Deuteronomy 17 and 18 speak of God’s prophets, priests and kings… what they will be like and what is required of them. Remember that the large story of the Scripture is the Kingdom of God. The Lord has always intended to be the Sovereign with mankind as his sub-regents ruling the earth in relationship to him and under his guidance and direction (see Genesis 1:26-28). So here in Deut. 17, as the people of God are preparing to enter the Promised Land, God gives directions for the administrative structure of the nation. It will be a theocracy – God will be the King. However, the Lord knew that the people would want to set a human king over themselves in order to be like the other nations (Dt 17:14). So his direction for the King was as follows: The King must first be chosen by God (since he would represent God ultimately and not himself). He must: (1) be from among the people of Israel (no outsiders), (2) he must not acquire too many horses, too many wives, nor too many riches (lest his heart turn away from God), (3) he must not allow the people to return to Egypt (remember Egypt is a type for the world – so he must protect the nation from operating in the world’s ways), and (4) he MUST know and reign from the law so that he fears the Lord, reigns rightly, and doesn’t become proud in his position. Israel’s history (stay tuned, we will read about this shortly in the historical books of Samuel, Chronicles and Kings) shows how the nation fared based upon how the kings fared in relation to this ordinance. It’s is extraordinary how Jesus fulfills the requirements of the true King and has been speaking about this throughout the Gospel of John. He states in John 17: “Father the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son my glorify you, since you have given him all authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:1-5). The true and chosen Son, given all authority (not only on earth but also in heaven), about to be glorified as King (here in Advent we look forward to the fulfillment of that statement — he reigns now in heaven – he will come again to rule the earth).
We also see the requirements for God’s Prophets laid out in Deut. 18. The Prophet would: (1) be from among God’s people (no outsiders), (2) he would speak for God and therefore must be listened to (the prophets would have the final say over the kings – this will lead to many future prophets being killed by ruthless kings), (3) he would only speak the words God gave him (this could be tested by whether or not the words came true). Remember the people had decided that they did not want to speak hear directly from God nor see his fire lest they die due to their own sinfulness. So the Prophet would be the true voice from heaven speaking God’s words to God’s people. In John 17 Jesus states “Father, I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me,” (John 17:6-8). Jesus as the true Prophet has come speaking only the words the Father has given him; he has revealed the Father to the people through signs and wonders, and he is about to fulfill what he prophesied: that when he is lifted up on the cross he will provide us with access to God.
Interestingly, Deut 18 also mentions priests; though their roles are spelled out more fully elsewhere. However, it does say of the priest: “For the Lord has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord for all time.” John 17 is called the “High Priestly Prayer of Jesus.” In this prayer Jesus makes intercession (the role of a priest) for God’s people. Likewise he is about to offer the final himself as the final sacrifice for the sins of the world (stay tuned in the readings ahead).
Finally, Jesus declares that we who belong to him have a mission. It is similar to and part of his continuing mission: t(1) We are to be sub-regents (sent out into the world to represent the King) (Jn 17:18, 22); and (2) we are to be sanctified in the truth of God’s word so that we can make that word known to the world (Jn 17:17, 21). As we live in Him, and allow his love to live in us, this will be accomplished – and many will come to eternal life!
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