This is a two-part study on priesthood and kingship. Part One of "Return of the Kings" focused on examining
the high calling of priesthood which belongs to every born-again believer in Christ.
In Part Two we will turn our attention to the equally important call to kingship.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father,
to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen
Revelation 1:5, 6
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PART TWO ~
It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established
by righteousness.
Proverbs 16:12
The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies
your footstool." The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule
in the midst of your foes! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day
you lead your host upon the holy mountains. From the womb of the morning like
dew your youth will come to you. The LORD has sworn and will not change his
mind, "You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchiz'edek."
The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will
shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head. ("drink from the brook by the way",
as Gideon's army did, in haste and eagerness to destroy the enemy; "lift
up his head". God shall exalt Him - lifting the head was a term for victory).
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King David of Israel was one of the most notable kings in history. The gospels record that Jesus, through Mary, was a direct descendent of David. In studying the scriptures, we uncover some striking similarities between David's journey towards kingship, and the progressive revelation of Jesus' kingship recorded in the New Testament.
Firstly, we find that David walked in priestly ministry to the Lord, before he walked in kingship. Long before David ever attained to the throne of Israel he was practising a priesthood of the Spirit through a worshipful lifestyle, therefore "the Lord was with him" (1 Sam. 16:18). As famous for his extravagant worship as he was for his military prowess and leadership, he became known as the "sweet psalmist of Israel"(2 Sam. 23:1). Even David's challenge to the Philistine giant Goliath was born out of his priestly zeal for the Lord's Name (see 1 Samuel 17:45-47). Later in his life, after becoming king, his priesthood merged with his kingship. David's deep desire to bring up the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem sprang forth from his priestly love of ministering to the Lord (2 Sam. 6:12-23). However, David's priesthood was not of the law-bound Levitical order for he was not a Levite; rather it was a spiritual priesthood, foreshadowing the Melchizadek order, of which Jesus would become the Great High Priest. We need to understand that in order to walk in kingly authority, we must first walk as ministering priests to the Lord. (For more on the Melcihzadek priesthood see Part One of this study).
Similarly, Jesus walked on the earth in priesthood before He walked in the fullness of His kingship. As with David, worship saturated His life. We see Jesus demonstrating this call to priesthood even as a boy at the temple, gently reminding Mary and Joseph "I must be about My Father's business" (Luke 2:49). Jesus came aside alone, often, to spend time with His Father and draw sustenance from their intimate relationship (Mark 6:46; Luke 9:18). So often we overlook this vital aspect of Jesus' earthly life - His deep desire for fellowship with His Father and His reverent worship of Him (Matt. 11:27; John 5:19; 8:28, 29; 15:23). Indeed, the Cross became His ultimate act of worship (John 10:17,18; Romans 12:1).
Secondly, we see that David was anointed as king some years before he was appointed as king (1 Samuel 16:13). After being anointed for kingship as a young man by the Prophet Samuel, David experienced an extreme time of persecution and wilderness testing, before taking up that kingship over the southern kingdom of Judah (2 Sam. 2:4). Even then, David reigned over only Judah for seven and a half years before he also became King of Israel (2 Sam. 5:3-5). It was then that David exercised the total dominion for which he had been anointed.
Similarly, Jesus was prophetically recognised as a great king at a young age, many years before He began to exercise that kingship (Mat. 2:2 & 11). It was not until He returned after being tested in the wilderness that Jesus actually began to exercise His kingship, for the scripture tells us He returned from the wilderness in the full power, or "dunamis", of the Spirit (Luke 4:14). The Greek word means supernatural, miracle-working power. Even so, it was not until the Lord, after having presented His own Blood in the Holy of Holies, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty as the Risen Lamb, that His Kingship was perfected and established for eternity (Heb. 1:3-9). This is not to deny the authority that Jesus walked in on the earth prior to His death and resurrection. But kingship is more than authority; it is the sovereign right to exercise indisputable DOMINION (Hebrews 9:12; 10:12,13).
