Chapter 17.5: BOS: Priestly Kings and Queens

In this chapter, we'll look at the change in the priesthood that we saw in Paul’s Letters to the Hebrews and apply the priesthood to those who have been Born Again. This review will consider – along with the change in the priesthood – administration of the Kingdom of God, the order of authority, and priesthood in covenant theology.

​The Process of Perfection
Our Process of Perfection looks like this:

Individual Salvation

Born of the Blood Redemption ​

Born Again Sanctification Born of the Water > Born of the Spirit > Born of God

The Change in the Priesthood
In the Letters to the Hebrews, we saw that Yeshua changed the priesthood in the Law to connect Israel and all humanity with Heaven and Eternity. Paul explained that the Levitical Priesthood was an earthly priesthood and that the Melchizedek Priesthood is for Heaven and Eternity. We can associate this change in the priesthood to the Melchizedek Priesthood with the Kingdom of God on the Earth and the Kingdom of Heaven in Eternity.

Levitical Priesthood Earthly Kingdom of Israel

Yeshua's Testimony ​>>>

Melchizedek Priesthood Heavenly/Eternity Kingdom of God on Earth ​Kingdom of Heaven in Eternity

Administration of the Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God is administered through the Melchizedek Priesthood. The Melchizedek Priesthood has all of the rights, keys, and powers to administer God’s plan for the redemption, sanctification, and exaltation of man.
 
Kings and Priests
Under the Melchizedek Priesthood, men in authority are kings and priests. Kings establish and administer the law. Priests teach the law, are accountable for the disloyalties or transgressions of the people, and administer ordinances of salvation.
 
“And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.”  – Exodus 19:6
 
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;”  - 1 Peter 2:9
 
“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”  – Rev. 5:10
 
Families and Communities
There are two primary groups in society – families and communities of families. Families are under the authority of fathers who are kings and priests. Communities are under the authority of a system of davidic kings and high priests in the Melchizedek Priesthood.

Community Leaders

Davidic Kings and High Priests

V

Fathers of Families

Kings and Priests

Order of Authority
We also see this system of society in God’s order of authority. We see it first in the Garden of Eden with the Word(Messiah) was with God (Father), and the Word was God (Son) – John 1:1. Then we see the Son (Yehovah) make Adam and then makes Eve – Genesis 2.
 
The Apostle Paul summarizes this order of authority at 1 Corinthians 11:3.
 
“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Messiah; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Messiah is God.”

God, the Father ​v

God, the Son ​v

Man ​v

Woman (children)

​We see this scheme expanded when Yehovah establishes the nation of Israel with a system of community leaders, which is also in the Kingdom of God.

God, the Father ​v

God, the Son ​v

Community Leaders ​v

Man ​v

Woman (children)

Priesthood in Covenant Theology for Those Born Again
One thing that we should notice about all covenants with God is that they all include an aspect of the priesthood.
 
Abrahamic Covenant
When Yehovah tells Abraham that through his seed all of the nations of the earth will be blessed, this would invariably include the priesthood.

Threshold Covenant (Passover)
In the Threshold Covenant, we see elements of kingship and priesthood. The threshold represented the boundary between two sovereigns - the father as king over his house and home and Yehovah as sovereign of the whole world. Moreover, we see elements of priesthood when the father sacrifices a male lamb representing Israel’s Savior-God.

Sinai Covenant
The Sinai Covenant is the summary covenant that includes all covenants, which Yehovah declares –
 
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”

​Priesthood Covenant
When we consider biblical priesthood, the Bible seems to identify the priesthood with men who offered sacrifice. In Genesis, we see Abel and Cain, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all offer sacrifice to Yehovah. Then at Pesach/Passover we see fathers sacrifice a lamb representing Israel’s Savior-God.  Yehovah calls Israel a nation of priests - Ex. 19:6.  Anciently, the door threshold was considered a home altar.  Later, after Israel sinned with the golden calf, sacrifice and hence, the priesthood, shifts to the descendants of Levi and Yehovah institutes a sacrificial system.  Priesthood appears to be further defined with the Levitical Priesthood to include the responsibilities of not only administering the ordinances of sacrifice, but include maintaining purity, teaching the Law and answering for the sins of the people. 

In the New Testament, the priesthood appears to revert back to a pre-Levitical condition, where fathers hold Melchizedek Priesthood that is obtained not by lineage but by the making of an oath - Hebrews 7, 1 Peter 2:9, which means that fathers again assume the responsibilities of priesthood in their families as priests.

These responsibilities, which forms the basis of the oath, include:

Striving to keep himself pure.
Baptizing family members
Administering a memorial to Yeshua’s sacrifice.
Placing the Name of God on the family.
Establishing and Teaching the Law
Answering for the transgression of his family.
Making offerings of tribute, peace and thanksgiving.

The father as priest uses an altar to administer his priestly duties, which is the sign of the covenant.
Those faithful to the priesthood covenant realize promises of life and peace.

​Mothers as Queens
Because wives and mothers are to become “one flesh” with their husbands and are to be their “help meet”, the mother’s role as queen is implied.  They assist in the father’s responsibility to maintain order and teach the commandments to her children along with their sacred role to carry and bear physical and spiritual life.
 

Firstborn as Temple Priests
As the first of everything is dedicated to God, the firstborn are pledged in God’s service, which means temple service.