Not Only King But Also Priest

Last week we studied Psalm 2, which spoke about the rebellion of the nations against Jehovah God and his newly proclaimed king, his Son, Christ, the Messiah. We related the rebellion of the nations and talked about how we, as individuals, rebel against God and the Messiah in our own personal lives and how we might turn away from that rebellion and embrace the blessing of living in a right way before God.

This week we’ll be studying in Psalm 110, which is on page 603 of the English Bibles in the pew and (p 377 en la de Espanol). You’ll find that we give you access to the sermon notes and the Bible passages that we discuss in many different ways. We’ve got print Bibles and we make everything available to you through the Bible app on your phone and on the screen. This is because we hold the Bible to be very important here at FBC Pharr. We want to equip you in ways that you can use and understand the Bible better.

Let’s look together at Psalm 110...

Psalm 110 CSB

A psalm of David. 1 This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over your surrounding enemies. 3 Your people will volunteer on your day of battle. In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, the dew of your youth belongs to you. 4 The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: “You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his anger. 6 He will judge the nations, heaping up corpses; he will crush leaders over the entire world. 7 He will drink from the brook by the road; therefore, he will lift up his head.

[pray]

Wow, this verse almost seems to be custom written to be a continuation of Psalm 2 that we studied together last week. This psalm continues to talk about the coronation of the Messiah as the king over Israel, but moreso about the king who is raised as a king above the enemy nations that surround Israel.

The psalmist proclaims here that “This is the declaration of the LORD (Yahweh) to my Lord (Adonai), that is to say Father God making a declaration about the coronation of Christ, the Son, as the newly crowned king.

I. The Messiah is a King

In Matthew 22 we see recorded a verbal exchange that Jesus had with the Pharisees, the Jewish religious elite leadership...

Matthew 22:41–46 CSB

41 While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “David’s.” 43 He asked them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’: 44 The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet’? 45 “If David calls him ‘Lord,’ how, then, can he be his son?” 46 No one was able to answer him at all, and from that day no one dared to question him anymore.

The common belief among the Jewish religious scholars was that this psalm was speaking about the Messiah, whom they believed would be a king in the family lineage of King David.

Jesus is saying here that the Messiah should be something more than a mere son of David. He points back to Psalm 110:1

Psalm 110:1 CSB

1 This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”

There is a difficulty in the translation here. We are looking at many different words that have similar meanings in Hebrew and to the original readers, the readers in Jesus time and then translated for us today into English or Spanish.

This is a declaration that Jehovah God spoke over Adonai, which is a name for God. However, the Pharisees were speaking of the Messiah using κύριος [kurios], which means “master” rather than אָדוֹן [adon], which can also be translated to mean “master” yet carries more of a sense of “Lord God” reflecting God’s authority over Israel.

This is what Jesus was calling out when he questioned them about the son of David, but also was David’s Lord and master. They did not have an answer for Jesus, and were silenced by his educated questions.

Psalm 110:1–3 CSB

1 This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over your surrounding enemies. 3 Your people will volunteer on your day of battle. In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, the dew of your youth belongs to you.

II. The Messiah is also the High Priest

However, verse 4 takes a sudden turn in the Hebrew mind...

Psalm 110:4 CSB

4 The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: “You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.”

The second half of the verse seems to be saying that the King is also a priest. However, in the Hebrew view, kings and priests were very separate roles. We’ll look at Melchizedek in a few moments.

This reference to the Messiah as both priest and king was confusing to the Jews of Jesus time.

While the first part of the psalm is clearly a declaration to the King (vv. 1-4), the second part of this psalm switches to an oath being made to the priest (vv. 4-7).

Psalm 110:4–7 CSB

4 The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: “You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his anger. 6 He will judge the nations, heaping up corpses; he will crush leaders over the entire world. 7 He will drink from the brook by the road; therefore, he will lift up his head.

What is a Priest of the Order of Melchizedek?

Melchizedek was both priest and king, an unusual combination, as we mentioned. Melchizedek, whose name means “righteous king” was the King of Siam and a priest of the God Most High. Melchizedek gave Abram a blessing...

Genesis 14:18–20 CSB

18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said: Abram is blessed by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 20 and blessed be God Most High who has handed over your enemies to you. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

This is the only appearance that we have of Melchizedek, though there are references to his name and his function as Priest/King in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Apostle James wrote about the hope that we have in Jesus...

Hebrews 6:19–20 CSB

19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. 20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

James said that Jesus was a High Priest like Melchizedek. He makes reference to the work of the High Priest in the Holy of Holies, within the Temple of God. One of the functions of the High Priest is that he carries the sins of the people to the seat of atonement in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement. This is how sins were forgiven through the sacrificial system of the Old Testament law.

Jesus abolished that system by dying on the cross and bringing us our atonement by providing for the forgiveness of our sins through his death. This is why the curtain separating the Holy of Holies was ripped from top to bottom when Jesus dies.

The Holy place of God was opened up to those who met the requirements to enter into his holy presence.

III. King and High Priest for Israel, so what?

Why do we care about Jesus being the King of Kings and the High Priest of Heaven?

Jesus is our High Priest because he provides what we need for the forgiveness of our sins just like the High Priest is an intermediary for forgiveness by sprinkling the sin-bought blood of the people on the seat of atonement.

