Reigning with the Lamb
Disciples reign with Jesus as priests that render service in his Tabernacle and mediate his light in the world.
The present reign of Jesus is based on his past death
and resurrection because of which his disciples also reign with him. But like
him, their elevation to rule over the earth is paradoxical - it is
characterized by self-sacrificial service and perseverance in testimony, and
the outpouring of his lifeblood has consecrated them as “priests” to God.
Priestly service IS
what it means to reign with the “Lamb,” and this role echoes the
original mission given by Yahweh to Israel at Mount Sinai - “You will be for me a kingdom of
priests, and a holy nation”
- (Exodus 19:6).
(Revelation 1:5-6) – “Jesus
Christ, the
faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the
earth. Unto him who
loves us and loosed us from our
sins by his blood; and
he made us a
kingdom, priests
for his God
and Father.”
PRIESTLY SERVICE
In the Greek text of the
passage from Revelation, “kingdom” is set in apposition to “priests”
- the latter term defines the former. This is a priestly kingdom, therefore,
its members execute their royal duties AS “priests.” There is one
group in view, not two; “priestly kings,” not “priests” and “kings.”
Jesus is the glorious “Son
of Man,” a high priestly figure who serves in the sanctuary and walks among
“seven golden lampstands.” This picture reflects the ancient Tabernacle that
featured a seven-branched lampstand. And he is clothed with the full-length
linen robe of the high priest that is held together by a “golden girdle.”
In this sanctuary, Jesus tends the seven “lampstands,”
trimming their wicks and replenishing oil as needed. And the “golden lampstands”
represent the “seven churches of Asia” that he oversees from the
heavenly Tabernacle – (Revelation 1:12-20).
To the saint who “overcomes,” this Son of
Man promises to “grant
him to sit down with me in my throne, just as I also overcame and sat down with
my Father in his throne.”
But to rise to such a high honor, the disciple must “overcome” in the
same manner that he did; that is, just as he became the “faithful witness”
who loved us and “loosed us from our sins by his blood.”
Saints
do not attain regal status by conquering their persecutors or enslaving other
men, but by overcoming sin, and Satan, persevering in tribulation, and bearing
faithful testimony to the larger world – (Revelation 3:21).
REIGNING LAMB
In the vision of the throne
at the center of the universe, only the “slain Lamb” is found “worthy”
to open the “sealed scroll.” Though he is the “lion of the tribe of Judah,”
he fulfills that role as the sacrificial “Lamb.” This understanding is
confirmed by the myriad of voices raised in his praise:
- “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and purchased unto God with your blood men from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and made them unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth…Worthy is the Lamb that has been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” – (Revelation 5:9-12).
Once again, the
call of ancient Israel is applied to the people redeemed by the “Lamb,”
the men and women purchased by his blood who are constituted a “kingdom and
priests.” Therefore, “they are reigning on the earth.”
And as priestly kings, they bear testimony and reflect his light on the earth.
In the vision of
the “innumerable multitude,” John sees men “clothed in white robes” coming out of the “Great Tribulation” who have washed their
robes and made them white “in the blood of the Lamb.” They are standing before the “Lamb”
in the sanctuary, and “He that sits on the throne shall spread his
tabernacle over them.”
PRIESTLY ASSEMBLY
The “white robes” worn by the
saints are based on the garments worn by Aaron and his sons when they were
installed as priests in the original Tabernacle. Thus, once more, overcoming
saints are pictured as priests at worship, only in the Greater Tabernacle established
by the “Lamb”– (Leviticus 8:6-7, Revelation 7:9-17).
This priestly company is “rendering divine service” before
the throne. This translates the Greek verb latreuô, the same verb
applied to the service of the Levitical priests in the ancient Greek version of
Leviticus, the Septuagint. And here, present-tense verbs are used
– these priests are “SERVING him day and night” in the sanctuary.
The priestly role
of the saints becomes clearer when John “measures” the “sanctuary,”
the “altar,” and “those who were rendering divine service” in it (latreuô),
that is, the priests conducting their duties before the “altar.”
After he “measures”
the “sanctuary,” the entire “holy city” is handed over to the
nations and “trampled underfoot forty-two months” – (Revelation 11:1-2).
This same reality
is found in the vision of the “Beast from the sea.” It is given a “mouth
speaking great things” with which it “slanders the tabernacle, those that dwell in the heaven.” In the Greek clause,
there is no conjunction between “tabernacle” and “they who tabernacle.”
The two terms are in apposition and the latter defines the former.
This understanding is confirmed by the
next verse - “it was given to it to make war with the saints, and to
overcome them.” The “Beast” wages war on the
priestly company that stands “rendering divine service” (latreuô).
This is in deliberate contrast to the “inhabitants
of the earth” that “render homage” (proskeneô) to the “Beast”
– (Revelation 13:4-7).
REIGNING WITH THE LAMB
The “kingdom of
priests” is presented once more at the start of the “thousand years.”
After Satan is bound in the “Abyss,” judgment is given to the martyrs
who die for the “testimony of Jesus and the word of God, and such as did not render
homage to the beast.”
They “lived
and reigned with Christ a thousand years… Over these, the second death
has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and reign with him
a thousand years.” They qualify to reign with him because they willingly give their lives
in service to the “Lamb.”
Thus, Jesus is a
priestly figure in the book of Revelation. His sacrifice redeems men, and
he now reigns as their high priest. In turn, his lifeblood consecrates them as
“priests” who serve and reign with him on the earth. And they are summoned
to rule in the same manner that he did – through sacrificial priestly service on
behalf of others.
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