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Revelation 1:4-6 - John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
We have been made Kings and Priests to God.
As I was getting ready to write this message I was wrestling between this one and one on encouragement.
This was what God had originally laid on my heart.
When I come to speak to you on Sunday’s and Wednesday’s it is important to understand how I approach our times together. I see you as Kings and Priests. People who rule and reign with Jesus in the Kingdom of God.
A King is responsible before God for their life and for the People that God has placed in their life to serve. They understand that what they do is bigger than themselves.
A priest lives their life as service to God. They are set apart for a holy work. A priest stands before God for the people and they before the people for God.
As Kings and Priests, we are representatives of the Holy; That which is pure. We represent that which pleases God and point people in the ways of God. We speak healing, salvation and call for repentance and return when needed.
The book of First Samuel tells us that an unnamed prophet came to Eli with an awful message. This unknown man delivered an amazing prophecy — one that has everything to do with what we see going on in the church today. It is a word that reveals much about dead, dry, ungodly ministers and churches in operation right now!
This prophecy tells of two priesthoods that would develop and continue, from that day onward until the time that Jesus comes back.
Both of these priesthoods would be ministering in the church. One would be a cursed, abominable shame. But the other would be a ministry after God's own heart!
1 Samuel 2:12 - Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord.
Eli was the Chief priest of Israel. His sons worked with Him in the temple. The Bible says that they were wicked and that they did not know God.
1 Sameul 2:22-25 - Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. 24 No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress. 25 If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless, they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them.
1 Samuel 2:27-31 - Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? 28 Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? 29 Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’ 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.
Because the sin of Eli and his sons was so great God was describing a curse upon the ministry of Eli.
This man of God goes on to prophecy something else.
1 Samuel 2:35 -Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.
This prophecy of two priesthoods is being fulfilled today — right before our eyes. Both ministries are operating simultaneously in nations all across the world!
First, the prophet speaks of the ongoing ministry of a self-centered, backslidden, compromising priesthood.
He describes those priests who are of the spirit of Eli, mentioning two things:
First, He describes these types of priests as people pleasers.
The Apostle Paul speaks of a day when people will gather to themselves ministers who will tickle their itching ears.
Eli was soft on sin! He never made any decisions that would offend his two sons.
Only once, in over fifty years of ministry, did Eli correct them. They had been committing adultery, raping women, committing the most vile acts. Yet even then, all Eli could say to them was, "Why do you do this?"
This man had no righteous indignation! He never shared God's wrath and hatred toward sin. And he represents a priesthood of ministers who are afraid to reprove God's family, the congregation!
There are churches today that you can attend for up to a year, and yet never hear one word of reproof. A church could be totally corrupted — half of the congregation divorcing, adultery rampant, teenagers sleeping around, children unruly. The whole congregation can be given over to pleasure, and self but there is never a word of correction from the pulpit! Instead, the pastor caters to the people's weaknesses and cravings. He is afraid to offend anyone — afraid the offerings will go down and he'll lose his income.
This is the first characteristic of the evil ministry developing in Eli's soul. And it is the mark of every ongoing, compromising priesthood today!
The second thing -They cater to their own needs and comfort rather than give themselves toward the needs of the flock.
1 Samuel 2:29 - Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’
When the people brought the meat offering to the priest, it was supposed to go into the pot to be boiled. Afterward, the priest dipped a three-pronged hook into the pot, and whatever came out on the hook went onto his table.
But Eli's two sons didn't want the boiled, meat. They wanted the red, raw filet mignon! So, they brought their father the prime cuts. There was boiled flesh on his table. That's how Eli got fat, lazy, careless. If he would have dealt with his sons, he might have lost his filet mignon!
Eli was concerned with his own interests, his own table. And that is what is happening in many dying churches today: Preachers are interested only in their own comfort, in caring for themselves — instead of spending time on their knees for the sake of the people!
Self-absorbed priests produce self-absorbed disciples. Listen today I am not just speaking about those with the position as pastor of a church. But all of us as priests unto God.
The prophet is saying, "You are self-absorbed, Eli. To you, the ministry means nothing more than food on the table, security for you and your family. You don't really care about the flock.
You're more interested in what goes onto your table than in what goes into the people's hearts. Yet you never once think about how your compromise and selfishness bring reproach to God's name. You never consider the people who watch as your sons steal the prime meat. You are soft on sin, afraid to reprove — because you're consumed with things that make you comfortable!"
The Good news is that this prophet spoke of another kind of priesthood that God is raising up.
1 Samuel 2:35 - Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.
This holy ministry is the Zadok priesthood!
It is made up of faithful, holy ministers of God who walk and live according to His desire. And such a priesthood remains to this very day!
Everything that this unnamed prophet prophesied is fully illustrated in David's kingdom. David is a type of Christ, and Israel is a type of the church. And David had two priests who fulfilled these two prophetic priesthoods to the letter: Abiathar and Zadok.
2 Samuel 15:35 - And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there?
Let’s take a look at Zadok –
Zadok's name means "one who's proved righteous".
1 Chronicles 12:1, 28 - "Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag... And Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father's house twenty and two captains"
Zadok was the first young priest to recognize God's anointing on David!
Men were fleeing to David, coming from all over to join his forces. Zadok recognized that the Spirit had left Saul; his ministry now was all hype, flesh, with no call or touch of heaven. Saul so feared the opinion of men that he was willing to be disobedient to God.
Zadok said, "I don't want any part of that kind of ministry. It's dead — God has gone from it. I'm going with David, who has the Spirit's anointing!"
So Zadok went to David at Ziklag — never to leave him for the rest of his life! Through every rebellion, Zadok stood with him, a man proved righteous. David had captured the priest's heart — and Zadok never looked back.
There are men of God like this in many churches today. These are people of prayer who are committed to Jesus, having walked away from all flesh, entertainment and worldliness. And you know it when you hear them preach or speak — because something registers in your soul!
These people are few and they are different.
God has called us to be different. To be a priesthood of believers that represent Him in this world.
It is a privilege. It is a high calling. It is a calling that few embrace but that God has called all of as believers to carry.
I look forward to sharing the full message with you. I know it will challenge, inspire and excite you to serve God well.
Know that you are loved.
Pastor Marvin & Dawn
Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay