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Order of Melchizedek: The High Priest Beyond Time and Lineage · Bible Stories: The Path of Faith

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  Speaker 1: Once upon a time, in the vastness of ancient times,
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  Speaker 1: there was a character whose mystery intrigued even the wisest Melchizedek,
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  Speaker 1: a name that resonates like an echo of enigma, silently
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  Speaker 1: emerges on the pages of scripture. Who was he? Why
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  Speaker 1: is there so much discussion about his identity? Our journey
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  Speaker 1: begins with Abraham, an iconic figure so revered that James
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  Speaker 1: refers to him as God's Friend James two twenty three,
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  Speaker 1: a unique and honorable title for believers of all generations.
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  Speaker 1: Abraham is a paternal figure, as mentioned in Galatians three seven.
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  Speaker 1: Know then that it is those of faith who are
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  Speaker 1: the sons of Abraham. The importance of Abraham in the
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  Speaker 1: history of redemption is unquestionable. Under God's blessing, he attracted
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  Speaker 1: the attention of insecure kings. God told Abram to leave
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  Speaker 1: his country and go to a land that he would
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  Speaker 1: show him, and so, with unshakable faith, Abram dips hearted,
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  Speaker 1: taking his nephew Lot with him. But prosperity brought challenges.
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  Speaker 1: With the massive increase of Abram's and Lot's herds, the
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  Speaker 1: land could not support both. It was then that they
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  Speaker 1: decided to separate and Lot chose the green plains of Sodom.
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  Speaker 1: Amid this epic narrative, Melchizedek appears as a mysterious shadow,
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  Speaker 1: a priest of the Most High God, offering bread and
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  Speaker 1: wine to Abraham. Who was this priest king of Salem?
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  Speaker 1: Why is his presence so significant that it is mentioned
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  Speaker 1: both in the Old and New Testaments. It didn't take
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  Speaker 1: long for Lot's choice to land him in serious trouble.
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  Speaker 1: In Genesis fourteen, we find a vivid description of the
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  Speaker 1: fragile ties that united the kingdoms in Abraham's time. The
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  Speaker 1: Bible narrates how the kings of Shinar, Elisar, Elam, and
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  Speaker 1: Goyim formed an alliance to fight against the kingdoms of Sodom,
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  Speaker 1: gomorrah admah Zeboim, and Zoah. These kingdoms rebelled after twelve
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  Speaker 1: years of oppression. When kedor Lama and his allies learned
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  Speaker 1: of the conquests of these rebel kings, they gathered in
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  Speaker 1: the valley of Sidim to confront them. The king of
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  Speaker 1: Sodom was among the many who rose against keedor Loma.
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  Speaker 1: During the ensuing conflicts, Lot, Abraham's nephew, who lived in Sodom,
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  Speaker 1: was captured. However, a man who had been captured with
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  Speaker 1: Lot managed to escape and brought the news to Abraham
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  Speaker 1: without hesitation. Abraham gathered a force of three hundred and
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  Speaker 1: eighteen men and set out in pursuit of the adversary.
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  Speaker 1: By God's grace, Abraham won the battle against keedor Lomer's armies,
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  Speaker 1: recovering all the plundered goods. As Abraham returned through the
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  Speaker 1: Valley of Shava after his victory, the king of Sodom
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  Speaker 1: came to meet him, and there too was Melchizedek, the
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  Speaker 1: enigmatic ruler of Salem, waiting to meet Abraham. It is
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  Speaker 1: at this moment that we first encounter Melchizedek, a fig
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  Speaker 1: go shrouded in mystery and profound significance. Many of us
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  Speaker 1: are not familiar with the importance of names in Hebrew
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  Speaker 1: in the Bible. Names in the Bible are not just descriptive.
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  Speaker 1: They carry authority and purpose. For example, the name God
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  Speaker 1: gave to Adam means Earth, reflecting his origin Genesis two seven.
