Lightning flashed from God’s throne. Thunder and voices filled the scene. Before John stretched a sea of glass, surrounded by 24 elders and four living creatures unlike anything on Earth.

A mighty angel cried out: “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” (Rev. 5:2).

No one answered.

The aged apostle broke down in tears—until one of the elders told him, “Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah…has prevailed to open the book” (vs. 5).

John looked up. He saw Jesus Christ, “a Lamb standing as though it had been slain” (Rev. 5:6). Jesus took the book from His Father, and the elders fell before Him and sang that He had redeemed people “out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” and had “made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9-10).

Becoming kings and priests is one of the Bible’s fundamental promises to Christians. Earlier in Revelation, John wrote that Jesus Christ “loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God” (Rev. 1:5-6). Peter similarly called God’s people “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood” (I Pet. 2:9).

This is our calling.

The first role is easier to picture. We have learned about kings and royalty in history and stories, and watched them portrayed in movies and on television. We imagine thrones, crowns, subjects and realms to govern. Kings rule. They exercise authority, make judgments and lead people.

But the second half of that promise may not be as familiar. What picture should come to mind when you hear the word priest?

The answer is less obvious. What exactly does a priest do? And what does God expect from those He is preparing for this royal priesthood?

The duties of ancient Israel’s priests give us a place to look. By understanding what God expected Old Testament priests to know and do, we can better understand how He is developing us today—and the work that awaits us in His Kingdom.

Set Apart for Service

God did not allow just anyone to become a priest. He chose Aaron and his sons from among the tribe of Levi and set them apart for a special purpose, that they “may minister unto Me in the priest’s office” (Ex. 28:1).

Before beginning that service, a priest was consecrated to God through a special ceremony described in Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8. From that point forward, priesthood was not simply a job he performed when his turn came to serve at the Tabernacle or Temple. He had been permanently set apart for God.

A priest was always a priest. His whole life was shaped by the responsibility of representing God and serving His people.

Our Christian calling is similar. God has not called us merely to receive the title of priest someday. He has set us apart for a future life of service, and He is using our lives now to prepare us for it.

So what did God expect His priests to spend their lives doing?

Scripture highlights four responsibilities that help us understand the training God is giving us today.

Teach God’s Way

One of a priest’s primary responsibilities was to teach God’s Law. God instructed Aaron and his sons to “teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken unto them by the hand of Moses” (Lev. 10:11).

To teach God’s Way, a priest had to know it deeply—well enough to explain God’s instructions clearly and help others see how they applied to their lives.

God is developing that ability in us now.

When you study your Bible, ask God to help you understand His thinking. The psalmist prayed, “Open You my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law” (Psa. 119:18). Ask God to help you see not only what He commands, but why.

Then study His Word with the goal of understanding not only how to practically apply it in your own life, but also to know it well enough to explain to others.

After studying a doctrine or biblical principle, try putting it into your own words. Could you explain it simply without relying on familiar Church phrases? Could you make it understandable to a child, a teenager or someone encountering the subject for the first time?

This also means learning to ask good questions as we study. Some examples: Why did God give this instruction? What principle is behind it? What does it reveal about how He thinks? How should it change the way we live?

Look at the example of Ezra. He “prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (7:10). Notice the order: seek it, do it, and then teach it.

Ezra first worked to understand God’s Law for himself. Then he put what he learned into practice. Only after God’s Way had become part of how he lived was he prepared to teach it.

The same principle applies to our priestly training. Choose one principle you are studying, identify one specific change it requires, and practice that change consistently. For example, if you are studying what the Bible says about your speech, identify one area to work on—perhaps listening more carefully, speaking more graciously or avoiding careless words—and deliberately practice it. Take note of what the principle requires in your life, and you will be better prepared to explain it to someone else.

We can also learn by listening carefully to those who teach us. During messages at Sabbath services, notice not only the information being presented but how a difficult principle is explained and made clear. When questions arise in conversation, use them as opportunities to practice explaining God’s Way patiently and accurately.

Peter said we should be “ready always to give an answer” (I Pet. 3:15) when people ask about our beliefs. Readiness does not suddenly appear when someone asks a question. It is built beforehand—through prayer, study, meditation and living what we learn.

Distinguish Holy from Common

God gave priests another important responsibility: to “put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean” (Lev. 10:10).

The priest did not decide what was holy or common. God did. The priests’ job was to learn God’s distinctions well enough to recognize them and teach them to others.

Some distinctions were straightforward. God identified which animals were clean and unclean. He set apart certain days as holy time. A priest could recognize and respect those boundaries because God had established them.

Each distinction required the priest to submit his own understanding to God’s. God determined what was holy, clean and acceptable. The priest learned to see it as God revealed.

The same is true for us. We treat the Sabbath differently from the other six days. We choose clean foods over unclean. When God provides a clear standard, we strive to follow it. Use those standards to train your thinking in everyday situations.

Other distinctions are less clear and require discernment.

The book of Hebrews describes mature Christians as those who “by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (5:14). Notice the phrase “by reason of use.” Discernment improves through practice.