We care about this because atonement is what we need to be justified before Father God! This allows us to take part in that blessing of a relationship with the One True God, the Creator of the Universe that we’ve been talking about throughout this series.

But do we really need another priest?

Hebrews 7:11–22 CSB

11 Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. 13 For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. 14 Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests. 15 And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it has been testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 18 So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable 19 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 20 None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever.” 22 Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

Jesus was born of the tribe of Judah, where Levitical priests in his day came from the tribe of Aaron. According to the Apostle James, Jesus being of the order of Melchizedek, rather than the order of Aaron, means that a new law must be established. And isn’t that exactly what Jesus established, a new covenant, a new law? According to Jesus he came to fulfill the law rather than to abolish it...

Matthew 5:17–18 CSB

17 “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished.

I told you last week, Jesus is an “already/not yet” kind of king. He is also an “already/not yet” kind of priest. While he came to fulfill the law and establish a new covenant, the Old Testament law is still in effect “until all things are accomplished.” But we of the Christian faith do not hold to that law… that law was for Israel and Israel will still be held to that law.

Those who come to Christ through the new covenant are held to a new law...

Hebrews 7:22 CSB

22 Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

Hebrews 7:23–28 CSB

23 Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. 24 But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them. 26 For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.

IV. Why Do We Need a New Kind of Priest?

We all come to Christ in our sin. We get this sin from birth, from our parents, inherited from Adam and Eve.

Romans 3:23 CSB

23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;

1. We are sinful people

Romans 3:10–18 CSB

10 as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. 11 There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one. 13 Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Vipers’ venom is under their lips. 14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths, 17 and the path of peace they have not known. 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Do you know anybody like this? Are you like this?

Scripture is clear that we can do nothing for ourselves to save ourselves from God’s wrath and punishment. While the world would like to say that a loving God would never banish anybody to the fiery pit for eternity because God is pure love, does not know God.

See each of us was already destined for hell when we were born, because we were born in sin and separated from God. Since God is justice, he has no choice but to banish us to eternal separation from his presence.

2. Sin = Death

This is what scripture calls the just payment for our sinful condition...

Romans 6:23 CSB

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We cannot avoid this sin and we cannot resolve this sin on our own merit. We HAVE to have a High Priest to provide for us a way to atone for our sins before we can be redeemed, or resolved before God.

Romans 5:8 CSB

8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Christ’s death on the cross was purely an act of love, designed to give us a way out of our sinful state...

John 3:16–17 CSB

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

3. We need salvation

I’ve already said that we cannot find this salvation on our own. We are wholly incapable of accomplishing this in our own human power. But God has provided a way for us to reach salvation and to be completely forgiven for our sins...

Romans 10:9 CSB

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

This is repentance. We’ve talked about the need for this at length over the last few weeks. I’ll remind you that repentance is defined as “turning away from our sins and turning to God.” When we confess our sins and ask God for his forgiveness and we confess Jesus as Lord, we can obtain this salvation and the same atonement that we require to be in right standing before God.

This idea is so important that Paul repeated himself...

Romans 10:13 CSB

13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Jesus’ death on the cross, was a purposeful act that was designed to pay the price necessary so that we might find forgiveness and be able to walk into the blessed relationship with the One True God, the Creator of the Universe.

Romans 5:1 CSB

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is this process of salvation that changes our status before God from “sinner” to “justified by faith.” This salvation is what puts us at peace before God, putting down our own personal rebellion against God.

4. We NEED Peace with God

This peace with God gives us great benefits, the chief of which is...

Romans 8:1 CSB

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,

For a rebel, who stands condemned, there is no sweeter gift than to know that he is no longer condemned. Let’s read further along in Romans 8...

Romans 8:1–4 CSB

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

When we repent by turning away from our sins and begin to walk according to the Spirit, which we are given at the point of salvation, we become new creatures by the work that is completed within us...

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

And once we have the Spirit in us and we stand reconciled before God, we have a great promise that holds us to this new thing that has been born within us...

Romans 8:38–39 CSB

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We can have full assurance of this salvation that we have grasped and the justification that has been pronounced over us and the transformation that has taken place within us that we can never be separated from the love of God, because we have a Messiah, a King, and a Priest in the person of Christ Jesus who is in us and to whom we are deeply and intimately connected.

Conclusion

Salvation

It may be that God is calling you into salvation. You might be thinking, what do I need to be saved from? Each and every one of us was born into sin and we have been in a state of rebellion against God. The only way out of that state of rebellion is by taking the Son, Jesus Christ as Lord.

Acts 2:21 CSB

21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

We can do that by admitting our sinful state, asking for God to forgive us, and turning away from our sin.

Baptism

God might also be calling you to baptism. Jesus commanded those of us who follow him to be baptized. He wanted for us to take this step to show the world that we are his followers.

Acts 22:16 CSB

16 And now, why are you delaying? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

There is no need to delay in baptism. I have baptized young children and old men. It is a symbol of walking with Christ and we recognize it as a public declaration of faith.

Church Membership

FBC Pharr has just recently completed a study of our church constitution and bylaws. By this we helped many people who attended our church regularly to understand what it means to be a church member. In fact, all of our Wednesday night groups are continuing to study a book about church membership. So in the coming weeks we will see many people coming to the decision to join us as full church members so that they might follow God’s design in congregating together as members of the body of Christ...

Hebrews 10:24–25 CSB

24 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.