Kingdom of Priests Sanctify Your Voices

Yahweh told Moses that the Nation of Israel was to be a ‘kingdom of priests’, as well as a ‘Holy Nation’, to Him.
Exodus 19:6, “And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”

The world around Israel was filled with idolatry and corruption. All other nations were bowing down before other gods.

Many of these other gods demanded sacrifices of children. Baal was one of these gods.

Baal is also the name for Zeus of the Greeks, also known as Jupiter for the Romans, Amon for the Egyptians, and Mazda for the Persians. Baal is also referred to as Beelzebub and as Nimrod in the Bible.

Baal was believed to be responsible for droughts, earthquakes, plagues, lightening, and other calamities. Baal, as Zeus, was the source of fire (lightening).

Sacrifices of innocent young children were offered to appease this god. Baal, as Nimrod, demanded that his priests eat part of the sacrifice offered to him. Cannibalism was also a practice of the Nephilim in the Days of Noah.

The Roman scholar Diodorus relates how horrific this sacrifice was. There was a bronze statue of Baal with its hands extended over a bronze brazier, the flames of which would engulf the child. When the flames fell upon the body, the limbs contracted and the open mouth seemed to be almost laughing, until the contracted body slips quietly into the brazier. Thus it is that the ‘grin’ is known as ‘sardonic laughter,’ since they die laughing.

One of the reasons that Yahweh appointed Israel to be a ‘Nation of Priests’, was His desire for them to be an example to the nations surrounding them.

In the Old Testament, the Levites were the priests within the Nation of Israel. They were to minister to Yahweh and intercede for the Children of Israel and as an example to the rest of the world.

In the New Testament, the Church is to be a Kingdom of Priests within all nations of the world, wherever they may live or travel to, and minister praises to God as they intercede for fellow believers, as well as the rest of the world.

I Peter 2:5, “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

I Peter 2:9, “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.”

Revelation 1:6, “He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”

Revelation 5:10, “And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”

Revelation 20:6, “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.”

The Priesthood of the Old Testament compared to the Priesthood of the New Testament:

Old – Offered animal sacrifices (Deuteronomy 33:10)
New – Offer spiritual sacrifices (I Peter 2:15)

Old – Taught God’s Nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 33:10)
New – Teach all believers/unbelievers (Matthew 28:20)

Old – Mediators between God and Israel
New – Mediators between God and mankind (II Corinthians 5:18-19 on behalf of Jesus as in I Timothy 2:5)

Old – They sanctified themselves outwardly (II Chronicles 29:5)
New – They sanctify themselves spiritually/inwardly (I Peter 1:16-17)

Old – The priesthood belonged to the Levites, by birth
New – The priesthood belongs to all believers, by new birth (John 3:3,5)

Jesus fulfilled everything required by the Law to make us acceptable before His Father.

He is the Lamb of God, as the supreme unblemished sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. (John 3:16)

His Blood is the covering for all sins confessed before Him.

He is the Great High Priest who stands between Yahweh and mankind, especially for those who believe in Him as their Savior. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Those who believe in Him as the Son of God and the only way to the Father, become priests with Him, for the purpose of ministering praises to God and interceding for all others. We are to be a Kingdom of Priests, or a Holy Nation, who will reign with Him during the Millennial and New Earth.

Now think about all the negative voices going into the spiritual world around us today. Muslims pray five times per day to a moon god to rule the world. New Age uses crystals and other energy- enhancing items to attract angels of light, who are actually demons in disguise. Eastern religions chant to gods and goddesses, or to an impersonal universal force. Atheists are raising their voices, as never before, denying God and His Word, as they attack anyone who believes in Christ as the only true God. Occult worshippers seek the spirit world for blessings or curses, depending on their white or black inclinations.

When you consider that Israel is not able to offer her sacrifices to Yahweh like she believes, and that Christians are allowing the pleasures and cares of this life to choke out any time for personal prayer, it should not be a surprise that we are seeing an increase in: homosexuality and unnatural immoral relationships, child pornography, young children and young adults being trafficked for sex across the world, rampant use of drugs, fraud and deceit at every stratus of society, strange and bizarre acts of violence, unusual weather patterns, the collapse of our world’s financial systems, increase in terrorism, the call for a one world government, as well as the Pope forging the path for the one world church, broken relationships and broken lives, increase of strange viruses, and the list goes on and on.

The spiritual world around us is indeed influenced by the voices and actions of the physical human beings that walk this planet. We are spiritual beings in earthly bodies. Everything we say and do sends energy out to all around us, including the invisible spirit beings in the spirit world that we live in and move about in each day.

Yahweh, through Jesus Christ, created all things and desires to fill the whole earth and the whole of the heavens with a Kingdom of Priests who continually offer up praises and thanksgiving for all the beauty and blessings that He bestows upon us.

Satan blinds the minds of men into seeking their own selfish ways, which in turn shuts out God and His blessings. When Blessings from God are shut out, then Curses from the enemy are all that is left.

As Christians have withdrawn from hours of prayer and reading of His Word, and days of fasting for His blessings and mercy, the enemy has sown many tares among the wheat through Muslims, New Age, Occult, Atheists, Eastern belief systems, all of which worship another Jesus than the True Christ of the Bible.

The result is seen all around us as we watch the world deteriorate more and more each day, advancing to Armageddon and total annihilation.

The Good News is still the Gospel of Christ. He did die for each one to be forgiven and saved from this evil world we live in. He is coming back soon to take those who believe in Him to be with Him as He promised in John 14:3. He is also coming back as King of Kings to deliver this world from the devil and his evil rulers, and fill the earth with His knowledge and righteousness. All He asks of each of us is to believe in Him and that what He has said is the Truth.

While we are awaiting His soon return, we, as believers, need to rededicate our lives to obeying His teachings; and give ourselves to praying for His Kingdom to come and for His Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let’s send the energy of our voices, in prayer, to the only True God who can change the hearts of men for good, while there is still time to pray and align our lives as His Priests for worship and intercession,with voices that are set apart to usher in His Kingdom for eternity.