The Mysterious Shadow of Melchizedek
Heb 6:20-7:28
I. The Shadow: Gen 14:17-20 & 6:20-7:10
A. Gen 14:17-20 The mysterious King/Priest—King of Salem.
1. Salem became Jerusalem. Jerusalem had a King and Priest long before King David, and long before the Aaronic priesthood!
2. Heb 6:20-7:1-10 The interpretation of the shadow.
a. 6:20 gives us an introduction to the uniqueness of this Priest. Jesus is a High Priest after this order of Priests, and His Priesthood is Eternal/Forever!!
b. 7:2 His name, Melchizedek means "King of Righteousness", and he is King of Salem, which means "King of peace". Those are pretty awesome credentials.!
c. 7:3 "made like the Son of God" Some think he was a "pre-incarnate" visitation of the Son of God. This phrase, "made like", leads me to think that he was rather, a man, a pre-incarnate object lesson of the Son of God and His Priestly ministry. Perhaps Elijah as a prototype of the forerunner of John the Baptist, might be a similar example of this type of "foreshadowing".
1. Without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, remains a priest continually"—very significant phrasing!
Notice: "having no beginning". The ministry of the King/Priest that Melchizedek foreshadows, has ever been an integral part of the Eternal Covenant of Redemption made in the Eternal Council of the Triune God. Remember—ETERNITY HAS NO BEGINNING!
d. 7: 4-10 His greatness.
1. Abraham gave Melchizedek a 10th part of the spoils of the war. The father of the Aaronic priests gave a tithe to Melchizedek, Aaron being considered born of Abraham, even if his birth was in the future!
2. Vs 6-7 Melchizedek blessed Abraham, the one who had received the promise of God! Isaac hadn't been born yet! The author says that the lesser, Abraham, was blessed by the greater, Melchizedek.
II, So what's the big deal? 7:11-19
A. Vs 11 There is a major problem—the Levitical priesthood (Aaron & descendents) could not make anyone perfect, take away their sins! Why? Because they kept on dying!! Vs 23
1. The Levitical priesthood was a fleshly priesthood after a fleshly commandment! Flesh is always man's problem and is the reason the Law could not make any man perfect. The Law wasn't the problem, man's fallen flesh was the problem!! Rom 7:7-12 Consider vs 18-19a along with Romans 8:3a
B. Vs 12-19 The Major Solution! The Priesthood must be changed—to an Eternal Priesthood!
1. Vs 12-17 The change of priesthood is a change of the Law of Priesthood—no longer from the seed of Aaron, but Jesus is from the tribe of Judah—the Seed of David, of the Order of Melchisedek—the Endless Life Order!
2. Vs 16-19 The priestly change makes necessary the change of the whole law because this Priest is dramatically different! He ministers according to the power of an Endless Life!! That changes everything! Ps 110:4 quoted twice in 5 verses! "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek"
a. Vs 18 "The annulling of the former commandment" means that our Eternal High Priest ministers from a new law, a new covenant which has a foundation of Eternal Life! It is the "New Heart covenant of Ezekiel 36:26-28 and I John 2:7-8.
III. The Greatness of our High Priest, our Melchizedek! 7:20-28
A. Vs 10-21 The Oath of Appointment to this Priesthood is from the Father of Eternal Life! The Oath is Eternal from the Council of Eternity from the Father Who is Eternity. Therefore:
1. Vs 22 Our Lord's High Priestly Ministry is our assurance that we are sealed into a better covenant—an eternal covenant!
2. Vs 23-24, 27-28 Whenever you go to the altar of sacrifice (Romans 12:1) the same priest is always, eternally there! (Heb 4:14-16) He didn't die over night. You always know his name!
3. Vs 24 He never changes! Hebrews 13:8 If you read the Word, if you believe the Word, you always know what to expect!
4. Vs 26 He is Holy, Tender and Caring,(Heb 4:15 KJV) separate from sinners, and has become higher than the cosmos—in other words, He is out of this world, untouched by its entropy!
5. Vs 25 Therefore, He has only one job! He lives eternally to save us eternally! His Eternal Intercession is the outworking of His once done purchase of salvation on the cross. He is ever before the Righteous Holy Father as the Perfect Man with the names of His Redeemed in His Bosom. The Lamb's Book of Life is Eternally bound to His heart! If the Father were to ever reject one of the Lamb's Redeemed, He would have to UnGod and UnPriest His Eternal and CoEqual Son!!!!!!!!
Eternity is a BIG DEAL!! It is the Unchanging Presence (Heb 6:19) that awaits us beyond the veil of our flesh. It is the "Dwelling Place of Rest" (John 14:1-3) that our Great High Priest has prepared for us. Don't be like Lot (Genesis 19:15-29) and require that the angels drag you out of this fallen Sodom because of His Covenant of His Son. He will do that if necessary. But don't push it! Remember: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the FATHER is not in Him."
