We are being prepared to become a kingdom of priests. All of the symbolism in the tribal listings is important for this preparation. Through symbolism the characteristics of the spiritual High Priest Jesus Christ are taught. These are characteristics needed for working under Him. The particular aspect covered ties the New Covenant church to the worship operations under the Old Covenant. It helps to show how God from the very beginning has been purposely heading toward a very definite conclusion. To reach it every word of God must be lived by. What God has recorded in Leviticus remains pertinent to this very day to those who are called. What the physical represents is what is important. The path is to holiness as co-heirs with Christ while being prepared to serve in God's kingdom as priests under Him. We are children of promise the promise that God gave to Abraham. The explanation involved the listing of the tribes on the onyx stone on the shoulder of the high priest's adornment the precious stones and their order on the high priest's breastplate and the tribal listings that are given in Revelation 7 that is of the 144,000. The shoulder stones the onyx stones were listed according to birth order. All the names were on one type of stone an onyx. The birth order combined with one type of stone indicates commonality and equality. The symbolism here is commonality and equality and thus all the tribes are essentially equal. In this listing no individual distinctive characteristics between the twelve are emphasized other than the birth order. Every person belonging to whatever tribe they were born into is perceived on common ground. There is a parallel to the onyx stone and a commonality of spiritual birth into a common spiritual family in what are called chosen redeemed through Christ's blood accepted and adopted regardless of nationality. This is not a normal birth but it is occasioned by faith in God's calling and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. All have Jesus Christ in common as Savior Guide and High Priest. He is not only a High Priest He is also Shepherd as well and it is He who bears on His shoulder so to speak as the walk is made toward the Kingdom of God. That symbolism is very clear in regard to the high priest with the onyx stones on his shoulder and it is symbolic that the high priest the Aaronic type had to bear as it were the children of Israel on his shoulders spiritually a very responsible position. The breastplate stones are listed according to tribal order not birth order. A different jewel represents each tribe. This suggests that attention is purposely drawn toward the general differences and therefore the services and rewards given each that is tribal gifts strengths and weakness which they had within them peculiarities and tendencies. The 144,000 are clearly distinguished as being the firstfruits to God. That of course is the church. They have already been assigned in general to be Jesus Christ's retinue. These people go wherever the Lamb goes. That is His own personal retinue. Persons in positions here are not specifically named. There are now two Israels. One is the physical nation that has existed for millennia of time. But the Israel of God is not a physical nation. It is a spiritual nation that consists of the family of God. That spiritual nation consists of those people who are part of the household of God and that is designated as the Israel of God.

The church is called a spiritual house, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God's own people. Each of those terms indicates a group unique as to what they are to do and what they are in God's name. The church is chosen, royal, holy and God's own in a way that no other people are. What distinguishes this new race from other races is the way that they live and what they do. This new race shows forth the praises of God. The job of the New Testament church is to show forth the praises of God. The responsibility of the church is to bring sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ and to show forth the praises of God. Peter sees the church as part of the fulfillment of this prophecy focusing on a people who will truly serve and glorify God. The church is a forerunner of what is to come. This confirms that we have been formed for the purpose of showing forth His praises. This is what a priest does. This is why Peter wrote that we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. This priesthood is not yet fully formed, but rather it is a priesthood that is being formed. As such we nonetheless are expected to perform certain functions in preparation for our formal installation that will occur when Christ returns and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth under Christ when that priesthood will appear suddenly, fully formed. God has spent 6,000 years forming it. We are called to be kings and priests. Even now Peter makes very sure that we understand that we are already a priesthood. We are a priesthood in training. Even though we are in training we have priesthood responsibilities because he said in verse 5 that we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices. Old Covenant worship services signified something spiritual beyond the activity itself. The church the forming priesthood like the Old Covenant priests can draw near to God and serve God but the rest of the world is denied access. The superior privilege that has been given to the church is being able to draw near to God. Old Covenant worship services including the people the priests served the places that they served the articles and the clothing that they used while serving and the ceremonies they performed were all typical of what we are required to do or to be in our service to God on a spiritual plane. It is all spelled out in the Old Testament on a physical plane. We by means of the Spirit of God are to raise it into our lives on a spiritual plane. The New Testament priesthood is required to do what the priests did when their turn came every day morning and evening and throughout the day. Because God designates the church as a priesthood under the new covenant it is essential to our understanding of this position and its responsibilities before God to study into these things in their Old Covenant setting because they are shown in very great detail there. Then what we learn must be transferred or applied spiritually to the New Covenant because except for the physical differences there is virtually no difference as to place or position before God between us and the Old Covenant priests. Israel and the church were both separated from the world and made holy by God. Both became God's personal property. Because of what God did through separating Israel and the church from the world both became obligated to meet priesthood requirements. Israel's position was conditioned by obedience. The word holy means to set aside or to set apart or to cut out but that thought always carries with it a sense of purity. They were going to draw near to God and in order to draw near to God they had to be encompassed by righteous acts. Their refusal to draw near to God was based on a correct assessment of their unacceptability to do the job of a priest despite the fact that they had cleansed themselves and their clothing externally. We have no excuse for refusing the obligations that God's calling puts us under. God clearly accepted Israel's refusal at

