The King and Priest

Jeremiah 33:14-18
(14) "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
(15) In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
(16) In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.'
(17) "For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel,
(18) and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices forever."

The Old Testament speaks to three offices: prophet, priest, and king. Each of these had their parts to play in society. Christ came as the fulfillment of these offices. This passage speaks to two of them.

When I first read this today I was a little confused by verse 18. After all, isn't the temple unnecessary now that Christ has come? Why would anyone still need to burn sacrifices after Christ came to atone for our sins and be the propitiation of God's wrath?

I think the point is that Christ fulfills that office for us. Now that He has come we no longer need the blood of bulls and goats. He has already served as the sacrifice for all of our sin. His sacrifice is the rock on which we stand rather than our own achievements.

Of course, He is also the righteous king that sits on the throne of David. He will also sit in the judgment seat one day. My stepfather is an attorney and one of the things I've learned from him over the years is that it is good to know the judge. If you are in Christ you already know the judge. What a blessed promise!