JESUS
CHRIST– THE PROPHET - PRIEST & KING
Fulfills the Unexplained – the Unachieved – the Unappeased and the Unfulfilled:
Introduction
The minute you open the New Testament
you read, "The book of the genealogy
of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." He is the one
who explains the ceremonies, the one who achieves the purposes, the one who
satisfies the unappeased longing, and the one who fulfills the prophecies of
the Old Testament. Yet we cannot fully appreciate this until we have first
become aware of what the Old Testament has to say. In this paper, I am going to cover these four points and show how
they reach their culmination in none other than Jesus Christ.
Unexplained Ceremonies:
If we read through the OT attentively
we will see many strange ceremonies of offerings and sacrifices – with an
incredible amount of mysterious stream of blood that begins in Genesis and
flows in increasing volume all through the course of the OT. We would see thousands and multiplied
thousands of animals whose blood was poured out in unending sacrifice, and a
continual emphasis upon the need of sacrifice. We would then close the book at
Malachi with a comprehension that it was book of unexplained ceremonies with
its’ heart somehow wrapped up in the redemptive story.
Allow
me to first note that there is a distinctive difference between offerings and
sacrifices. The word “offering” denotes
several categories of gifts to the Lord. It is derived from the Hebrew verb
meaning, “to bring near” (Lev. 7:16).
The word “sacrifice” denotes the particular way of presenting certain
offerings. The word zebah
(“sacrifice”) is related to the word mizbeah
(“alter”), and both nouns are connected with the Hebrew verb meaning “to
slaughter.” Unfortunately, after you
have read through the OT – gone through all of the categories of offerings and
presentations of sacrifices – you will still be left with the “Unexplained” or
the “What was that all about?”
Well,
following the ascension of Jesus, the apostles applied the OT language of
sacrifice and expiation to Jesus’ sacrifice of himself (Rom 3:25; 8:3). This is especially seen in the book of
Hebrews, which shows how Jesus as the high priest of the new covenant fulfills
the OT sacrificial system, whose unspotted and unblemished blood atones for all
of mankind sins. “…Sacrifice and
offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither
hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come
to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the
second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and
offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Heb
10:8-11).” Jesus the Priest explains,
in his death, the unexplained ceremonies.
Unachieved
Purposes:
What is it that enables me to conclude
after having read the OT that it is indeed a book of unachieved purposes? A simple trip back to the book of Genesis
gives us this answer. In it we discover
God’s original purpose and intent as it related to mankind and what happened as a result of man allowing
Satan to mess up this plan. As we read
the OT, in the book of Genesis the first chapter we see God’s original intent:
Genesis
1:26-28
26. And God said, Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and
over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over
every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;
male and female created he them.
28.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply,
and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the
sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon
the earth.
We find here that mankind was created
to (1) dominate, (2) be fruitful, (3) be replenish, and (4) and to subdue. Furthermore and more importantly, mankind
primary responsibility was to bring God glory – this would of course be
fulfilled through the achievement of the above four. As a result of sin, man lost the ability to effectively perform
these tasks. We see God cut covenant
with Abraham to become the “father of many nations.” Over and over again
however, we see the nation of Israel take two steps forward and three
backward. By the time we get to the end
of the book of Malachi, it is of absolute certainty that God’s purpose for the
city of Zion, being placed in the top of the mountain with the world coming to
it asking her to teach them the ways of her God, has not happened. There is no group of people that can
accurately demonstrate God’s glory or be His showcase.
As we travel across the 400 years of
God silence and Israel’s debauchery – we come in contact with one that had been
ordain in eternity to destroy every work of the devil over God’s chosen people
life so that can serve Him unhindered by bondages of sin.
1
John 3 verse eight declares:
“For
this purpose (reason) the Son of God was manifested, that he might
destroy the works of the devil. (b)”
It is
interesting to note also that a part of God’s original intent has come to pass
with the establishment of His church through the death and resurrection of His
Son. Another portion will be acquired during the Millennium Reign. The final
portion will be fulfilled in the New Jerusalem.
