A Kingdom of Priests
The Passover was a symbol of God's provision and Israel's willingness to give themselves to Him, establishing them as a kingdom of priests.
G.W. North emphasizes the significance of the Passover in Israel's history, illustrating how each household became a priest unto God by personally handling and consuming the lamb, symbolizing their direct relationship with Him. This act of individual participation in the Passover feast was a divine design to establish a kingdom of priests, where every Israelite was seen as a priest without the need for a separate priesthood at that time. North highlights that the Passover was not merely a ritual but a profound declaration of Israel's identity as God's firstborn and a holy nation, setting the stage for the New Covenant introduced by Jesus. The sermon underscores the importance of personal engagement with God and the communal identity of believers as a royal priesthood.
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It was pure perfection. By God's command throughout Israel's national history the annual Passover was a most individual occasion. On that day instead of the Aaronic family functioning in their substitutional capacity for all Israel, each householder became a priest unto God. Every family took and slew its own lamb and handled and sprinkled the blood for themselves. In addition to that, instead of one family of male priests exclusively eating some selected portions of the sacrifice in God's house by divine command, each member of the race took and handled and ate his or her share of the entire lamb in his or her own house. So we see with what wondrous felicity and inspired insight, as well as absolute simplicity, the Lord instituted the basic meal of His New Covenant. The Passover was conceived, inaugurated and framed for this very reason. The Lord Jesus did it all precisely in order to introduce to them the next phase of God's predetermined plan to establish His kingdom in the hearts of men.
The Passover lamb(s), whether slain initially in Egypt, or successively in the desert, and finally in Canaan, were not brought to an altar to be consumed in fire by God. Only what was left over, that is what was more than the people could eat, was burned up. Even then it was not burned upon an altar as a sacrifice, nor was it offered up by a priest. It was done by the master of the house. Israel's Passover lamb was not offered up to God; on the contrary God gave it to Israel. By eating the lamb Israel offered and gave themselves to God. As He said, Israel is my firstborn.
The Passover feast was commanded to the people by God with direct intention, the implication of the ritual was that the entire nation should consider themselves to be priests. This was the righteous ground upon which God could later say of Israel that they were a kingdom of priests unto Him. At that time the Aaronic priesthood had not been ordained, nor had the men of the tribe of Levi any more privileges than the men of every other tribe. The head of every house was the priest, he slew the lamb and sprinkled the blood according to God's commandment. Israel was God's house, His firstborn -- every single one of them. They were a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people to Him, and as such needed no special priests. Only later for practical purposes was the priesthood established and men ordained to be servants in God's house.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Passover as a Kingdom of Priests
- A. Each household became a priest unto God
- B. Every family took and slew its own lamb and handled and sprinkled the blood
- C. Each member of the race took and handled and ate their share of the entire lamb
- II. The Passover Lamb was Given to Israel
- A. The lamb was not offered up to God, but given to Israel
- B. By eating the lamb, Israel offered and gave themselves to God
- III. Israel as a Kingdom of Priests
- A. The Passover feast commanded the people to consider themselves as priests
- B. The implication of the ritual was that the entire nation should be priests
- IV. The Aaronic Priesthood
- A. The priesthood was established for practical purposes
- B. Men were ordained to be servants in God's house
Key Quotes
“By eating the lamb, Israel offered and gave themselves to God.” — G.W. North
“Israel was God's house, His firstborn -- every single one of them.” — G.W. North
“The Passover was conceived, inaugurated and framed for this very reason.” — G.W. North
Application Points
- We are called to be a kingdom of priests, offering ourselves to God.
- As a royal priesthood, we have the privilege of serving God directly.
- We must recognize our role as priests and servants in God's house.