WBS.259
WHO ARE
WE? – PART 4
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
In the early days of the Charismatic Renewal, this verse was put to song and became extremely popular in most every charismatic venue. At first, the words were significant, a matter over which we rejoiced to have being brought to life our new identity in Messiah; but after a while, the catchy tune became more preeminent, and the words became simply the vehicle of establishing the tempo of the song. We swayed and danced and raised our hands and smiled and laughed and really enjoyed singing the song; but we became less focused on the powerful identity it was declaring us to be.
We are a chosen generation. What does this man? Do you recall from Genesis 6:9, that Noah was declared a man who was “perfect in his generations?” His bloodline had not been corrupted by the Watchers and their Nephilim offspring. The bloodline of virtually every person on earth had been corrupted; but not Noah’s. His was the pure generation. The destruction of all flesh on the earth by the flood, and the beginning of a new world order through the family of Noah is a foreshadowing of the death and burial of the perfect Son of Elohim who would die and rise again and a new family of IAUE would begin through him.
Psalm 22:30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Master for a generation.
Psalm 102:18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise IAUE.
Notice in this first verse that a seed shall be accounted to the Master for a generation; but in the second verse that generation is going to be a people who are created to praise IAUE.
In the opening of the Gospel of Matthew, we have a most curious chapter tracking the genealogy of Messiah from Abraham right down to Yahushua the Messiah. I suspect many people just bypass this chapter and go straight to Chapter 2; but there are some amazing nuggets in this genealogy. I want to focus on just one of those nuggets.
Matthew’s gospel was written for the Hebrews; hence it was imperative to set forth the foundation that Yahushua was absolutely a Hebrew, perfect in his generations all the way back to Abraham. Secondly, that he is tracked as a direct descendant of David the King, thus making it undeniable that Yahushua indeed WAS the King of Israel. It was his birthright. What I want us to look at, today, however, is:
Matthew 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Messiah are fourteen generations.
If you take the time to count them, you will indeed find there are 14 generations from Abraham to David; and 14 generations from David to the beginning of the Babylonian captivity. The last group of 14 generations ends with this verse.
Matthew 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Yahushua, who is called Messiah.
When you count this last group of 14 generations, you will see that Jacob is #11, Joseph is #12, and Yahushua is #13. So, where is the 14th generation?
Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Yahushua Messiah our Master, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of Elohim with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Sometimes it is difficult for us to relate to the consequences of Yahushua’s death. The virgin born son of Mary died. The man who was resurrected was no longer the only begotten Son; but rather, the firstborn among many brethren (Colossians 1:15,18; Romans 8:29; Hebrews 12:23). He had been made of the “seed of David” according to his physical birth; but after his death and resurrection, Yahushua was declared to be the Son of Elohim, not the Son of David. When Yahushua rose from the dead, he became his own seed; and it was accounted to him for a generation…the 14th generation. He began a congregation of brethren that was created “in Him.” In our last post, we called this congregation of brethren, the House of IAUE.
In Matthew 1:16, it ends: “of whom was born Yahushua, WHO IS CALLED MESSIAH.” That is the 14th generation; and we who are new creatures IN MESSIAH are of this 14th generation.
John 8:12 Then spake Yahushua again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of Elohim, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
As long as he was in the world in his corporeal body, Yahushua was the light of the world. In his death and resurrection, a new creation was made possible; and being created IN MESSIAH, and Messiah being IN THEM, the new creature had become the light of the world. We are the collective corporeal body of Messiah, now; and we are accounted to him for a generation.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Having become of this chosen generation, we are to function as a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
WHO ARE WE? WE ARE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.
What does it mean to be “royal?” This word means the same in Scripture as it means in the world, today. If you look at the British culture, you cannot overlook what is referred to as “The Royals.” This is a term that includes all of the family members of the monarch’s bloodline. There is only one king or queen, but there are many royals.
Some translations inaccurately render this verse as “a kingdom of priests,” or even less accurately as, “kings and priests.” Isaiah, in the Old Testament, was a royal, but he was also a prophet. He was never the king; and never would become the king; but he was of the king’s bloodline. Yahushua is our king and we will never be the king, but we are of his bloodline. We are the generation created in him. We are royals; and we are destined to rule with Messiah Yahushua when he comes to reign upon the throne of David. (The 13 Canaanite bloodlines in the earth, today, who track their genealogy all the way back to the Watchers and their original Nephilim offspring, believe they are royals and have the right to rule the world. They have been actively functioning as royals in the world for millennia, awaiting the day when their “light bearer” will manifest and produce a one world government so they can truly be the masters of the world.)
As royals, what are we supposed to be doing? The Scripture says that we have been born into a PRIESTHOOD, and that “…we should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
We used Isaiah as an illustration a moment ago; but he was a prophet; and we are made priests. What is the difference between a prophet and a priest? This will help explain our function in the earth, today. A prophet represents IAUE to the people. A priest represents the people to IAUE. A prophet communicates to the people the fear of IAUE and His commands to obey His word and keep His law, and defines the consequences of disobedience. A priest is an intermediary between man and Elohim and is committed to working to keep the people pure and presentable to IAUE. The highest manifestation of the ministry of both the prophet and the priest is the way they live their own lives.
One unique responsibility of a priest was/is to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people. In the Old Testament, the priests offered animal sacrifices to atone for sins and transgressions, and to cleanse errors and uncleanness.
Yahushua is called our high priest. He offered himself as the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin. Having been raised from the dead, the Scripture says that he is now seated at the right hand of the majesty (IAUE) on high and ever lives to make intercession for us. This is a priestly function.
1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to IAUE by Yahushua Messiah.
Today, as royals, we are priests of the Most High; and we, too, are to offer up sacrifices; but not natural physical sacrifices. We are to offer up spiritual sacrifices. Yahushua has already demonstrated two of those sacrifices: 1) Laying down your life for others; and 2) Ever living to make intercession for the people. Our opening verse for today shows us another sacrifice we are to offer.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Psalm 102:18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise IAUE.
We are to praise IAUE…and not just praise Him…we are to SHOW FORTH the praise of IAUE. That word in the Greek (exaggello) means to declare it, to make known by praising or by celebration.
We are of the royal bloodline, the royal family; and we are to make known the greatness and goodness of the Elohim that is worshipped and served by our King…by our family. We should be known for this. It is what royals do when they are also priests.
Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to Elohim continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
The writer of Hebrews was drawing his inspiration from Jeremiah 33:11, where the prophet was explaining that IAUE shall turn the captivity of His people and will restore them to their land, and will rebuild Jerusalem and the people shall be filled with joy, and his priests will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of IAUE. Well, WE ARE THE HOUSE OF IAUE; and we are to offer the sacrifice of praise. It is our reasonable service of worship as a royal.
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