Our Priest, King, and Prophet

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Preface

In my last blog post, “Bearing the Image of the Man from Heaven” I communicated about us as faithful followers, are to divorce ourselves from every aspect of the fallen first Adam while learning and implementing spiritual disciplines and practices of the victorious Last Adam, Christ Jesus.

If we are to experience spiritual maturity and victory in this current age, we are encouraged to yoke onto Christ Jesus as the Life-changing Last Adam and our Life-giving Spiritual Manna from Heaven. Christ Jesus is now and forevermore our very own daily portion that we are to partake as our Tree of Life in this life, and the eternal life to come. Amen.

Today’s blog post is somewhat a continuation of this theme of the Last Adam, the Glorified Christ Jesus that John’s depicted and described in the Book of The Revelation of Christ Jesus. He clearly describes how Christ Jesus appeared to him in a vision, while this same Son of Man commanded John to record things that he saw concerning Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come.

This blog post will focus on three essential roles of Christ Jesus [ priest, king, prophet] and how each role currently functions in each believer’s life. I pray that this study will be a blessing to your soul. Grace and Peace

The Glorified Son of Man

The revelation of Christ as our Eternal Light Rev. 1:12

And I turned to see who was speaking to me; and when I had turned, I say seven gold menorahs; and among the menorahs was someone like a Son of Man, earing a robe down to his feet and a gold band around his chest.

John turned and saw seven golden candlesticks which are later defining seven churches in Rev. 1:20. In this portion of his vision, this sight is an allusion to the seven lamps in the Temple. See Exodus 25:37: “Then make it’s seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it.” Also, see Zechariah 4:2, He asked me, “what do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold-lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it with seven channels to the lamps.“

Practical application for us is that in Messiah, we are the light in the earth as His Body. We have no light of ourselves, but only what Christ has placed within us. In declaring Himself to be the Light of the world, Jesus was claiming that He is the exclusive source of spiritual light. No other source of spiritual truth is available to mankind.

We are not to gravitate to the light of the world, nor the light of the first Adam, but only the Gospel of Christ Jesus the Last Man. The Light of Christ is the only Light that dispels darkness while illuminating the souls of all of the saints. Christ Jesus is the Light of the world which in turn grants His light into saints and the Church communities worldwide.

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he revelation of Christ as our Eternal High Priest Rev. 1:13

And among the menorahs was someone like a Son of Man, wearing a robe down to His Feet and a gold band around His Chest.

Reflecting on John 1:14, we are reminded that the Word of God became flesh and made His dwelling among us.[ the first advent] Some versions state that the Living Word came down from heaven to tabernacled with sinful humanity.

John records that “we have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only Son, who came from the Father [as the anointed One, the Messiah; Mashiach who is the foretold prophet, king, and priest forever], full of grace and truth.

Philippians 2:7, Rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Daniel 7:13; In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. [Daniel foreseeing the future second advent of Christ Jesus]

Returning to Rev. 1:13, John sees the eternal glorified Christ in the midst of the Churches in his time. Jesus before His ascension in Matt. 28, proclaimed and encouraged His disciples to go and make disciples fo all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and Surely, I Am with you always, to the very end of the age. This is the same Lord who John saw and encountered in his vision on the Island of Patmos!

This vision that John is a witness, is the same Christ as the High Priest as noted in Hebrews 5:5-10 Complete Jewish Bible

So neither did the Messiah glorify Himself to become cohen Gadol [high priest]; rather it was the One who said to Him, “You are my Son; today I have become Your Father.” Also, as He says in another place, “You are a cohen forever, to be compared with Malki-Tzedek” [Melchizedek, the new priesthood].

…wearing a robe down to His feet and a gold band around his chest.

Christ Jesus is witnessed by John existing in His Priestly office, in the midst of His seven churches, having made atonement for their sins by His own sacrifice, and now He is the eternal High Priest who had entered into the holy of holy with His own blood and righteousness. These churches names are upon His breastplate while He stands in the presence of God on their account, while constantly making intercession them.

According to Josephus, the high priest’s garment was girt about the breast, a little below the armholes.

Christ’s girdle as King is the girdle of faithfulness and righteousness which is about His loins, [He imputes both faith and righteousness into the faithful followers], making them good and faithful servants of the Kingdom.

Christ’s girdle as Prophet is the girdle of truth which is the absolute truth that is found in the Word of God, all His promises, His prophecies, and His covenants.

Christ’s girdle as Priest is the girdle of agape for He has constrained Himself to put Himself in the likeness of mankind only to sacrifice Himself for all sinful humanity. Now He is interceding on their behalf. The girdle which is golden depicts His excellency, purity, glory and eternity on behalf of the churches.

Christ Jesus as the Wisdom of God Rev. 1:14

His head and [His] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow.

