Philip, both lowly deacons appointed to care for the widows, assuming their responsibilities, along with the apostles, to serve as kings and priests.  Stephen’s sermon to the Sanhedrin “coincidentally” retells the story of Moses and compares them to the rebellious golden calf worshippers.  The theme of his message seems to be what the Jews first said to Moses: who made you ruler and judge? (7:27,35).  Stephen provides the answer – it’s Jesus, the same person they refused to obey and he has chosen to obey until his dying breath.

“Lord, I pray that Stephen and Philip’s willingness to serve as Your representatives as kings and priests, no matter what the consequences, would be my conviction too!”