The Order of Melchizedek, Part 2

Call to Worship

Psalm 29 LSB

A Psalm of David. Ascribe to Yahweh, O sons of the mighty, Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. Ascribe to Yahweh the glory of His name; Worship Yahweh in the splendor of holiness. The voice of Yahweh is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders, Yahweh is over many waters. The voice of Yahweh is powerful, The voice of Yahweh is full of splendor. The voice of Yahweh breaks the cedars; Indeed, Yahweh breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, And Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of Yahweh hews out flames of fire. The voice of Yahweh causes the wilderness to tremble; Yahweh causes the wilderness of Kadesh to tremble. The voice of Yahweh makes the deer to calve And strips the forests bare; And in His temple everything says, “Glory!” Yahweh sat enthroned over the flood; Indeed, Yahweh sits as King forever. Yahweh will give strength to His people; Yahweh will bless His people with peace.

Scripture Readings

Amos 8:1-12

Colossians 1:15-28

Review of the Context & Outline of Psalm 110

The organization of the Psalms was done at the same time that Chronicles was written, after the exile.

Introduction Psalm 1-2 - The Law in Psalm 1 and the Gospel in Psalm 2. Torah and Messiah. There is promised a king who will be installed at the right hand of God until all the enemies of God are put down. These two psalms, according to Robertson, function to introduce us to everything that will follow in the entire book.

Confrontation Psalm 3-41 - Then, as if to emphasize that David is not the One who was promised, we are launched into a collection of Psalms by David known as laments. Psalm 3-10 are laments of David concerning all the enemies that are inhibiting him from establishing the kingdom of righteousness. And this first collection was written by David. This collection has traditionally been called Book I. There is so much more that can be said, but for now, just remember that book I is about the confrontation of David with his enemies.

Communication Psalm 42-72 - Significantly, there is a shift in this second book of Psalms from the name Yahweh, the covenant name of God, to the name Elohim, a more general name of God. And twelve of the twenty-one psalms refer to non-Israelite peoples with the last Psalm, a Psalm of Solomon, Psalm 72, describing a messianic King who will reign over all the earth: Psalm 72:8 “May he also have dominion from sea to sea And from the River to the ends of the earth.” The conclusion is that this collection of Psalms is purposefully seeking to communicate to the nations. Book I describes the struggle of David in establishing his kingdom. Book II describes an established kingdom that is seeking to bless the nations: Psalm 72:17 “May his name endure forever; May his name increase as long as the sun shines; Let all nations be blessed in him; Let all nations call him blessed.”

Devastation Psalm 73-89 - But alas, it does not seem that this will happen. In Book III, the tone changes. We are given the hopeless perspective of the people of God: Psalm 74:4 “Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place; They have set up their own signs for signs.” And this collection ends in devastation: Psalm 89:38–39 “But You have cast off and rejected, You have been full of wrath against Your anointed. You have spurned the covenant of Your slave; You have profaned his crown to the ground.” They still hope in God’s promises, but they are not seeing them realized. Psalm 89:3–4, The Psalmist reminds Yahweh of His promise: “I have cut a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish your seed forever And build up your throne from generation to generation.” Selah.” and the Psalm concludes, Psalm 89:49 “Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord, Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?”

It seems that Yahweh has forgotten His promises. It seems that all hope is lost.

Maturation Psalm 90-106 - Book IV, Robertson calls “maturation.” Rather than placing hope in the earthly kingdom of David and the extension of David’s kingdom to all the earth, the devastation of Book III reminded God’s people that He is their dwelling place. Yahweh is King over all the earth even in the midst of exile. Psalm 90:1 “Lord, You have been our dwelling place from generation to generation.” Psalm 93:2 “Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.” Psalm 97:1 “Yahweh reigns, let the earth rejoice; Let the many coastlands be glad.” Psalm 99:1 “Yahweh reigns, let the peoples tremble; He sits enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth quake!”

Because of this wonderful truth that has matured in exile, that Yahweh reigns and will be faithful to His promises despite no current king being on the throne in Jerusalem, Book IV concludes with praise: Psalms 104-105 both conclude with “Praise Yah!” Or, in Hebrew “Hallelu-YAH.” And the last Psalm in Book IV, begins and ends with “Praise Yah!.” It is a collective command: All of you praise Yahweh. The exiled people of God have been taught that Yahweh is their portion and their dwelling place. It is not the land of Canaan nor the city of Zion. And they have been taught that Yahweh is their King, not David. But, how glorious it will be, when Yahweh and David’s seed converge into One Person, Jesus Christ. David’s son and Lord.