Start small. Pay attention to what the entertainment you choose puts into your mind—not simply whether you enjoy it. Learn to recognize when a conversation has crossed from fellowship into gossip. Notice when desiring something is driven by comparing yourself to someone else instead of need.

When you reach a gray area requiring discernment, start by analyzing the situation at hand. Compare it with God’s Word and try to identify biblical principles that would apply. Is this wholesome or harmful? Is this concern or gossip? Is this contentment or covetousness? Is this something God calls wrong, or merely something you personally dislike?

Scripture does not spell out every situation we will encounter, but it does give us the guidance we need to learn God’s thinking. Each time we correctly recognize one of these distinctions, we become a little better at seeing a situation as God sees it.

Exercise Righteous Judgment

When difficult matters arose in ancient Israel, God instructed the people to bring them “unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days” (Deut. 17:9). The decision was not supposed to rest on personal preference. God warned, “You shall not respect persons in judgment; but you shall hear the small as well as the great” (1:17).

Righteous judgment puts discernment into action. Discernment recognizes what something is; judgment determines what to do about it.

Christians are preparing for enormous responsibility. Paul asked the Corinthians, “Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world?” He then brought that future calling directly into the present: “Are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” (I Cor. 6:2).

Those “smallest matters” give us opportunities to practice judgment now.

When a disagreement arises, resist deciding who is right before hearing both sides. When someone you do not always get along with makes a mistake, do not react impulsively based on past interactions. When you are irritated, slow down before assigning motives or assuming you know why another person acted as they did.

You will not always get it right. If you make an error, admit the mistake, determine what you overlooked and adjust your thinking. Do not allow one bad judgment to make you afraid to exercise judgment again. Learning godly judgment requires practice—and sometimes the clearest lessons come from recognizing where we judged poorly.

We can also grow in judgment by seeking counsel when we do not have enough information to make a wise decision. Good judgment includes knowing when we are equipped to decide something ourselves and when we need help.

Pray for godly judgment. Solomon asked God for “an understanding heart to judge Your people” and the ability to “discern between good and bad” (I Kgs. 3:9). Ask God to help you see situations fairly, control your emotions and apply His principles rather than simply react. Sometimes simply laying a matter out carefully before God in prayer helps the answer become clear. Other times, it helps us recognize that we need counsel.

Before God entrusts us with judgment over the world, He gives us countless small, everyday judgments on which to practice. Each decision is another opportunity to learn to judge with fairness, patience and God’s standards in mind.

Help People Draw Near to God

The work of a priest ultimately centered on helping people approach God. Priests offered sacrifices, taught God’s Law and carried out the service God had established so that Israel could maintain a relationship with Him.

We do not perform that role today. Jesus Christ is our High Priest and the “one mediator between God and men” (I Tim. 2:5). Yet God is still training us in an important part of priestly service: helping other people see His Way and respond positively to it.

Christ said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Peter similarly instructed Christians to live so that others, observing their “good works,” would eventually “glorify God” (I Pet. 2:12). Our conduct can point people toward the God we represent.

How do we practice that now? Start with something simple: How approachable am I?

Pay attention to how people react around you. Do they feel comfortable, or do they seem to be walking on pins and needles when you are in the room? Try to project a warm, positive attitude that makes people want to open up.

Listen when a person is discouraged instead of immediately turning the conversation back to yourself. Offer practical help when you see a need. Encourage someone who is struggling. Be patient with someone who is difficult to deal with.

Ask God to help you become more aware of people you might normally overlook. Then act when you see an opportunity to welcome, encourage, listen to or serve someone. These things may seem small, but they train us to think less about ourselves and more about others.

Your example matters. All it may take is a patient response, a good example or a simple act of concern to make God’s Way look attractive.

Your Role in the Kingdom

Revelation promises that faithful Christians “shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (20:6).

That future is amazing beyond words. But what will it actually look like to serve as a priest of God? Scripture gives us glimpses.

Isaiah describes people in the Kingdom saying, “Come you, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord…for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (2:3). God’s Way will be taught throughout the world.

Another prophecy makes that instruction remarkably personal: “Your eyes shall see your teachers: and your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk you in it” (30:20-21).

Think of how many times in your own life you have wished for clear guidance: “This is the way, walk you in it.” In the Kingdom, we will be able to provide that kind of guidance to others—helping people understand God’s standards, work through decisions and learn how His Way applies to everyday life.

Our future responsibility will also include judgment. Daniel saw a time when “judgment was given to the saints of the most High” (7:22). Decisions that today impact only a handful of people will give way to authority in a world governed by God’s standards.

And at the core of it all will be the purpose of priestly service: helping people come to know God. Billions who have never understood God’s Way will have the opportunity to learn it, live it and develop a relationship with Him.

Today, we can only glimpse what life as a royal priest will be like. Scripture does not reveal every detail of that future service.

But it reveals enough to show us that this is far more than an honorary title. God is preparing His people for real responsibility alongside Jesus Christ.

We are not priests yet. But God is preparing His royal priesthood now.