The Priesthood of Christ and the Firstborn in the Book of Revelation

Good morning and welcome to the All Things Fulfilled broadcast. Good morning to you, Stephen. It's a pleasure to see you this morning and looking forward to another study from the Book of Revelation. This morning we're going to be talking about the priesthood and the firstborn. This subject is, as I look at it, is vastly deeper than what I anticipated when I first started this, and that was one of the reasons why I was a little bit hesitant to delve into the book, because I wasn't sure what I was going to find in some ways. I mean, the basic understanding of it, of course, we're all pretty much familiar with, but as we begin to delve into it, there seem to be things that are not as noted, at least in some of the studies that I've looked at, maybe because of lack of time or interest, whatever the case may be. Just didn't appear to be as apparent. However, some years ago, a couple years ago, when I did a lecture for Don Preston's event and I focused on the sacrifices or the feast days, excuse me, the festivals, the Hebrew festivals in the Book of Revelation, that helped me to see a strong Hebraic element in the book, even though, I mean, we know it was there, this is what all of the literature tells us about it, you know, the quotations from the Old Testament scriptures, etc. But when you start seeing these Hebrew festivals throughout the book, it becomes much more indicative of that influence and of the time period in which the book was written. And so, from that lecture, to see that it had that emphasis and that impact, then it's hard to take it out of that Hebraic setting. And the only community and generation that would have been receptive to that, would have been a part of their culture, would have been that first century generation, because we can see from the Hellenistic point of view of history, as it passes that point, just the lack of knowledge, as well as concern for those particular things, because they tend to start moving away from Hebraic concepts. But at any rate, let's go on. Good morning to you, Eric, to Julie, to Mark, I'm not sure who else is here, but we want to say good morning to each of you. Now, on last week, we introduced the book of Revelation as largely a priesthood motif. And I think that's important, one, because the Bible tells us, and I'll have reference to this scripture a little bit later, but it tells us that the scriptures or the law was based on the priesthood. So everything we have, in terms of the old covenant, the law of God, was based upon or founded upon priesthood. And what that says to me is that priesthood is central to everything in the Bible. And as we have studies that are going back to look at, you know, the creation, I think it's also apparent, especially when some connections are made, that there is a creation slash temple theology in the book of Genesis as well. And if it's in the book of Genesis, why not in the book of Revelation? And I know some have made such a connection. And even some of the studies that I did, and I reference you to another lecture that I did at Dunn's Preterist Pilgrim Weekend years before that last one when I was there live, and I don't remember the title of the lesson that I did, but it was on the correlations between, say, Genesis, John, and several other things that had to do with temple typology. So as we introduced the book as largely a priesthood motif, and one reason for that is because of the very nature of the book that indicates an unveiling. When we get to the first verse of Revelation, when it says, the revelation of Jesus Christ, the unveiling of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show to his servants. So what that is indicative of is some secret knowledge, all right, that was only privy to a certain group. And in this case, it was only privy to Christ. But this hidden knowledge that was the unveiling, if we think about the veil, that should almost automatically cause us to think temple typology. And so he says, this was the unveiling of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show to his servants things which must shortly come to pass. And notice also that this knowledge was given to Christ to show to his servants. So that means that God had privileged him. You know, if you think, for example, in the book of Hebrews chapter one, when it says that God at various times, and in various ways spoken time passed unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last times spoken unto us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things through whom also he made the worlds. And what that indicates is that God revealed more intimate knowledge to the son than he did to all the other prophets. And so Jesus possessed a wisdom, he possessed a knowledge that was unparalleled in terms of being a messenger of God. Dale, if I hadn't spoken to you, good morning, it's good to see you. And glad to know that you're here amidst all of the events that are taking place with, I think it's Hurricane Ian or Ian, whatever, in that area. So we're grateful that you're safe and any others who may be listening that are from the Florida area and from the East Coast. So that being the case, the veil indicates something that's hidden from view, secrets unknown to those who are without the authority to view things behind the veil. And yet Christ was given this authority. And it also suggests the priesthood, since they were the only ones who were allowed to enter within the veil. So there were things that were behind the veil. Paul, in my opinion, or the writer of Hebrews, indicates there were some secret things that were associated with the priesthood that were not revealed. For example, in Hebrews chapter 9, and the verse is 5 and verse 5, he says, And above it were the cherubim of the glory, overshadowing the mercy of these things, we cannot now speak in detail. So for some reason, there were things that could not be revealed at that particular time. But Christ is to be seen as the unveiling. Now, if Christ is the unveiling, you know, it's called the apocalypse of Jesus Christ, and or the unveiling of Jesus Christ. So it is Christ who is being unveiled. But I think, and this is my judgment, my opinion, that Christ is being unveiled as the Holy of Holies. So not only is the book about Christ as the high priest, and what's involved with that, of course, his revealing the secret knowledge, but I believe that it is also an unveiling of himself