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The Daily Word of Righteousness
You Are My People, #28
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19:5,6)
Let believing Gentiles have a due appreciation for the fact that they are eating the "children's bread," and not be lifted up in pride as though they were the original chosen people of the Lord.
The designation as a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, is the unique possession of Israel—God's firstborn from among the nations of the earth.
The concept here is that of election, of calling. Those who are called are "saints," that is, people who are holy to the Lord.
They are holy because God has separated them from the world and drawn them to Himself.
The priesthood always is by election. No man by his own desire can assume the honor of the priesthood.
And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. (Hebrews 5:4)
The word church means "called-out from," that is, called out from among the peoples of the earth. Israel is God's firstborn—that which belongs peculiarly to Him.
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (I Peter 1:1)
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; (I Peter 2:9)
The fact that Israel was designated as the holy nation, and then the "strangers" Peter was addressing were designated as the holy nation, does not indicate that God has turned away from the Jews and then chosen Gentiles as His royal priesthood. Instead, the elect Gentiles have been made an integral part of Israel through marriage to Christ.
There is but one royal priesthood. The royal priesthood is the Body of Christ, the Church. The Body of Christ includes all who are in Christ, whether Jewish or Gentile by natural birth.
Nowhere in the writings of the New Testament Apostles is there any indication whatever that the elect Jews compose one royal priesthood and the elect Gentiles constitute a different royal priesthood.
To be continued.