The Savior – The Person of Jesus Christ

The Offices of Christ – Prophet, Priest, and King

 

Revelation 19:16

And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written,

“KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” NASB

 

Jesus the King

Jesus is a King like no other king. He is the King of Heaven, much less the earth. Jesus testified of this before Pilate when He said,…….   

John 18:37 – 37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  NASB

Indeed when the Scripture describes Jesus Kingship, it speaks of it in a way which is unmistakably the greatest of all.

Revelation 19:16 – 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” NASB

Psalm 48:1-2 – Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, His holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion in the far north, The city of the great King. NASB

He is the King of all Kings and the ruler of all other kings.

Revelation 1:5-7 – 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood, 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen. NASB

His Kingdom is the largest dominion of all kingdoms because He possesses the entire heavens and earth. His authority is higher than every other because He is Himself the ONLY Sovereign. He is the supreme authority and possesses dominion over all others.

Ephesians 1:19-23 – 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all. NASB

His throne will last forever and His dominion will never end.

Hebrews 1:8 – 8 But of the Son He says, “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. NASB

Daniel 7:13-14 – 13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. NASB

At this point in time Jesus is at the right hand of God in Heaven. He is awaiting the plan of God to unfold as the Church is preaching His Gospel to the nations. His rule is currently a spiritual rule from Heaven in which subjects come willingly to Him and surrender to His Lordship by 

faith in Him and all that He has accomplished. He rules in the hearts of people in this Church age and has invited all people to come to Him and pay Him homage as King and Lord. During this time of Christ’s spiritual rule, as people come to Him, they endure with much reproach the suffering of Christ. However this reproach will turn to Glory when Christ returns!

2 Timothy 2:10-13 – 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. 11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; 12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. NASB

Romans 8:17 – 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. NASB

2 Thessalonians 1:10 – 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed —  for our testimony to you was believed. NASB

These shall also be rewarded when Christ comes and takes His throne forcibly to rule upon the earth. They shall be kings and priests and possess His authority to rule with Him upon the earth.

Daniel 7:27 – 27 ‘Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’ NASB

Revelation 2:26-27 – 26 ‘And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; NASB

Revelation 5:10 – 10 “And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” NASB

After we have examined these things, it should be no surprise to us to find out that Christ’s earthly Kingship was planned and decreed by God from eternity. Indeed as Jesus told us, He was born to be a King.

Psalm 2:6-7 – 6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” 7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee. NASB

Micah 5:2 – “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” NASB

Isaiah 9:6-7 – 6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. NASB

He will subdue and rule the nations along with His saints, and they shall be lifted up in the eyes of all their enemies. Their enemies shall come and bow down before the Lord and give Him Glory and render obedience to Him. (Rev 22:5, Luke 19:17-19)    

Psalm 22:27-28 – 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before Thee. 28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s, And He rules over the nations. NASB

Psalm 66:3 – Say to God, “How awesome are Thy works! Because of the greatness of Thy power Thine enemies will give feigned obedience to Thee. NASB

More than this Jesus will be a benevolent King like no other king that has ever reigned! Grace and Truth will thrive on the earth under His reign! The widow will have a husband and the orphan a father! He will bring peace to the earth and subdue all evil under His feet and the world will be filled with His Glory to the ends of the earth.

Habakkuk 2:14 – 14 “For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea. NASB

Micah 4:3 – 3 And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war. NASB

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus, Our Great High Priest

Because of the fall of man and his becoming the object of God’s disfavor and wrath because of sin, it is necessary for us to have a mediator between God and man. Here lies the awesome power of Christ’s cross toward mankind, saving him from God’s wrath by accomplishing for mankind what he could have never done on his own.

1 Timothy 2:5-6 – 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time. NASB

Christ became this mediator for us and fulfilled the ministry of the Priesthood to us. In this priestly work, Jesus did everything right and He satisfied the requirements of the Holy Father perfectly. He was a holy and undefiled sacrifice which appeased God’s wrath “once for all.”

Hebrews 7:26-27 – 26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who 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. NASB

Because Jesus priestly work was holy and undefiled, His work was sufficient to make us perfect in God’s sight forever. There is no other sacrifice needed except for the “One” that has been offered by Christ. It is the final priestly work needed to mediate between God and man, so when Christ had completed it, He “sat down at the right hand of God.”

Hebrews 10:11-14 – 11 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. NASB

Jesus priestly work has cleansed us in such a way that we have been completely sanctified, washed and cleansed from the guilt and shame of our sins. So the scripture declares..

1 Corinthians 6:11 – 11 And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. NASB

In this, we can have great assurance in the salvation that Jesus has worked for us. It is indeed complete and comprehensive. Jesus priestly work on the cross is perfectly complete so that our sins are completely forgiven in a way that we stand before God holy and blameless and beyond any reproach.