as the Holy of Holies. Because later on in the book, we're told in Revelation 21, in verse 22, that he along with the Father are the temple, we see that the holy place has been dropped from the imagery of the temple that's described in the heavenly temple in Revelation 21, which indicates that the entire city is the most holy place. And that would also indicate, in my judgment, that the temple was about to be destroyed, the old temple, that is, according to Revelation chapter 11, and verse two. And we've already indicated how those concepts refer to the fall of the Jerusalem temple in 70 AD. And because these things were yet to come, they were about to come as Hebrews talks about Hebrews 9 and verse 11, the Christ becoming a high priest of the good things about to come. And we see that taking place, then we have to see that antithesis between the fall of the one and the inaugural point of the new. And that's also indicated in Hebrews chapter nine. So let's take a look there for a moment, Hebrews chapter nine. And if we start, for example, as we look into that, and we see in the book of Revelation, when the temple falls, this was also the time that the wrath of God was being poured out, and the way into the holiest of all is made open. So even in Hebrews, as we're looking at that, we have to see that according to the text in Revelation, that when this way is open, this is also the time that the wrath of God is being poured out. And so what we have in chapter 14 of Revelation, and I'll get to Hebrews nine in a moment, is this imagery of the wrath of God being poured out. And starting in verse 17, the text says, then another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven. He also having a sharp sickle, and another angel came out from the altar who had the power over fire. And he cried with a loud voice to a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle saying, thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for grapes are fully ripe. So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God, Revelation 14, 19. And the winepress was trampled outside the city and blood came out of the winepress up to the horse's bridle to 1600 furlongs. Now that's followed by chapter 15. Of course, when you see them gain this victory in Revelation chapter 15, and they sing the song of Moses, et cetera, they get the victory of the beast and all of that. So you can see kind of what is happening there from the text, but it also shows that that is the time in Revelation 15, eight, when the new temple is opened. It is after the wrath of God is completed. So it says in verse eight, the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. And no one was able to enter the temple till the seven flags were fulfilled. So when we see, for example, again in Hebrews, that this way into the holiest of all is made manifest, this has to be taking place after the wrath of God has been poured out. Good morning to you, Beatrice, to Bob, to Carol as well. We appreciate your presence this morning. So that's another correlation then between the old heaven and earth and the new Jerusalem, which brings about the tabernacle of God in Revelation chapter 21, one through three. As John says, now I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth first birth were passed away and there was no more seed. Then I, John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for a husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them. They should be as people and he should be their God. So now when you compare that, we've just seen where it says the old or the first heaven and earth had passed away. So there's the passing away of the old covenant system and then the coming in of the new. So when we compare that or lay that down beside Hebrews chapter eight, 13, and then moving into nine, you can see that correlation again, but I wanted to put those verses in so you could see that the wrath of God being poured out, which is connected with the fall of Babylon, where the seventh angel sounds, et cetera, then you can connect that. So let's look at Hebrews eight, for example, from that perspective and see the correlation of, of the covenant in Hebrews eight, 13, the text says in that he says a new covenant, he has made the first obsolete. Now, what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away and tie that in with Hebrews chapter seven, verses 11 and 12. Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood for under it, the people received the law. So when we talk about the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant, and that's what was going on, the obsolescence of one and the introduction of the other, which was at hand, according to the text, it was about to happen. Then what we are seeing is this transition from one priesthood to the other. And since that's, what's involved in the old heaven and earth passing and the new heaven and earth arriving where the new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven. So that the tabernacle of God is with men. That is likewise an aspect of this new priesthood that's coming about. So he for the priesthood being changed of necessity, there is also a change of the law. Then this verse in Hebrews eight and verse 13 is connected. Thanks Dale for letting us know that we're very blessed. Today's weather is magnificent. It always gets brighter and more beautiful after a storm. It's almost like it clears everything out of the way. The sad part about it is the devastation and destruction that took place with people's property and possibly lives. I haven't heard very much of a report on that, but our prayers continue to go out for the people in that area. Now, as we continue on, so if you'll following the context immediately after he talks about the tabernacle, I mean the covenant and that change, he goes right into a discussion of the tabernacle. He says, then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary for a tabernacle was prepared. The first part, which was the lamp stand, the table, the showbread, which is called the sanctuary and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all. So there's the veil reference behind the second veil. Now, clearly only the high priest could go behind that veil and therefore there was knowledge and information related to that that was unknown or not privy to the rest of the people. So he says, which had the golden sensor and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold in which were the golden