A Kingdom of Priestly Kings

A Kingdom of Priestly Kings

When we read the Old Testament accounts of the Kings, we see that God’s
directive for each of them was two-fold: (1) live and rule righteously and
(2) exercise dominion over pagan high places.

If we applied that same standard to ourselves, the New Testament version
of the Priest/Kings, should we be held to any less of a standard?

It seems so simple. If the light stays away from the darkness, the darkness
stays dark. I can recall how, as a baby Christian, the only job I would hunt
for were those associated in some way with ministry. I went to some BIG
ministries at that, seeking jobs in my field (graphic design) but willing to
work as a phone counselor. After Bible College, I could see myself doing
nothing else but working with a traditional church somewhere. So, that’s
what I did.

How wrong I was!

I recall hearing a man with a successful Men’s Ministry saying on a
radio interview, that many Pastors should be out there running Christian
businesses, and many Christian business men would make excellent
pastors. That hit a nerve with me. My mindset these days is that, I don’t
care what I’m doing.just get me around people. That’s what Jesus did.
I’ve found that it’s where all the pain is.

In my current job as a Workplace Chaplain, paid by a secular company
to minister to a staff of over 500, on a daily basis, I often talk with
people
who are carrying so great a burden that they often cry within the first five
minutes of our conversation. Last week, with the rain pouring down, I
stopped to talk to a lady sitting under an abandoned garage carport with
a plastic bag full of clothes. Within 30 seconds after climbing into my
truck,
she was crying as I said something like, “I know you never saw your life
winding up this way but I want you to know that God still has a plan for
your life.” Not only was she delivered from a drug addiction, but her
incarcerated spouse was saved that very night in his prison cell.

Recently, at an annual bike race in town, I was privileged to have been
asked if I would opened the event with prayer. After I left the stage, I met
a local executive whose daughter was suicidal and, later, another man who
asked for prayer for a friend, a motorcycle cop, who had a bad traffic
accident just last night. I was also introduced to a young Russian girl who
had been adopted and I encouraged her in the Lord. There were a few
other spiritual conversations as well before I left. It was worth getting up
early!

My previous position was with the local Chamber of Commerce, a post
which I held for 5 years, even serving as Interim President for 6 months. It
was nothing short of ministry. Day in and day out, as I rubbed shoulders
with the citizenry at mixers and events around town, ministry was taking
place. One day it was a store clerk, the next, a bank president. My last
full day on the job, before 2PM, ten different people sat at the chair next
to my desk: one brought me 15 large print bibles; one, a local pastor,
prayed
for me; four hugged my neck and two of those got emotional. There were
kind, encouraging words with the others and, at 5PM, I received an email
from a woman I’d never met whose husband had cheated on her and
wound up counseling her by email.

I could write a book on the wonderful testimonies that took place while I
was at that job. I was asked, for three straight years, to teach a college
class
and three straight years I spoke to high school art classes (yes, I spoke
all
about Jesus and STILL was asked back). I addressed business groups and
social groups and took advantage of every opportunity. I’ve recently been
asked to speak to the Christian Chamber of Commerce in San Antonio,
Texas on August 14th.

Friends, I’m just a regular guy. I have a poor speaking voice and a lousy
“stage presence.” I cannot recall books, chapters and verses like some
preachers can. My wardrobe is grossly insufficient, too. Nevertheless, I
am a man who understands Romans 8:11, that the same Spirit that raised
Jesus from the grave dwells within me. I understand the Kingdom
principals and how God wants us to fit into those. I understand that we
are the Holy of Holies; the Temple of God. I also, understand that when
Jesus said, “greater things than these will you do,” He wasn’t kidding.

I also understand that all that is required of ANY of us it to be
(A) Available and (B) Obedient. We cannot…MUST not…sit on the
sidelines. If anyone’s Christianity can be summed up in merely attending
church services, I’m sad to say that they are grossly missing the point.
There’s no Biblical model for that behavior. If a 1st century Christian
were miraculously transported to any American MegaChurch, he would
wonder what this place was, why and where’s the impact on the culture.