Colossians 1:21-22 – 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach  NASB

Because Christ has died one time for the sins of all of His people, He therefore has provided a complete and eternal reconciliation with God and He Himself is the mediator between God and man forever. God will never again have His holy anger aroused by our sins because of the perfect priesthood of Christ. This intercession is not only “one time” at salvation, but is an ongoing ever-present intercession which satisfies God and provides a way of eternal reconciliation to God.

Hebrews 7:23-27 – 23 And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers, because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but He, on the other hand, because He abides forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.  26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who 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. NASB

1 John 2:1-2 – 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. NASB

Therefore we can have confidence in approaching God because Jesus has perfectly interceded for us with God and opened a way for us to approach God and find help from Him for all of our needs.

Hebrews 10:19-22 – 19 Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. NASB   

Hebrews 4:15-16 – 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. NASB

In Christ’s human nature He has faced the limitations and sufferings which are common to man. Because God has in Christ become a man and walked where we walk and experienced our suffering, He is therefore able to relate to and sympathize with our weakness. With Jesus we will find a compassionate and loving priest, the true heavenly Priest of God Most High, who cares for us and who is sympathetic to our needs and opens His heart of mercy to help us. 

Hebrews 2:17-18 – 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. NASB

Let us therefore learn the great benefit that is ours through the Priestly ministry of Jesus our Lord. He has performed everything necessary to reconcile us to God so that now we have peace with God through Him and help in our time of need from Him.

Romans 5:1-2 – 1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. NASB

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Savior – The Person of Jesus Christ

The Offices of Christ – Prophet, Priest, and King   

 

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,

glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. NASB

 

Jesus the Prophet

There have been many true prophets of God through the ages. Most of their prophecies are recorded in the Bible and are considered the very “Words of God.” But of all of the prophets who have ever lived, there are none greater than the Lord Jesus Christ. He is “the prophet” which was prophesied by Moses to come.

Deuteronomy 18:18-19 – 18 ‘I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 ‘And it shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. NASB

Of Jesus’ prophetic office, the New Testament speaks of it as the final “Word” from God concerning His plans and purposes for the world.

Hebrews 1:1-2 – God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. NASB

Jesus possesses this final prophetic office because He is, God Himself. He has come and given us a witness of God far beyond any other revelation from any other prophet, being the very Word of God Himself. Jesus is the living Word of God.

John 1:1-2 – 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. NASB

John 14:9 – Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? NASB

Jesus is Himself the revelation of God in the flesh.

John 1:14 – 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. NASB

Jesus, being the greatest prophet in History, gives us wisdom and understanding like no other prophets who have gone before or ever will come again. He is the very “Light of the World.”

John 8:12 – Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.”  NASB

This means that He Himself is “that which causes the eye to see (definition of light).” That is the real eyes of the heart, where our innermost secrets and thoughts are exposed. The wisdom and understanding that Jesus gives us about God and human nature is far more profound than that of any other prophet. Jesus teaches us the true value of things, both physical and spiritual. He teaches us true wisdom and how to assess our lives in this world and in relation to God.

Matthew 6:25-27 – 25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? 26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? NASB

Matthew 10:28-31 – 28 “And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. NASB

 

Jesus teaches us to see and judge our own hearts according to His perfect values, and this helps us to make a right assessment of our lives and how to correct our way. He guides our path like no other.

Matthew 5:27-28 – 27 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28 but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. NASB

Luke 6:45 – 45 “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. NASB

Jesus doesn’t just deal with external issues of behavior, with a list of rules and commandments, but shines light into our hearts so that we can see the motives and intentions of our hearts. He explains the meaning of the commandments to us. He does this so that we can be changed down deep inside and have an inner virtue which is genuine and real.

Hebrews 4:12 – 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. NASB

 

Jesus gives us insight into the unseen spiritual world and the eternal kingdom of God like no other, because He came from there. He shines light on the things we cannot see with our physical eyes, but can only understand with the eyes of our heart. What prophet ever promised us eternal life by believing in Him, or told us we must be born again in order to see the Kingdom of God? What prophet ever spoke of the final judgment of the world with such clarity and insight?

John 3:12-13 – 12 “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 “And no one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven, even the Son of Man. NASB

Matthew 16:27 – 27 “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds.  NASB

John 3:14-15 – 14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;  that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life. NASB

Jesus has opened our understanding into eternity so that now we know everything we need to know to be reconciled to God forever. He has spoken to us about how our soul can be saved from death. His way of salvation results in a completed and fully restored relation to God.

Matthew 16:24-26 – 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. 26 “For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? NASB

John 14:6 – 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. NASB

Jesus is indeed the prophet of prophets and the final word from God. He has explained our origin, our reason for existence, and given us instruction about all the details of life and death in a very clear and concise manner. In Him we know everything we need to know about our life and our death.

Colossians 2:2-3 – 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. NASB