wk 2 | Prophet, Priest, and King

Revelation 1:5

Read Revelation 1:5 – and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

Does who you were in the past define who you are now? In a way, it kind of does. It’s neat moving back to my hometown and being encountered with my past. I took Hudson to baseball practice yesterday and a buddy I played baseball with from the time I was Hudson’s age was there with his child. It was neat remembering the past, because it matters and has led to who I am now. It’s much the same with the Old Testament and its relationship with the New Testament.

The Old Testament points to the New Testament. Everything that happened in the Old Testament has deeper meaning in the New Testament. In Jesus, everything in the Old Testament finds its fulfillment. So, in thinking through who Jesus is, it has long been taught that Jesus simultaneously holds the three offices that were the most important in the Old Testament. This isn’t just stuff for our head, theology to learn, all of this matters significantly to us. Especially in regards to our sin.

THREEFOLD OFFICE:

Prophet, Priest, and King.

Each of these offices were the most important offices held in the Old Testament. Each of these offices mattered, and each of these offices had a function, an important function. So, in thinking through who Jesus is, we need to think through what He does. How does He fulfil the duties of these offices? We will say that out of this threefold office, Jesus performs a threefold ministry.

THREEFOLD MINISTRY:

Prophets:

Spoke God’s Word.

Prophets in the Old Testament did what? They spoke God’s Words. That’s how we have a large part of the Word of God. When referring to the Old Testament, the New Testament calls it the Law and the Prophets. So, prophets spoke God’s Words to the people. They were the mouthpiece of God.

Called for Repentance.

Prophets spoke words of indictment against the people for their sin (Isaiah 1:4). And they called the people to repentance (Isaiah 1:18).

Pronounced Pardon from God.

Prophets didn’t just pronounce God’s judgment, though that’s what it seems like they did most of the time. They pronounced God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace. Think about the minor prophet Jonah. He was called by God to speak God’s words of repentance to the people of Nineveh, but he didn’t want to. Why? Because he knew if they repented, God would relent. God would offer mercy and grace. And Jonah didn’t want that for them, but God did. And He does for you as well.

Priests:

Mediated Between God and Man.

Priests were the mediators between God and man. Man is too sinful to approach God. Priests had to be set apart to bridge that gap. And how they did it was through sacrifices.

Offered Sacrifices for Sins.

As mediator, the High Priest would enter the Holy Place of the Temple, where God was, and offer a sacrifice to God on behalf of the people once a year on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:34). He sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat “because of the uncleanness of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins” (Lev. 16:16). He did this year after year after year after year.

Kings:

Ruled and Reigned for the Welfare of the People.

The purpose of kings was to establish peace, prosperity, and welfare of the people they ruled over. They were to protect them from enemies, lead their battles, and ensure that their needs could be met. King David was the greatest of these kings of the Old Testament. 2 Samuel 8:15 explains David this way: “David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people.” The Bible even calls him a man after God’s own heart.

So, you see, prophets, priests, and kings were essential and of utmost importance throughout the Old Testament, and what they did mattered in