A Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

A PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK Spring Valley Mennonite; February 2, 2020; Hebrews 7:1-10; Genesis 14:11-20 Many imminent Biblical scholars have called chapter 7 of Hebrews the central chapter of the book. In this chapter we resolve a dilemma felt most seriously by the believers with a Jewish background. The dilemma a Jew faced with Jesus involved the crucial role the Priesthood and the High Priest occupied in Judaism. They were now being told the Levitical Priesthood was no longer valid. Jesus Christ was now their new High Priest. We can hardly imagine how earthshattering this was to a Jewish person. This is one more way in which the “Way of Jesus” is superior to anything Jewish. The importance of the chapter centers around the principle that the only way anyone can approach God is through a Priest or Mediator. The reason is that we all are sinful, and God is Holy. I have found it true that we overestimate our personal righteousness and underestimate God’s holiness. We must have a go-between. Under the Old Mosaic Covenant, the family of Aaron, Moses’ brother, of tribe of Levi was chosen by God to be the Priestly family; they were the crucial mediators between God and man. Remember that all the Priests were Levites, but not all the Levites were Priests. The Priests were the only ones who could offer sacrifices for sin. The Law of Moses could be understood as having two main parts: the commandments and ordinances on the one hand, and the sacrificial system on the other. The commandments set the standard of righteousness, but since no one could keep the commandments, blood sacrifices were offered to cover the sins, to make atonement and restore the sin-broken relationship with a Holy God. Only the priests, descendants of Aaron of the family of Levi, could offer these essential sacrifices. Yet Jesus was NOT of the tribe of Levi, but of the tribe of Judah, of the family of David. How could He then be qualified to be our High Priest? In this chapter we learn how Jesus Christ is of a higher order of Priesthood than that of Aaron. A better High Priest leads a better Covenant. The author elaborates the comment made in chapter 5, verses 9-10: “And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” Turn to Hebrews 7 as I read the first three verses (Read vv. 1-3) Who was Melchizedek? I. MELCHIZEDEK, KING OF SALEM There are only three places this mysterious person is mentioned: Genesis 14, Psalm 110, and here in Hebrews. The encounter of Abraham and Melchizedek is found in Genesis 14. Psalm 110, a Messianic Psalm, was written 1000 years later, and tells us, “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Then about 1000 years later, this author again picks up the example of Melchizedek, explaining the extreme significance of the order of his priesthood. This demonstrates both the unity and the Divine inspiration of Scripture. This is a good time to consider what the Bible calls a “type”. In 1 Corinthians we find that “the things that were written beforehand were written for our example.” “Example” is the Greek word “tupos” from which we get the English word “type.” If you are going to understand Scripture and study it seriously, you need to be familiar with typology. A type is an individual, a place or an institution in the Old Testament that prefigures a spiritual truth revealed in the New Testament. For example, in the book of Exodus we learn of the Passover. The Jews, who were in bondage in Egypt, were told to take a lamb, which was to be without spot or blemish, slay the lamb, and apply the blood to the doorposts and the lintels of their houses. When the angel of death came, he would “Passover” the home of the family protected by the blood. In 1 Corinthians 5:7 in the New Testament we read: “Jesus Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us.” The historical event of the Passover is a type or example of the work of the Lord Jesus. The sacrificial lamb, the most common animal sacrificed, is a type of Jesus, the “Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world.” In the Book of Numbers, we read of a plague of serpents which struck the Israelites in the wilderness. Moses was told to make a brass serpent and lift it up on a pole. When the stricken looked upon the serpent, they were healed. In John 3 we read, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” As Jesus Christ was lifted up on the Cross, the healing of our sin disease was made possible. But as the children of Israel had to look at the serpent, or they would die, we must trust Jesus Christ as our redeemer for eternal life. To be a valid type, there should be a New Testament confirmation of the fact. Here is Melchizedek, a historical person, who was the king of righteousness, the King of Salem, a priest of the God Most High, a “type” of the Lord Jesus as our High Priest and King. The meeting between the two came about after Abraham and his men rescued his nephew Lot after a confederation of Kings from north of Palestine invaded the southern region around Sodom and Gomorra. The cities were looted, and Lot was taken captive. Picking up the story in Genesis 14:11…(Read through verse 20). Back to Hebrews 7, we read that Melchizedek was “King of Salem.” Salem means “peace.” Salem was an ancient name for Jerusalem. Melchizedek ruled over a city which was very special to God, even in the days of Abraham. God speaks of Jerusalem in Psalm 132:13-14: “For the Lord has chosen Zion [Jerusalem]; He has desired it for His habitation. This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.” In the 1000 years between Melchizedek and King David, the town had become the dwelling of Canaanites, and King David was the one who had conquered it and made it his capital. Jerusalem became known as “the City of David.” Melchizedek was a priest of “The Most High God.” The Levitical priests were for the nation of Israel alone. But Melchizedek had a more extensive and unlimited priesthood, a priesthood that was universal, not inherited. Jesus is the High Priest that offered the once-for-all sacrifice for all men, not just for Israel. For the Jew, there was no other priesthood other than the Levitical, but here they were reminded that Abraham, the father of all Jews, offered a tithe to a greater Priest of a higher priesthood. MacArthur speaks of the implications of Jesus Christ being the Universal High Priest of all the world and how foreign this idea was to the Jew: “No truth of Scripture is more definite than that God chose the Jews as His special people, His very unique and cherished people. But Scripture is equally clear that Israel continually misunderstood and presumed upon her unique relation to God. They, for example, recognized Him as absolute Creator of heaven and earth and as sovereign over His world. But they had a very difficult time understanding Him as Redeemer of the world. As Creator and Sustainer, He was the world’s; but as Savior and Lord, He was theirs