In the manifestation of Christ the Saviour it is revealed that He must appear in the three offices of prophet, priest, and king.
Of Him as prophet it was written in the days of Moses: "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which He shall speak in My name, I will require it of him." Deuteronomy 18:18,19. And this thought was continued in the succeeding scriptures until His coming.
Of Him as priest it was written in the days of David: "Yet have I set ['anointed,' margin] My King upon My holy hill of Zion." Psalm 2:6. And this thought, likewise, was continued in all the scriptures afterward unto His coming, after His coming, and unto the end of the Book.
Thus the Scriptures abundantly present Him in the three offices of prophet, priest, and king.
This threefold truth is generally recognized by all who have acquaintance with the Scriptures, but above this there is the truth which seems to be not so well known—that He is not all three of these at the same time. The three offices are successive. He is prophet first, then after that He is priest, and after that He is king.
He was "that Prophet" when He came into the world, as that "Teacher come from God," the Word made flesh and dwelling among us, "full of grace and truth." Acts 3:19-23. But He was not then a priest, nor would He be a priest if He were even yet on earth, for it is written, "If He were on earth, He should not be a priest." Hebrews 8:4. But, having finished His work in His prophetic office on earth, and having ascended to heaven at the right hand of the throne of God, He is now and there our "great High Priest" who "ever liveth to make intercession for us," as it is written: "He shall be a priest upon His [Father's] throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." Zechariah 6:12, 13