Ephesians 4:3-6; One Lord – His Priesthood and ours, part 3.

Sunday March 7,2021

The Aaronic priesthood was designed by God to point to Christ and reveal what Christ would come to fulfill in order to reconcile man to God.

All that the priests of Aaron would do ritualistically and ceremonially would be literally fulfilled by Christ on the cross. He would cleanse fully and eternally with His own blood. He would wash us and make us clean. He would enter the holy of holies in heaven and tear the veil asunder and bid all to follow Him in, thus qualifying them to stand in the presence of the holiness of God.

Everything that was done to the Tabernacle and at the Tabernacle, Christ would literally fulfill for anyone who would believe upon Him.

So, the Aaronic priesthood is done away with and the priesthood of Christ replaces it, becoming the only priesthood, and Christ’s priests are the members of His body – a kingdom of priests. This is very good news indeed.

He made the church a kingdom of priests.

Rev 1:6

He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Israel was primarily designed as a nation to be a kingdom of priests offering service to God.

God appears to Moses and speaks to the people, but not as He ever did before this.

Exo 19:5-6

'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."

There were thunderings and lightnings, a thick cloud, the smoke of a furnace, a mighty shaking of the mountain, and the increasing tempo of the trumpet sound. Out of this impressive setting came the voice of Yavah to Moses and then to the people.

Here, we have the first occurrence of the word “kingdom” in the Bible, where the idea is directly associated with the rule of God.

This is to be no ordinary kingdom where men will rule upon earth in their own right, but rather a kingdom “unto Me.” Whatever else its characteristics, first and foremost it is God’s Kingdom.

Second, in this proposed covenant the kingdom is to be given to one nation, which is to be lifted up above all other nations in this relationship; and this nation is named “the sons of Israel,” (vs. 6). This leaves no room for all the nonsense doctrines in replacement theology that suppose the promises to the people of Israel are void.

Third, the other nations of the earth are not ignored. God says (vs. 5) “All the earth is Mine.” Although Israel is indeed to be set above all other peoples as the Lord’s “peculiar treasure” or “possession” they are not to forget that the other nations are claimed by Yavah for His own. God is not just the God of Israel, though He is that fully.

Rom 3:29-30

Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.

All nations are somehow beneficiaries of the divine call of Israel.

Now we can see more clearly why Israel is to be a kingdom of priests. All nations are in the purview of the covenant, in the sense that they are to share somehow as beneficiaries of the divine call of Israel and Israel will serve a mediatorial role to all other nations in spiritual matters. (By spiritual we mean all things in which man and God are dealing with one another)

It comes more into focus.

God will reign over His nation Israel through a mediatorial ruler and Israel thus ruled the blessings of God will be mediated to all other nations.

One cannot exist without the other and one has no purpose without the other. The attempts, which are certainly the seeds of the KOD, to remove the nations from God’s covenant or to remove Israel from it cannot be heard with any seriousness by anyone who understands the plain text of the Bible. Through Israel came all the scripture; the Torah, the writings, the prophets, the Gospels, the Epistles, and through Israel came the Messiah, the seed of Abraham – the Son of David. The nations cannot be saved apart from them. And yet, the nations are the reason for Israel and the Messiah, without whom Israel would lack a purpose.

Due to this responsibility, having a position favored by God and being accredited as God’s representative to all other nations, Israel must be a holy nation (Exo 19:6; Lev 11:44).

Exo 19:5-6

Privileges and responsibilities carry with them high moral and spiritual requirements.

Eph 1:4

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy

Eph 5:27

that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy

1Pe 1:15

but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

Every church age believer is a royal priest.

A great difference between this Sinai/Mosaic covenant and our own New Covenant is that the former is conditional, “if you will indeed obey My voice.” (vs. 5)

Heb 12:18-24

For you have not come to a mountain that may be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word should be spoken to them. 20 For they could not bear the command, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned." 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I am full of fear and trembling." 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

Christ fulfilled the Law for us, and so through Him, we have fulfilled it as well. The Law was condemnation, but now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, for the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the Law of sin and death.

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Communion:

Luk 22:14-30

And when the hour had come He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15 And He said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. " 17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes. " 19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. 21 "But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Me on the table. 22 "For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" 23 And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.

24 And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. 25 And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' 26 "But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. 27 "For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. 28 "And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; 29 and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Christ always said that the kingdom of God was at hand. Without the King there could be no kingdom established on earth in the biblical sense. To reject the King is to reject the kingdom. There is a universal kingdom of God which has always existed unconditionally, but the Kingdom filled with men who are eternally saved has always been conditional, based upon faith in Christ as Savior.

Mar 1:14-15

And after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

In this demand, no room was left for any separation of the Kingdom from the King; although this is precisely what the religious leaders of our Lord’s day (and also some today) have thought to do.

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