Anointing the ‘Little Christs’ as Prophets, Priests and Kings

Anointing the ’Little Christs’ as Prophets, Priests and Kings.

“Jesus of Nazareth was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with great power. He did wonderful things for others in His acts of kindness, and divinely healed all who were under the tyranny of the Devil; He traveled through the country helping people, doing good, and healing everyone who was harassed by the Devil.” (Acts 10:38).

Jesus the Christ: Jesus (Yeshua) is His name, and Christ is His title. In the New Testament, “Christ” means “Anointed One,” as does “Messiah” in the Hebrew Bible. There were three official biblical roles in the Hebrew Bible that required an anointing with oil… prophet, priest and king. All three were anointed for their godly responsibilities by a sacred oil. In Jesus’ case, He was anointed for all three God-ordained positions, the only person to weave together the roles of prophet, priest and king into one Person’s identity. Jesus was the Anointed One in His heavenly nature as He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in mother Mary. And He was anointed in His humanity by the Father and the Holy Spirit to complete His preparation for God’s mission on earth of redemption and deliverance. All the anointing by oil in the Hebrew Bible anticipates the coming of the Anointed One, the Messiah, who fulfills the prophetic meaning of anointing. Anointing looks like this: The Father poured the oil of the Holy Spirit onto the Anointed One, who in turn anoints with His Spirit all the anointed ones who choose to follow Jesus Messiah.

On ‘the Anointed One’ as PROPHET. “And when Jesus entered Jerusalem (on Palm Sunday), all the city was shaken and trembling with amazement, and asked, ‘Who is this man?’ And the crowds replied, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee!” (Matt. 21:10-11); “Reverent fear seized them all, and they began to recognize God and give thanks, saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us! God has visited His people!” (Luke 7:16); “Jesus returned with His disciples to His hometown of Nazareth. On the Sabbath, He taught in the synagogue. Everyone who heard His teaching was overwhelmed with astonishment. They said among themselves, ‘Isn’t this Mary’s son the carpenter?’ And they all took offense at Him. Jesus then said, ‘A prophet is honored everywhere except His own hometown.” (Mark 6:4); “For has not Moses told us: ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet from among you who is like Me. Listen to Him and follow everything He tells you.” (Acts 3:22, Deut. 18:15-18). 

On ‘the Anointed One’ as PRIEST. “Inasmuch as we have a magnificent High Priest who has already ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession of faith in Him. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to understand and sympathize with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but one who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.” (Hebrews 4:14-15); “This Priest did not arise because of genealogical right under the Law to be a priest, but by the power of an indestructible, resurrection life! For it says in the Psalms, ‘You are like Melchizedek, a Priest forever!” (Heb. 7:16-17); “Since we now have a great High Priest to welcome us into God’s house, we come closer to God and approach Him with an open heart, fully convinced that nothing will keep us at a distance from Him.” (Heb. 10:21-22).

On ‘the Anointed One’ as KING. “You will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His forefather David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob throughout the ages, and of His reign there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33); “After that comes the End, when He delivers over the kingdom to God the Father after abolishing every other rule and every authority and power. For the Anointed One must be King and reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.” (1 Corinthians 15:24-25); “And on His robe and on His thigh He has a title inscribed: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.” (Rev. 19:16); “Therefore God exalted Messiah Jesus to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus the Anointed One is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9); “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

Christians: Since ‘Christ’ means “Anointed One,” then it follows that “Christian” means “anointed ones.” All who follow Jesus are anointed ones who are hidden “in” Christ the Anointed One. All Christian believers who are “inside” Jesus share His anointing and partake of His nature. We are anointed by the Spirit of the Holy One, and are what C. S. Lewis called “little Christs,” or little anointed ones. Our identity as anointed ones enable us to assume the roles of little prophet, little priest, and little king, miniature versions of those three roles, as we live into our identity as Christ-followers. “You have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error] … This anointing you received from God remains permanently in you so then you have no need for anyone to be teaching you these deceptions. His anointing teaches everything you need to know, for the anointing will continue to lead you into truth, not falsehood. So just as your anointing has taught you, abide in Him and remain rooted in Him.” (1 John 2:20, 27 Amplified Bible).

“Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.”  (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity).

A Miniature ‘Anointed One.’ What does it mean to become a “little Christ,” a miniature ‘anointed one,’ a human version of the divine Messiah? How do we go about becoming little Christs? We certainly can’t assume the role of Messiah, but we can each become a little messiah-in-training. The Hebrew Scriptures are very clear about their appointed leaders… they must be anointed. The roles of prophet, priest and king are these anointed ones, and they find their fulfillment in the Anointed One in the Gospels. This is another example of how Christianity is basically a Jewish religion. The Christian faith finds it roots in the Jewish faith. Jesus was a faithful Jew, and so much of the Jewish Bible finds its fulfillment in the Gospel story. The anointed ones in the Old Testament find their culmination in the Anointed One in the New Testament. Some examples: Elisha is anointed by Elijah to be a prophet; Aaron is anointed by Moses to be a priest; David is anointed by Samuel to be king. And Jesus is anointed by the Father and the Holy Spirit to be Messiah at His baptism. Jesus became the Christ who holds all three offices together, prophet, priest and king, summed up in the one office of Messiah.

Living into the Roles of Christ. To become a little Christ, a messiah-in-training, we need to think about representing Him, imitating him, adopting His offices of prophet, priest and king. So it follows that each follower of Jesus is anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to, to some degree, fulfill human versions of those three divine offices pioneered by Christ. Each believer has embedded within him/her the power and inclination to participant in His mission by being a little prophet, a little priest and a little king. These roles are summed up in that of little Christ, without developing a Messiah complex. It is not the believer’s job to be the one holy and anointed Messiah. Believers are asked to be juniors-in-training, little versions of the Senior-in-charge. Believers are called to be servant-prophets, servant-priests, and servant-kings. Nothing more. Nothing less. Believers don’t have the authority or ability to be anything but little versions of Jesus Christ, doing much the same thing that He did on the earth.

The Believer as a Little Prophet. God’s little prophets don’t need to foretell the future, carry out miracles, or perform healings, though that may occasionally happen. But the servant-prophet can:

