We provide a number of excerpts obtained from https://bibleread.online on our website. All such content is identified as such and is strictly intended for readers’ personal pursuing of the truth. If you would like to read the full text, please visit https://bibleread.online.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PRIESTHOOD, KINGSHIP, AND PROPHETHOOD
“God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of heaven and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. And God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of heaven and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” (Gen. 1:26-28). These verses clearly present two main things related to man: the image of God and the authority over the earth.
“You are a chosen race, a royal [or kingly] priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession, so that you may tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).
“And made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father” (Rev. 1:6).
“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” (20:6).
First Corinthians 14:1 says, “Pursue love, and desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” However, 1 Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never falls away. But whether prophecies, they will be rendered useless; or tongues, they will cease; or knowledge, it will be rendered useless.” Prophecies will be rendered useless, tongues will cease, and knowledge will be rendered useless, but what about the priesthood and the kingship? From the verses we have read in Revelation, we see that both of them will remain forever.
Then we must read Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10. “Put on the new man, which was created according to God…And have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto full knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”
Finally, let us read 2 Corinthians 3:18: “We all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.”
TWO BASIC MINISTRIES
In this chapter we must continue to see the three main ministries in God’s economy—the priesthood, the kingship, and the prophethood. The priesthood and the kingship are the basic ministries, while the prophethood is subsidiary. The prophethood helps the priesthood and the kingship, but it is never helped by the priesthood and the kingship. This is because the prophethood is for the priesthood and the kingship.
Man was created in God’s image and committed with God’s authority. God’s image and authority are the two main items in the creation of man. Which of the three main ministries is related to the image of God, and which is related to the divine authority? I believe we know that the priesthood is related to the image of God, and the kingship is clearly related to the authority of God.
Then what is the function of the prophethood? It functions only as a teacher or an instructor. If we do not know how to be a priest, we need a prophet to teach us. If we do not know how to be a proper king, we again need a prophet to instruct us. This is why David needed the help of Nathan.
We were born priests and kings because we have been born as sons of God. Have you ever realized that you are a priest and a king? We are priests and kings just by being born of God. But were we born prophets? Although we were born priests and kings, we were not born prophets. As children of God, our status by birth is that of priests and kings. But we must desire to be prophets (1 Cor. 14:1). By His redemption the Lord has made us both priests and kings. Therefore, all Christians are priests and kings, but not all are prophets.
The priesthood and the kingship are the two basic ministries, while the prophethood is only temporary. It is something in time and not in eternity. When we are in the New Jerusalem, the priesthood and the kingship will still be there, but the prophethood will end, for its purpose is only temporary.
THE PRIESTHOOD HAVING THE IMAGE OF GOD
The priesthood in reality needs God’s image, which requires transformation. We are priests and kings in position, but we fall short of God’s image in reality. We have not been transformed. Even in the Old Testament dispensation Moses was a priest, not only by birth but also in reality, because he was in the image of the Lord. Second Corinthians 3 also makes reference to Moses. He was open to the Lord and remained in His presence for forty days without a single veil or covering. He was so permeated and saturated with the Lord that the shekinah glory of the image of God was on his face. Only a priest could have such an image, because only a priest can enter into the Holy of Holies and stay in the shekinah glory of God. We must be transformed by being in God’s presence until we have the glory of God as our image.
We need to read 2 Corinthians 3 again and again. We must take away all the coverings and hindrances in order to behold the Lord with an unveiled face. Second Corinthians 3:18 says, “Beholding and reflecting like a mirror…” We are a mirror to behold the Lord. When we behold Him again and again, His image will be impressed upon us. This means that we will be transformed into His image. So we must open ourselves to the Lord all the time.
The problem with today’s Christians is that they have the knowledge of religion with its forms and teachings and spend much time in studying the Bible. However, not many will spend time to open themselves to the Lord and remain in the shekinah glory of God as a real priest. Therefore, there are different opinions, different concepts, and different teachings and ideas, all of which only create divisions. Our opinions create divisions, and divisions only create confusion. This is the real situation of Christianity today.
The recovery of the Lord is to deliver us out of opinions, concepts, methods, and words into the priestly experience of being transformed into the image of God. We do not need to emphasize the teachings or methods. We only need one thing—to be in the presence of the Lord until we are transformed into His image.
If we would focus upon this, we would be one in the priesthood. We are not one in the teachings, doctrines, or opinions. If we return to our opinions and concepts, we might be divided into many divisions. But once we enter into the priesthood and are brought into the shekinah glory of the Holy of Holies, all of our concepts will be swept away. Prophecies will be rendered useless, tongues will cease, knowledge will be rendered useless, but the priesthood will remain forever.
The most important matter is the priesthood. How much have you been saturated by the Lord? This is most important. Before we can be the real priests, the Lord must deliver us from the outward things and bring us into reality. There are too many opinions and too many concepts in today’s Christianity, but praise the Lord that He has opened our eyes to see the basic, primary need of the priesthood.
We must be transformed into the image of God. This is why we must put on the new man, forgetting about ourselves, the old nature, and the old man. As long as we are living, walking, and serving according to the new man, we are in the image of God and in the reality of the priesthood.
THE AUTHORITY OF THE KINGSHIP COMING FROM THE PRIESTHOOD
The kingship follows the priesthood. When we have the priesthood with the divine image, we will also have the divine authority. Consider the apostles. On one hand, they were the real priests; on the other hand, they were kings. After the day of Pentecost, Peter and the others were in the presence of the Lord and were even filled with the shekinah glory of the Lord. They were really in the priesthood, and they also had the divine authority. The high officials of both the Jews and the Romans could not deal with them. These poor fishermen were kings over all. All of the apostles were in the priesthood; therefore, they were the kings.
