Kings and priests
Kings and Priests
When the people were brought out of bondage of Egypt they were taught a different form of government, or way of governing themselves. They were to become a kingdom of Priests for all the nations of the world. [1]
Judaism had undergone many changes during its years of captivity, under corrupt kings and priests, and on through the Hasmonean dynasty. Herod was no exception. With vast funds available, a temple was built, not only in Jerusalem, but many were constructed around the world. The constitutional provisions of Deuteronomy 17:15 had clearly stated that “…you may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.” Yet, Herod rose as king.
“As an Idumean he (Herod) was disliked by Judeans; as the usurper of the Hasmoneans he was resented by the aristocracy. During his reign he succeeded in creating his own ‘aristocracy’ from those loyal to Rome and appointed by himself. But he apparently favored those traditional religious groups who did not oppose him, such as Pharisees and Essenes.”[2]
Herod’s grand scheme of a vast Kingdom of Heaven on earth involved sending out evangelists and missionaries all over the world. Herod enjoyed the support of some Essenes, although they would not hold an office requiring an oath. In part, this support was because of the prophecy concerning the Messiah coming during Herod’s reign and for other reasons.
- “Diaspora Essenes shared the divergent [solar] calendar and many traditions of Palestinian Essenes, but did not espouse their unworldliness and strict views on morality. For the Palestinians, the Diaspora kind were ‘seekers after smooth things’, taking the easy way.”[3]
These were not the only evangelists and missionaries of the time. There were others baptizing people into a different kind of Kingdom of Heaven on earth. There was another King who was not Idumean, nor part of the world of Rome. He would establish his Kingdom, not by schemes of compelled Corban, offerings forced by statute, but by faith, hope, and charity.
- “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” John 18:36
His Kingdom is not of the “world” of Roman constitutional order. His Kingdom is established under the perfect law of liberty. His ekklesia, “called out”, or Christ appointed ministers, were priests of practical service to the people without exercising authority over the free contributions. They were to manifest the character of Christ to receive, preserve, and propagate his doctrines and ordinances, teaching the people to love their neighbor, rather than covet their goods and property through benefactors who exercised authority one over the other.
Setting men free from the servitude of sin in this world is a constant theme of the Bible, sometimes called salvation; but, if God is to release us from spiritual servitude, it is also mandatory to release us from greed, avarice, and covetousness that leads us into physical servitude. Jesus made it clear that God is the God of the living, so His salvation and liberty must include this world, as well as the next. The Essenes saw men first as a spiritual creature living in a physical body. They knew that, as they became spiritually close to the character of God, the whole man would be set free, just as Christ was set free upon His resurrection.
- “It is a fixed belief of theirs that the body is corruptible and its constituent matter impermanent, but that the soul is immortal and imperishable. Emanating from the finest ether, these souls become entangled, as it were, in the prison-house of the body, to which they are dragged down by a sort of natural spell; but when once they are released from the bonds of the flesh, then, as though liberated from a long servitude, they rejoice and are borne Aloft…” [4]
The Kingdom of Heaven is first a spiritual place that begins with the incorporeal change of the individual. That change is not wrought with our will, but by the grace of God within us. That divine spark of truth should and will lead us to both a spiritual kingdom and a physical corporeal kingdom at hand. His kingdom comes as His will is done. The same is true of all kingdoms; only the will of the kings changes.
- “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” 1 Corinthians 15:50
The Levites began to occupy a distinct position as the spiritual primogeniture of a nation, since that terrible scene of sin established with the golden calf. They were conferred with the office of service to the tents of the congregation. They were selected for this purpose because, as a tribe, they were willing to come out first and serve Moses and the Lord.
As being wholly consecrated or separated to the service of the Lord, they had no territorial possessions. Jehovah was their inheritance[5] and, for their support, it was ordained that they should receive from the other tribes the tithes of the produce of the land and the people, but only according to their service. It was not automatic nor collected by force.
- “Forty-eight civil jurisdictions were assigned to them, thirteen of which were called priest cities. Along with their dwellings they had ‘suburbs’, and ‘commons’, for their herds and flocks, and also fields and vineyards (Num. 35:2-5). Nine of these cities were in Judah, three in Naphtali, and four in each of the other tribes (Josh. 21). Six of the Levitical cities were set apart as ‘cities of refuge’ (q.v.). Thus the Levites were scattered among the tribes to keep alive among them the knowledge and service to God.” [6]
By the time of Christ, the remainder of the Levites had become steeped in apostasy. They were often rich and no longer served the tents of the congregation as much as the people were serving them. The men appointed to keep them free in the wisdom of God now kept them ignorant, superstitious, distracted, entertained, and in bondage.
The Essenes assumed the role of the Levites in Spirit and in Truth. Their teachings and actions paralleled those of Moses and the Levites from centuries before. Many of the Essenes and repentant Levites became the ministers of the Church. The Levites, like Joses, repenting, sold their land, set the money at the foot of the kingdom’s Ambassadors, and went into the service as the Kingdom’s first ministers, His Holy Church.