alone. (Jonah’s reluctance to preach to Gentiles illustrates this.) They could hardly conceive of another divine covenant and another divine priesthood, especially one that was royal and superior to their own. Yet they are told that the covenant in Christ, though called new, not only has superseded theirs but, in type, actually preceded theirs.1 The tribe of Levi was forbidden to hold the office of King. After King David, that right was given to the tribe of Judah. But Melchizedek was both King and Priest, just as is the Lord Jesus. Melchizedek provides an example of Jesus’ Royal Priesthood; Jesus is both our Priest and King. This dual role of Priest and King was prophesied in Zechariah 6:13. Speaking of the Messiah, he states, “Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the Lord, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices” Melchizedek is also said to be “King of righteousness and King of Peace.” Melchizedek ruled his kingdom with righteousness. He was able to maintain peace. But he was only a type of Jesus. He could not give righteousness or peace. The Aaronic Priesthood existed to offer sacrifices to cover sin, to restore a right relationship between God and the one offering the sacrifice, but this was just a temporary fix: an animal sacrifice could not remove sin. The sacrifice was only a type of Jesus Christ, the perfect and final sacrifice. They only symbolized the sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross. These temporary sacrifices could not make men righteous or give lasting peace. What the blood of bulls and goat could not do, Jesus did as He offered His body and blood as the final and universal sacrifice. When a person gave a sacrifice under the Old Covenant, the forgiveness lasted only until the next sin. When we claim the forgiveness of Jesus blood for our sin, it results in our justification. It has been pointed out that “Only the Divine Priest could give righteousness and peace. “Therefore, having been justified [counted righteous] by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). That is the necessary order: righteousness and then peace. Christ gives us peace by giving us righteousness. “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever” (Isa. 32:17).2 “Jesus’ sacrifice lasts through all eternity. Once reconciled to God through Christ, we will never be counted as sinful again, but always as righteous. Christ is the true King of Righteousness. “As the psalmist says so beautifully, in the Lord “righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Ps. 85:10). The two things that men have longed for are a sense of righteousness before God and of being at peace with Him. These blessings have “kissed” each other and become a reality in the Messiah. Christ came to give us His righteousness that we might be at peace with God. Melchizedek pictured that.3 The fact that no family background is given for Melchizedek or that he had neither beginning or end doesn’t mean that he was immortal, only that nothing is recorded about these things. In this way, unlike Levitical Priests, in appearance he could serve as a Priest of the Most High God without end. The Levitical Priest had a limited tenure: he began serving at age 25 and served until he reached the age of 50. Melchizedek was a man made to picture the Lord Jesus. II. THE GREATNESS OF MELCHIZEDEK Read vv. 4-10. The greatness of Melchizedek is seen in the fact that Abraham gave him a tenth of the choice spoils from the battle. The Levites, having no tribal inheritance, were supported by a tithe of 1/10 from the other Jewish tribes. This was from the first-fruits, the very best of the harvest. From this tithe, the Levites were to give 1/10th to the Priests, the very best of the best went to the Levitical Priests. But Abraham, representative of all the tribes, including the tribe of Levi, gave a tithe to Melchizedek, signifying that Melchizedek was Abraham’s superior, and by extension Melchizedek’s priesthood is superior to the Aaronic priesthood. Abraham was under no obligation to give anything to Melchizedek; it was completely voluntary, and a response of thanksgiving for God giving him the victory in battle. I think we need to “read between the lines” to appreciate how great a miracle Abraham’s victory was: it rivals the later story of Gideon and his small band of 300 men. Abraham had about the same size of warriors and he defeated the armies of four kings. The tactics were much the same: he divided his men and attacked at night. He rightly was filled with gratitude toward God and expresses it by giving a tithe of the spoils of battle to Melchizedek. Whereas the Law of Moses established tithing of 1/10 for Israel, the New Covenant has no such requirements. But it is instructive that this tithe was given before the Law of Moses. The voluntary tithe given to Melchizedek is a pattern for us today. While no specified amount or percentage is specified in the New Testament, this doesn’t mean that giving is optional or to be only occasional. As this voluntary offering of Abraham demonstrates, giving of the “choice of the spoils” means we don’t give the leftovers, but we give of our very best. Giving should be on the basis of our love and devotion to God in gratitude for His immeasurable gift to us. And as a High Priest of the Most High God, Melchizedek blessed Abraham. As verse 7 states, the “lesser is blessed by the greater.” Abraham recognized that Melchizedek was his superior and worthy of receiving his tithe. Melchizedek was greater than Abraham on the basis of his personal character, not on the basis of genealogy or inherited status, unlike the Levitical priesthood. Likewise, in the church people serve on the basis of personal qualifications and gifts, not family origin. We don’t inherit positions in the church, but these are based upon personal giftedness, specifically the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit and demonstrated Christian character. Verse 8 tells us that the priesthood of Melchizedek is eternal, it lives on. It is not that he lived forever, but that the order of the priesthood of the Lord Jesus is eternal. We have an eternal Mediator in the Lord Jesus. Jesus came in the flesh, His first Advent; He is coming again to establish His earthly Kingdom. Right now, the Lord Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. He is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. What is the importance of this truth to us? This new order of priesthood connects the Old Testament and the Old Covenant with the New Testament and the New Covenant. In the Upper Room as Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples, He took the cup and said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” As our High Priest, Jesus gave Himself as the final and complete blood sacrifice for our sins. He is the Mediator of the New Covenant, the only way to the Father. He is our High Priest, not of the Order of Aaron but of the Order of Melchizedek, the High Priest of the Most High God.