Fatherhood
The Father as A Priest
The father is the priest of his home, representing his family to God in intercession and prayer. A father’s success in the other two ministries, as prophet and king, is very closely tied to his success as an intercessor and a priest. If he succeeds as the intercessor, he will probably also succeed as the prophet and as the king. But if he does not understand the practice of the ministry of intercession for his family, then it will be very difficult for him to be either prophet or king in his family.
Key Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:4
He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.
Other Scriptures: Job 1:5; Exodus 12:3
Discussion and Prayer Points
- Pray for us as fathers to embrace our role as intercessors, seeking God's guidance and protection for our families through regular prayer and spiritual leadership.
- Pray that we will be strong spiritual leaders, providing a godly example and nurturing our family's faith, helping them grow in their relationship with God.
Featured Message
Messages featured are by no means an endorsement of the preacher. Messages are featured as led by the Holy Spirit of God, not as a man desires. We promote the Word of God for us as Men of Prayer, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ concerning our calling, personal lives, family, world, and society. Therefore, you are neither subtly nor overtly being encouraged to subscribe to the channel or messages of anyone whose message is featured. Let the Spirit of God who teaches us all things guide your heart and mind in the knowledge and love of Christ.
Featured Hymn
God Give us Christian Home
Written By
B.B. McKinney
1. God, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master's will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God, give us Christian homes;
God, give us Christian homes!
2. God, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God, give us Christian homes;
God, give us Christian homes!
3. God, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God, give us Christian homes;
God, give us Christian homes!
4. God, give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God, give us Christian homes;
God, give us Christian homes!
Exhortation
There are some very beautiful examples in the Bible of fathers who practised this ministry of intercession. At the opening of the book of Job, we read that Job was a perfect and upright man before God. He had seven sons and three daughters, and on one day of each week, his family met in the house of one of his sons for feasting and fellowship. At the end of every week, Job rose early and offered sacrifices on behalf of all his sons, saying in his heart that maybe they had failed and were not right with God. So, he would offer a sacrifice on their behalf. The offering of those sacrifices by Job, in Old Testament terminology, corresponds to the ministry of intercessory prayer on behalf of our children under the new covenant in Jesus Christ. Every father is called to be an intercessor for his children (Job 1:5).
Then we move on into the history of the nation of Israel and find them enslaved in Egypt under darkness and oppression. God made provision for their deliverance through the sacrifice of the Passover lamb. The ultimate point of separation between Israel and Egypt was the Passover, which made provision for the deliverance of every Israelite family. The destroying angel came into every Egyptian home and slew the firstborn. But because of the blood of the Passover lamb, the destroying angel was not allowed to visit or destroy any Israelite household. How was that blood applied? Who applied it?
Exodus 12:3: Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a house. . . .
Who was responsible for selecting the lamb? The father of every family. Who was responsible for slaying the lamb? The father. Who was responsible for sprinkling its blood with hyssop on the doorpost of his home? The father. In other words, the father had the God-appointed ministry of a priest on behalf of his family. It was his responsibility to see that God’s provision of salvation was made effective in his particular home. As far as I understand the revelation of Scripture, no one else could do the father’s job for him. If he fulfilled his function as a priest and sprinkled the blood, his family would be safe. If he failed, there was no one else who could take his place and provide protection for his family.
I believe God has caused that revelation to come to us because it is still applicable today. There is something in the spiritual realm that a father can do for his house that he cannot delegate to anybody else. He can serve with a priestly ministry for his home which God will acknowledge, but God is not obliged to acknowledge that ministry in any other person but the father. It is the father’s responsibility to provide divine protection for his home.