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  Speaker 1: Names in the Bible often reveal a person's role or destiny. Nabel,
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  Speaker 1: whose name means fool, is a perfect example of how
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  Speaker 1: a name can represent someone's character or destiny. Similarly, names
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  Speaker 1: can encapsulate human hopes, divine revelations, or illustrate prophecies. So
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  Speaker 1: what is the meaning of the name Melchizedek. In Hebrew
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  Speaker 1: seven two, we read to whom Abraham also gave a
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  Speaker 1: tenth part of all first being by interpretation, king of righteousness,
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  Speaker 1: and after that also King of Salem, which is king
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  Speaker 1: of peace. The name Melchizedek means king of righteousness and
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  Speaker 1: king of dad peace. This implies that the person with
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  Speaker 1: this name is just and impartial in their dealings, a
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  Speaker 1: perfect name for a ruler or leader who upholds justice
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  Speaker 1: and righteousness. In Genesis fourteen eighteen, we see Melchizedek acting
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  Speaker 1: as the King of Salem, bringing bread and wine to Abraham.
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  Speaker 1: This act was not just common hospitality. It was a
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  Speaker 1: gesture filled with spiritual symbolism. Melchizedek, as a priest of
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  Speaker 1: the Most High God, blessed Abraham, strengthening the connection between righteousness, peace,
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  Speaker 1: and divine favor. Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread
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  Speaker 1: and wine. He was priest of God Most High Genesis
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  Speaker 1: fourteen eighteen. His presence and actions not only offer a
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  Speaker 1: glimpse of his just and peaceful nature, but also foreshadow
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  Speaker 1: the eternal priesthood that would later be associated with Christ. Thus,
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  Speaker 1: the name Melchizedek was not just a name, It was
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  Speaker 1: an accurate assessment of his carria and mission. As king
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  Speaker 1: of righteousness and peace, he embodied the ideals that every
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  Speaker 1: ruler should aspire to. His brief but impactful appearance in
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  Speaker 1: scripture invites us to reflect on the nature of righteousness
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  Speaker 1: and peace, fundamental attributes for any society seeking to live
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  Speaker 1: under divine principles. The Bible mentions Salem four times. Three
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  Speaker 1: of these references are associated with Melchizedek as its king.
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  Speaker 1: The only other mention of Salem in the Bible is
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  Speaker 1: in Psalms seventy six, verses one and two. God is
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  Speaker 1: known in Judah, his name is great in Israel, in
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  Speaker 1: Salem is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. Finally,
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  Speaker 1: in Second Kings fourteen, verse twenty, we learn that Jerusalem
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  Speaker 1: is the city of David. Therefore, the city we now
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  Speaker 1: call Jerusalem was originally called Salem before David conquered it
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  Speaker 1: and made it the capital of Israel. Salem passed through
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  Speaker 1: the hands of various real rulers. Over time, Melchizedek is
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  Speaker 1: often used to explain the mysteries of Jesus. Just as
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  Speaker 1: Melchizedek is the King of Peace, Jesus is also called
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  Speaker 1: the King of Peace. In Isaiah's prophecy about the coming
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  Speaker 1: of the Messiah, we read, for unto us a child
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  Speaker 1: is born, unto us a son is given, and the
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  Speaker 1: government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall
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  Speaker 1: be called wonderful counselor Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of
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  Speaker 1: Peace Isaiah nine, verse six. Note that peace does not
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  Speaker 1: mean ease. Jesus never promised ease. He promised help and support.
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  Speaker 1: In the Old Testament we see many images of Jesus,
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  Speaker 1: and Melchizedek is a key figure, revealing many truths about him. Initially,
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  Speaker 1: there were no levitical priests, there was the Order of Melchizedek.
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  Speaker 1: In Genesis fourteen, we discover that Melchizedek gifted Abraham with
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  Speaker 1: bread and wine, a gesture loaded with spiritual symbolism. Bible
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  Speaker 1: scholars believe that the Valley of Chaver, also known as
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  Speaker 1: the Valley of the Kings, was located near the south
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  Speaker 1: of Jerusalem. It was here that Melchizedek first met Abraham,
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  Speaker 1: bringing bread and wine as symbols of hospitality and blessing. Melchizedek,
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  Speaker 1: as a priest of the Most High God, not only
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  Speaker 1: offered physical sustenance, but also a profound spiritual blessing pointing
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  Speaker 1: to the future redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Melchizedek brought
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  Speaker 1: new vigor to Abraham's warriors, offering them bread and wine,
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  Speaker 1: a symbolic gesture of hospitality and blessing that transcends mere
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  Speaker 1: physical sustenance. This act marked the beginning of a deep
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  Speaker 1: and meaningful relationship between Abraham and Melchizedek. As the king
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  Speaker 1: of Salem, Melchizedek was not only interested in establishing friendship
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  Speaker 1: with the man who had defeated a formidable coalition in
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  Speaker 1: God's name, but also in strengthening the spiritual and covenantal
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  Speaker 1: bonds between them. Genesis fourteen, verse eighteen reveals that Melchizedek
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  Speaker 1: was a priest of the Most High God. This title
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  Speaker 1: Most High God underscores the supremacy of the God whom
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  Speaker 1: Abraham worshiped, the creator of heaven and earth, to whom
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  Speaker 1: all other gods must submit. It is a title that
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  Speaker 1: emphasizes the unparalleled majesty and authority of Abraham's God only.
