Written on a 4x6 note card by Stan Julin.
1 Peter 2:9 says (to the Christian diaspora), "...ye are...Kingdom-Priesthood..." I cannot see how anything can be added, subtracted to or from that translation (mine), if one is striving for literalness. I know and understand such expressions as, "a Kingdom of priests", etc., but that serves to make it smoother in English. It is not inaccurate, particularly. I think "A kingdom a priesthood" would be more accurate (no comma between), and I would rather have that than "a Kingdom of priests."
Why all the fuss about it? ...because of the parallels to be drawn between the institutions and the family itself. A man and his wife are one flesh, the man contributing authority (and responsibility), direction, infrastructure to the marriage, and the wife contributing graciousness, beauty, life. (What a combination!) If, as God says, they two are one flesh, joined and let not man sunder, then that is indeed close; it is no casual statement. How much closer could two people get than to become one flesh?
And the government of man has never yet been seen in its intended form. There will be no divorce of the State and Church, beating and feuding, accusing and suspecting, but there will be both as one, contributing all they have with all their power for the prosperity of the little people - the families, that amazing little institution wherein seed people sprout and grow and become all that is in those little seeds. The State has the same function as the husband of a family; the Church has the same function as the wife of a family. They will be joined as one, caring for each other and for the family. Try this: Kingdom/Priesthood.
If God would take on manhood in the incarnation so that the eternal God is also eternal Man, then why should these other things be thought strange or impossible? If the Father said to the Son, "Thy throne, O God is forever", and said also, "Thou art a Priest forever...", then He will be a Priest on His throne. How close can one get to joining the government and the church? What greater assurance could the populace have of decent government? What a combination! ...all laws having come past the mind of the Priest before the decree comes out of the mouth of the King? Truly mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. And all that in the mind of the same Man who has all power - ἐξουσία - authority - in heaven and in earth. There is no delay here, no telephone tag game, no discussions. No, because it is all in the mind and heart of the One who lived it all to the fullest, the Man who is the Priest after the order of Melchizedek, who brought forth bread and wine, the memorials of sacrifice, even as the first thing encountered upon entering the court veil of the tabernacle - ashes - memorial of sacrifice - the only thing left after the fire of judgement has found nothing more to devour - the wrath of Almighty God on the Man who became sin for us. This is the mind that all laws must pass before they are passed on. More could be said of the King, whose eyes are as a flame of fire in every place beholding evil and good, (and all this to justify hyphenating two words).
What immediately follows is "holy nation." There can be no holy nation unless there is a βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα - Kingdom-Priesthood. What do we now have in the United States? What our fathers envisioned? Is this the faith of our fathers, living still in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword? Now they break down the carved work with axes and hammers. Is God happy? Don't count on it. He is watching like a lion. When He opens His mouth and roars, it will be too late.
Is government evil? Some think so; some say so. So then, the church is what it should be? And the family - in good condition in America, right? The government evil and the church and family good? No, God has plans for all three, uses for all three, at the same time, in the same places, for the same people, for the same purposes, in His own way, for His own pleasure.
No comments:
Post a Comment