"And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, SAT DOWN at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool." (Heb. 10:12,13)
Have you ever wondered why the writer to the Hebrews made a distinct point of mentioning that Jesus SAT down at the right hand of God? Jewish priests presenting the passover lambs for sacrifice were forbidden to sit down until all the sacrifices of the day had been presented, because for a Jewish priest to sit signified the completion of his work. Jesus, our Great High Priest, sat because His work was finished.
"Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions." (Heb. 1:9)
The multitudes called Him King of Israel (John 12:13), the Romans called Him King of the Jews, but the Father Himself has anointed Jesus King of Kings! His indisputable dominion has been established forever, because the Father has put ALL things under His feet (Heb. 2:8; Eph. 1:21-23) Hallelujah! Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest and He's the King of Kings!
Now in order to illustrate this revelation of kingship a little further, I want to take you on a scriptural journey with Abram, who was later called Abraham. We begin in Genesis 12, where we read that after being called by God to "go to the land I will show you", Abram arrives at Shechem in Canaan. In Shechem the Lord, rendered "Yahweh" in the original Hebrew, appears to Abram and Abram builds an altar for Him.
"The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD (Yahweh) , who had appeared to him." (Gen. 12:7)
Reading further we discover that Abram " went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. "There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD (Yahweh)" (Gen. 12:8). So once again Abram builds an altar and calls on the name of Yahweh.
Abram then goes down to Egypt for a short season where he has an altercation with Pharoah, and then in Genesis 13:3, 4 we read that he returns to Bethel, "to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD (Yahweh)". Notice Abram again calls on the name of Yahweh.
In Genesis 13:18, after Abram has separated from Lot, the scriptures tell us for the fourth time that Abram builds yet another altar for Yahweh, this time at Mamre in Hebron. "Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD (Yahweh)."
Now let's now take up the story from Genesis 14 because here's where things become rather interesting. (I recommend you now take time to read Genesis 14:1-16)
To paraphrase, in the valley of Sidon, a mighty battle takes place between two separate alliances of five kings and four kings, but Abram doesn't get involved in this battle. Abram doesn't realise he's about to take up his spiritual kingship, so he just keeps sitting under those terebinth trees at Mamre, possibly thinking "let those kings fight it out for themselves, and I'll just sit here and mind my own business." And, by the way, that's one important fact about spiritual warfare we need to understand clearly. Kings don't have to prove who they are to anyone; God knows who they are. They don't have to fight every battle that comes along just to prove their authority. They war when God leads them to war, and they rest when God leads them to rest. Selah!
However, after word comes that Abram's relative Lot has been taken captive by the victorious alliance of the four kings, he is bound by kinship to pursue them. Abram is successful in defeating the kings, rescuing Lot and his people, and bringing back all that was stolen.
Then we read in verse 17: "And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And 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." And he gave him a tithe of all. Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself." (Gen. 14:17-21)
We are told in this passage that Melchizadek comes out to meet Abram in the valley of Shaveh, which means the King's Valley. And then this mysterious Melchizadek, who the scripture tells us is both King of Salem (meaning peace), and Priest of God Most High, blesses Abram of God Most High, and blesses God Most High, there in the King's Valley. Funnily enough, along comes the defeated King of Sodom at the same time to tempt Abram, saying " give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself." Sound familiar? (See Matt. 4:8-10) Sodom, by the way means "burnt, bituminous, and volcanic".
Now, remember that we looked earlier at Jesus being led into the wilderness to be tempted and returning in kingship? Well, here is an Old Testament shadow of that event right here in Genesis 14, as we will see from Abram's next statement:
"But Abram said to the king of Sodom: "I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High (Hebrew Yaweh El Elyon), Possessor of Heaven and Earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say "I have made Abram rich....." (Gen. 14: 22,23).
Wait a moment! Just what happened here? He raised his hand to WHO? You have to do a little research into the original Hebrew in this passage to perceive the magnitude of what occurred in Abram's encounter with Melchizadek. Up until now Abram has been calling on the Name of Yahweh, or God. But now, for the first time, he has a revelation that this God he's been dealing with is not just any God. He's El Elyon, the MOST HIGH GOD! Yaweh El Elyon means "the supreme, the most lofty, the highest God." Abram not only has a new revelation, but he now raises his right hand in recognition of El Elyon, which was an ancient method of taking a very solemn oath (see Isa. 62:8, Dan. 12:7, Rev. 10:5 &6).