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  Speaker 1: He is described as the supreme ruler of the universe,
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  Speaker 1: governing both the heavens and the earth. Melchizedek worshiped the
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  Speaker 1: same God as Abraham. Although the Bible does not provide
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  Speaker 1: explicit details about how Melchizedek came to know the Most
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  Speaker 1: High God, his reverence and position as a priest indicate
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  Speaker 1: a profound spiritual connection and a significant understanding of the
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  Speaker 1: supreme deity. Psalm fifty seven, verse two reinforces this view
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  Speaker 1: by stating, I will cry out to God Most High,
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  Speaker 1: to God who performs all things for me. The Hebrew words,
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  Speaker 1: often translated as Most High God or Elohil, describe an
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  Speaker 1: exultation that goes beyond mere physical superiority. They imply an
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  Speaker 1: elevation in position, title, beauty, intelligence, and authority. In the Bible,
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  Speaker 1: authority and hierarchy are often discussed in terms of height
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  Speaker 1: and elevation, from the highest ranks of management to the
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  Speaker 1: most common levels of workers. This concept also applies to
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  Speaker 1: the priesthood, where the priesthood of Melchizedek is seen as
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  Speaker 1: preceding and superior to the priesthood of Aaron and the Levites. Furthermore,
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  Speaker 1: the priesthood of Melchizedek is significant because he is a
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  Speaker 1: figure that prefigures Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, Hebrews seven,
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  Speaker 1: verse three describes Melchizedek as without father, without mother, without genealogy,
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  Speaker 1: having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but
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  Speaker 1: made like the son of God, remains a priest continually.
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  Speaker 1: This description highlights the eternal and heavenly no nature of
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  Speaker 1: Melchizedek's priesthood, pointing to the redemptive and eternal work of
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  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. Melchizedek blessed Abraham in the name of the
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  Speaker 1: Most High God, as recorded in Genesis fourteen, verses nineteen
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  Speaker 1: and twenty. And he blessed him saying, blessed be Abram
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  Speaker 1: by God most High, creator of heaven and earth. And
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  Speaker 1: blessed be God most High, who has delivered your enemies
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  Speaker 1: into your hand. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
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  Speaker 1: This blessing was not just a formality, but a profound
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  Speaker 1: recognition of God's sovereignty over all creation and his protective
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  Speaker 1: hand over Abraham. Melchizedek acknowledged that Abraham's victory was not
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  Speaker 1: due to his military skill or the strength of his army,
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  Speaker 1: but rather to the favor of the Most High God,
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  Speaker 1: who fought on Abraham's behalf. In Genesis fourteen, verse twenty,
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  Speaker 1: he affirmed that it was the Most High God who
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  Speaker 1: delivered the enemies into Abraham's hands. Recognition highlights the personal
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  Speaker 1: and powerful nature of God, who, despite being the creator
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  Speaker 1: of heaven and earth, cares for and protects those who
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  Speaker 1: are part of his family. Melchizedek, therefore, was not just
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  Speaker 1: a king, but also a priest who understood and revered
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  Speaker 1: divine supremacy. The order and mystery of Melchizedek are used
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  Speaker 1: to explain Jesus. Psalm one hundred and ten introduces Melchizedek
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  Speaker 1: for the second time in the Bible. As David meditated
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  Speaker 1: on his dignity as a king priest, he envisioned the Messiah,
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  Speaker 1: the perfect king priest. He merely foreshadowed. This psalm seems
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  Speaker 1: to predict the catastrophic events of the Battle of Armageddon.
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  Speaker 1: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind.
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  Speaker 1: You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.