pot that had the manna Aaron's rod that budded and the tablets of the covenant and above it were the cariboum of glory overshadowing the mercy seat of these things. We cannot now speak in detail. Now, when these things had been thus prepared, the priest always went into the first part of the tabernacle performing the services, but into the second part, the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins, committed an ignorance, the Holy Spirit indicating this. So in this process of offering sacrifices for sins and the high priest going into that second party, it says the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the most holy place, the holiest of all is not yet made manifest. And that's present tense from the time that the text was written. So the word was there is not correct, is not made manifest. That is from the time it was written. It is symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered. So you can see the present tense there, which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscious. And of course, he says it was concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings and fleshly ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation. And then it goes right into the introduction of the priesthood of Christ. But Christ came as high priest of the good things about to come, the coming good things with the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands. That is not of this creation. So that's that old covenant creation. And that is mentioned in that context. And so we should see that this is the initiation into that, which is behind the veil. Now, another point that we want to make relative to Christ's priesthood and this dominant theme in the book of Revelation is in verse five, when it speaks of him as the first born from the dead. Notice it says, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first born from the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth to him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Well, that very text, that very context should suggest to you the priesthood of Christ, because just as we saw in Hebrews, where the high priest was associated with the atonement, we see atonement related here. And I'll speak more about that in coming lessons. But let's note something related to here, to this particular point now in the Septuagint, Christ's birth is associated with becoming the great messenger. And we have that text in Isaiah chapter nine. But we're also going to go deeper than just his birth into the world. But at least I want to just point this out. So you can see a connection with birth and becoming an angel. Now in Isaiah nine, if you read it from the English translation, the text reads this way, and we may not get the impact, the same impression, if we were to read it from the Septuagint and or, you know, reading the actual Greek text. It says, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this. Now we know from studying Zechariah chapter six, verses 12 and 13, as well as Psalm 110 and verse four, that Christ would be a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. And in that context, the text says, The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. So priesthood and the kingdom of God or the throne of God are interrelated. They cannot be separated. So in Zechariah chapter six, verses 12 and 13, the Bible talks about Christ being a priest on his throne. But notice in the text, when we see the language here that speaks about Wonderful Counselor, et cetera, the Septuagint reads a bit differently. And I have a copy of it here. And let me see if I can get open to that page for you so that I can read it out of the Greek text for you, or a translation of the Greek text. And then you can double check this by going back and looking at the text. But notice here, it says, Because a child was born for us, a son also given to us, whose sovereignty was upon his shoulders, and his name, and he is named Messenger of Great Counsel. Now that's a little bit different from saying Wonderful Counselor. It says he is named Messenger of Great Counsel. Well, the word messenger is the term Angelos, the term that we generally translate angel. So from that perspective, we can see that this text is focused on Christ as an angel of God. The Hebrews viewed the high priest as the angel of God. Even in Leviticus 16, and verse 17, where it says there should be no man in the tabernacle of meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself for his household and for all the assembly of Israel. Leviticus 16, verse 17. Now when Philo translated Leviticus 16, 17, usually understood to mean that there was no man with the high priest when the priest entered into the holy of holies on the day of atonement, he wrote it as follows. He is not a man when he enters the holy place to make atonement. And in the middle of the first century, and therefore commentary with Christian origins, Philo understood the high priest to be an angel. And you can look that up in On Dreams 2.189, I think it's paragraph 231. Another text is existing at the time of Isaiah's blessing to his grandson Levi, or Isaac's blessing, I should say. May the Lord give you and your seed great honor to understand his glory. May he draw you and your seed near to him from all flesh to serve in his sanctuary as the angels of the presence and the holy ones, even as they will see the son of thy glory sons be for glory and greatness and holiness. And may he make them great unto all the ages. And that's from Jubilees 31 and 14. And then in the Testament of Levi to his own sons, it says the most high has given heed to your prayers that you'd be delivered from wrongdoings, that you should become a son to him as minister and priest in his presence. So what they were associating with the sons of Levi was that they were priests, but also they would be considered angels in their roles as priests. Another indication in Revelation is the priestly garments of Christ. We have the site of his priestly garments starting in verse 13. And there are some implications behind that, that also represent the priesthood. So let's notice chapter one, verse 13 and following relative to these garments says, and in the midst of the seven lampstands, one, like the son of man clothed in a, with the garment down to his feet and girded about the chest with the golden band, his head and his hair were white, like wool and white as snow in his eyes, like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined