Religion & Covenant: The Royal Priesthood #1

We continue our series of prayers on covenant. We began our covenant series with praying for covenant in the context of the family. Now, we move to praying for covenant relationships in the area of religion, specifically in the body of Christ.

“Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you,
That My covenant with Levi may continue,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“My covenant was with him, one of life and peace,
And I gave them to him that he might fear Me;
So he feared Me
And was reverent before My name.
The law of truth was in his mouth,
And injustice was not found on his lips.
He walked with Me in peace and equity,
And turned many from iniquity.

“For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge,
And people should seek the law from his mouth;
For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.”
Malachi 2:4-7 (NKJV)

Even though this scripture speaks of the covenant of life and peace with Levi and his descendants as priests, this speaks to us directly today as the royal priesthood of believers.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)

What the Lord intended for the covenant of life and peace with Levi, and his descendants as priests, is still the same covenant of life and peace for the royal priesthood of believers. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)

It is important that we keep covenant with the Lord as the royal priesthood in the area of our individual lives and how it manifests in the area of religion. This includes all believers, not just the pastors and clergy. Please seek repentance in our individual lives, for our past family generations and on behalf of our Nation for not keeping covenant of life and peace with the Lord in the area of the royal priesthood.

Please repent of not choosing to live in the covenant of life the Lord has made with us.
- Malachi 2:5
  - Replace with choosing life.
  - “…That I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live….”Deuteronomy 30:19b (NKJV)
Please repent of not choosing to live in the covenant of peace the Lord has made with us
- Malachi 2:5
- The covenant of shalom (Strong’s H7965) includes completeness in number; safety and soundness in body; welfare, health, prosperity; peace with God especially in covenant relationship. Shalom comes from a root word that means, “covenant of peace.”
  - Replace with choosing to live from the covenant of peace/shalom from Malachi 2:5.
Please repent of not fearing, reverencing or standing in awe of the Lord
- Malachi 2:5
  - Replace with the fear and reverence of the Lord
  - The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. Psalm 25:14 (NKJV)
Please repent of not having the law of truth in our mouths
- Malachi 2:6
- Law (Strong’s H8451) means, “law or instruction”
- Truth (Strong’s H571) means, “faithfulness” and “truth” including “truth of divine instruction, and true doctrine”
  - Replace with truth and the excellence of wisdom says….
  - “Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
    And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
    For my mouth will speak truth;
    Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
    All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
    Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.”
    Proverbs 8:6-8 (NKJV)
Please repent of having iniquity found on our lips
- Malachi 2:6
- Iniquity (Strong’s H5766) means, “injustice, unrighteousness, wrong, injustice (of speech)”
  - Replace with speaking of righteousness and justice
  - The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
    And his tongue talks of justice.
    Psalm 37:30 (NKJV)
Please repent of not walking in peace/shalom and equity with the Lord
- Malachi 2:6
- Equity (Strong’s 4334) means, “uprightness”
  - Replace with uprightness
  - Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
    Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
    He who walks uprightly,
    And works righteousness,
    And speaks the truth in his heart.
    Psalm 15:1-2 (NKJV)
Please repent of not turning many away from iniquity
- Malachi 2:6
- Iniquity (Strong’s H5771) includes meanings of, “perversity, depravity, iniquity”
  - Replace with rescuing others from iniquity
  - “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.” Ezekiel 33:6
  - …Save others by snatching them from the fire… Jude 1:23 (NIV)

This is an excerpt from “Covenant & Religion.” The complete book, “Covenant & Religion,” is available for purchase here.