THE KING — PRIEST PROTOCOL
Before he ascended to heaven and took over his rightful identity as the king-priest of God, he was a true king and a priest genealogically. Born biologically by Mary who was from the tribe of Levi — the clan of the priests, Jesus had the priesthood lineage. Then Joseph accepted to be his biological Dad, who was from the tribe of Judah — the tribe of David, the king, Jesus was of royal blood. And this was his identity till his death. So it was not surprising he rode on a donkey into Jerusalem. He was indeed the KING OF THE JEWS. And not only was he a king, but he was also the High Priest of the new covenant after the order of Melchizedek.
And as one with his glorious identity, his death was to institute a new way of life. His death was to begat new sons of God who were king-priests. The identity of the Christian is a king and a priest. As the apostle, John recounts succinctly in his revelation on the isle of Patmos in the book of Revelation. “… and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen…” [Rev 1:5–6]
The Lord Jesus has made us kings and priests to his Father by his crucifixion, death, resurrection, and enthronement. Jesus the faithful witness became the first begotten from the dath thereby gaining the legal grounds to make us also kings and priests. As the book of Hebrew connotes…for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. [Heb 7:14–16]. The power of an endless life is the life of the new creation. The Christian is the product of the new priesthood that Jesus obtained for humanity through his death.
And the apostle Peter will emphasize this truth that,… “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood…” [1 Peter 2:9]. And that is the identity and the nature of the Christian. In Christianity, it is all about the king-priest protocol. We have been made kings — priests on earth. As kings, we are to dominate our world in consonance with the extension of the kingdom of God on earth. And we are priests, for the purpose so we can become the divine conduits through which the vision and pleasure of God will be fulfilled in this earthly realm through us. This is the unique identity of every Christian which we should be very mindful of. We are kings and priests unto God and the Father. And that is the protocol of the new covenant.
