Psalm 8:1
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Malachi 2. Verses 1 and 11 caught my attention:
Malachi 2:1 ¶ And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
Malachi 2:11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind with the observation that in this chapter, the Spirit speaks to the Levitical priesthood, and to the scepter-holding tribe of Judah. The priests and kings.
Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
We are His priests and His kings today.
Under the Old Covenant, the sacrifices and the scepter were separated. Under the New Covenant, they are merged. We are kings and priests unto GOD.
Our role as “priests” unto God does not include us in the Levitical Priesthood. We are priests under the priesthood of Christ, our High Priest, which is after the order of Melchisedek (“(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec)” (Hebrews 7:21 ).
Just as our priesthood is under a different order, our identity as “kings unto God” does not give us the throne of David. We are joined to another throne: God “Hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6), where our LORD is seated today:
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Hebrews 8:1 ¶ Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.
Along the still waters, I reflected on the. message of the Spirit to my heart as a priest and king unto Him.
The New Testament (Covenant) priest must be diligent to “hear” God’s word, and “lay it to heart, and give glory to His name” (2:2a). We are warned of serious chastisement if we refuse (2:2b-3), to underscore the truth that God orders this commandment (2:4). The covenant God established between Him and Levi was for life and peace, which was given in response to Levi’s fear of GOD, and to us, we are given life and peace according to our humility before Him (1 John 5:13; Galatian 6:16; Colossians 3:15).
Like the Levitical priesthood, we too must “the law of truth” in our mouths, shunning iniquity, and walking worthy of our GOD (Ephesians 4:25; 2 Timothy 2:19; Colossians 1:10). We, too, are now the “messenger of the LORD of hosts” (2:7).
We bear a heavy responsibility. If we depart out of His way, we may cause many to stumble, and are in danger of corrupting the New Covenant as they did the old (2:8), and thus be made contemptible and base (2:9).
As for the kings, Judah dealt treacherously and was rebuked (2:11-16)! If we turn our affections from Him to the world, we grievously wound the heart of Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us (1 John 2:15-16; consider “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4)). Selah!
Shall we, like Judah, insincerely cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out,” until He “regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand”? (2:13). Will we weary Him with our words? I hear many New Testament “kings” express this cynical accusation against the LORD today: “Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where i the God of judgment” (2:17).
Sad it is when the kings and priests of God today join the scoffers: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4).
In the valley, my Shepherd drew close as I examined my heart in the light of these reflections. He spoke: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). “I will,” I said, and did.
At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. We went into the harvest, goodness and mercy following close.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
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