The royal priesthood emerges as a defining characteristic of the new order under Jesus Christ, the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. In contrast to the Aaronic priesthood, which served only Israel and lacked any royal dimension, this priesthood is explicitly royal because its Head descends from David's line and because those called to serve under Him share that royalty. Scripture states that believers constitute a chosen generation and royal priesthood, confirmed by the declaration that they will reign as kings and priests. This royalty flows from the Father through the Son to those united with Him, setting the priesthood apart as one in which authority and service are joined without irregularity or faction. The topic develops through a series of contrasts that underscore its permanence and scope. The Aaronic system was temporary, physical, and limited; the Melchizedek priesthood is eternal, spiritual, and universal, extending blessing to all nations. Within this framework the royal quality reinforces the requirement of single-minded devotion and holiness, since every priest must reflect the character of the Head who submitted perfectly to the Father. The same unity symbolized by the high priest's garments—white for righteousness, blue for holiness and grace, gold for divinity—now applies inwardly, demanding that thoughts, words, and actions be anchored to holiness to the Lord. This royal priesthood therefore connects directly to the broader message of preparation: those being formed into a spiritual house and holy temple must offer themselves as living sacrifices, imitating Christ's humility and obedience so that the priesthood functions righteously, produces peace, and fulfills its eternal calling to serve God and all nations.

In I Peter 2:5 and 9, we find a profound calling to a holy priesthood and a royal priesthood, tasked with offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. This is not just any priesthood, but one marked by exclusivity and divine selection, reflecting a unique role in God's plan. The term "holy" signifies purity and consecration, while "royal" denotes a kingly, sovereign foundation of power, belonging to the King Himself. This priesthood echoes the historical role of the Levites, as seen in Numbers 1:47-53, where they were set apart by God to serve and guard the Tabernacle, a duty so sacred that any outsider approaching faced death. Their responsibility was to maintain the sanctity of God's dwelling place, a task that required unwavering dedication. Similarly, in Exodus 32:25-30, after the Golden Calf incident, the Levites demonstrated their commitment by upholding God's law, even at personal cost, earning a divine blessing for their loyalty. The transition in priesthood, marked by Jesus Christ as our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, has granted us direct access to the Father. Through His sacrifice, the veil is torn, opening the way to the Holy of Holies at any time for those chosen by God. As a royal priesthood, we are called to uphold the name of our High Priest, striving every moment to be a holy nation, God's own special treasure, as described in Malachi 3:17. Our role is to build a spiritual house, a habitation for God, by living out the virtues and commands given to us, ensuring that we guard the truth and eliminate sin from our lives.