Bible Study Seattle

Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies.  When ordaining women, the rationale is sometimes that protestants aren’t in the priestly tradition.  “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”  1 Peter 2:9

If the church is a royal priesthood, that is, a ruling priesthood, what are the roles?  “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”  Revelation 20:4

Here the church is ruling with Christ.  That is the whole future purpose for the church.  (When we say church, we are referring to persons, not buildings).  Jesus says, “And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”  Matthew 19:28

This brings up some interesting questions regarding gender.  We still have Jesus’ statement:  “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.”  Matthew 22:30

Does this mean we will be genderless?  Or that we simply won’t marry and reproduce?  In any case, it is clear that there is a dispensational thing going on because during the Millennial reign there will be babies on earth:  “The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.  They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,  For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.”  Isaiah 11:8-9

Also, it is clear that the church will bear children by Jesus:  “Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child; Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed; For the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous Than the sons of the married woman,” says the Lord.”  Isaiah 54:1

In other words, a female Christian who never had children in her first life will have more children in the second than was even possible in the first.  Just as Jesus may have 144,000 brides, those brides may have 1,000,000 children.  Jesus will surely outdo Solomon!  “The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”  Matthew 12:42   But after that 1,000 year period, there is a change, a new dispensation:  “But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.”  1 Corinthians 15:23-25