John’s description of Christ’s head and hair speaks to metaphors that express to its reader the antiquity of Christ our Lord, who is the everlasting Father, the very wisdom of God when all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. What John beholds also depicts Christ’s glory and His Majesty while being seen in this vision as the very brightness of His Father’s glory for all the ages.

and His eyes as a flame of fire. Comparing Daniel 10:6

His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, His eyes like flaming torches, His arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and His voice like the sound of a multitude.

Christ’s eyes were the eyes of wrath and vengeance, as set upon all of God’s enemies, as interpreted within the context of this passage. His eyes are fierce and furious, bringing very swift and sudden destruction on His enemies, whereas none will be standing as is the case of none being able to flee from His sight and His wrath.

Christ’s power in bearing and supporting His People Rev. 1:15

And His feet were like fine brass as if they burned in a furnace.

It was within this image that John witness Christ’s eternal power in bearing up and supporting His people throughout all ages. Such caring support is seen with His care and Kingdom government and His defense of His people.

This same image defines His ways, works, and means in which He walks in the Body of Believers worldwide, and it equally depicts His providential administration toward them. His administration is observed as holy, just, and righteous, and shall be manifested, or His wrath and vengeance in treading down and trampling upon His enemies.

and His voice as the sound of many of waters,

To perhaps better understand this portion’s significance, Romans 10:18 states [But I ask; did they not hear? of course, they did] “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world.

The implication is that of the progression of the vastness of the preaching and proclamation of the Gospel message throughout a dying and parched world. While other theologians contend that His voice is that of His vengeance on all of those who dare to oppose Him.

Rev. 1:16

And He had in His hand, seven stars;

These seven stars that are in His hand are the messengers of God which are righteous and highly valuable to Him, they are His, in His possession, at His disposal, when He uses as His appointed instruments to do His work, and whom He upholds and sustains.

and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword

The Word of God may be so-called a sharp two-edged sword because it is a means both of saving and of destroying. It is also the savory of life unto life for some, yet on the other hand, it may be the savory of death unto others.

Equally so, the Word of God is the very defense of each saint of God, as the war against Satan, false teachers and doctrine and cultural evil and injustice. While on the other hand the same Word of God is so offensive to all of God’s and HIs children’s enemies.

There are other meanings of Christ’s mouth as a two-edged sword, others interpreted this verse as the judiciary sentence of Christ Jesus upon the wicked, which will be fighting against Him, and a smiting nation of this word. c.f. Rev. 2:16: Repent, therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Rev. 19:15: Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God almighty.

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Rev. 1:16

and His countenance [was] as sun-shineth in His strength.

John unlike his contemporaries and the other nine hand-picked disciples of The Master was granted the opportunity to witness Jesus in His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration as noted in Matthew 17:1-5;

“Six days later, Yeshua took Kefa, [Peter] Ya’akov [James] and his brother Yochanan [John] and led them up a high mountain privately. As they watched, He began to change form- His face shone like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light…, a bright cloud enveloped them; and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” Complete Jewish Bible

God affirmed to the disciples Master in perhaps one of the most powerful means, the divine and glorified personhood of the Son of Man, which also magnifies His power, purpose and His majesty for all believers who would come after the initial twelve disciples of Christ.

The essence of the very word transfigure is from the term metamorphoo, or metamorphosis which communicates the literal changing into another form, which in Matt. 17:2 in comparison to Rev. 1:12-16 clearly identifies Christ Jesus in His eternal divine nature. [brightness]

In most practical human take-away from this visual of Christ glory is John’s response both times he witnessed this metamorphosis of Messiah, he fell face down on the ground.

This response of falling face down is first out of great reverence to the power and presence of the divine which I believe is essential as in this response reveals submission and a right heart of willingness to serve and be used before God.

The second rationale for falling face down before the gloried Lord speaks of them being selected, chosen and or commissioned by God to enter into a very similar metamorphosis ministry as their Master. The most important principle, though, that God’s presence affects and changes the whole of us, chiefly, our spiritual maturity which leads each of us into the specific ministry and calling that God has prepared for each faithful follower.

Closing observations

John’s vision of Christ Jesus has life-changing spiritual implications and transformational power for all faithful followers of The Son of Man!

• The first is that Christ Jesus while in His earthly human presence, fulfilled that He was indeed the Last Adam who came not from the earth, but from heaven as a spirit filling savior and redeemer of sinful humanity.
• Next this glorified Savior is the eternal High Priest for all believers now and forevermore. His role and function as High Priest are that of dignity, wisdom, for all eternity. Such glory is reflected through the Body of Christ.
• Because of His prophetic role and calling, Christ Jesus is depicted as having eyes of fiery flames which communicates He sees all things, thus discerns all hearts and rendering judgment based upon the righteousness of His Living and Active Word.
• As King, He has been giving all authority in heaven and earth due to His purity, His power, and lordship over all of God’s creation. He protects in His right hand all of His servants throughout all eternity.