Over the course of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2nd, there has been the most intensive preponderance upon the trappings and prestige of royalty. The concept of royalty, of position being inherited and not earned on merit, or as the result of a popular vote is at odds with the modern world. On that account the British Monarchy is an anachronism, a shadow of our distant past.

I would argue, however, that it is a very good anachronism. Not all that is old and apparently outdated should be destroyed. Conserving ancient things is in most cases a virtue. I certainly fall into the category of those who are described as monarchists. I am a royalist, however, not because of a personal affinity to the House of Windsor, or because I am personally loyal to the personalities, even though our late Queen was a most remarkable and faithful servant of her people, but because of the 1688 settlement which ensured that the succession must be Protestant, which therefore put the Reformed Faith at the heart of our constitution. The office, not necessarily the people, bears witness to truth. That makes me a proud and devoted monarchist. I also think this historical grounding saves me from the the near idolatry that seems to characterise the spirit of the nation where the royal family is concerned, on occasions.

This study lifts our minds away from the privileges attached to earthly royalty, which will fade, to the greater privileges which belong to the family of God. Here we have a status that death cannot diminish, here we have a crown that will never fade.

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

1 Peter 2:9

CHOSEN CHILDREN

a chosen generation

Peter is writing principally to Jewish Christians who were scattered throughout the Roman Empire on account of persecution. He borrows from Old Testament terminology in demonstrating to these people that all the promises for Israel were conferred upon the Church in this new era. The physical kingdom was collapsing but they were the privileged members of a new kingdom, a more permanent kingdom. They were chosen for this honour.

“This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.”

Isaiah 43:21

Israel was formed on account of God’s choice. Abraham was selected and called out of Ur of the Chaldees, Jacob was chosen, the tribe of Judah was distinguished and then the family of David to be the line of the Kings. In each case the choice was surprising; Jacob was the youngest, Judah the second son and David was not even called to the feast when Samuel visited Bethlehem. Sovereign grace characterised the deliberations of God.

Royalty is dependent upon ancestry and lineage. The blood line is treasured. We have become the children of God by virtue of the sovereign choice of a gracious God. We can trace our lineage back through Calvary to the counsel chambers of eternity.

ROYAL PRIESTS

a royal priesthood

There are two Old Testament promises which add colour to this remarkable promise.

The first relates to God’s view of Israel.

” And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.”

Exodus 19:6

Israel was defined by the priesthood because the priests gave them access to God. As the priests were themselves of Israel, as they mediated on behalf of the whole nation, Israel became a Kingdom of Priests.

The second text relates to Christ’s identity, which is forever united the Christian identity.

“Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne;and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

Zechariah 6:13

Christ is the royal priest, the King who sacrifices and makes intercession for God’s people.

We are priests in Christ. We access the Father through Him. We are also Kings in Christ, our great High Priest. The Church is characterised by this glorious sacred equality, an equality of nobility – royal priests.

“The nature of this priesthood and kingship is something like this: First, with respect to the kingship, every Christian is by faith so exalted above all things that, by virtue of a spiritual power, he is lord of all things without exception, so that nothing can do him any harm. As a matter of fact, all things are made subject to him and are compelled to serve him in obtaining salvation. Accordingly Paul says in Rom. 8[: 28], “All things work together for good for the elect,” and in I Cor. 3[:21–23], “All things are yours whether … life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’s….” This is not to say that every Christian is placed over all things to have and control them by physical power…Our ordinary experience in life shows us that we are subjected to all, suffer many things, and even die. As a matter of fact, the more Christian a man is, the more evils, sufferings, and deaths he must endure, as we see in Christ the first-born prince himself, and in all his brethren, the saints. The power of which we speak is spiritual. It rules in the midst of enemies and is powerful in the midst of oppression. This means nothing else than that “power is made perfect in weakness” [II Cor. 12:9] and that in all things I can find profit toward salvation [Rom. 8:28], so that the cross and death itself are compelled to serve me and to work together with me for my salvation. This is a splendid privilege and hard to attain, a truly omnipotent power, a spiritual dominion in which there is nothing so good and nothing so evil but that it shall work together for good to me, if only I believe. Yes, since faith alone suffices for salvation, I need nothing except faith exercising the power and dominion of its own liberty. Lo, this is the inestimable power and liberty of Christians.”

Martin Luther

RIGHTEOUS IDENTITY

an holy nation

We cherish our national identity, our status as members of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. On occasions, however, we are drawn too much in our concerns and affection to the physical Kingdom. The people to whom Peter was writing had lost their nation and their homeland, but now they were recipients of something more wonderful, more remarkable. They were members of a holy nation.

No nation on earth is holy, we are acutely aware of our flaws as a people as we look at our past and our present. But Christ’s Kingdom is holy, without flaws. The sceptre of our King is righteous, and we are clothed in His robes as we stand before before God, perfectly and eternally justified. If it is a privilege to have our natural identity, our spiritual and identity is a greater treasure.

SPECIAL PEOPLE

a peculiar people

The English word ‘peculiar’ is most inadequate in conveying the truth here presented. This applies even more so today, as the word peculiar in everyday speech has come to represent, not someone special (the original force of the word) but someone strangely eccentric.

“It is literally ‘a people for a purchased possession’, or for a treasure”

John Brown, 1st Peter

“Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

Ephesians 1:14

“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine”

Exodus 19:5

“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels”

Malachi 3:17

Therefore we need to understand the term redemptively; we are special on account of our position as a blood bought people.

GLORIOUS PURPOSE

that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light

Herein we discern our purpose in the world. We have a sacred calling, to live for the Lord’s glory as those who have been translated from darkness to light.

Therefore, the royal household of God has a sacred responsibility, a awesome duty, that a dark world would see Christ in us. the following excerpts from Colossians teach us practically what it means to reveal Christ a dying world.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving

Let us pray that we would be enabled to realise our high calling, our precious identity and that we would rise to our noble purpose.