Consummation Psalm 107-150 - Book V, the final book of Psalms, presents post-exile restoration. Or, in eschatological terms, consummation. It remembers exile and why the people of God were brought there, Psalm 107:11 “Because they had rebelled against the words of God And spurned the counsel of the Most High.” But, they are not left in devastation. It goes on, Psalm 107:13 “Then they cried out to Yahweh in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses.” And throughout the book of Psalms, as at the beginning couplings of Messianic Psalms with Torah Psalms serves literary purposes. So here, in Book V, after declaring the Lord as priest and king over all the earth in Psalm 110, there is another collection of Hallel psalms, praise psalms, which begin and end with “Hallelu-YAH.” But then notably, Psalm 118, a messianic Psalm, is paired with Psalm 119, the quintessence of Torah Psalms. Book V then concludes with the finale of Hallelujahs in Psalms 146-150. Psalm 150:6 “Let everything that has breath praise Yah. Praise Yah!”

Context of Psalm 110

Critical scholars tend to look at this Psalm as written to demonstrate divine right. The principle they derive is that this would have been written to establish a human king as Divinely appointed.

There is debate about when this Psalm was written and by whom. Some go so far as to deny the Davidic authorship and they even claim that it was written by a king to demonstrate his divine right to rule. If you look at Zechariah 6, this is a potential fulfillment or a time when it was written.

For Psalm 110, it is placed in a collection of Davidic Psalms (Ps 108-110). These open the last book of Psalms addressing restoration, or the consummation. And when will this consummation begin? When Yahweh says to David’s Lord, “Sit at My right hand Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.” (Psalm 110:1).

Psalm 110 is then a post-exilic, restoration Psalm. Which we can say, despite the critics, because we find it here in a post-exilic collection of Psalms. Where it was placed in the canon. It is the 110th Psalm for a reason. It is not placed with other Davidic Psalms. It is placed here, post exile, in the restoration.

I contend that we see a microcosm of Christ in Psalm 108-110.

Psalm 108 is a declaration of trust in God that He is sovereign over the nations. Psalm 108:13 “Through God we shall do valiantly, And it is He who will tread down our adversaries.” A New Covenant promise that Jesus shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 109 describes the betrayal of the Psalmist, fulfilled in Judas as stated by Peter in Acts 1:20 ““For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his residence be made desolate, And let no one dwell in it’; and, ‘Let another man take his office.’”. Quoting from Psalm 109:8.

Psalm 110 demonstrates the betrayed One being invited to sit at the right hand of God, accomplished by Christ at the Ascension in Acts 1. And proclaimed by Peter in Acts 2:34–36 ““For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.” ’ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.””

So, this Psalm is really a New Testament Psalm.

Calvin says, “In this psalm David sets forth the perpetuity of Christ’s reign, and the eternity of his priesthood.”

Matthew Henry says, “This psalm is pure Gospel...”

Psalm 110:1 is one of the most quoted Old Testament verses in the New Testament. It is quoted in Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42–43, Acts 2:34–35, Hebrews 1:13, Hebrews 10:13, and is referenced or alluded to in 1 Corinthians 15:25, Ephesians 1:20–22, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 12:2, 1 Peter 3:22.

There is an extended commentary on the psalm, particular verse 4, in Hebrews 5-8. And really, all of Hebrews is presenting Jesus as our great High Priest. So this passage emphasizing the priesthood of the Messiah is foundational to that New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 4:14 LSB

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of our confession.

Exposition of Psalm 110:1-3

Psalm 110:1–3 LSB

Yahweh says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.” Yahweh will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Have dominion in the midst of Your enemies.” Your people will offer themselves freely in the day of Your power; In the splendor of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, The dew of Your youthfulness will be Yours.

Jesus and Peter attribute this Psalm to David

Yahweh is speaking.

Yahweh is speaking to the “Adoni” of David: the Messiah.

Yahweh’s declaration to the Messiah: “Sit at My right hand Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.”

Fulfilled in the Ascension when Christ received all authority in heaven and earth and as the Son of Man received dominion.

The Scepter of the Messiah from Zion will go forth.

Christ mediates His authority by means of His Gospel which, in His time and according to His purposes, subdues all His and our enemies.

The Messiah’s people will be willing followers from the heart.

As we are subdued by the Gospel, we volunteer from the heart to follow this King.

The day of Christ’s Power

The day of Christ’s power is the Day of Yahweh, or the Day of the Lord, which was inaugurated, Peter tells us, when in fulfillment of Joel 2, the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost.

Holiness, light, and dew

The faithful followers of this Messiah will be clothed in holy garments and birthed out of new light.

