TRUE ROYALTY

Revelation 1:6

Morning Meditation 12/31/2012

"And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

The words "and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father," sounds like Christ is putting together the leadership of His kingdom. Not only is He doing this but there are those named who will occupy leadership in the kingdom. There are two specific areas that this verse deals with:

1. Those in the Church are kings. The verb in the words "hath made us kings" is an aorist active indicative verb. The aorist tense is a point tense, i.e., it represents action that happened at a point of time in the past. The active voice means that the subject (Jesus) does the acting. And since it has already happened at a point of time in the past, it is not possible that it will not be fulfilled. John said, "Hath made us kings," means that He knows now who will be kings and the "us" that John uses has to refer to the believer in the present age. We are kings waiting for the coronation.

2. Those in the Church are priests. John says, "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father," is the action of the main verb (aorist tense, active voice) and tells us that the Spiritual leadership in the kingdom is covered here. He has already picked the priests that will function in the kingdom.

John Phillips says, "The benediction speaks of grace that elevates. Unto him that . . . made us kings and priests unto God and His Father is the further response of the redeemed. He has bestowed upon us all the majesty of a prince and all ministry of a priest. He has given us power with men and power with God. What more could we want than that? This is the grace that accrues to us."

I know we do not feel like kings and priests at the present time. When I bow to pray, Satan fights me. If I spend an hour in prayer it seems like wasted time because of the bombardment of evil thoughts that go through my mind while Satan is continually chiding me with remarks that I am unworthy to pray. And I agree with him. Then I realize why Jesus gave me the privilege of praying in His Name. When I pray in His name and He takes the prayers I pray and filters out the things contrary to the will of God, Satan can do nothing but walk off as a defeated foe. Someone hold my mules!!! Hallelujah!!!

This text is not a felt truth. It is no less a truth. Let me tell you when it will become a felt truth. Romans 8:18-19, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." We are waiting and when the time arrives the time waited will seem but a moment. We will be caught up in all the glory of God. We will have bodies like His own. We can look upon God and live because we have His quality of life.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care?

They're building a palace for me over there!

Tho' exiled from home, yet still I may sing:

All glory to God, I'm a child of the king.

-- H. E. Buell

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White