Heb 6:20-7:28
I. The Shadow: Gen 14:17-20 & 6:20-7:10
A. Gen 14:17-20 The mysterious King/Priest—King of Salem.
1. Salem became Jerusalem. Jerusalem had a King and Priest long before King David, and long before the Aaronic priesthood!
2. Heb 6:20-7:1-10 The interpretation of the shadow.
a. 6:20 gives us an introduction to the uniqueness of this Priest. Jesus is a High Priest after this order of Priests, and His Priesthood is Eternal/Forever!!
b. 7:2 His name, Melchizedek means "King of Righteousness", and he is King of Salem, which means "King of peace". Those are pretty awesome credentials.!
c. 7:3 "made like the Son of God" Some think he was a "pre-incarnate" visitation of the Son of God. This phrase, "made like", leads me to think that he was rather, a man, a pre-incarnate object lesson of the Son of God and His Priestly ministry. Perhaps Elijah as a prototype of the forerunner of John the Baptist, might be a similar example of this type of "foreshadowing".
1. Without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, remains a priest continually"—very significant phrasing!
Notice: "having no beginning". The ministry of the King/Priest that Melchizedek foreshadows, has ever been an integral part of the Eternal Covenant of Redemption made in the Eternal Council of the Triune God. Remember—ETERNITY HAS NO BEGINNING!
d. 7: 4-10 His greatness.
1. Abraham gave Melchizedek a 10th part of the spoils of the war. The father of the Aaronic priests gave a tithe to Melchizedek, Aaron being considered born of Abraham, even if his birth was in the future!
2. Vs 6-7 Melchizedek blessed Abraham, the one who had received the promise of God! Isaac hadn't been born yet! The author says that the lesser, Abraham, was blessed by the greater, Melchizedek.
II, So what's the big deal? 7:11-19
A. Vs 11 There is a major problem—the Levitical priesthood (Aaron & descendents) could not make anyone perfect, take away their sins! Why? Because they kept on dying!! Vs 23
1. The Levitical priesthood was a fleshly priesthood after a fleshly commandment! Flesh is always man's problem and is the reason the Law could not make any man perfect. The Law wasn't the problem, man's fallen flesh was the problem!! Rom 7:7-12 Consider vs 18-19a along with Romans 8:3a
B. Vs 12-19 The Major Solution! The Priesthood must be changed—to an Eternal Priesthood!
1. Vs 12-17 The change of priesthood is a change of the Law of Priesthood—no longer from the seed of Aaron, but Jesus is from the tribe of Judah—the Seed of David, of the Order of Melchisedek—the Endless Life Order!
2. Vs 16-19 The priestly change makes necessary the change of the whole law because this Priest is dramatically different! He ministers according to the power of an Endless Life!! That changes everything! Ps 110:4 quoted twice in 5 verses! "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek"
a. Vs 18 "The annulling of the former commandment" means that our Eternal High Priest ministers from a new law, a new covenant which has a foundation of Eternal Life! It is the "New Heart covenant of Ezekiel 36:26-28 and I John 2:7-8.
III. The Greatness of our High Priest, our Melchizedek! 7:20-28
A. Vs 10-21 The Oath of Appointment to this Priesthood is from the Father of Eternal Life! The Oath is Eternal from the Council of Eternity from the Father Who is Eternity. Therefore:
1. Vs 22 Our Lord's High Priestly Ministry is our assurance that we are sealed into a better covenant—an eternal covenant!
2. Vs 23-24, 27-28 Whenever you go to the altar of sacrifice (Romans 12:1) the same priest is always, eternally there! (Heb 4:14-16) He didn't die over night. You always know his name!
3. Vs 24 He never changes! Hebrews 13:8 If you read the Word, if you believe the Word, you always know what to expect!
4. Vs 26 He is Holy, Tender and Caring,(Heb 4:15 KJV) separate from sinners, and has become higher than the cosmos—in other words, He is out of this world, untouched by its entropy!
5. Vs 25 Therefore, He has only one job! He lives eternally to save us eternally! His Eternal Intercession is the outworking of His once done purchase of salvation on the cross. He is ever before the Righteous Holy Father as the Perfect Man with the names of His Redeemed in His Bosom. The Lamb's Book of Life is Eternally bound to His heart! If the Father were to ever reject one of the Lamb's Redeemed, He would have to UnGod and UnPriest His Eternal and CoEqual Son!!!!!!!!
Eternity is a BIG DEAL!! It is the Unchanging Presence (Heb 6:19) that awaits us beyond the veil of our flesh. It is the "Dwelling Place of Rest" (John 14:1-3) that our Great High Priest has prepared for us. Don't be like Lot (Genesis 19:15-29) and require that the angels drag you out of this fallen Sodom because of His Covenant of His Son. He will do that if necessary. But don't push it! Remember: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the FATHER is not in Him."