Good Morning Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
In Revelation 1:6, we are told that through the redemptive, finished works of Jesus Christ, we are made kings and priests unto God.
Revelation 1:6
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him [Jesus Christ] be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Prior to the redemptive, finished works of Jesus Christ, two offices, the king and the priest, were separate with separate roles and responsibilities. No one man could fulfill both. There was the crown of the king, the descendant of David, and the crown of the high priest, the descendant of Aaron. The two crowns represented the two offices and two houses of Israel.
So, the question is “why were there two separate functions that could not be performed by one man, but in the New Covenant we, as Believers, function both as kings and priests to God?” Let’s understand how it functioned in the Old Covenant first.
God was the true king of Israel. So, David and his descendants represented the kingship of God. The high priest, on the other hand, represented the Children of Israel in fallenness and sin. The high priest was to reconcile the sinful people to God, who was their King and Judge. In other words, the high priest was the Children’s defense attorney to the King and Judge, God. Therefore, the two offices had to be kept separate.
Now, we’re going to see the awesomeness and great love of God play out through the prophecy in Zechariah 6:12-13.
Zechariah 6:12-13
12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH [Jesus Christ]; and He [Jesus Christ] shall grow up out of His place, and He shall build the temple of the LORD:
13 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.
God told Zechariah to prophesy that Jesus Christ, The BRANCH, the Son of David, would merge the two offices of king and high priest. Jesus was born from the human lineage of David and as the Unblemished Lamb, His ministry was to offer up the sacrifice of atonement, which only the high priest could do. I know, it is probably still a bit confusing, right? Ok, try this. If the judge deciding your case was also your defense attorney, then you will be exonerated every single time. There is no conviction, no condemnation. Yes, God, the King and Judge became your defense attorney, your High Priest, in the form of a sinless man, Yeshua, Messiah, Jesus Christ. Simply put, God had to sacrifice Himself to meet His standard of justice so you could be set free from sin and death and inherit all the Lamb of God inherited (Revelation 5:12). Praise God!! How awesome and loving is our Father!!
And, in closing, because Jesus, Yeshua, became the King-Priest, we, too, as joint-heirs become king-Priests as stated in Revelation 1:6. This is why we don’t go to a priest or any other man on this earth, confess our sins, and receive from this man, or woman, absolution, or forgiveness on behalf of God. It is unscriptural and wrong. Once saved, we judge ourselves and repent of our sins to God through Jesus Christ (I John 1:9). Now, don’t stop here. Study and understand the authority and power you have in both roles. You will be blessed by it and understand how to decree and receive in faith.
Walk Mighty in Jesus’ Name Fulfilling Your Royal Mandate,
Larry