In looking at the site meter I noticed that many readers find and click into my journal from Google searches for prophet, priest, and king. The concept is intriguing or intimidating, or both.
The thought that I need to learn how to be prophet, priest, and king in my home catches me off guard. The culture around us has tamed us into being “really nice guys.” In the entertainment media fathers are universally presented as clueless and irrelevant dopes. In the politically correct world patriarchy has been falsely reinterpreted to represent authoritarian abuse of women and children.
Also I think we have inherited from our first father the sin of passivity (or is it just plain laziness?) and have to work at being on top of things and leading our families in a godly way. We also have to struggle with selfishness and differentiation issues.
So how do we think of prophet, priest, and king in the modern context? I think you have to see the roles from the biblical intention, what God had in mind for each of these. Then I think you can make application.
The first prophets were seers, who had ecstatic experiences and spoke as the Holy Spirit gave utterance. Later they became messengers of God’s word to kings, interpreting Scripture. Prophets see and hear what God is saying and tell others so they can make good decisions. They use their wisdom and experience to “see” into the future and understand what will happen if we remain on a particular course. Prophets are eccentric and sometimes harsh in making a point.
Priest is advocate. Our best example of patriarch as priest is of course Job, who was concerned that his adult children might sin against God in their ongoing partying. So he offered sacrifices on their behalf continually. Sacrifice is the fundamental basis of worship, or approaching God. Under the Jewish order animal sacrifices were sufficient. In the church, only self-sacrifice, in the footsteps of Jesus, will do.
God meant for kings to be shepherds, or leaders of the flocks. Shepherds lead, groom, and provide healthcare for sheep so they will be profitable when presented at market. What goes into the development of sheep is intended to influence how profitable they will be later on. Shepherding people means discipling. Relationship. Pointing to a future direction.
See how these relate together? Prophet hears from God, while priest approaches God. King takes what has come from God and bestows into the lives of those in his charge.
It occurs to me that to do a good job as prophet, priest, and king, we need to be men of prayer. Which is a hard thing to do because our feminized world confuses prayer with long, wordy entreaties done just so. More than once I have heard the phrase, “I am not a praying man.”
So how can men pray? I’ll give that some thought and get back to you next week.
The thought that I need to learn how to be prophet, priest, and king in my home catches me off guard. The culture around us has tamed us into being “really nice guys.” In the entertainment media fathers are universally presented as clueless and irrelevant dopes. In the politically correct world patriarchy has been falsely reinterpreted to represent authoritarian abuse of women and children.
Also I think we have inherited from our first father the sin of passivity (or is it just plain laziness?) and have to work at being on top of things and leading our families in a godly way. We also have to struggle with selfishness and differentiation issues.
So how do we think of prophet, priest, and king in the modern context? I think you have to see the roles from the biblical intention, what God had in mind for each of these. Then I think you can make application.
The first prophets were seers, who had ecstatic experiences and spoke as the Holy Spirit gave utterance. Later they became messengers of God’s word to kings, interpreting Scripture. Prophets see and hear what God is saying and tell others so they can make good decisions. They use their wisdom and experience to “see” into the future and understand what will happen if we remain on a particular course. Prophets are eccentric and sometimes harsh in making a point.
Priest is advocate. Our best example of patriarch as priest is of course Job, who was concerned that his adult children might sin against God in their ongoing partying. So he offered sacrifices on their behalf continually. Sacrifice is the fundamental basis of worship, or approaching God. Under the Jewish order animal sacrifices were sufficient. In the church, only self-sacrifice, in the footsteps of Jesus, will do.
God meant for kings to be shepherds, or leaders of the flocks. Shepherds lead, groom, and provide healthcare for sheep so they will be profitable when presented at market. What goes into the development of sheep is intended to influence how profitable they will be later on. Shepherding people means discipling. Relationship. Pointing to a future direction.
See how these relate together? Prophet hears from God, while priest approaches God. King takes what has come from God and bestows into the lives of those in his charge.
It occurs to me that to do a good job as prophet, priest, and king, we need to be men of prayer. Which is a hard thing to do because our feminized world confuses prayer with long, wordy entreaties done just so. More than once I have heard the phrase, “I am not a praying man.”
So how can men pray? I’ll give that some thought and get back to you next week.
How do you know when God answers? My biggest problem with praying is that it seems that without the descernment to hear a response, I'm just talking to myself.
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