Melchizadek revealed God most High to Abram, that's what happened! He showed Abram exactly Who had given him victory in the battle, and he told him His Name! Up till this time, Abram's been walking in priesthood to Yahweh, but here Abram begins to exercise kingship. He's fought with kings and defeated them; he's been tested and has come through; but most importantly he's received a profound revelation of just Who his God is. He has raised his right hand to El Elyon, God Most High, Possessor of Heaven and Earth. Abram is now not only a priest, but also a king, because he now knows Who Yahweh is and has entered into covenant with him.
And finally, as we enter Genesis chapter 15, the scriptures reveal to us yet another interesting and important event in Abram's ongoing revelation concerning the God who has called him.
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." But Abram said "Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" (Gen. 15:1,2)
Did you notice that Abram is now calling Yahweh "Lord God" or "Adonai Yaweh"? Again, unless we look into the original Hebrew, we cannot comprehend the awesome significance of this. Unfortunately, through our English translations, we don't usually perceive the subtle yet important details the original Hebrew language reveals., "Adonai Yaweh" literally translates "Sovereign Lord, Master, Owner". Can you perceive the astounding journey Abram has made from "Yahweh", to "El Elyon" and now to "Adonai Yaweh"? At this time in his life, Abram has arrived at a place where he is acknowledging that not only is Yahweh the Most High God, Possessor of Heaven and Earth, but that He also has the right of ownership over Abram himself. Friends, this is the revelation we must lay hold of if we are to walk this earth as kings!
Melchizadek was a priest and a king who ruled in the midst of the enemy in the Valley of the Kings. He ministered to Abram with bread and wine, but he also imparted kingship to him. As partakers of Christ (Heb. 3:14), we too have been called to serve as priests and reign as kings. Priesthood of the Spirit signifies kingdom holiness, while Kingship of the Spirit signifies kingdom dominion. Remember, we have to stand as priests (ministry TO the Lord), before we sit as kings (reigning WITH the Lord.) This was the principle Jesus desired to teach His disciples when James and John came asking to sit on His right and on His left (see Mark 10:35-45). He was needing them to understand that they would indeed reign as kings, but only after they had embraced the servanthood of priesthood.
Are we really willing to freely offer ourselves as royal priests, making ministry to the Lord in all aspects of our daily lives our highest and most pursued calling? Are we truly ready to present our lives in sacrificial worship, as bondslaves to a God who bought us at an unspeakable price and who the scriptures say owns us (1 Cor. 6:19,20)?
We must come to understand that this spiritual kingship we so desire is a place of radical obedience where we present ourselves as living sacrifices and His will takes precedence over ours in ALL things. Kingship is a place of total abandonment to the One, the Only Living God, where we recognise Him for Who He is, not for what He can do for us, and where we raise our right hand to enter into solemn covenant with Him. Kingship is, in effect, the place of the bondslave, the place where we bow to the Lordship of Adonai Yaweh, the Sovereign God, and relinquish all rights to self-governance.
Do you desire to move in signs and wonders? Do you desire faith that moves mountains? Do you desire to witness, preach, teach and prophesy with apostolic boldness and authority? Well, if you don't you should. But desire Him above all else! Let ministry to Him be the purpose of your life! And let pursuit of Him be the passion of your life! For this is the heart of a true king.
Let each one of us consider the cost prayerfully and solemnly. For only when the Bride-church unreservedly embraces the Christ-centred abandonment of the bondslave will she truly begin to rule and reign here in the midst of her enemy.
"By Me kings reign, And rulers decree justice."
Proverbs 8:15
Cheryl McGrath
Great South Land Ministries, Australia
Website: www.greatsouthland.org
Email: southland@greatsouthland.org
For information on Women for the Nations Gatherings, Seminars and Conferences www.greatsouthland.org/wfn5.html
To read Part One of "Return of the Kings" go to the Diggers Archives, or follow this link to our website: http://www.greatsouthland.org/RETURNPTONE.html
Copyright 2004 Cheryl McGrath, Great South Land Ministries, Australia. This article may be copied or reproduced freely providing copyright notice and contact details remain intact.
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