The Messiah will be ever refreshed, never losing His youthful vigor.

Show the Chiasm

V. 1 & 7 - Sitting and refreshment.

V. 2 & 6 - the scepter of justice will crush.

V. 3 & 5 - freely offered verses crushed.

Centering on V. 4 - the promise of a priest.

So that in expositing Verses 1-3, we actually have exposited all of the Psalm besides verse 4.

The difference is: v 1-3 describe prophetic utterance about this Davidic ruler, v. 5-7 describe the action of Yahweh to further His rule.

Exposition of Psalm 110:4

Yahweh swears

Think of other times that Yahweh has sworn in the Scriptures. Genesis 22:16-18 connected with Hebrews 6:13–18 “For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you...”

This swearing connects us to the Abrahamic Covenant. Then think of the Davidic Covenant: Psalm 89:3–4 “I have cut a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish your seed forever And build up your throne from generation to generation. Selah.”

And lest the connection not be clear enough, we have this utterance of Solomon concerning the Davidic promises: Psalm 72:17, talking about the Messiah, “Let all nations be blessed in him; Let all nations call him blessed.”

There is in this oath of Yahweh a connection to these promises of God. God’s promise to bless the nations through Abraham’s seed and through a Davidic ruler.

The temptation for the Israelites throughout history has been to doubt this promise because of exile or devastation. Where are the promises of Yahweh when the kingdom is being rent in two by a foolish son of David? Where are the promises of Yahweh when Jerusalem is being sacked? When the circumstances are dire, do we believe God’s promises?

The point here is that we should read this oath of Yahweh in connection with the prior promises of God that have preceded it up to this point.

You are a priest

Why would this coming ruler need to be a priest? Or to ask another way, why would the people of God need priests? Why did God reveal the tabernacle, the locus of His covenantal presence to Moses, and then reveal the necessity of priests and sacrifices?

The answer to these questions i the essence of the Scriptures. This is the thrust of the Scriptures. And this is even why we focus on the Supper in our worship.

Application: Great is Thy faithfulness

Yahweh keeps His promises

Talk about the progression of promise, devastation, restoration throughout Scripture.

Even when circumstances are dire, Yahweh keeps His promises. *point to Lamentations.”

1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it.”

We have a Great High Priest

We did not simply need a priest to be a mediator, although, Christ is that for us. We also needed a priest to be the propitiation for us. The beauty of this Psalm, is that the means by which this dominion would be given to this Priest-King, is through His own vicarious, priestly, death on behalf of His people. This is why the King would also need to be a priest. Because this King would need to suffer and die for His people.

So, the writer of Hebrews tells us that we have a Great High Priest, and Paul in Romans, this priest was set forth on our behalf for our sins, so now, who will bring a charge against the Lord’s elect? There is no more judgment for us. We are free because of our Priest-King.

Conclusion: Trust Yahweh. Believe His promises to you. We have a great High Priest who gave Himself for you. And even now is offering Himself to you in the supper. Do you believe?

The Lord’s Supper

Psalm 72:16–19 “May there be abundance of grain in the earth on top of the mountains; May its fruit wave like the cedars of Lebanon; And may those from the city blossom like vegetation of the earth. May his name endure forever; May his name increase as long as the sun shines; Let all nations be blessed in him; Let all nations call him blessed. Blessed be Yahweh God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wondrous deeds. And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.”

There is abundance of grain and there is fruit like the cedars of Lebanon. The grain is Christ’s body and fruit is His blood. Through these things we are more than conquerors. These visible promises of God to you and to all who believe. Christ came to die for sinners, among whom, we are chief.

Will you accept this offer from your Priest, Jesus Christ, when He says come to me and I will give you rest. Let Christ do the work of justification for you. Stop striving and simply believe Christ when He said “it is finished.”

To all who rest upon Jesus Christ alone for their salvation, I invite you to come and sit at His table in peace. And to all those who have not yet accepted this invitation, who have not yet been washed with the waters of baptism, I ask you to refrain. This supper is for citizens of heaven.

The Bread

Give thanks

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 LSB

...the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was being betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Read during distribution:

Psalm 52

The Cup

Give thanks

1 Corinthians 11:25 LSB

In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.

Read during distribution:

Luke 10:38-42

1 Corinthians 11:25 LSB

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.

The Lord’s Prayer

Matthew 6:9–13 LSB

“...Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Matthew 6:14–15 LSB

“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

The Commission

Matthew 28:18–20 LSB

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Numbers 6:24–26 LSB

Yahweh bless you, and keep you; Yahweh make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; Yahweh lift up His face on you, And give you peace.’