I am sending a verse or two of scriptural encouragement each day to colleagues and friends. It is a contribution, I trust, to the sense of Christian unity that we are seeing in service to our community. It is meant to encourage…
Today’s passage, from both OT and NT, is as follows:
The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest for ever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110: 4)
And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry, but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. The former regulation was set aside because it was weak and useless (for the Law made nothing perfect) and a better hope is introduced by which we draw near to God. Because of this oath (”the Lord has sworn…”) Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Jesus has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7: 15-25)
So, who was Melchizedek?
He was the King of Salem (Jerusalem) who met Abraham on his way back from a victorious battle to rescue Lot. Abraham was the man chosen by God to become a great nation (the Israelites), and through whom all peoples on earth will be blessed – a key part of Paul’s explanation of God’s saving plan for both gentiles and Jews in Romans. This battle was part of Abraham’s work in the early days of establishing God’s people on earth.
Genesis 14 records that Melchizedek bought out bread and wine. He was priest of God most high. He blessed Abraham saying, “blessed to be Abraham by God most high, creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God most high who delivered your enemies into your hand. Abraham gave him a tithe – a tenth of everything he had gained.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to explain that Melchizedek, whose name means “King of righteousness” or “King of peace”, was without father or mother, without genealogy and without the beginning of days or end of life. Like the son of God, he remains a priest for ever. Melchizedek and Jesus are priests of the same order. Abraham gave him a tenth of his plunder.
The Jewish Law requires the descendants of Levi, the Aaronic priests, to collect a tenth from their brothers, even though the brothers were descended from Abraham. Melchizedek did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he claims the tenth from Abraham. The lesser person is blessed by the greater. Hebrews argues that Levi and his priests who collect the tenth, in turn paid the tenth through Abraham to Melchizedek because when much Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi were still in the body of his ancestor
The prophecy is tied together, concluding that such a high priest (Jesus) meets our need – one who is holy and blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other priests (of Aaron) he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. The law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the oath, the promise which came after law, appointed the son Jesus who has been made perfect for ever.
That is encouragement!
Nigel
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