Prophet, Priest, and King
Zechariah 6: Showing that king and priest can coexist in harmony.
The prophet has a number of visions, and I’m not sure even he understands them all. In one vision he sees the high priest, Joshua and is told to fashion a crown for him. Zechariah is also told that Joshua’s (which is Hebrew for “Jesus”) name is “Branch” because he will “branch out” and take on the role of royalty, serving as both priest and king. Now, I’m pretty lost in the contemporary meaning of this vision. However, I know that about 500 years from the time these words are written that a man who is Prophet, Priest, and King is going to come to this world. These offices will be united in him and he’ll change everything. I know Zechariah’s words have meaning for the people who have returned from exile and are focused on rebuilding the Temple. However, I think they’re also intended to lay a foundation of understanding concerning the coming of the Son of God to this world. When the writer of Hebrews describes Jesus to us he spends a great deal of time describing his ministry as our Great High Priest. Then, the Revelator lifts him as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Take Away: In Jesus we have prophet, priest, and King.