by Tim Pynes

For you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. 1 Peter 2:9 (The Message)

Someone asked me (Tim Pynes) awhile back how things were going for me “living as a priest.”  I was completely taken off guard and confused by their question.  “How am I doing living as a priest?”  Their words rattled around in my head searching for a place to land.   I had no answer.  “Flummoxed” seems like an appropriate word to describe how I felt in response to their question.  “I’m sorry, you’ve mistaken me for someone else,” I wanted to reply, “I’m not a priest, I’m a ‘minister,’ a ‘missionary’ to the city of Denver that is who I am.”

For years I have heard the phrase “priesthood of the believer” used to describe the fact that all followers of Christ are ministers…are priests.   Yet, in spite of my understanding of what is meant by that phrase, I have not understood that God’s intent for me is to live my life as a priest, to go through my days - 24/7 - functioning as a priest, before God, and before people.  In fact, it was God’s original intent in selecting the “chosen people,” for them to be a nation of priests among all the peoples of the world.   In Exodus 19, we see God telling Moses why He rescued His people from oppression and slavery in Egypt. 

3 Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The LORD called out to him from the mountain and said, “Give these instructions to the descendants of Jacob, the people of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I brought you to myself and carried you on eagle’s wings. 5 Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth belongs to me. 6 And you will be to me a kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ Give this message to the Israelites.”   - Exodus 19:3-6 (NLT)

God’s original intent for His “chosen people” was for them to be a kingdom of priests.  If the Israelites would obey God and keep His covenant, God would fashion them into a people who would “show others the goodness of God” as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:9.  This was God’s original intent for His people and according to Peter, is still God’s desire for His people, for those of us who are following Christ. 

But what exactly does it mean to be a priest, to function as a priest on a daily basis?

To understand our role as priests, we have to go back to the establishment of the Levitical priesthood in the book of Exodus.  Remember, God’s original intent was for His chosen people to serve as a “Kingdom of Priests,” but the people were afraid of God and abdicated this privilege, so in Exodus 28, God establishes a specific group of people (from the tribe of Levi, hence “Levitical”) to serve as priests on behalf of the 12 Tribes of Israel.  Chapter 28 of Exodus is an entire chapter devoted to God’s very detailed description of how He wants the priests to dress.  It’s like God becomes this super perfectionist fashion designer for several chapters as He gives Moses an excruciatingly detailed description of how He wants the Tabernacle and the Priests to look.  Take a look at some excerpts from Exodus 28 related to how the priests were supposed to dress, and as you read these, consider the important symbolic meaning that clues us in on the role of the priest:

1“Your brother, Aaron, and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, will be set apart from the common people. They will be my priests and will minister to me. 2 Make special clothing for Aaron to show his separation to God—beautiful garments that will lend dignity to his work.

9 Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the tribes of Israel. 10 Six names will be on each stone, naming all the tribes in the order of their ancestors’ births. 11 Engrave these names in the same way a gemcutter engraves a seal. Mount the stones in gold settings. 12 Fasten the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the people of Israel. Aaron will carry these names before the LORD as a constant reminder.

15 “Then, with the most careful workmanship, make a chestpiece that will be used to determine God’s will. Use the same materials as you did for the ephod: fine linen cloth embroidered with gold thread and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. 16 This chestpiece will be made of two folds of cloth, forming a pouch nine inches square. 17 Four rows of gemstones will be attached to it.

21 Each stone will represent one of the tribes of Israel, and the name of that tribe will be engraved on it as though it were a seal.

28 Then attach the bottom rings of the chestpiece to the rings on the ephod with blue cords. This will hold the chestpiece securely to the ephod above the beautiful sash. 29 In this way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the chestpiece over his heart when he goes into the presence of the LORD in the Holy Place. Thus, the LORD will be reminded of his people continually.

