Jesus the Christ, the High Priest and King of Kings

For God’s kingdom is a place of peace and harmony, justice and equality and empowerment and inclusion. As you listen be blessed, empowered and transformed in Jesus name.

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Transcript

00:00 Intro music and voice over.

Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name! 

00:21 Speaker

Let us go back to a time in history. It was after the Ancient Israelites had rejected God’s right to rule and reign and instead demanded a human king. The role of a king was to rule and reign over the region where the king’s authority was recognised. As God had told the Ancient Israelites, a human king would have dominion over them and choose a pathway of violence. They would use their power for self gain and self glorification and take whatever they wanted for their own benefit. Creating a hierarchical structure of servitude and exclusion. The complete opposite to God and His kingdom. 

For God’s kingdom is a place of peace and harmony, justice and equality and empowerment and inclusion Where all are equal, together in Spirit and truth worshipping the one true God. Worshipping the one who called the cosmos into being. Who in love and intimacy filled His creation with life and light. 

God’s way of governance and His kingdom was and always will be the complete opposite to the ways of humanity. So the Ancient Israelites in their rejection of God, chose to be governed by a human king. 

Yet God continued to pursue them in love. In the reign of the 3rd king Solomon, a temple was built in Jerusalem. It was dedicated to God and He filled it with His presence. 

Yet as time passed, the hearts of the people and their rulers again turned away from God. Choosing to worship the gods made with human hands. 

For it was under the rule of the 4th king, the kingdom of the Ancient Israelites became split. The northern kingdom was made up of 10 of the 12 tribes and became known as the kingdom of Israel. The southern kingdom was made up of the 2 remaining tribes and became known as the kingdom of Judah.

Both kingdoms were subjected to the violent ways of humanity. The ways of which they had knowingly chosen. The northern kingdom was invaded and the people were taken captive and sent into exile. They were now under the rule and reign of the Assyrian king. The Babylonian army invaded the kingdom of Judah and the people were taken captive and sent into exile. They were now under the rule and reign of the Babylonian king. 

Yet God was there with them, even in the lands of their exile. He continued to pursue them in love. Reaching out to not only the people in exile, but also to the rulers of those nations in power. 

As time passed, both the Assyrian and Babylonian empires were overthrown by the Persian empire. So those of the northern and southern kingdoms, were now subjected to the rule and reign of the Persian king. His name was Darius. He was sympathetic to the desire for the temple in Jerusalem to be rebuilt. For it lay in ruins. 

As part of Darius’ reign he selected a governor to rule over the southern kingdom. His name was Zerubbabel. 

During the time of Zerubbabel, there was a High Priest. The High Priest would offer sacrifices on behalf of the people. To help them believe and receive God’s forgiveness. A forgiveness that is always there for them. The name of this High Priest at this time of Zerubbabel was Joshua.

Even though the Ancient Israelites had rejected God and did not want to hear directly from Him, God continued to pursue them in love. He sent His prophets to speak for Him. To reveal God’s love for them and His desire for them to be His people once again. One such prophet who spoke for God was Zechariah. 

Through a series of visions, God reveals His heart to Zechariah. As it happened in the second year reign of king Darius, Zechariah was given the word of the Lord. Through the prophet Zechariah, that not only will the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt, but His glory will dwell there in its midst. 

Let us go to Zechariah 6:9-13 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “Receive the gift from the captives—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon—and go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’

Here we have the High priest Joshua been given the power to join with Zerubbabel the king’s representative, in the quest to rebuild the physical temple in Jerusalem. Through the prophet Zechariah, God also reveals His future plans in the building of His eternal temple, through the man who is referred to as the branch. 

Branch means to bring forth and to grow abundantly. 

The one referred to as the branch will build the temple of the Lord. It shall be a sanctuary, a place of peace, a dwelling place in intimacy and love in God’s presence. This temple is a beautiful representation of something beyond the physical realm. 

In this context, the word build has a duel meaning. Not only is it referring to the physical temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem, but also to the building of a family. A family of people from all different nations and tongues who will worship the one true God, in spirit and truth. Dwelling together with Him for all eternity.

Not only will the one who is referred to as the branch build the eternal refuge of God’s family but He shall bear God’s glory. That is He will lift up, carry and sustain the beauty, honour and majesty of God. 

He will not only sit on the throne and rule as king, but He will also serve as priest. A priest who will act on behalf of the people, for all eternity, offering prayers, rituals and sacrifices to the one true God. 

The one who is referred to as the branch shall also bring a counsel of peace between the role of king and priest. Where in perfect harmony He will rule and reign and love. He will represent the people and bring a peace that is eternal.

Other times throughout God’s love story, when the man who is named the Branch is linked with the rebuilding of the temple, it is revealed from which lineage He will be born into.

Let us go to Jeremiah 23:5-6 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

God promises He will raise up a branch of righteousness from the lineage of the second king of Ancient Israel, king David. He will be our righteousness. That is our identity of rightness will come from the one who will not only be king, but also serve as priest bringing an eternal offering. An offering that brings eternal salvation. A salvation that includes a kingdom of peace. The who is a branch of righteousness will intercede on behalf of the people. Creating a sanctuary where all can dwell with God. 

So centuries after the prophecies about the coming of the one who shall build a family who will worship the one true God in His spirit and truth, came the one. The one who will rule and reign in justice and peace as both king and priest. 

He is the Eternal voice, the Christ, the anointed one, walked the earth as a man. He sacrificed His life and paid the highest cost for our salvation. He paid the cost in His own human blood and became the ultimate sacrifice. Death on a cross. The writer of the book of Hebrews testifies. 

Hebrews 9:11-15 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Jesus, the Branch, the Christ, the anointed one came and experienced the full human condition. He sacrificed His life and paid the ultimate cost for us. In His own blood, Jesus placed the highest value on our eternal salvation. In His life, death and resurrection He obtained for us our eternal redemption, free from death, evil and selfish desires. So that we in receiving Him, receive His sacrifice, receive Him as priest and His right to rule as king we are a child of God. Built into His family, inheriting His eternal life. Receiving His righteousness or rightness, being purified in conscience and deeds, we dwell with God in peace and harmony.  

Jesus is the mediator of the new eternal covenant. He is the Son of God who is the eternal king and High Priest.  

Hebrews 3:1-6 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

Jesus is building the ultimate temple, the family of God. Where by His Spirit dwells within everyone who has said yes to Jesus, yes to God as king and priest. From the lineage of king David, Jesus born of the Holy Spirit is the eternal High Priest and king.

Jesus, the eternal voice who called light into darkness, became human. He lived, died and ascended on high.

He is the prophet who speaks for God to the people. Together with Him and His Spirit, we testify of Jesus. He is the prophet whom God promised would come from amongst the Hebrew people.

Jesus is the High Priest intercedes for every person, nation and tongue. Through the sacrifice of Himself in human form, He has paid the cost for our eternal salvation. Given us His righteousness or rightness, made us clean and purified us. Through the Spirit of Christ we have a heart to heart connection with the one true God. Where we can worship Him in Spirit and truth.

Jesus is the king of all kings. He rules and reigns in justice and truth, freedom and victory, salvation and judgment. He is coming back to establish His eternal kingdom. He shares His glory with us. 

Revelation 1:5b-7 …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. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

 19:40 Outro music and voice over. 

For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!