THE KING PRIEST
SCRIPTURE
Zechariah 6:12–13
“Behold, the man whose name is the Branch… He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne.”
1 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…”
REFLECTION
From the beginning, in the Garden, God created man to be both king and priest (Genesis 1:26–28; 2:15). A king is one who rules and reigns, while a priest is one who has access to the Father and sets his life to walk in His ways.
When sin entered the world, that design was fractured. Adam lost his place of rule, yielding it to the adversary (Genesis 3:6–7; 1 John 5:19), and he lost his unhindered access to the Father (Genesis 3:8; 22–24). Since that moment, creation has carried the ache of that loss. Yet both God and man have longed for restoration, for man and woman, for Eve stood there too, to be raised again into their rightful place as king priests (Genesis 1:27–28; Romans 5:12–21).
Throughout Scripture, we see glimpses of this calling. Both Enoch and Noah walked with God (Genesis 5:22–24; 6:9). Others set themselves apart to the Lord, including Moses (Exodus 33:11), Ruth (Ruth 1:16–17), David (1 Samuel 13:14; Psalm 23), and Elijah (1 Kings 19:9–18). Yet the fullness of the king priest reality was never restored. Instead, it was divided. The tribe of Judah carried the scepter of kingship (Genesis 49:10), while the tribe of Levi stewarded the priesthood (Exodus 28:1–3; Numbers 3:10).
There was a moment when God invited His people back into that original design. At Sinai, He called Israel to be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:5–6). But they drew back, fearing His nearness, and refused the invitation (Exodus 20:18–21). What was offered was holy, but it was also costly.
So God, in His mercy, sent His Son to accomplish the promised redemption (Luke 1:68–75; Hebrews 4:14–16). In Him, what was divided is made one again. In Him, we are restored as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people (1 Peter 2:9).
A powerful picture of this restoration is found in Zechariah. The high priest Joshua stands before the Lord, defiled by sin, and is cleansed and recommissioned (Zechariah 3:1–5). He is given access again. He is restored to stand before God.
But the story does not stop there.
God then commands that Joshua be crowned as king (Zechariah 6:9–13). The king and priest roles are brought together and placed upon one man, a prophetic sign pointing beyond itself.
He is called the Branch (Zechariah 3:8; 6:12–13).
This is no small detail. The Branch is the promised One, the coming Messiah. What is symbolized in Joshua finds its fulfillment in Jesus, the true King Priest (Hebrews 4:14; Revelation 1:5–6). In Him, the crown and the priesthood are perfectly united.
And now, in Him, so are we (Revelation 1:6; 5:10).
We are not waiting to become king priests. Through Christ, we have been restored to that calling. We are those who draw near to God and those who carry His authority into the earth. We are those who minister before Him and those who walk in His rule.
King priests are who we are now.
CALL TO ACTION
Pause today and consider where you may be living beneath what God has restored.
Have you been approaching Him with distance instead of access?
Have you been shrinking back instead of walking in quiet authority?
Take one small step today.
Draw near to Him intentionally, even in the middle of your normal routine.
Invite Him into your space, your decisions, your thoughts.
Live like someone who belongs near to God.
PRAYER
Father,
Thank You that through Jesus, what was once broken has been restored.
Thank You that we are no longer separated from You, but invited near.
Teach us to live as those who both draw close and walk in Your ways.
Form in us hearts that seek You daily and lives that reflect Your authority with humility.
Help us not to forget who we are in You.
And give us grace to walk this out, not in striving, but in surrender.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
JOURNALING PROMPTS
What does it mean to me personally to be part of a royal priesthood?
Do I tend to feel distant from God or invited near? Why?
Where in my life am I hesitant to walk in the authority God has given me?
What would it look like for me to bring God into my everyday routines this week?
Is there an area where I have been striving instead of resting in what Christ has already done?