Unappeased Longings:
If we were to again read through the
Old Testament, this time noticing the expressions of its renowned leaders who
appear in the pages of the Old Testament, we would see the longing they express
for something more than life was offering them. For example, Abraham sets out
to find the city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10). Job declared
“Oh that I knew where I might find HIM! (Job 23:3)” David declared, “As the
hart (deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O
God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the
living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually
say unto me, Where is thy God? (Psalms 42:1-3)” As we continue our travel, we
see the men and women of God on their pilgrimage journey all the way through
the OT. Upon reaching the final chapter of Malachi - there is still the
continual crying out of thirsty souls, longing after something that had not yet
been apprehended. We are left with unsatisfied longings.
Later in the NT after Jesus’
resurrection and at the end of his discourse with the fellows on the road of
Emmaus, Luke tells us, "beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he
interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."
Later on, as they were thinking back over the events of that wonderful
occasion, they said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us
while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?"
So what was it that caused that wonderful, strange heartburn, that divine glow
of anticipation, which lit again the flaming fires of faith in their hearts and
renewed their strength? Who is this that can ignite a flame – release a flood –
calm your fears – quench your thirst – give you absolute serenity – and a love
affair that’s out of this world? His name is Jesus – Yashua - Emmanuel! Another instance of this can clearly be seen
in the book of Luke chapter four. In
this story Jesus meets up with a despondent woman at Jacob’s well in Samaria.
He gives her a word in which every OT believer longed to hear. Jesus tells her, “Whosoever drinketh of this
water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give
him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a
well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:12,13)” We see then
that the OT is a book designed to prepare the heart for the reception of that
which satisfies. The OT is deliberately an incomplete book; it never was
intended to be complete. It’s
completion and our completion will always and only be in Jesus Christ.
Unfulfilled Prophecies:
If we were to again read the OT for one
final time and take note of all the remarkable predictions of Someone who is coming, we would find
that this series of predictions begins in the third chapter of Genesis. As the
text moves along, the predictive element grows in detail and degree of
anticipation. By the time we reach the
Prophets, it breaks out into shimmering and splendidly flaming colors -- all
describing One who is coming. But
when we finished our reading at Malachi, we would still not know exactly who.
Throughout the OT, the list goes on and on concerning Jesus’ coming. Below are only a few.
Prophecies of a coming King who will
reign over God's Kingdom on earth:
GENESIS:
"Thy
seed (a descendant of Abraham) shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in
thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (22:17,18; see
Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:16).
2 SAMUEL:
"And when thy days (David) be
fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed
(descendant) after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will
establish his kingdom. He shall build a house (a Temple) for my name, and I
will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever" (7:12,13).
PSALMS:
"The LORD hath said unto me, Thou
art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the
heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy
possession" (2: 7,8; see Acts 4: 2 5, 26);
"He (the promised king) . . .
shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of
the earth" (72:6-8).
ISAIAH:
"It shall come to pass in the
last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house (His Temple) shall be
established in the top of the mountains (at Jerusalem) . . . and all nations
shall flow unto it . . . for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word
of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations" (2:2-4);
"Of the increase of his
government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon
his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice
from henceforth even for ever" (9:7);
JEREMIAH:
"Behold, the days come, saith the
LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch (descendant), and a King
shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is
the name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (23:5,6).
Sure
we know that all of these are not yet fulfilled but his first coming has. The eventual setting up of His kingdom and
ruling from David’s throne will take place during the Millennium Reign.
The fact of the matter is this: the New
Testament can only be understood once the Old Testament has also been studied.
The two Testaments belong together as interdependent parts of God's revealed
truth. What the Old Testament foretells the New Testament fulfils. We are aware
however that a very large amount of Old Testament prophecy still remains
unfulfilled at this present time. In the concluding of this paper, let it be
known that in the Old Testament there’s
"a sigh for a priest, a cry for a king, and a quest for a prophet."
A sigh for one who can be a priest to stand between man and God - A Cry for a
king with a voice of authority – The quest for a prophet who can expertly
analyze human life, comment on the passing scene, and anticipate what is to
come. When we open the New Testament, we find all these things fulfilled in one
person -- Jesus Christ -- the Prophet, Priest, and the King.
Jesus the Prophet
fulfills in His life, the prophecies.
Jesus the Priest
explains. in his death, the ceremonies and achieved its’ purposes
Jesus the King
satisfies. in his resurrection, the longings.
But be ye doers of the word, and not
hearers only, deluding your own selves. (James
1:22)