What's with all of the focus on the priest carrying the names of the twelve sons of Israel on him, not only on his shoulders, but over his heart? Important aside  - The literal twelve sons of Israel (of Jacob), have been dead for about 400-500 years, so when the priest carries the names of the twelve sons into God’s presence, he carries with him the whole household (family) of Israel.

God tells Moses that the priest is to carry the people on his shoulders. Shoulders symbolize strength and service, we see this again in the prophetic statement about Christ that we see in Isaiah and hear in Handel’s Messiah, "And the government shall be upon his shoulders." Additionally, the priest was to carry the names of the people over his heart. The heart was considered the seat of wisdom and the seat of one’s affections.  The priest was to carry the people over his heart, as “a memorial before the Lord.”  The priest was a mediator between God and His people, between the people and God, and he was to bear into God’s presence - on a daily basis - the names of those God had given him responsibility for.  Another way of saying this is that the primary role of a priest is to tell people about God, and to tell God about people.  I don’t know about you, but I have majored on that first part of the role of a priest.  I have spent years learning how to tell people about God – I spent five years getting a seminary degree helping me towards that end.  What I have not heard much about, however, and much less practiced, is how to talk to God about people - the people He has entrusted to us.

What does it mean for us to function as priests?  I believe that it is to bear into God’s presence - on a regular basis - those He has “given to us.”  Take a look at John 17.  In this chapter, Jesus is near the end of his ministry on earth, and he begins to pray for the twelve disciples (there’s that number 12 again….hmmm?).  Look at what Jesus says about the twelve, with my underlining:

6 “I have told these men about you. They were in the world, but then you gave them to me. Actually, they were always yours, and you gave them to me; and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the words you gave me; and they accepted them and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you.”

Jesus speaks of the twelve as the ones “you (God) gave me.”  He clearly understands that God has given these twelve to him (He stayed up praying all night before he selected them), and in this passage he is functioning in the role of a priest, bearing these men into the presence of God – talking to God about these men that God has “given” him.

The Apostle Paul also seemed to fully grasp that he was called to function as a priest, first and foremost.  He regularly bore into God’s presence (prayed for) the names of those God had “given him.”  Almost all of his letters mention (in the introduction), that he is praying for those he is carrying on his shoulders and over his heart.  Take a look at a few examples:

Romans 1:9 – How often I pray for you…
1 Cor. 1:4 – I am praying for you…
Ephesians 1:16-18 – I pray for you constantly…
1 Thess. 1:2-3 – We pray for you constantly…
2 Thess, 1:3, 11 – We always thank God for you…   We keep on praying for you…
1 Timothy 2:1 – I urge you (Timothy) first of all, to pray…
2 Timothy 1:3 – Night and Day I pray for you…
Philemon 1:4 – I always thank God for you…
And my personal favorite:
Philippians 1:3-4, 7:  Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.  I always pray for you…It is only right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart.” 

Sure sounds like the words of a priest to me.

In Hebrews 10:24, we are told to consider (“think deeply” in the Greek) how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.  Back up in verse 19, however, we are told where we are to do this “considering” that verse 24 commands us to do.  We are to consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds when we are in the “holiest of holies,” just like a Levitical priest entering the Tabernacle.  The difference for us, though, is that because of Jesus – our High Priest – we can enter the presence of God in the holiest of holies, anytime, anywhere.  In other words, we can function as a priest on a daily basis, wherever we are, 24/7.  The question then becomes, “Which names are we to bear into God’s presence.” 

Who are the people God has “given to you?”  Who is God calling you to carry on your shoulders and over your heart?  I believe that if you will take the time to be still before God and ask Him which people He is calling you to carry on your shoulders and over your heart and into His presence, God will impress you with their names. 

This article was written by Tim Pynes from the 'House Church Chronicles' weblog.
www.housechurchchronicles.typepad.com

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 6th, 2006 at 10:06 pm and is filed under Reformation/ Revival, Prayer / Worship, Living Christianity. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.