Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Three Strands
Israel had three distinct ministries pertaining to the people’s divine worship. These were the king, the priests, and the prophets. When these groups were operating in unity with God and one another, victory and peace were assured.
In every administration, the kings faced adversity. Many wars were recorded in the prophetic histories we find in the Bible. These prophetic interpretations of Israel’s history are found in the ‘historical books.’ These are not secular histories; they are prophetic interpretations of the events.
In God’s timing, righteous kings would take advantage of prophetic information and dispatch armies to either consolidate, defend or expand the dominion of the Theocratic State of Israel. When the people loved and relied on God, and were relatively clean of the sins of idolatry, oppression, immorality and participation in the occult, they were led from victory to victory.
All three ministries had to function. It was not enough to have a functioning priesthood. The prophetic was necessary even in times of shalom. It was not enough to have a functioning priesthood and an effective prophetic ministry. The kings had to be those who feared and relied upon God, as well.
When the kings did not fear Yahweh, the priesthood became corrupt and the prophetic ineffectual. When the kings were evil, the priesthood expedited idolatry; the prophets were reduced to soothsaying and flattery.
The king was the key to everything functioning well. The monarchy couldn’t function with God’s blessing apart from their maintaining the priesthood and hearing the prophets.
The king provided governance to the people of God. Uniquely anointed, in times of peace or war, he provided stability and direction. The priests assisted the people, offering sacrifices, reconciling them to God, instructing them in the ways of the Lord. The more privileged priests had the opportunity to draw near to God, to minister to Him, interceding for the people, beholding His glory. The prophets were uniquely called by God, hearing His voice, ministering to Him in worship, prayer and released His word to kings, Judah and the nations.
The distinct giftings necessary to carry forward a successful spiritual warfare are similar to the three offices that God sanctioned in the history of Israel.
To see the victory we desire, there must be a governmentally discerned prophetic voice that informs the direction of the prayer life of the church. There must be a priesthood who brings these requests before the Lord as they worship the Lord. According to God’s mercy, these things are not beyond us.
Three Strands in Biblical History
The first example we’ll look at is a well-known deliverance Judah experienced under King Jehoshaphat. The armies of several nations were threatening to overwhelm the Southern Kingdom. Jehoshaphat called the nation to fast and to cry out to God for help.
In the middle of this fast, the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel who prophesied direction to the nation. Jehoshaphat did three things. He discerned the Voice of the LORD in the prophecy. Then he exhorted the people to believe the prophetic word. Finally, he assigned the Levitical priests to worship the Lord upon the basis of the coming promise.
The enemies of Judah self-destructed.
Another illustration of this pattern can be seen in the initiation of the Davidic Covenant. A court prophet, Nathan, was sent to King David to tell him some great news. The news was that the Messiah, Israel’s eternal King, was going to be David’s descendent. David took this word from Nathan, received it and “prayed it through.” Then King David released this word into the prayer life of Judah. Through psalms sung by the Levites and the prayers in the synagogues, the coming of the promised Messiah was brought before the Throne of God day and night.
These prayers helped prepare the way for the ‘fullness of times.’
A means through which God determined to send Jesus was the faithful prayers and expectations of the people of God. We’re still praying for the ultimate answer to this prayer: “Come quickly, Lord!”
In these two examples, three dynamics are seen: a) the genuine prophetic is b) received by governance who then c) release the assignment to the priestly ministry
Three Strands Today
This paradigm may be used for praying in the midst of immediate emergencies and also to pray through the long-term purposes of God in a local or regional church.
We are seeking to establish 24/7 Prayer Centers on LI New York. The Harp&Bowl model we are using was developed at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. We expect this ministry to be an arm and means of release for certain aspects of the regional church’s prayer ministry.
If you’re called to either develop a regional House of Prayer or Harp&Bowl intercessory worship in the local church, contact me.
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Israel had three distinct ministries pertaining to the people’s divine worship. These were the king, the priests, and the prophets. When these groups were operating in unity with God and one another, victory and peace were assured.
In every administration, the kings faced adversity. Many wars were recorded in the prophetic histories we find in the Bible. These prophetic interpretations of Israel’s history are found in the ‘historical books.’ These are not secular histories; they are prophetic interpretations of the events.
In God’s timing, righteous kings would take advantage of prophetic information and dispatch armies to either consolidate, defend or expand the dominion of the Theocratic State of Israel. When the people loved and relied on God, and were relatively clean of the sins of idolatry, oppression, immorality and participation in the occult, they were led from victory to victory.
All three ministries had to function. It was not enough to have a functioning priesthood. The prophetic was necessary even in times of shalom. It was not enough to have a functioning priesthood and an effective prophetic ministry. The kings had to be those who feared and relied upon God, as well.
When the kings did not fear Yahweh, the priesthood became corrupt and the prophetic ineffectual. When the kings were evil, the priesthood expedited idolatry; the prophets were reduced to soothsaying and flattery.
The king was the key to everything functioning well. The monarchy couldn’t function with God’s blessing apart from their maintaining the priesthood and hearing the prophets.
The king provided governance to the people of God. Uniquely anointed, in times of peace or war, he provided stability and direction. The priests assisted the people, offering sacrifices, reconciling them to God, instructing them in the ways of the Lord. The more privileged priests had the opportunity to draw near to God, to minister to Him, interceding for the people, beholding His glory. The prophets were uniquely called by God, hearing His voice, ministering to Him in worship, prayer and released His word to kings, Judah and the nations.
The distinct giftings necessary to carry forward a successful spiritual warfare are similar to the three offices that God sanctioned in the history of Israel.
To see the victory we desire, there must be a governmentally discerned prophetic voice that informs the direction of the prayer life of the church. There must be a priesthood who brings these requests before the Lord as they worship the Lord. According to God’s mercy, these things are not beyond us.
Three Strands in Biblical History
The first example we’ll look at is a well-known deliverance Judah experienced under King Jehoshaphat. The armies of several nations were threatening to overwhelm the Southern Kingdom. Jehoshaphat called the nation to fast and to cry out to God for help.
In the middle of this fast, the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel who prophesied direction to the nation. Jehoshaphat did three things. He discerned the Voice of the LORD in the prophecy. Then he exhorted the people to believe the prophetic word. Finally, he assigned the Levitical priests to worship the Lord upon the basis of the coming promise.
The enemies of Judah self-destructed.
Another illustration of this pattern can be seen in the initiation of the Davidic Covenant. A court prophet, Nathan, was sent to King David to tell him some great news. The news was that the Messiah, Israel’s eternal King, was going to be David’s descendent. David took this word from Nathan, received it and “prayed it through.” Then King David released this word into the prayer life of Judah. Through psalms sung by the Levites and the prayers in the synagogues, the coming of the promised Messiah was brought before the Throne of God day and night.
These prayers helped prepare the way for the ‘fullness of times.’
A means through which God determined to send Jesus was the faithful prayers and expectations of the people of God. We’re still praying for the ultimate answer to this prayer: “Come quickly, Lord!”
In these two examples, three dynamics are seen: a) the genuine prophetic is b) received by governance who then c) release the assignment to the priestly ministry
Three Strands Today
This paradigm may be used for praying in the midst of immediate emergencies and also to pray through the long-term purposes of God in a local or regional church.
We are seeking to establish 24/7 Prayer Centers on LI New York. The Harp&Bowl model we are using was developed at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. We expect this ministry to be an arm and means of release for certain aspects of the regional church’s prayer ministry.
If you’re called to either develop a regional House of Prayer or Harp&Bowl intercessory worship in the local church, contact me.
