Kings and Priests - Revelation 1:6-7

Today, let’s take a look at Revelation 1:6-7 where it says, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. ven so, Amen.” Notice first that God has “…made us kings and priests unto God and his Father…”We who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives are kings and priests unto God. We are kings, because one day we will rule and reign with Christ. We are told in Revelation 5:9-10, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Yes, one day God will allow us to rule with Him. The extent of our rule will be directly dependent upon our faithfulness in this life. Some of us who have been faithful will rule over much. While some of us who have been unfaithful will, unfortunately rule over very little. If God cannot trust us with little, then how can He trust us with much? Even our human employers can figure that one out. Jesus, when speaking to this subject said to the faithful servant said in Matthew 25:23, “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

Notice also that we are priests unto God. We need no earthly priest to gain access to the Father. In Matthew 27:51 it says, “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.” This symbolized that an earthly High Priest was no necessary. Through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, we all have equal access to the very throne of God. Jesus is now our sole Intercessor. Paul said in 1 Timothy 2:5 said, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Jesus is our priest now. The veil of division separating us from God has been removed. Our response to that is, “…to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.  Amen.”

Notice in verse 7 that it says “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him…” This is not referring to the rapture that occurs in 4:1 as that it will only be known to the saints that He will come for. (We will discuss this event in detail later.) This is speaking of the Second Coming that will occur in 19:11-16. This is when all of God’s enemies will see Him. 

Notice the later part of verse 7 where it says, “…and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.  Even so, Amen.” This is when all of those who rejected Jesus will see him. They will look upon Him who they pierced and wail. This is especially pertaining to the children of Israel. Zechariah 12:10 and 13:6 says, "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” “And one will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?' Then he will answer, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” This is fulfilled literally in Revelation 19 at the Second Coming of Christ.

Why will they “mourn” when they see Him? They will finally realize the tragic mistake that they have made. They had the Messiah walking in and among them and did not realize who He really was. John 1:10-11 says, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” How about you? What have you done with Jesus?