Who Will He Be?

Anticipation for Jesus’ coming grows as we consider what he will do. Scripture also unfolds little by little the layers of who he will be. We see a picture emerge of our savior, the prophet who would speak for God to the people. He would be Priest, who would represent the people before God, making sacrifice to bring them into his presence. And he would be King, to rule over God’s people forever and ever.

Prophet:
Deu 18:15-18 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— (16) just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ (17) And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. (18) I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

Act 3:22-26 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. (23) And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ (24) And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. (25) You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ (26) God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”


All the prophets who spoke for God, who rose before the people to declare “Thus says the Lord” or who modeled his love towards his sinful bride or reenacted the siege of Jerusalem, those who miraculously healed the sick and rose the dead, all these prophets were but a shadow of the Prophet who would come. Heb 1:1-2 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, (2) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

King:
In the narrative of Scripture it was the prophets who would confront or encourage the kings. They were God’s voice to provide accountability to the king God anointed. The coming savior would be both prophet and king.

Gen 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Num 24:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.
Mic 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Isa 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Again and again we are pointed to the coming messiah king who would reign in justice and mercy and strength forever.

Priest:
Throughout this narrative there was a distinction between the kings and the priests. Saul was condemned for offering a sacrifice instead of waiting for the priestly prophet Samuel. Or king Uzziah who thought he would go into the temple and offer up the incense before the Lord and fled from the temple leprous. But this coming savior, will be prophet and king and priest.

We saw him prefigured in Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)

And we are told Jesus fulfilled this role.

Heb 6:19-7:1 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, (20) where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (7:1) For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

Heb 4:14-16 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Oh what a savior! In Advent we celebrate and anticipate Jesus, the Prophet who speaks to us for God and reveals the mind and heart of God. We bow before his rule and reign and authority over our lives as King. And we rely by faith on his priestly work to bring us confidently into the presence of our Holy God.