1. Stand Up for Justice. Einstein once remarked that the prophetic voice in society is crucial because “the prophet has an almost fanatical love of justice.” Prophetic work in justice could include advocating for those who are being unfairly treated or taken advantage of. It could be standing up for the life of the unborn or the elderly regarding abortion or euthanasia. Or it could be rescuing those innocent ones who are accused unjustly. Justice is central to God’s character and God’s desires for humanity, and so the prophet works to make things right according to the character and will of the Lord. A little prophet may end up contradicting societal norms, a prophet may be countercultural, but that’s consistent with all prophets in Scripture. Jesus was the Big Prophet, and we follow His lead by doing His prophetic work when we see injustice. As Yahweh told the prophet Isaiah, “Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17).
2. Take Special Assignments. The prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures were often called by God to be living visual aids to God’s word for the people. They simply did what God asked them to do to demonstrate or spread His word. Prophets weren’t afraid to be unconventional in their obedience. One pastor recently heard from the Lord that he should preach a sermon/day for 100 consecutive days. So he did just that, and the Spirit moved powerfully. Another pastor heard from the Lord that he should simply read the Bible through out loud on his podcast, for a full year. He did just that, and it became the #1 podcast in the country. Prophets aren’t shy about doing something different or out of the ordinary if the Lord directs things in that way. Prophets historically are not afraid to do something unconventional if that’s what’s called for. Little prophets follow in the footsteps of the Big Prophet.
3. Speak the Word. God’s Word sooner or later comes down to justice and mercy. An act of compassion is worth a hundred words. So is a gesture of comfort and hope. Mere God-talk is not necessarily speaking the Word. Reciting Scripture in an inappropriate context or for selfish reasons is not speaking the Word. Sometimes, though, when led by the Holy Spirit, speaking the Scripture is a powerful tool of God to accomplish His will. Sometimes a well-timed and apt Bible verse or story has the power of the Almighty God behind it. When the spiritual authority of the Lord is filling the Word, it is as if God Himself is in the room speaking. In fact, that’s exactly what it is. Much like the biblical prophets, the little prophets now speak the Word in Spirit and power, not to gain advantage or gain a holy reputation. “My word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty. It will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11).
4. Be God’s Spokesperson. If the biblical world was a classroom, God’s prophets were the visual aids. As the Lord’s mouthpieces, they were often called upon to be symbols of His messages. Since they were instructed to be dramatic illustrations of the word of the Lord, the people not only heard the word, they literally sawthe word. So prophets were often asked to make spectacles of themselves. Sometimes they went from being mouthpieces to megaphones in their actions. They were held up for ridicule, mockery and rejection. Because prophets were obedient to a fairly unpredictable God, they were often dismissed as cranks and eccentrics and not taken seriously. Prophets were often instructed to be living object lessons, so they had to learn how to swallow their pride and embrace public humiliation. Sometimes prophets did things that should be glossed over in Sunday School if not totally ignored. At times we have to wince when we read of a prophet’s antics, and we want to file it under “Do not try this at home.” We can often take a light-hearted approach to their street theater. In such cases we can take to heart G. K. Chesterton’s words, “He who has the Faith has the fun.” But other times their performance art is not mere comic relief. It is difficult and painful and definitely not fun. All this translates into God’s biblical prophets being spiritual live wires, engaging personalities, and real characters. The biblical prophets may have struggled at times with accepting God’s instructions, but in the end they all settled into being fools for the Lord.
5. The prophet’s job is equal opportunity. Miriam is the first woman in the Hebrew Bible to be called a prophetess (Ex. 15:20). She is prominent in Jewish history, and is on the short list of the seven special women in the Jewish faith who were called prophetesses. These women are the “Holy Women to Israel”: Sarah (Genesis), Miriam (Exodus, Numbers), Deborah (Judges), Hannah (1 Samuel), Abigail (1 Samuel 25), Huldah (2 Kings), and Esther. The designated prophet in Jewish circles, whether male or female, held a unique place in the Scriptures. Prophets and prophetesses were able to receive divine revelations from the Lord regarding the future as well as the present. The prophet would speak what was on God’s mind. Prophets were also held up as role models of sanctity and intimacy with God. They set the community standards for religious faith and behavior. Rabbinic tradition holds that Miriam was at first considered a prophet because she had prophesied to her parents that they would bear the person who would deliver the Israelites from bondage. The fact that both mother and sister went to such extraordinary measures to take care of Moses suggests that they knew Moses was going to be unique, with a singular role as savior and deliverer of His people. The other reason Miriam was called a prophetess in Scripture is that she was described that way in direct connection to her role as worship leader in song at the Red Sea. Music and prophecy have always had a unique bond regarding the Lord’s revelations.

The Believer as a Little Priest. “Like living stones, you are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5). Each believer is called to be a priestly assistant as we devote ourselves to the High Priest. How can we flesh out our place in the ‘priesthood of believers?’