Likewise, Moses, who was a priest, was committed with such authority. Because he was in the reality of the priesthood, he had the kingship.
Today in the church, the authority of the eldership must come out of the priesthood. Then the eldership is the kingship. To be an elder, one must be in the presence of the Lord as a priest and be saturated and permeated by the Lord. Then the kingship will follow. Do not think that you must exercise your authority as an elder. This never works! The real eldership can only come from the priesthood. When we are really in the presence of the Lord, others will recognize the divine authority within. The authority in the church follows the image. When we have the image of the Lord in the priesthood, we will then have the authority of the kingship.
THE PROPHETHOOD RESTORING THE PRIESTHOOD AND KINGSHIP
A prophet is needed to correct and adjust when the priesthood is weak and when the kingship is wrong. Although Samuel was a priest, he became a prophet for the kingship. David the king also became a prophet to predict and prophesy. But among the Lord’s children today, the basic ministry is not the prophethood but the priesthood and kingship. What we need primarily in the church is the priesthood and the kingship.
During the degradation of the people of Israel, there was no proper king or priest. Therefore, Elijah was called by God. When Elijah began to function as a prophet, all the priests had disappeared; even the doors of the temple were closed. The kings also were ruined and corrupted. It was at such a time that God brought in Elijah and Elisha. When the priests failed and the kings were ruined, then the prophets were raised up.
In Christianity today, we have many preachers but few priests and kings. When a preacher comes, people gather to listen to his preaching, but when the preacher is gone, the people are scattered. This degraded concept is within us all. We all expect to hear a big prophet. This is wrong. All the brothers must be helped to be the proper priests and kings. If we would all exercise for the priesthood and kingship, the church would be enriched.
Have you ever realized that 1 Corinthians is the book where the gift of prophecy is mentioned? We know that the situation in the church at Corinth was carnal, ruined, weak, and confused. There was no priesthood or kingship—only confusion. Therefore, they needed the prophet to teach, correct, and adjust them. When a church needs prophecy, it is no longer strong, but weak; it is no longer rich, but poor.
If we are real priests and real kings, the preachers will not be as necessary as they are today. Today’s Christians are too poor and too weak, and the priesthood has nearly disappeared. Many times the brothers in different places have told me how much they need someone to minister to them. This simply means that the priesthood is neglected. We must learn the lesson of how to function as a priest.
Let us apply these things to our daily life. Suppose a brother has a real problem with his wife. Does he need a prophet or a priest to help him? If I function only as a prophet, I will say, “Brother, you must confess to your wife and learn the lesson of humility. You also must love your wife, etc.” This is the ministry of the prophet. This dear brother may say inwardly to himself, “Brother, I know all these things quite well, but I cannot do them. I know that I must confess to my wife that I was wrong, but I cannot do it. I know that I must be humble, but I cannot be humble. I know that I must love my wife, but I cannot. What shall I do?” Then the prophet will say, “If you do not do this, your wife will divorce you!” This is a typical prophet.
But what is the ministry of the priest? If I am a priest, I will bear this brother upon my shoulders (all the tribal names of the people of Israel were upon the shoulders and on the breast of the high priest) and stay in the presence of the Lord, praying for him all the time. Then I will visit him—not to teach, instruct, condemn, or rebuke him but to impart the life of the priesthood into him. I may sit with him for half an hour without saying anything. Then eventually I may say, “Brother, will you pray-read with me?” The priestly ministry is to spread the bread of the Presence, light the lamp, and burn the incense within him. After such a time of prayer, something within will nourish and enlighten him. Something within will burn as a kind of incense. I did not even talk about the problem he has with his wife, but I did minister something of Christ into this brother. This is the ministry of the priesthood.
Eventually, the life ministered into him will energize and strengthen him. It will even subdue and convict him. After three days he will confess to his wife in tears. Not only will the problem be solved, but death will be swallowed up by life. This is what priestly ministry means and what prophetic ministry can never do. This is not the prophet teaching others but the priest ministering Christ into others. This is the priest setting forth the bread of the Presence, lighting the lamp, and burning the incense.
Doubtless, the church today needs the teachings and messages, but the most important thing the church needs is the living function of the priesthood. If the priesthood were exercised, we would not so much need a prophet or a teacher as today’s Christianity does. All the brothers and sisters would simply minister life to others. It may be that they cannot preach, but they can minister life. Prophecy is a gift, but the priesthood and kingship are not; they are a development of life. When the inner life develops to a certain degree, there will be the priesthood. It is not a gift, but the result of the growth in life.
During the past century many teachings have been recovered in Christianity. Since the middle of the last century, the Pentecostal gifts have spread from England and through the U.S.A. and the Orient. But after more than one hundred years, the results have been only divisions and confusion. Divisions have come out of the teachings, and confusion has come out of the so-called manifestation of the gifts. Let us look at the facts of history. We must believe that the Lord’s recovery is not in teachings or gifts. The Lord’s way of recovery is in the inner life through the priesthood and the kingship rather than in so many teachings and so many gifts of the prophethood. The more teachings we have, the more divisions we will produce. The more gifts we have, the more confusion we will spread.
It is more important that we exercise the spirit to contact the Lord, spend time in the presence of the Lord to be saturated with Him, and learn the experiences and lessons of how to minister life to others. This is the priestly ministry. We need the life-imparting, life-supplying ministry of the priesthood and the kingship.
My heart is longing to see in every city a group of dear ones knowing how to exercise the priesthood and minister life to others, rather than paying their attention to teachings and gifts—all of them being priests and kings, rather than prophets. This is the real way for the Lord’s recovery. Whenever we come together, we should not pay attention to teachings or anything else but simply exercise the priesthood. How wonderful this would be! I believe that this is what the Lord is seeking in these days. May His grace work it out.