Jesus the King and a Priest.
`The LORD (Father) has sworn and will not relent, “You (Jesus) are a priest after the order of Melchizedek.” (Ps. 110: 4)
The Father has made His Son not only a priest, (and a high priest) but also a king. Those two offices were never put together in Israel but were separate. However, Jesus is appointed king and priest after the order of Melchizedek.
`For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High,…` (Heb. 7: 1)
Melchiz
Jesus, the Heavenly High Priest for Israel.
`Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And He was given much incense, that He should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.` (Rev. 8: 3)
God`s Mediator is now revealed as the High Priest of the heavenly sanctuary for Israel. He is shown in angelic form before the golden altar. This indicates the ceremony of the Day of Atonement for Israel.
Jesus, the Heavenly High Priest for His Body.
`…We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected and not man. ` (Heb. 8: 1 & 2)
The apostle John saw a vision of our heavenly High Priest. The details draw upon the imagery of the High Priest in the Temple in the Holy place with the golden lampstand. These represent the Body of Christ down throug
Jesus the High Priest.
The Tabernacle (& later Temple) were only temporary till the Great High Priest came who took His own blood into the sanctuary of heaven for forgiveness of the whole world. This is God`s own Son, Jesus.
God`s Son was divinely appointed a priest unto God.
`The LORD (Father) has sworn and will not relent, “You (Son) are a priest forever... ` (Ps. 110: 4)
The Priesthood of Jesus is far superior to the Aaronic priesthood.
Jesus` Prie
The Priests in Israel.
When God made the nation of Israel to reveal His righteous rulership to the other nations, they rebelled against Him. This then necessitated that God show Israel how to come to Him for national forgiveness.
God gave to Moses the detailed plan of a structure, the Tabernacle, that would have within it the means of forgiveness for the people. God then had Moses set up a priesthood in the tribe of Levi, to officiate in the ceremonies of the Tabernacle. The Le
The Early Priests of God.
When Adam and Eve sinned God showed them His way of forgiveness and how to draw near to Him.
`for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. ` (Gen. 3: 21)
The blood sacrifice was God`s way to cover their sin and Abel their son knew this too.
`Abel …brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering. ` (Gen. 4: 4)
Thus, people in early times often built
Jesus the Son is God`s Heir.
The glorified Son, at the Father`s right hand is then appointed heir of all the Father`s estates – all things.
`God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son who He has appointed Heir of all things,..` (Heb. 1: 1 & 2)
The enemy tried to get rid of God`s Son, Jesus because he knew He was the heir to the Father`s inheritance. This is rev
Jesus the Son at the Father`s Right Hand.
When Jesus had finished His work as Saviour on the cross the Father raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand.
`God the Father ….raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.` (Eph. 1: 20)
`when He had purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.` (Heb. 1: 3)
There at the Father`s right hand the glorified Son, Jesus, is exalt
Jesus the Son is the Firstborn.
`For God so loved the world He gave His only Son..` (John 3: 16)
`And she (Mary) brought forth her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger,…` (Luke 2: 7)
The Father gave His only Son, His first born to the world to redeem it.
Jesus receives the birthright and two positions of responsibility.
Looking at the typology of this in Israel we see that the first-born in Israel was Reuben. He should hav
Jesus the Son named of the Father.
Jesus enters the human race through the nation of Israel. This heritage is very important as it is the legal requirement of a kinsman to bring redemption.
Then the naming of the Son was not left to human will but of God the Father. He sent an angel to Joseph to make the name known.
The function of a name is to reveal the character and purpose. And this the angel revealed to Joseph.
`An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying
Jesus, Son of God.
`These things says the Son of God,…` (Rev. 2: 18)
The title `Son of God,` denotes identity with deity, in His superior status in the Godhead. The terms Father and Son in Godhead does not mean senior and junior as in our human sphere but denotes the express image of personality, the same mind, will and heart and oneness of being.
`God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken
The Father`s Plans for Restoration – Jesus.
When God created the angels the most glorious angelic ruler (Lucifer) rebelled and was cast out. Then when God created man, in His foreknowledge He knew that man would sin and that the great estate, earth, would be overrun by the usurper, (Lucifer/Satan). This would result in sin, disease and death.
God the Father however had purposed -
`according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself that in the dispensation of the f
OVERVIEW
`that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings,…` (Phil 3: 10)
To know the Lord, His character, and His purposes, is the goal of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we learn and appreciate more of who the Lord is and what He has done and is doing in our lives, the more we grow up into Him.