1. Be an Intercessor. If there is one word that would summarize the role of the priest, it would be intercessor. Help meet the spiritual needs of others by bringing God to them, representing the presence of God, by demonstrating God’s character to others so they know what God looks like and what kind of character God has. Help maintain God’s connection to people through Scripture, wise counsel and holy living. And then through more direct intercession, bring others to God. Let the incense burn so that the smoke and fragrance go straight to heaven in your prayers for the people you know, or don’t know. Your effectiveness in the priesthood is heavily dependent on your disciplined prayer life.
2. Offer Yourself Daily as a Living Sacrifice. Read God’s mind by studying the Bible; minister to “one another” in God’s name; offer up sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving; live a life of self-denial as you pick up your cross daily. “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:1-2). The priests back in Moses’ system offered up lots of sacrifices that involved animals, grain, etc., but the priests following Jesus simply offer up themselves.
3. Lead the Worship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. An often overlooked and underappreciated responsibility of the priest is to lead the way into worship through singing praises, and playing instruments, and dancing in joy to the praise of God. Priests were known to sing a “weapon song” as they led the troops into battle. Consider the method of fighting by king Jehoshaphat, placing a long line of singing priests on the front lines of what looked like an impossible battle with a completely overpowering enemy. “And the prophet Jahaziel said, ‘Listen, all Judah and you citizens of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat! Yahweh says this to you, ‘Do not be afraid, do not be daunted by this vast horde, for the war is not your affair but God’s. Go down against them tomorrow. You will not need to fight in this battle. Take up your position, stand firm, and see what salvation Yahweh has in store for you. Judah and Jerusalem! Be fearless, be dauntless; march out against them tomorrow and Yahweh will be with you.’ Then, having conferred with the people, Jehoshaphat appointed Levitical singers who were to praise Yahweh and go out ahead of the army in sacred vestments, singing, ‘Praise Yahweh, for his faithful love endures forever!’ The moment they began their shouts of praise, Yahweh sprang ambushes on all who were invading Judah, and that was the end of them.”  (2 Chronicles 18:18and 20:15-17, 22, NJB).

The Believer as a Little King: Christian believers are not the type of Little Kings that need to be in charge or sitting majestically on some throne. They don’t need to rule over other people. They don’t need to establish little kingdoms of their own in which to reign supreme. Little kings are servants of Christ the King:

1. Have dominion over the created world. Believers, and people in general, actually are intended to see nature as their domain. We are to rule over creation, establish our reign over it, subdue it and master it. What does a good master, a little king, do exactly? Be a good steward of nature, doing our best to help creation flourish. We are to take responsibility over creation and exercise the kind of power that enables nature to grow and be healthy. We are to honor God by caring effectively for His handiwork, preserving the created world for His delight. We are to enjoy a God-ordained relationship over the created world, as God spelled out in Genesis 1:26-28: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of heaven, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that moves on the earth.” 
2. Live as a Member of the Royal Family. Believers have been adopted into God’s family, and welcomed into spiritual royalty. So we need to live into that status, honorably, humbly, responsibly, as servants of the King. We don’t stoop to attitudes or behavior that are not worthy of Kingdom royalty. We don’t try to usurp the King in some sort of power struggle. We treat every believer as brother and sister, as members of this royal family, with love and respect, acknowledging together our gratitude to the King for our life-saving adoption through the mercy of the Kingly Father.
3. Extend the Kingdom. We cooperate with the King in His desire to expand His kingdom. He wants ultimately for all to be adopted, and He wants us to work to that end. The King has anointed believers to tell the Good News of His reign to those who haven’t heard. When it comes to His kingdom, the King says that there’s always room for more. In fact, the King will keep filing adoption papers for all eternity if that’s what it takes.

Anointed in Baptism. In keeping with biblical principle, believers who are little prophets, little priests and little kings must be anointed with both water and oil. Jesus’ baptism paved the way for this process. Just as He was anointed by the Father with the Holy Spirit at His baptism, believers are likewise anointed at their baptism. Two sanctified materials are needed at a baptism to complete the anointing: water and oil. The Holy Spirit comes to the baptized, alights on them like a dove from heaven, and remains as it did with Jesus the Anointed. Only, just because the baptized become little Christs, doesn’t mean the baptized receive a little anointing. The Holy Spirit doesn’t come in bits and pieces. The Holy Spirit isn’t dribbled, drop by drop, but instead is poured till overflowing on the newly baptized. Whenever we see the Holy Spirit being applied, He is poured.

An extravagant anointing of the Holy Spirit to produce little prophets, little priests and little kings. In all this, let us remember that there is only one Messiah. Believers are only little messiahs, not the divine Messiah. We are little Christs, not The Christ.