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  Speaker 1: The Lord is at your right hand. He will crush
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  Speaker 1: kings on the day of his wrath, He will judge
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  Speaker 1: the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers
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  Speaker 1: of the whole earth, Psalm one hundred and ten, verses
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  Speaker 1: four to six. According to the Book of Revelation, the
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  Speaker 1: biblical term armageddon refers to the final and decisive conflict
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  Speaker 1: that will occur between God and the forces of evil.
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  Speaker 1: As David wrote his Psalm and reflected on the victory
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  Speaker 1: and revival God promised, he assured his readers that the
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  Speaker 1: Lord's promises would undoubtedly be fulfilled. David based this certainty
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  Speaker 1: on two essential facts. First, it was a promise made
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  Speaker 1: by God, and he would not go back on his word. Second,
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  Speaker 1: the guarantee of this commitment came from a priest in
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  Speaker 1: the Order of Melchizedek. The significant point for us in
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  Speaker 1: this study is David's second reason for trusting in God's promises,
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  Speaker 1: the eternal Priest according to the Order of Melchizedek. At
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  Speaker 1: this point in Israel's history, the ironic priesthood of the
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  Speaker 1: Old Testament had already demonstrated its inability to produce the
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  Speaker 1: kind of renewal David envisioned. Year after year, sacri devices
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  Speaker 1: were made, but God's people did not change, continuing in
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  Speaker 1: their rebellion against God. In Chapter twenty two of Matthew,
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  Speaker 1: Jesus asked the Pharisees a question, explaining that David was
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  Speaker 1: inspired by the spirit to write Psalm one hundred and ten.
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  Speaker 1: Under the inspiration of the spirit, the psalmist makes the
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  Speaker 1: connection between Jesus and the Order of Melchizedek, which was
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  Speaker 1: a priesthood different from that of Aaron. This was a
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  Speaker 1: priesthood that would accomplish what the Old Testament priesthood could not. Jesus,
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  Speaker 1: like Melchizedek, had no beginning or end, an eternal priest.
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  Speaker 1: An interesting view of Melchizedek is that he never had
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  Speaker 1: a recorded beginning or end, symbolizing the eternity of his priesthood.
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  Speaker 1: Psalm one hundred and ten, Verse four reveals to us
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  Speaker 1: that the Lord Jesus was appointed a priest forever in
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  Speaker 1: the Order of Melchizedek. The Lord has sworn and will
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  Speaker 1: not change his mind. You are a priest forever in
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  Speaker 1: the Order of Melchizedek. Priesthood of Jesus is eternal, in
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  Speaker 1: contrast to the ironic priests whose service ended with death.
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  Speaker 1: The priesthood of Melchizedek and by extension that of Jesus
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  Speaker 1: transcends time and human limitations. While the ironic priesthood could
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  Speaker 1: not bring about true renewal and spiritual transformation, Jesus, as
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  Speaker 1: the eternal high Priest, offers a perfect and eternal sacrifice,
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  Speaker 1: ensuring the redemption and renewal of his people. The Lord
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  Speaker 1: Jesus would not perish. He would always intercede for us
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  Speaker 1: and insure forgiveness. His priesthood is eternal, and as long
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  Speaker 1: as he intercedes for us and stands in the gap
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  Speaker 1: for us, we are safe. Through the inspiration of the spirit,
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  Speaker 1: David proclaimed God's blessing through a new priesthood. This Melchizedeic
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  Speaker 1: priesthood is a priesthood that continues until the end of time.
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  Speaker 1: Those who are desperately lost in their sins receive spiritual
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  Speaker 1: healing through this priesthood, and those who are crushed by
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  Speaker 1: the weight of their shame find forgiveness. This priesthood brings
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  Speaker 1: life to those who are withering and adorns them with
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  Speaker 1: the freshness of youth. The Lord Jesus Christ reveals to
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  Speaker 1: us that he is the one who fulfills the promise
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  Speaker 1: God made to David. He is the only one who
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  Speaker 1: can achieve this goal, being our eternal priest in the
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  Speaker 1: order of Melchizedek, Jesus will accomplish things that the Old
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  Speaker 1: Testament prophets were never able to achieve. The first reference
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  Speaker 1: to Melchizedek in the New Testament is in Hebrews five,
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  Speaker 1: verses one to ten. This chapter makes comparisons between the
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  Speaker 1: Old Testament priesthood and the priesthood that the Lord Jesus
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  Speaker 1: now holds. The author begins by providing some basic information
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  Speaker 1: about the Old Testament priesthood, including its responsibilities and requirements.
