A Royal Priesthood
The Apostle Peter, writing to the first century Christians scattered all over the Roman Empire, encouraged the believers with these words: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). The Christians were being blamed for the burning of Rome by Nero which brought tremendous persecutions upon them. With Peter’s words, he underscored the believers’ identity as chosen people of God and a royal priesthood belonging to God.
A priest in the Old Testament was someone who represented the people before God. They were set apart for temple service and administered animal and grain sacrifices for the forgiveness of people’s sins. God decreed that priests could only come from the tribe of Levi. So the priesthood in the Old Testament was exclusive only to this one tribe. They were the only ones who could enter and serve in the Tabernacle or Temple. The High Priest, the overall in charge of all the priests, was the only who could enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement.
Jesus’ death on the cross changed all that. When Jesus was crucified, the curtain in the temple which separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place was split from top to bottom, indicating that all believers now have direct access to God’s presence. We can now approach God by faith through the shed blood of Jesus and not of animals. Hebrews 10:19-20 tells us, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter to the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh.”
As believers, we have a great High Priest who intercedes for us. He sacrificed His life once and for all for our redemption so that we now have a great High Priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God according to Hebrews chapters 4 and 10. The Apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy also says, “For there is one God and mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
The other great news is we have been made part of God’s holy priesthood according to the Apostle Peter, “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5). We have direct access to God through Jesus Christ, and we no longer need to go through any human intermediaries. We are to offer spiritual sacrifices which is our worship, service, consecration, and our prayers for others. The book of Revelation affirms this, “He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen” (Revelation 1:6).