Being a Priest

In Exodus 19 we get the main purpose of the entire deliverance event of the people of Israel.
Exodus 19:4 (NLT) ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

God's goal was to be WITH his people for His people to be WITH Him.

The covenant is here enacted at Mount Sinai. God's people are called to be a special possession in the Earth:
Exodus 19:5–6 (NLT) Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. 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 whole nation was supposed to be a Priesthood of believers for the world to see. They were represent God to the nations and represent the nations to God. All people were to look at the nation of Israel, behold the wonderful relationship they had with their God and desire it. They were supposed to be "salt and light" in the ancient world. 

What a responsibility! But how do you properly represent God?

First you have a personal encounter with Him. That is what happens here in Exodus 19. The Lord comes down to meet with them. He wants the nation to experience His glory and power. 


Exodus 19:10 (NLT) Then the LORD told Moses, “Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing.

But second, to truly experience God is to know Him in two ways: His transcendent glory and Him immanent presence.

First, God is glorious beyond words and even the New Testament describes Him as a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). We have lost sight of this in recent decades as a Church. Too often we speak of God as our "friend" or "buddy" or even think of Him as some kind of "personal help" for when we are in trouble. While God is certainly a very present help, He is also beyond words, the maker of heaven and Earth and all glory, power, wisdom and might are HIS!

Second, God is the God who comes down to be with us. He calls to us to come and meet with Him in intimate presence. Jesus walked with the disciples. He loved being around people. He was willing to go wherever the need was represented. The Church does this side of God great justice. We speak of personal relationship with Him. We extol the beauty of Christ's compassion for others. We preach a Gospel of incarnational ministry exemplified in Christ Jesus who is the "friend of sinners."

To be a priest is to have a sense for both. To accurately represent God is to honor Him as the Lord of all Creation and the God who dwells with the humble. Those in the scriptures with a well balanced view held great sway in the purposes of God. Isaiah had both experienced God's nearness and glorious otherness in the temple in Isaiah 6. Then he preached what he experienced: 

Isaiah 57:15 (NLT) The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.

Peter walked in intimate fellowship yet was undone by His glorious transfiguration on the mountain. John too rested upon the Lord's side at the last supper and later fell as though dead at his feet in Revelation 4.

Being a priest is to recognized both the nearness and holiness of God. 

So that others may see His honor... and be drawn to experience His presence as well.