`speaking the truth (of Christ) in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head – Christ…` (Eph. 4: 15)
The Hol
CONCLUSION
God has been patient as the Gentile nations ruled the world for over 2,500 years. However, at God`s appointed time He sent out the four great angelic beings, symbolized as horses for herding the nations and chariots for judgment.
Then at the appointed time we read of the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ coming forth from heaven in power and great glory with His angelic army. They are all symbolically represented as `riding white horses.`
White – purity, glory
THE FOUR SPIRITS in the Future.
The kings and rulers counsel together casting aside all forms of Christian ethics and moral behaviour. Lawlessness increases and the people think they can `save mother earth,` which they think is in imminent danger.
`Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?`
`The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and His anointed, saying, ”Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast awa
THE FOUR SPIRITS in the Future.
The world acclaims this great leader of Islam for he seems to have the answer to the catastrophic dilemmas being endured around the world. Statesmen, intellectuals, and economists unanimously acknowledge that finally there is a dominant and Charismatic Messiah with the potential to affect the survival of the whole world system.
However, after nearly three and half years his brilliant and benevolent guidance and leadership will end by an assassin`
THE FOUR SPIRITS in the Future.
After God has dealt with the army of the Russian Federation the world is amazed. The great threat of Russia and its allies is gone but leaves a power vacuum to be exploited. This gives room for the fourth great Federation to arise – Islam.
`After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth…..It was different from all the beasts that were before it. ` (Dan.7:
THE FOUR SPIRITS in the Future.
God the Father told His Son that He would bring His enemies, (the nations) to His feet, (for judgment).
`The LORD (Father) said to my Lord, (Son), ‘Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.` (Ps. 110: 1)
The appointed time will come and the judgments will begin.
The prophet Zechariah saw the first Great Federation to be judged.
`And he (the angel) called to me, and spoke to me, saying, “See, those w
THE FOUR SPIRITS in the Present.
These Great Federations were revealed to the apostle John who saw them as powerful horses with different riders galloping throughout the earth.
The four spirits, (angels) of heaven are herding these Great Federations towards judgment. The motives of the Great federations are clearly seen by their description.
The White horse had a rider who is crowned and holds a bow.
The British Commonwealth with its royal head, tries to maintain is su
THE FOUR SPIRITS in History.
These four very powerful spirits (angels) of heaven have been sent by God to stir up the nations of the world and to form them into great Federations.
They are the four spirits of heaven that the prophet Zechariah saw as Chariots and horses. They were also seen by the prophet Daniel in a vision. He didn`t see them as chariots and horses but as the four spirits (angels) of heaven.
` I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds, (spirits) of h
THE FOUR SPIRITS in History.
When Jesus ascended to the Father, He was made Head of the Body and began to build and mature the believers. The Father meanwhile was working to bring the Lord`s enemies, to His footstool for judgment.
`The Lord (Father) said to my Lord, (Jesus), “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.” (Ps. 110: 1)
These enemies are the nations of the world which seek to cast aside God`s righteous rulership and bring in lawlessness.
THE CHARIOTS OF GOD for the Nations.
`Chariots` are a symbol of God`s judgment upon the nations.
`Come up, O horses, and rage, O chariots!......for this is the Day of the Lord God of hosts, a Day of vengeance…` (Jer. 46: 9 & 10)
Man used the chariots and horses to go to war, and God uses them as symbolic of His power earthward in judgment.
The reality is that God sends powerful angels to bring the nations to judgment.
`Behold, four chariots were coming
THE CHARIOTS OF GOD for Israel.
`The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels…` (Ps. 68: 17 KJ)
God has myriads of angels who are often described as riding in chariots. A chariot is pulled by horses which symbolically speak of power and speed.
The prophet Elijah was taken into heaven in a fiery chariot. The word `fiery` speaks of God`s glory. Elijah and Elisha were walking together when –
`suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, an
OVERVIEW
`By Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible,…` (Col. 1: 16)
There is much in the unseen realm that we do not know of, yet God has pulled back the curtain, as it were and shown us glimpses of what He is doing.
`The Ancient of Days was seated…His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him.
A thousand times ten thousand ministered to Him, ten thousand times
CONCLUSION.
In 2023 we can see the ancient city of Babylon being rebuilt, and the modern part of the city developing on the banks of the Euphrates. This great city will come full circle, from the tower of Babel, then the world`s first great city, till finally in our time Babylon, as prophesied is rising again to be the capital of the world.
There are many great cities in the world, however Babylon will capture the imagination of the world and become the most luxurious, wi
