ROYAL PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS 1 Peter 2:9

The Word of God says ‘You are a royal priesthood’. How remarkable that without education, riches or the authority of man, we are given this high calling of being royal priests unto our God. Luther, during the reformation, reminded the common people that we must accept the fact and live in the light of this.

A dear praying friend, converted to Christ from Communism, was gripped by this truth that he was a kingly priest to his God. He could scarcely believe that the Lord would lift him to such a high position. He fulfilled that as an elder in our fellowship. We knew as he prayed, he was in touch with the living God.

I have friends who have found freedom in Christ Jesus from among Orthodox churches, and am privileged to teach among them. Russian. Greek and Egyptian Coptic. They elevate the High Priest far beyond themselves. Then they discover that Christ is their Great High Priest, ever living to make intercession for them, and that He has made us ‘Kings and Priests unto our God.’ Their prayer life assumes a new importance. Should not your’s?

The Old Testament provides noble examples of men and women who were priests to their God. What a list: Aaron, Moses’ High Priest; Melchisedek, a type of our dear Lord; Moses with Aaron, Hur on the hill-top while Joshua warred against Amalek; Elijah praying alone against the prophets of Baal; Elisha pleading with God for the widow’s son; and Jonah in the belly of the fish, crying out to the Father. In Isaiah 53:12, our Saviour ‘poured out His soul, was numbered with the transgressors, and made intercession for the transgressors.’

In the New Testament, John 17 is our Lord’s High Priestly prayer. If we are His children, we shall enter into the mystery of such a devotion, as He prayed, ‘And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." ( v5)

Our Lord was the perfect example of the Intercessor. For example, He said,’ Peter, I have prayed for you that your faith fail not. And when you are converted, strengthen your brethren.’ ( Luke 22:32 ) Later He prayed , ‘Father I pray You will give them another Comforter ( Parakletos ) Who will abide with them for ever.’ ( John 14:16 ) . Our Lord still prayed as He hung on the cross, ‘ Father, forgive them, they know not what they do,’ ( Luke 23;31 )

Paul in the Roman letter 8:34 tells us that ‘ Christ died; is risen again; is at the right hand of God; and ever lives to make intercession for us.’ This shows the power of God that His dear Son should occupy Himself in this prayer life. 2000 years of intercession! WE shall never know how indebted we are to Him.

In Hebrews 7:25, ‘ Because He continues forever, HE has an unchanging priesthood. Therefore He is able to save unto the uttermost those who come to God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them’. Christ has honoured us, calling us into a royal priesthood, alongside of Him

Moses knew the heart ache of royal priesthood, when he prayed,’ Yet now if You will forgive their sin – ‘ He must have choked with crying, sobs, and tears. Only the father knew. Don’t be ashamed of your tears. When praying recently with my brother, desperately ill with terminal cancer, I wept as I held his hand. Moses continued , ‘ But if not, blot me out of your book which You have written’ ( Exodus 32;32 The word to ‘blot out’ means to wipe out, exterminate, obliterate, and eliminate. Moses was prepared to be eternally lost rather than his people face the same fate.

When Miriam became a leper for her wrangling with God, Moses cried out desperately, ‘’Please heal her, I pray.’ ( Numbers 12:13 ) God answered him.

When did you last plead with God for a loved one or friend in urgent straits?

When the children of Israel refused to enter into the Promised Land, and desired an alternative leader to return to Egypt, God was angry. Moses prayed ,’Let the power of my Lord be great. ( Numbers 14:17 ) They knew their God, hence they did mighty things. Then he pleaded divine attributes ; ’The Lord is llong-suffering, abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgressions.’

Then he poured out his heart, ‘ Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray according to the greatness of your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people from Egypt until now.’ Remember Moses was flesh and blood like we. Indeed he was the meekest man on the face of the earth, But he surely knew how to pray.

‘Then the Lord said, ‘I have pardoned according to your Word." Amazing how the eternal Lord responded to the heart- searching prayer of His own.

Rees Howell- Intercessor tells how a Bible Principal devoted each afternoon during the WW11 to prayer for Ethiopia and Eritrea. Years late an amazing work of revival began in those 2 countries. Why should this be extraordinary !

David provoked the Lord to judgment when he foolishly numbered the people. ( 1 Chronicles 21:17 ) ‘David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord, standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders , clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. ’David repented, ‘I commanded the people to be numbered. I am the one who sinned and has done evil. Let your hand, O Lord my God, be against me and my father’s house.‘

David built an altar to the Lord. He offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the Lord, Who answered him by fire from heaven,’ (v35 .

The scene was Mount Moriah, where later our beloved Saviour was sacrificed. Oh, what a type of our great salvation. Then the Lord commanded the angel to return the sword to its sheath. Jerusalem was spared. Priesthood, sacrifice, a pardoning God. We must learn these lessons today. We need intercessors .

There is a practical application to this truth. The mighty C.H.Spurgeon had a praying group in the fire room of his tabernacle. Dr Tinsley, Stanmore, NSW. had a team of intercessors in the basement of his great church. Dr J.Sidlow

Baxter of Charlotte St. Edinburgh was supported by his praying women who lifted him before the Lord as he climbed the spiral staircase into his pulpit.

What does the Spirit of God want to introduce into your prayer life?

Please pray for Michael Zbierski and Karyn Jones who will be married this Saturday at 2,30 pm. They have devotedly kept these studies on the web site for the last year. There will be no changes to the web site until after their honeymoon. May the Lord richly bless them in this holy union.