Jesus Christ, Priest and King –
A Death Blow to Premillennialism
The doctrine of premillennialism has caused many problems in the religious world. A great number of denominations embrace this false doctrine. Battles have been and are being fought in our brotherhood over this issue.
In 1878 W.E. Blackstone wrote a book entitled Jesus is Coming. In this book he set forth the doctrine of premillennialism. One of the cardinal doctrines of premillennialism is to deny that the kingdom and the church are the same. On page 137 Blackstone said, “Again, as we have before shown, the church is not the kingdom. . . surely this language plainly distinguishes between the church and the kingdom is yet future.” Premillennialism also teaches that Christ will set up His kingdom on earth and reign 1,000 years.
There are some passages concerning Christ being priest and king that need to be considered in view of the doctrine of premillennialism.
In Psalms 132:11, the Lord said He would raise up one, of the fruit of David, to sit on David’s throne. Peter declared in Acts 2:30 that this one was Christ. In Luke 1:31-33 the angel Gabriel told Mary that the child she was to have was to be the Son of the Highest and that the Lord God would give unto Him the throne of his father David. Peter declared in Acts 2 that Christ was at the right hand of God on the throne of David. Mark 16:19 informs us that Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down on the right hand of God. Many New Testament passages show that Jesus is now at the right hand of God: Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1.
The Old Testament tells us that Christ, the Branch, would, “Build the temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both” (Zechariah 6:12-13). Notice that Christ was to be priest while on His throne or priest and king at the same time. Christ was a priest after the order of Melchisedec who was also priest and king at the same time (Hebrews 7:1).
Now think about it: if Christ was to be priest and king at the same time and if it can be shown that He could be neither priest nor king on earth, then premillennialism will have been shown to be a false doctrine.
Since He was to be priest and king at the same time, when one proves Jesus could not be one of these on earth, he has proved that Jesus could be neither on earth. However, let us consider both positions of king and priest separately.
First, consider Christ as priest on earth. The book of Hebrews tells us that we have a high priest who is now seated at the right hand of God (Hebrews 5:14; Hebrews 8:1). We learn from Hebrews 8:4 that Christ could not be a priest on earth. Why? He was of the tribe of Judah (Hebrews 6:14). Remember, Zecharaiah 6:12-13 said Jesus would be priest and king at the same time. So then we have seen from the Scriptures that Christ could not be a priest on earth, therefore he could not be a king on earth.
Next consider Christ as king. Jeremiah said of Jechonias or Coniah and his heirs, “Thus saith the Lord, write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David ruling any more in Judah” (Jeremiah 22:30). In the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1:12, Jechonias was in the lineage of Christ. Thus Jesus would not prosper sitting on the throne of David in Judah. Peter declared in Acts 2:30-33 that Christ was sitting on the throne of David at the right hand of God. Notice, Christ was on the right hand of God on David’s throne not in Judah. Therefore, Christ according to Jeremiah 22:30 could not be king on earth.
Christ is presently reigning as King. Remember, Christ was to sit and rule on his throne while He was priest. Christ is now on the right hand of God as both our high priest and ourking (Hebrews 4:14). If Christ is now a king, of what is He king? He must then be king of a kingdom now! If He is king of a kingdom then the kingdom must exist now.
Next, consider that Christ’s kingdom could not be established at His second coming as taught be premillennialism. In II Samuel 7:12-13, it was said that the kingdom would be established while David slept with his fathers. At the second coming of Christ, David nor anyone else will sleep, but all will be resurrected (John 5:28). Peter pointed out on the Day of Pentecost, when the kingdom was established, that David was dead and buried and that his sepulcher was still there (Acts 2:29).
The fact that Christ is now at the right hand of God reigning as priest and king on David’s throne proves the doctrine of premillennialism to be false.