There were three major offices among the people of Israel; (1) the
prophet (such as Nathan, 2 Sam. 7:2) (2) the priest (such as Abiathar,
1 Sam. 30:7), and (3) the king (such as King David, 2 Samuel 5:3).
These three offices were distinct. The prophet spoke God’s words to
the people; the priest offered sacrifices, prayers, and praises to God
on behalf of the people; and the king ruled over the people as God’s
representative.” While the three offices were each exercised by a
different person in the OT, all three offices are united in the one
Person of Christ.

A type of Christ can be found in every book of the Old Testament as
well. The most glaring example was Melchizedek, the Priest-King.

The following information was compiled by Wil Pounds, the Field
Director for the Honduras Baptist Dental Mission in Tegucigalpa and
central Honduras. His article was entitled “Christ in the Old Testament:
Priest of the Order of Melchizedek.” He writes:

“A strange Priest-King of Salem by the name of Melchizedek met
Abraham after he fought with kings in the valley to rescue his nephew
Lot.

“Salem is called Jerusalem in latter days in the Old Testament. The old
name Salem is referred to in the Psalms and means, “founding of peace,
or “possession of peace,” “the peaceful,” hence city of peace.

“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he
was a priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said,

‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’
He gave him a tenth of all” (Genesis 14:18-20).

“Melchizedek brought bread and wine from Salem to supply the
exhausted warrior. For obtaining peace, freedom and prosperity for
him Melchizedek expressed his gratitude to Abraham. “Blessed be
Abram of the Most High God, the founder of heaven and earth: and
blessed be God, the Most High, who has delivered your enemies into
your hand.”

“Abraham reciprocated this priestly blessing by giving to Melchizedek
a tenth of all of the booty taken from the enemies. By giving the tenth,
Abraham acknowledged the divine priesthood of Melchizedek whose
God reaches beyond a local deity; He is the “Most High God, founder
of heaven and earth,” the God of “all the families of the earth.”

“Keep in mind Abraham would not keep the property belonging to the
king of Sodom because he would have nothing in common with him.
However, he accepted from the king of Salem not only bread and wine
for the invigoration of the exhausted warriors, but a priestly blessing as
well. In return, he gave a tenth of all his booty. This was a definite sign
that Abraham recognized his God and submitted to the royal priesthood
of Melchizedek.

“Moreover, this self-subordination to Melchizedek was the practical
benediction of a royal priesthood that is higher than the priesthood
entrusted to Abraham’s descendants.

“Melchizedek’s name means, “king of righteousness.” No doubt, he was
a king who ruled his people in righteousness. He was characterized by
righteousness.

“Our Lord Jesus Christ “made peace through the blood of His cross”
(Colossians 1:20). By faith in Him we are pronounced righteous (Romans
5:1; cf. 3:21-26). Paul goes on to say, “For the Kingdom of God is not
meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy, in the Holy Spirit”
(Romans 14:17). The Hebrew prophet Jeremiah said of Him, “He shall be
called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

“.Melchizedek is also described in the Scriptures as having no known
genealogy. There is no account of his descent, or of the beginning and end
of his life. He is “without father, without mother, without descent, having
neither beginning of days nor end of life” (Hebrews 7:3).

“In noble form, this priest-king was a type of the God-King and eternal
high priest Jesus Christ. It was King David, under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, who said regarding the coming Messiah, “The Lord has
sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever according
to the order of Melchizedek’” (Psalm 110:4). David wrote these words
a thousand years after Melchizedek lived and served as priest of the Most
High God. David declared that the ultimate priest should be one like
Melchizedek, without father, without mother, without genealogy.

“The priesthood of Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, was after the order
of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:5-6, 10; 6:19-20; 7:1-3, 17, 20-28; 8:1-3,
etc., etc). The Son of God entered within the veil as a forerunner, and
there
abides, exercising His priestly function. All of the mystical qualities
revealed in the historic account of this priestly king came to their
ultimate
fulfillment in Christ.

“Please remember that it is not the type that determines the antitype, but
the
antitype determines the type. Jesus is not portrayed after the pattern of
Melchizedek, but Melchizedek is “made like unto the Son of God” (Heb. 7:3).
Indeed, many scholars see this passage and others as a Christophany. This is
the first mention of the angel of the Lord in the Bible. He was probably the
Second Person of the God-head. Cf. Genesis 32:30; Exodus 3:2; 14:19; 23:
20; Joshua 5:13-15; Judges 13:22; Isaiah 63:9.

