Established as a kingdom
Revelation 1:4-6 VOICE May you experience God’s favor and rest in the peace that comes from the One who is, the One who was, and the One who is coming; from the seven Spirits, the Perfect Spirit, constantly before God’s throne; and from Jesus the Anointed, the Witness who is true and faithful, the first to emerge from death’s cold womb, the chosen Ruler over all the kings and rulers of the earth. To the One who loves us and liberated us from the grip of our evil deeds through His very own blood and who established us to be His kingdom and priests for God, His Father. May glory and power be His throughout all the ages. Amen.
He made us a kingdom, priests unto God…
We have been made a kingdom. As believers in Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) we are the kingdom of God. The kingdom is in us as we are in the kingdom. (Luke 17:21) Christ in us the hope of glory. (Col. 1:27) The kingdom of God is manifest in us, as it was manifest in the life of Jesus. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (2 Cor. 4:7) We are temples of the living God. (2 Cor. 6:16) God said, “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people.” (Ez. 37:27) The Spirit of God dwells within us. We are the dwelling place of God, tabernacles of the living God. (1 Cor. 3:16 & 1 Cor. 6:19) As such, we are a kingdom of priests whose mandate it is to serve the Lord in worship and intercession. That’s what priests do. We not only house the manifest presence of God within us when we receive the Spirit of Christ at rebirth, we minister as priests unto God through our worship and intercession.
We become like what we worship. We will reflect what we gaze upon. As we seek the face of Jesus and gaze upon His beauty we are transformed by His eternal nature. We become radiant with His radiance.
Not only do we have access to God’s heavenly abode through the cross, through the torn veil, the flesh of Jesus, we actually become the dwelling place of God in the earth. How awesome is that?!
I like what G.K. Beale writes in, We Become What We Worship:
How can people come out from under the anesthesia of idolatry, of having eyes but not seeing and having ears but not hearing, in conformity to the idols that are revered?…Isaiah the prophet could be transformed from being like his idolatrous people to being like God only by God’s initiative in transporting Isaiah into the true heavenly temple and transforming him into one who reflects God’s holy image. Others could likewise be transformed and become a part of the faithful remnant of Israel.
God took the initiative when He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross and make access to God open and available to all. Throughout the Old Testament there are promises from God that speak of His making His people to be priests unto Him. (see scriptures below). We have an eternal/heavenly priesthood, in the same order as Christ’s, in the order of Melchizedek. (Heb. 5:6, 6:20 & 7:17) We serve an eternal God, the One who is seated in eternity. (Ps 103:19) We can ascend into heaven, where Christ is seated, and worship Him. Access has been granted through Christ, through the blood of the slain lamb of God.
Hebrews 10:19-22 ESV Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. (Ps. 103:19) The eternal kingdom of God is established in heart of man. (Ecc. 3:11) The kingdom of God is made manifest when we are reborn by the Spirit, born from above. (John 3:3)
John 3:5-6 BSB “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.”
As the touch point for the eternal kingdom of God in the earth, our mandate is to BE the dwelling place of God. We are carriers of the glory of whatever it is we worship. If we worship the idol of this world we will become like the deaf and mute idol, incapable of eternal transformation. However, if we worship God and are transformed by His eternal glory, we become a Temple of the Most High, a dwelling place of God in the earth. We are then made into the kingdom of God in the earth. When this happens we become an entryway, a place of heavenly access for others to find the mercy and grace of God.
Let us boldly approach the Throne of Grace
Let us worship the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the One Who Was, and Is, and Is to Come, the Almighty. Only the people of God born from above, born of the Spirit, can enter the kingdom of God and thereby become the kingdom. Only worshipers of Jesus shine with His glory and possess His heart. Let us put on our priestly garments, our eternal wardrobe. Let us worship the Lord in our holy attire. (Ps 96:9) Let’s become the manifestation of the kingdom of God in the earth. Let us worship God.
May the Lord draw you into His presence and bless you with His lovingkindness and tender mercies and transform you by His Spirit.
When I think of being a kingdom and priests before God a couple of old friends come to mind, Marvin and Sally Adams. I met them when they establishing a house of prayer in Chicago in the early 2000’s.
Currently uniting flaming hearts for Jesus at The Well in Carmel, Marvin and Sally have been singing, worshiping and teaching on the passionate pursuit of God for years. This morning I just happened to watch the YouTube message Marvin gave in February. It is one in the Awakening the Priesthood Sermon Series The Well did at the onset of 2020.
Marvin’s message has been consistently anchored in loving God, and loving people. I heard the same passionate love in this message that I heard from him nearly twenty years ago.
I encourage you to watch. You can also join their live feed at Dwell Global live on Facebook. Enjoy!
The above video is from the Awakening the Priesthood Sermon Series recorded Jan-Mar 2020. Check out more at The Well in Carmel YouTube channel.
Blessings,
Scriptures:
Exodus 19:6 NLT And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”
Isaiah 61:6 JUB – But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD; men shall call you the Ministers of our God; ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and with their glory ye shall be lifted up.
Isaiah 66:20-21 ICB And they will bring all your fellow Israelites from all nations. They will bring them to my holy mountain in Jerusalem. Your fellow Israelites will come on horses, donkeys, camels and in chariots and wagons. They will be like the grain offerings that the people bring in clean containers to the Temple,” says the Lord. 21 “And I will choose some of these people to be priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
Apostle Paul wrote concerning himself:
Romans 15:15-16 NASB But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 2:5-9 TPT Come and be his “living stones” who are continually being assembled into a sanctuary for God. For now you serve as holy priests, offering up spiritual sacrifices that he readily accepts through Jesus Christ. For it says in Scripture: Look! I lay a cornerstone in Zion, a chosen and priceless stone! And whoever believes in him will certainly not be disappointed. As believers you know his great worth—indeed, his preciousness is imparted to you. But for those who do not believe: The stone that the builders rejected and discarded has now become the cornerstone. And A stone that makes them stumble and a rock to trip over. They keep stumbling over the message because they refuse to believe it. And this they were destined to do. But you are God’s chosen treasure—priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world.
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