at a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters he had in his right hand, seven stars out of his mouth when a sharp two edged sword and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. Now look at John's reaction. When he sees this appearance of Christ, it says, and when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, but he laid his right hand on me saying, do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. Now, there are similar experiences with the priests, um, based on some, uh, historical sources. And you can see even in the scriptures, some of the same concepts and some of the same ideas, uh, Aristeas wrote of the other worldly glory of the high priest. And by the way, when you read Josephus and he gives his description, I wish I had pulled that out, but I didn't, uh, for this lesson. Uh, when you read Josephus description of the garments of the high priest, his garments, uh, signified a worldly, uh, manifestation. In other words, they were, uh, emblematic of the world. It's also interesting that in Philo, he describes it in the basically in the same manner. So that's, and I have those notes. I just didn't, didn't bring them forth, but nevertheless, he wrote of the other worldly glory of the high priest, the appearance of the vestments make one awestruck and dumbfounded. One would think he had come out of this world into another world. So again, those high priestly garments indicates a change of worlds. The glory of the high priest, Simon, as he emerged from the to be like the morning star and the rainbow among the clouds. And I think, uh, even in this text, you'll see that it says in verse 16 and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And that also kind of takes you back to the amount of transfiguration, but it says made the court of the sanctuary glorious. And it is by no means clear whom the people were worshiping when they failed to the ground in his presence. Commentators have noted that the likeness of the glory of the Lord in Ezekiel's vision was compared to a rainbow in the clouds. That's Ezekiel one in verse 28, like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. So was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. So when I saw it, I fell on my face and I heard a voice of one speaking, uh, that may be indicative also when the angel is revealing the message to John, uh, I think a couple of times in the book of revelation chapter 19, uh, and maybe, uh, later chapter 21, but I know it's in chapter 19. Uh, when the angel is revealing information, John falls at the feet of the angel. So this could be again, indicative of the kind of behavior they expressed when they saw an angel and because they associated the high priest as an angel, of course, uh, they would do so. It says, um, the around 300 BCE, the Greek writer, uh, I guess that's his name. Uh, I'm not sure, uh, described the Jewish priest in a very similar way. The high priest is an angel to them of God. Uh, and, uh, when he speaks to them in reading or in pronouncing the commandments, it says he is an angel to them of God's commandments. When he speaks to them, the Jews immediately fall to the ground and worship the high priest as he explains the commandments to them. Now let's look at Malachi two and verse 70. We're just about out of time here, but there's another couple of points I want to make before we, uh, close the lesson relative to, uh, the son of God in, um, Malachi chapter two and verse seven, it says for the lips of a priest should keep knowledge and people should seek the law from his mouth, or he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. That's our word for angel. He is the angel of the Lord of hosts. And so you can see this transformation. Now, when we consider Christ and we look at his birth, the Bible says that he is the first born from the dead. Um, and when Jesus died and rose again, he transitioned from one sphere into another sphere, the new covenant glory. And I'm suggesting that that's where he enters into the Holy of Holies, but that's also where he becomes the Holy of Holies. And, uh, there are some indications of that in Hebrews chapter one, Hebrews, uh, the first chapter, starting in verse five, it says for two, which of the angels did he ever say you are my son today? Have I begotten you? Now he's referring to Jesus's resurrection from the dead. And again, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son. But when he, again, brings the firstborn into the world, he says, let all the angels of God worship him and the angels. And of the angels, he says, who makes his angel spirits and his ministers flames of fire, but to the son, he says your throne. Oh God. So there's the connection between the son, the high priest, the throne of God is forever and ever a scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. Therefore God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions. So, uh, as we close this morning, I hope you've seen some of the correlations between this unveiling, uh, that it is the unveiling of Christ that's associated with priesthood because Christ and God are said to then it's a revealing of Christ as the Holy of Holies. And I think that's so appropriate, especially when we go back to this old Testament text and Moses in the wilderness and, uh, God said, he's going to destroy Israel because of their worship with the golden calf. Moses intercedes on their behalf. And God says, my presence will go with you. And Moses response is if your presence does not go with us, then do not take us out of this wilderness. He understood that God was the most holy place, that he was the sacred space or the sacred person, uh, where he should be. And I think in revealing Christ as the high priest in the book of revelation and the priestly motifs of the book of revelation are revealing, uh, both Christ and, uh, his priesthood from this perspective and, and therefore, uh, his being the firstborn from the dead, uh, meaning, uh, the first of this new creation of God is what this is all about. At least, uh, that's somewhat of an introduction into that. We have much more information, uh, on this as we are going through it, some of which I'm learning as we go along, but I'm just seeing this. And I think it's important that we point it out, but with that, ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank you for being here this morning. And I hope that you got something beneficial from the message, uh, today.