The Life of Abraham: Jesus Christ our Great High Priest

Genesis 14 Jesus Christ our Great High Priest Introduction: As we have studied the book of Genesis we have seen that it is nothing close to a thorough history of the world or of the individuals that it deals with. The book of Genesis is concerned with the purposes of God in the restoration of his kingdom on earth. Therefore whatever is included in the book of Genesis is important to the overall theme. Now we must ask ourselves as we come to Genesis 14, what is the Author’s purpose in recording this incident? Is it to show us Abram’s military strength? Is it simply to show us that Abram is gaining favor and power in the land, through his allying himself with his neighbors? Is it simply to show us that there is an outside authority confirming God’s personal promise to Abram? Or is the author simply concerned with the character Melchizedek? This text and two others are the only passages that speak about the mysterious character - Melchizedek. I really don’t think that the author of Genesis (Moses) or Abram knew or understood the total significance of this Character. It would not be until one thousand years later that any further insight would be given concerning him. 1 Peter 1:10-12 tells us that often times the writers of scripture didn’t fully understand the things that they were writing but they were serving us, or writing them for our benefit. He says, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.” Certainly the Holy Spirit who is the author of scripture knew what he was doing when he recorded Abram’s interaction with this mysterious Priest-King; Melchizedek. Our purpose is to find out what that purpose is. 1. Melchizedek- what do we know about him? a. Who is this mysterious person? How is it that he is a priest? What is he doing in the land of Canaan? How did he learn about the true God? Did Abram have any previous knowledge of him? Was his priesthood a recognized priesthood? WE DON’T KNOW! a. The information we have on Melchizedek is very limited. Melchizedek appears only here and then is mentioned at intervals of about a thousand years. i. Psalm 110 - (read if time permits.) ii. Hebrews 5-7 b. Here is what we know. i. Melchizedek is the King of Salem - 1. He is the king of the city of Salem, which is most likely another name for the city of Jerusalem. ii. Melchizedek is Priest of God Most High 1. This is the first time the word Priest is used in scripture or that the concept is even introduced. 2. He is not a priest according to the Mosaic law. The Levitical Priesthood had not been inaugurated yet and still won’t be for some five hundred plus years. 3. Melchizedek is a priest of the true God “El Elyon” - God Most High. a. We know from Job’s story that there were others that knew, loved and served God who were not connected to the Abrahamic Covenant. iii. Melchizedek is the King of Righteousness -We are told by the author of the book of Hebrews that this is the translation of his name. iv. Melchizedek Blesses Abram 1. Melchizedek confirms God’s promise to Abram, recognizing that Abram is blessed by God. “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” 2. He brings out bread and wine. a. Many people simply believe that Melchizedek gives Abram bread and wine as sustenance. I think if you have any New testament context you will see that the bread and the wine are symbolic of something much greater and deeper. b. Melchizedek is a Mysterious King Priest, who has authority to bless the the great patriarch Abram. c. Why would this be important to the theme of God restoring his kingdom on earth? 2. Our Need for a Priest. a. Scripture points again and again for Mankind’s need for a priest. b. A priest fulfilled three main purposes: i. He made sacrifice to God 1. Because mankind is by nature a sinner he cannot approach God. Sacrifice and offering must be made, to cover our sin. 2. The priest was the one who was called by God to make sacrifice on behalf of the people. ii. He was an intercessor on behalf of the people. 1. Again because of sin man cannot approach God, He needs someone to go to God on his behalf. He needs an intercessor, someone with an inside connection. 2. Job is an example of this. Although Job was a righteous man who feared God, he understood that he himself could not approach God, and he cried out if only I had a someone on the inside. If only I had a mediator. a. Job 9:30-33 “If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me. For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. There is no arbiter(mediator) between us, who might lay his hand on us both. Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.” b. In the book of Leviticus we see that God chooses the sons of Levi to be arbiters or mediators for the nation of Israel, it was through the Levitical priesthood that the people could approach God. iii. He was a mediator between God and Man 1. As sinful men and women we need a Priest who will make sacrifice on our behalf, and who will stand in the gap for us, being our mediator, laying a hand on God and a hand on us. 2. If God is going to redeem the earth as his kingdom he must do so through a priest. The only problem is that even earthly priest could not fully sacrifice, intercede or mediate, because of their own sinfulness. 3. Jesus Christ - the Great High Priest a. Here’s where Melchizedek’s importance comes into play. b. Hebrews 7:1-3 “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever”. i. Melchizedek is a type of Christ: King of Righteousness, King of Peace, without father, without mother, without genealogy (no record of his ancestry), having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest forever. ii. Melchizedek is a type of Christ in that like Melchizedek Christ is to remain a priest forever! iii. Also Psalm 110 tells us that the Messiah is a priest called by God after the order of Melchizedek. c. One reason why Jesus is the Great High Priest is that he is eternal. Without beginning and without end. He never needs to be replaced, He died once for sin, and he rose triumphant over the grave, never to die again. d. Jesus Christ as the Great High Priest is able to sympathize with our weakness. i. Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ii. This is another reason why he is the Great High Priest, because he has been tempted in all points as we are, he understands us, and can relate to us. Whatever you are going through, or being tempted with, Christ not only understands but he’s been there before. e. Another reason why he is the Great High Priest is that he is without sin, the work that he does is not to cover his own sin, because he is sinless. The work that he did of sacrifice, intercession and mediation is totally on our behalf. f. Remember the office of priest consisted of three things: i. Sacrifice, intercession, and mediation. 1. Sacrifice - Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever. 2. Intercession - Christ is able to save to the uttermost.. Since he ever lives to make intercession for us. a. Christ at this moment sits at the right hand of the Majesty of God making intercession for you, he is your advocate with the Father - the Father looks upon the Son and pardons us. i. 1 John 2:1-2 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” b. Also we can have confidence in Christ as our intercessor because we know that God hears him, this was confirmed by the Father raising him from the dead. i. “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” 3. Mediation - He is the mediator of a better covenant, which is established on better promises. Paul says, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all.” g. Melchizedek blesses Abram confirming God’s pleasure upon Abram and his presence with him; Melchizedek gives Abram a gift of bread and wine i. Jesus, as priest, blesses us by bringing us into the presence of God through the gift of his body and blood of which the bread and wine are symbols, this confirming that we have now found favor with God through him. Conclusion: Melchizedek is an important character to the overall theme of Genesis and the rest of scripture, which is: God restoring his good kingdom on earth. Without Melchizedek, the Messiah (Jesus Christ) had no authority to make sacrifice, to intercede for man, and mediate between God and men. Melchizedek is here in the text to point us forward to the Great high Priest that God would send who would make one sacrifice, sufficient for all. Although the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is sufficient for all it is only effective for those who put their trust in him; believing that his sacrifice on the cross was on their behalf and fully satisfies the wrath of God on their sin, while also completely cleansing them from their sin. The scripture says, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” Christ is coming again, and this time he will restore God’s good kingdom to earth! Application: Hebrews 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hold on to Christ!!!