“The Scriptures record nothing of Melchizedek’s ancestry, or progeny,
nothing is said of his birth or death. He appears as a living man, king of
Salem, and as such he disappears. The eternal being of the Son of God is in
view here. This is the eternal priestly side of the Messiah. We are not
looking at the human perspective of Christ in this passage.

“In His eternal being the Son of God has reality, as Melchizedek has
typically,
“neither beginning of days nor end of life.” He is exalted at the right
hand of
the Father in heaven. He “abides a priest continually.” Melchizedek remained
a priest continually for the duration of his appearance in the biblical
narrative.
However, the antitype, Jesus Christ, remains a priest continually without
qualification forever.

“The divine commentary on this great passage in Genesis makes it very clear
that Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest of whom Melchizedek was a type.
Hebrews chapters five through ten explains how the priesthood of Jesus is
superior to Aaron and the Levites. The whole emphasis of Hebrews is on a
better priest, a better covenant, a better sanctuary, a better sacrifice and
consequently better promises. Jesus is acclaimed the perpetual High Priest
“after the order of Melchizedek.”

“Now, if Melchizedek was greater than Abraham, his priesthood must be
greater than a priesthood, which traces its descent from Abraham. Abraham
recognized Melchizedek’s superiority by giving Melchizedek tithes and
receiving his blessings. The priesthood of Melchizedek enjoys higher status
than the Levitical priesthood in Hebrews. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah,
not from Levi. He could never serve as a Levitical priest. Moreover, no
Levite could ever serve as the Messiah King.

“The perpetual priesthood of the Messiah was confirmed by a divine oath:
“The LORD has sworn, and will not change His mind: Thou art a priest
forever.” The order of Levi had many priests in number, because they
continued to die off. “The former priests, on the one hand, existed in
greater
numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus,
on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood
permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw
near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for
them” (Hebrews 7:23-25). Jesus’ eternal priesthood is similar to
Melchizedek who had no descendents, and there were no priests to follow
him.

“Moreover, our Great High Priest “does not need daily, like those high
priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the
sins
of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself”
(vv. 27-28). He is the Great High Priest who voluntarily offered up the
perfect sinless sacrifice of Himself as a substitute for sinful people.

“Generation after generation of High Priest’s of Israel died and the office
passed to another until in all, Josephus reckons that 83 high priests
officiated
from Aaron to the fall of the Second Temple in A. D. 70. However, the
priesthood that Jesus Christ holds is perpetual, because “He remains
forever.”
Our eternal High Priest Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father
ever
ready to make intercession for us today. He will never have to hand it over
to someone else. Those who have Him as their high priest and mediator with
God have in Him a savior whose saving power is available without end. He
lives eternally always engaged to bless and protect those who have put their
eternal trust in Him.

“The way of approach to God through Jesus Christ is always open, because
He is forever in the presence of God. He represents His people forever. He
is living to plead your case before the Father in heaven right now. He is
willing to be your merciful and faithful high priest. Call upon His name and
He will save you.

“Jesus is not only our Great High Priest, but He is also the Divine
Melchizedek,
King of Righteousness and King of Peace. Oh come and worship Him who is
the sovereign king whose “name is above every name.” “For this reason also,”
writes the Apostle Paul, “God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the
name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will
bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that
every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father” (Philippians 1:9-11).”

Thanks, Wil!

Today, there is an entire Kingdom of Priest-Kings. As a Christian, you are
part of that Kingdom. Though Israel was elected by God to become a kingdom
of priests and kings (Ex 19L5-6), chosen to represent God to the world
(Deut 7:6-8) as a “light to the nations” (Isa 42:6; 49:6), unfortunately,
Israel
abandoned her priestly role and followed after the gods of other nations,
forsaking their purpose in the Kingdom of God.

Now, it’s our turn.

You and I are a part of the royal priestly unit of the New Covenant
(1 Peter 2:4-10), and have been “made like unto the Son of God” (Heb. 7:3);
Him in us and us in Him. Jesus is High priest; we are His priests. We are
kings;
Jesus is the King of kings. The power of God is available to us. The
presence
of God literally dwells within us. God desires that His children wrap our
minds
around these biblical truths. Satan desires that we merely warm a pew on
Sunday,
at best.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo
A servant of God
www.YourTown4Jesus.com