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  Speaker 1: Every high priest is selected from among the people and
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  Speaker 1: is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God,
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  Speaker 1: to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able
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  Speaker 1: to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are
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  Speaker 1: going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This
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  Speaker 1: is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own
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  Speaker 1: sins as well as for the sins of the people
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  Speaker 1: Hebrews five, verses one to three. This human priesthood had
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  Speaker 1: its limitations. The priests were chosen from among the people,
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  Speaker 1: and due to their own weakness, they had to offer
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  Speaker 1: sacrifices for their own sins as well as for the
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  Speaker 1: sins of the people. They were able to deal gently
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  Speaker 1: with the spiritually ignorant and misguided because they were also
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  Speaker 1: subject to the same human weaknesses. However, the priesthood of
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  Speaker 1: Jesus is superior. He is sinless and therefore does not
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  Speaker 1: need to offer sacrifices for himself. As the Great eternal
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  Speaker 1: High Priest, he continuously intercedes for us, insuring our reconciliation
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  Speaker 1: with God. His intercession is perfect and eternal, ensuring that
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  Speaker 1: as long as he is in the heavenly sanctuary, our
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  Speaker 1: forgiveness and acceptance before God are assured. Hebrews five also
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  Speaker 1: highlights that Jesus was called by God for this role,
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  Speaker 1: just as Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God.
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  Speaker 1: The order of Melchizedek is a priestly order that does
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  Speaker 1: not depend on genealogy or a specific lineage, but rather
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  Speaker 1: on a direct divine calling. Jesus, being eternal, fulfills this
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  Speaker 1: priesthood in a way that transcends the human and temporal
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  Speaker 1: limitations of the ironic priesthood. Although priests were guilty of sinning,
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  Speaker 1: they were responsible for atoning for the sins of the
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  Speaker 1: people by presenting offerings and making sacrifices. In the Old Testament,
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  Speaker 1: God delegated certain people to the function of priests, and
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  Speaker 1: it was their responsibility to offer gifts and sacrifices on
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  Speaker 1: behalf of the people when they sinned. These men were
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  Speaker 1: weak and often fell into sin. Despite their lack of perfection,
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  Speaker 1: God's ill chose them to be his representatives. The sacrifices
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  Speaker 1: performed by these priests were endless. Daily, they acknowledged their
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  Speaker 1: own inadequacies and continued the cycle of offering animal sacrifices
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  Speaker 1: to atone for the transgressions of God's people. Hebrews five,
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  Speaker 1: verse two tells us that he can deal gently with
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  Speaker 1: the ignorant and misguided, for he himself is beset with weakness.
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  Speaker 1: In an ideal world, the high priest would not only
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  Speaker 1: be someone who offered animals as sacrifices. He would also
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  Speaker 1: have compassion for those who were ignorant and misguided, ministering
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  Speaker 1: the atoning sacrifices with a loving heart toward the people.
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  Speaker 1: The reason the high priest demonstrated such compassion was because
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  Speaker 1: he recognized his own susceptibility to weakness. He was chosen
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  Speaker 1: from the community of God's people, but not by popular vote.
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  Speaker 1: God chose him. The guiding premise here is that no
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  Speaker 1: person can claim this honor for them. The priesthood was
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  Speaker 1: a divine calling, not a position to be achieved by
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  Speaker 1: human merit. The priests of the Old Testament had the
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  Speaker 1: solemn responsibility of interceding for the people before God, but
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  Speaker 1: their intercession was limited by their own imperfection. They were
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  Speaker 1: a constant reminder that sin required continuous atonement, and that
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  Speaker 1: perfection could not be achieved through the old sacrificial system.
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  Speaker 1: The position of high priest was not something to be
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  Speaker 1: earned or sought through political means. It was a privilege
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  Speaker 1: granted by God. It was an honor that no person
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  Speaker 1: could claim for themselves. Hebrews five, verses four to six
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  Speaker 1: tells us no one takes this honor upon himself. He
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  Speaker 1: must be called by God, just as Aaron was. So.
