Then I received another message from the LORD: “Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah will bring gifts of silver and gold from the Jews exiled in Babylon. As soon as they arrive, meet them at the home of Josiah son of Zephaniah. Accept their gifts, and make a crown from the silver and gold. Then put the crown on the head of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out from where he is and build the Temple of the LORD. Yes, he will build the Temple of the LORD. Then he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles.’ [Zechariah 6.9-13]
If harmony is good, perfect harmony is better. This is the condition of king and priest functioning as one.
No doubt, Zechariah's words here offer us a picture of Jesus. But, may I also suggest that Zechariah is foretelling our existence as well?
He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. [Revelation 1.6]
God's people have been divided over this issue for years, but most, sadly, don't even understand why. Oh, to be sure there are passionate arguments over whether God's people, in kingly authority, are to move mountains or not with their faith, but they are merely "playing with the box" instead of enjoying the gift inside!
Revelation confirms that, in Christ, God's people are made a kingdom of priests. The New King James Version says it like this:
and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. [Revelation 1.6 NKJV]
A true believer in Jesus Christ enjoys reigning as a king but also serving as a priest. What does this look like? It looks like Jesus on the Cross.
As king, Jesus supremely controlled His own destiny to the Cross. As priest, there He interceded for the salvation of the world.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” [Luke 23.34]
Jesus did not use His power as king for personal gain, but instead used it in perfect harmony with His priesthood to accomplish the will of God. Yes, He performed miracles and yes, He even benefited personally from some of those miracles, but everything He did was in the shadow of (or, better said, the light of) the Cross.
And what does this mean to us?
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24, Mark 8.34, Luke 9.23]
And yet, Jesus made the following remarkable demand of His followers:
Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” [Mark 11.22-25]
If we can see it, the "perfect harmony" of king and priest is portrayed in this often misunderstood instruction from Jesus. The "king" part has always been most people's focus: "moving mountains," but the "priest" part is undeniable: "first forgive." In fact, Jesus laid out a warning of eternal significance about failing on the "priest" part: But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.
A king rules. A priest serves (remember Jesus washing His disciples' feet?).
In Christ, we have indeed been made kings. However, the Scriptures are clear, in Christ, we have also been made priests. We are to be intercessors seeking forgiveness of sins for all. John's account of the Great Commission reveals this clearly:
Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” [John 20.21-23]
There is perfect harmony as we, like Jesus, walk this earth in heavenly authority on the way to our own cross in the priestly service of intercession. It's really not an option.
Father, may the truth of Your Word penetrate and break up our religious ideas so that they might fall away leaving us to the work You have called us to. May we be found using the kingly authority we have been given to accomplish our priestly calling in perfect harmony. So be it!
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