- “And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, [and] of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Acts 4:36-37
In order for Barnabas to become a minister of Christ’s Church, serving His Kingdom, he was required to sell all of his property as Jesus had commanded.[7] Ananias failed to obey Christ and was struck dead, as we see in the very next verses:
- “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price… fell down, and gave up the ghost…” Acts 5:1-5
The mission of the Levites was the same for the Essenes as it was for Christ’s Church. If not, the bureaucracy of government would soon become ineffective or oppressive like Cain, Lemech, Nimrod, Pharaoh, and Caesar. People then return to the bondage of Egypt; but, if they return to the way of God and seek His righteous Kingdom and do the will of the Father, then they shall again be a whole nation, under God with liberty and justice for all.
- “That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.” Psalms 67:2
If we are to understand our place in God’s Kingdom of Heaven, we must also learn from and understand that which was held in common by the Levites, the Essenes, and the first-century Church, established by Christ Jesus the King.
Christ, meaning the anointed like David who was the king of Israel, and Jesus had been proclaimed as the "highest son of David" and heir to his throne and also proclaimed the rightful "king of Judeans" who were the remnant of [[Israel], which was the kingdom of God.[8]
- “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life, which bare twelve [manner of] fruits, [and] yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:2
The origin of what was called Essene reaches back to Enoch who walked with God. They are the men who separate themselves from the “world”, living in it, but not of it. They live according to and under the authority of God’s government, which is foreign to other states.
- “The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,” Luke 4:18
They were the first servants of God and they were the first spiritually-born Children of God in repentance and in the acceptance of God’s true character, doing all things in His “Name”. They fed His sheep in service to His Kingdom of God at hand, guiding men in freedom to liberty under God.
- “And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.” Luke 9:2
A King is Born
“Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2
- “And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Luke 23:38
Jesus was the Messiah, the Mashiyach, the Anointed. King David was also a Mashiyach, i.e., messiah, and was called that in the Hebrew many times in the Bible. Being anointed meant that he was the king. In the New Testament, the Greek word Christos means “Anointed”. When we say “Jesus Christ”, we are simply saying “Jesus the anointed King of Judea, the remnant of Israel”.
Zachariah, as high priest, was murdered while he was in the temple.[9] This was part of a political coup. His son would have likely inherited that position until a new high priest could be chosen through the courts and villages of the people. The high priest, had been the highest servant in the network of ministers, chosen according to the congregations of tens.
New high priests had been appointed from the top and put in place, but that was all contrary to the precepts of the Kingdom. John was the rightful high priest until a replacement could be chosen, according to the law of consensus, through the congregations of tens and hundreds. He had moved the laver from the blood-defiled stone temple of Herod to the Jordan River, near the altar stones of Joshua, and was baptizing, washing, the people into the Kingdom of liberty and charity.
God never wanted a stone temple built. In the ancient times, the temple was a frame with tenting stretched over it, like flesh over the skeleton of a man. It moved from place to place in the kingdom. At the feasts, people would come for miles to pay homage to the God of liberty by giving charity, instead of taxes, and to renew old ties and make new ones in brotherhood. This helped keep the kingdom as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, according to the perfect law of liberty.
When the temple was made of stone, it became centralized, cold, controlling, arrogant, and oppressive. God had also opposed the calling for a central government, a king, and his appointed administrators. He allowed men to centralize the power of their office as patriarchs. The Potestas had belonged in each family, in the Pater Familias, where God intended it to be. God warned that such desires would bring their own punishment.
The governmental system of Judea had become like the systems of the gentiles, where the voice of the people chose the ruling elite to make laws for an enfranchised citizenry, a subject people. The Kingdom of God had become upside-down. The people again needed redemption from their sins.
The people betrayed the truth of God’s love and believed the lie. They made men “lawmakers” and “judges”, rulers and gods, of their lives. They did not walk with God, but with men. They coveted each others goods and served the institution they created with their own hands. The temple now forced the tithes and oppressed the people under taxes. Even worse, the people became weak, self-serving and disjointed.
Christ was the good shepherd that brought His flock together, ministering one to another and edifying God’s kingdom on earth in their hearts and in the world.
“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16
Some had hoped that Hyrcanus would have been the awaited priest and king, but he became so unpopular that, at one of the feasts in Jerusalem, he was pelted by the people with palm leaves, an act of rebellion for which many were put to death. People had lost the understanding and knowledge of the Kingdom when they turned away from its ways. They continued to suffer under a strong delusion.
Judea remained the remnant of God’s Kingdom and Jesus was its King. He was the King who came to serve and to set the captives free so that they could walk in God’s ways. He was setting them free from the apostate kings and priests of God’s once godly kingdom. As the righteous king and high priest of Judea and, therefore, of Israel, he took the Kingdom from usurpers and appointed it to His faithful disciples.
