When we look at God’s relationship with His people throughout scripture, we find that the roles of prophet, priest, and king are central to this understanding. As fallen humans, we need prophets to proclaim God’s word, priests to mediate with God for us, and leaders to guide us to follow God. While Christ would come to perfectly fill all these offices, before His coming we see many others serving in these roles.
Biblical history can be broken down into nine different eras, each marked by how God uses these three offices.
- The Patriarchs – Israel doesn’t become a nation until their emergence from Egypt in Exodus. Before that time, God is interacting with individuals and we see the patriarchs serve as prophets, priests, and kings to their families.
- The Wilderness – While only 70 of God’s people went into Egypt, they have now grown to a nation of between two and five million. We see Moses arise as prophet, priest, and judge for those people. We also see the establishment of the Levitical priestly line in Aaron.
- The Judges – Starting with the death of Moses and extending until Samuel anoints Saul, the nation of Israel is in the Promised Land. During this time, the people are led by a number of judges. This is a time where we see few prophets mentioned and the priests largely fade into the background.
- The Kings – For over 400 years the people are led by kings, some who were faithful to God and many who were not. The faithful kings seek God through their priests and prophets. The unfaithful are visited by prophets declaring God’s warnings.
- The Exile – God was not silent during the 70 year exile of His people. He continues to speak through prophets who explain His reason for sending them into exile and reiterate His promise of a return.
- The Return – When God restores His people to the Promised Land the priests take the center stage. The first step in their return is to rebuild the temple and restore worship. Prophets continue to speak God’s word, but the nation no longer has their own king.
- The Silence – God’s prophetic word is absent for the roughly 400 years leading up to the time of Christ. Israel is ruled over by other nations so they have no king of their own. We do however see the rise of faithful priests who fight for God in the midst of their occupation.
- Christ – Christ emerges as the ultimate Prophet who proclaims God’s word, Priest who never ceases to mediate for His people, and King of Kings who will rule forever.
- The Church – As with the church of the New Testament, the modern church lives in a world where Christ has been established in the three offices. Yet, we are called to be prophets, priests, and leaders in our families, churches, communities, nations, and throughout the world.
This study will provide an overview of the roles of prophet, priest, and king through these nine eras. Below you will find video recordings of the lessons and a handout showing the basic outline as well as the scriptures referenced.
Lesson 1 – Intro and Eden – In this lesson we lay the groundwork for this study by examining the purpose of the offices of prophet, priest, and king/judge/leader. We then look at Eden where Adam and Eve lived in complete harmony with God, then destroy that harmony by choosing to be their own king/queen.
Lesson 2 – The Patriarchs – In this lesson we take a look at the patriarchs and their relationship with God. The actual offices of prophet, priest, and king aren’t established until the exodus but we see the beginnings of those roles in the patriarchs.
Lesson 3 – The Wilderness – In this lesson we study Israel’s time in the wilderness where the offices of prophet, priest, and king are established.
Lesson 4 – The Judges – In this lesson we find Israel inhabiting the Promised Land and led by a series of judges from Joshua through Samuel.
Lesson 5 – The Kings – In this lesson we examine the reign of the kings, the role of the priests in the kingdom, and how God uses His prophets to direct the people.
Lesson 6 – Exile, Return, and Silence – In this lesson we take on the exile as revealed in the prophets, the return where the priests re-establish the temple, and the intertestamental period where priests fight to preserve the temple worship.
Timeline of the Exile
Timeline of the Return
Timeline of the Intertestamental Period
Information about the kingdoms of Daniel’s visions and the Maccabean period:
https://www.agapebiblestudy.com/SalvationHistory/_L23_REVOLT%20OF%20THE%20MACCABEES.htm
Information about the religious groups of the intertestamental period:
https://faithchurchpa.org/curriculum/9-12/9-12i2.pdf
Information about the Temple of Herod: https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14304-temple-of-herod
Lesson 7 – Christ – In this lesson we find in Christ the ultimate fulfillment of the offices of prophet, priest, and king.
Lesson 8 – The Church – In this lesson we consider the early church (and the modern church) living under the reign of our Prophet, Priest, and King.