A Royal Priesthood

We’re not just a holy priesthood. We’re also a royal priesthood.  This is a particularly important phrase.  Back in the days of Genesis, there was a first royal priest, the king of Salem, Melchizedek. A king (of peace, the meaning of Salem), but he was also a priest.

Genesis 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.“

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It was interesting for Christians because kings and priests in the Jewish world came from different lines, particularly after Abraham’s grandkids through Jacob: Judah (king/royal line) and later through Moses and his brother Aaron following God’s command establishing the Levites as the priestly line.  Note also the significance of Melchizedek bringing out bread and wine, well before the Passover meal and the Last Supper with bread and wine of true significance.

But don’t miss the importance of Melchizedek. 
He was before Abraham had children and yet he pointed forward
to a “king of righteousness” (the meaning of his name)
who would be both King and Priest of God: Jesus Christ.
Jesus, whom Scripture says is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

But there’s more to the royal priesthood for men after God’s selection of the Levites. Aaron (a Levite) married Elisheba whose brother was Nahshon. In this way, Elisheba herself a descendant of Judah (since Nahshon also was) merges the royal clan with the Levite clan. But Nahshon (of Judah) is the one who finds his way into Jesus’ genealogy. The royal priesthood theme runs uninterrupted from Genesis to Revelation.

So, like the namesake of Christians (Christ Jesus, our Great High Priest) we are to be a priesthood, and we receive royalty on account of Jesus’ calling us family.  Because Jesus is King and we are His earthly brothers and sisters, we “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. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10). Hallelujah!