“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” Matthew 21:43
The people no longer lived in a godly republic, free from the treaties of their rulers. By covetous participation, they had become enfranchised citizens. The government of Judea could now make treaties, covenants, and alliances for the people with the gentiles. This was legal because the people were now bound as human resources through their application and acceptance of the entitlements of the king’s table. The people came under tribute.[10] Both king and people had sinned against the words of Moses and God. It was time to repent.
Jesus was setting them free in spirit and truth. He would not appeal to the world of Rome nor apply for their protection. He had come to teach us about freedom under the precepts of His Kingdom of God and to set us free indeed.
- “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.... If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”[11] John 8:32-36
Allegiance to Christ made you free indeed, but you had to repent and change your ways. You had to live by faith in Him and the Father who sent Him. You had to apply to your Father in the Kingdom of Heaven and stop coveting your neighbor’s goods and ruling over your neighbor in the democratic kingdoms of the gentiles. The people had to learn to come together in voluntary love and charity, seeking the ways of the kingdom of God.
- “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” Colossians 2:18-19
People are neither kings nor priests until they gather to diligently attend to the Weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith which include caring for the needs of our neighbors and the widows and orphans of our society through Pure Religion in matters of health, education, and welfare. We are NOT to provide for the needy of society through the Covetous Practices and the men who call themselves benefactors but who exercise authority one over the other like the socialists do.
The Way of Christ was like neither the way of the world of Rome nor the governments of the gentiles who depend on those fathers of the earth through force, fear and fealty who deliver the people back in bondage again like they were in Egypt. Christ's ministers and true Christians do not depend upon systems of social welfare that force the contributions of the people like the corban of the Pharisees which made the word of God to none effect. Many people have been deceived to go the way of Balaam and the Nicolaitan and out of The Way of Christ and have become workers of iniquity.
The Christian conflict with Rome in the first century Church appointed by Christ was because they would not apply to the fathers of the earth for their free bread but instead relied upon a voluntary network providing a daily ministration to the needy of society through Faith, Hope, and Charity by way of freewill offerings of the people, for the people, and by the people through the perfect law of liberty in Free Assemblies according to the ancient pattern of Tuns or Tens as He commanded.
The modern Christians are in need of repentance.
"Follow me!" —Jesus the Christ.
- One of the most important things to do is to become involved in a network of Charitable Practices. Everyone should want to join a Living Network of Love and Charity.
- If you think you have a calling to be a Minister of God or you might want to dedicate your life to Christ as an Ordained Minister of His Holy Church, contact us to start the process of discipleship and become the benefactors who exercise only love, NOT authority.[12]
Audio
http://www.hisholychurch.net/kkvv/4thbatch/121228kingsandpriests1-2.mp3
http://www.hisholychurch.net/kkvv/4thbatch/121228kingsandpriests3-4.mp3
http://www.hisholychurch.net/kkvv/4thbatch/121229kingsassurance.mp3
Twentieth hour in the Nations audio series, emphasis on kings and priests. If you are not doing the will of the Father, are you still kings and priests? Religion mentioned five times in the bible, while government is mentioned 500 times. Giving up the right to choose; Despising dominion. Anarchy. Not kings and priests unless neighbors are cared for as self. Appointed a kingdom. How do you become kings and priests? The men who wrote the bible were inspired, the print is not inspired. The Bible may be inerrant, but you aren't. Doctrines are teachings trying to bring one to their senses. Purpose of sacrifice; Welfare. Articles on Corban at His Church website. Some Questions page. Iconoclast. Social welfare system set up by Herod. Jesus and the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls. John the Baptist didn't invent baptism. Jewish traditions; Adam and Eve. Public religions are run by the government. Vaccines; Zombie Apocalypse. Creating a new man; Born again in their world. Social welfare, Idolatry. Dr. Ron Moseley, PhD. Seeing Through the Eyes of Jesus; Rev. Dr. John F. Baggett. Corban was the social security fund.
http://www.hisholychurch.net/kkvv/x9folder/140830nation20kings-priest-FR.mp3
Footnotes
- ↑ Exodus 19:6 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.
- Deuteronomy 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of [that which is] before the priests the Levites:
- 1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ....1 Peter 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
- Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
- ↑ The Old Testament World John Roberson and Philip Davies. First Edition published in 1989.
- ↑ Jesus and the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls by Barbara Thiering, Harper Collins: 1992
- ↑ Flavius Josephus, War of the Jews, II, VIII, Sn 11
- ↑ Numbers 18:20; 26:62; Deut. 10:9; 18:1, 2
- ↑ Easton’s Bible Dictionary.
- ↑ So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33
- ↑ Acts 17:7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
- 1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
- Mark 15:43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counseller, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
- ↑ Origen
- ↑ Tribute is an excise tax on the property and labor of the people. See Employ vs. Enslave in the “Covenants of the gods” for a more complete explanation.
- ↑ The Greek “ontos” 1) truly, in reality, in point of fact, .. 2) that which is truly etc., that which is indeed.
- ↑ Matthew 20:25-26 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mark 10:42-43 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
Luke 22:25-26 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
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