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  Speaker 1: Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of
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  Speaker 1: becoming a high priest. But God said to him, you
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  Speaker 1: are my son. To day I have become your father.
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  Speaker 1: And he says in another place, you are a priest
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  Speaker 1: forever in the order of Melchizedek. Just as God designated
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  Speaker 1: the priests of the Old Testament for this duty. He
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  Speaker 1: also designated Jesus for this position. It is easy to
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  Speaker 1: understand why jesus priesthood was difficult for early Jewish Christians
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  Speaker 1: to comprehend. Jesus was not from the lineage of Aaron,
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  Speaker 1: just as Melchizedek was a mystery to many. The resurrection
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  Speaker 1: of Jesus demonstrated that he was not a priest like Aaron,
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  Speaker 1: who first had to atone for his own sin. Jesus
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  Speaker 1: was vindicated as the Holy One of God through his resurrection,
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  Speaker 1: demonstrating his perfect holiness. The resurrection of Jesus showed that
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  Speaker 1: he was able to endure the wrath that sinners deserved
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  Speaker 1: without falling into sin himself. Hebrews five, verses seven to
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  Speaker 1: nine reveals during the days of Jesus's life on earth,
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  Speaker 1: he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and
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  Speaker 1: tears to the one who could save him from death,
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  Speaker 1: and he was heard because of his reverence submission. Although
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  Speaker 1: he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered,
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  Speaker 1: and once made perfect, he became the source of eternal
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: salvation for all who obey him. In the early days
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: of his life, Jesus made specific petitions and urgent supplications,
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: with tears and fervent cries to the one who was
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: always able to save him from death. He was heard
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: because of his reverent submission to God, his sinlessness, and
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: his unwavering determination to fulfill the Father's will. Although he
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: was a son who had never been disobedient to the Father,
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: he learned a special and active obedience through what he suffered.
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: This learning and suffering perfected him uniquely, equipping and preparing
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: him as savior. Jesus, as a priest in the order
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: of Melchizedek, was able to empathize with our suffering. The
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: agony Jesus exped experienced in the garden of Gethsemone is
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: evidence that he struggled with the challenge of obedience. But
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: despite this, his obedience was flawless. Because Jesus underwent suffering
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: on our behalf and then rose from the dead, he
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: is the only one qualified to be the author of
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: our salvation. There is no room for doubt about the
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: high priesthood of Jesus Christ. The priesthood Jesus exercises is
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: not the same as that of the Israelites, which was
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: based on the lineage of Arin and limited by the
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: law of Moses. Jesus's priesthood existed before the time of Israel,
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: and the law Melchizedek, not Aaron, represents Jesus's lineage and priesthood.
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: Hebrews six, verse twenty tells us where Jesus entered for
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: us as a forerunner, having become a high priest forever
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: according to the order of Melchizedek. The next reference to
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: Melchizedek is in Hebrews seven, which provides more information about
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: Melchizedek than any other passage in the Bible. The author
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: focuses on a specific incident during the meeting of Abraham
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: and Melchizedek. Hebrews seven, verses one to four states this
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: Melchizedek was King of Salem and priest of God most High.
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First,
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: the name Melchizedek means king of righteousness. Then also King
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: of Salem means king of peace, without father or mother,
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life,
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: resembling the son of God. He remains a priest forever
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: Just think how great he was. Even the patriarch Abraham
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: gave him a tenth of the plunder. This account highlights
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: the uniqueness of Melchizedek. He is described as without father
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: of life, making him a mysterious and eternal figure. Now
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: consider how great this man was, to whom Abraham the
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: patriarch gave a tenth of the best spoils. Abraham is
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: considered the father of the Israelites, a highly revered figure
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: by God's people because of his central role in the
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: history of redemption. Despite this, Abraham submitted to Melchizedek's authority
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: and gave him a tenth of the battle spoils. As
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: great as Abraham was, he bowed before Melchizedek, recognizing his
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: spiritual authority. It was a mandate of the law that
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: all Israelites donate a tenth of everything they earned, as
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: well as from the crops and animals they raised, to
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: the tabernacle or temple, as a tithe. Leviticus twenty seven,
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: verse thirty says, a tithe of everything from the land,
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees,
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: belongs to the Lord, it is wholly to the Lord.
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: This command underscores the importance of the tithe as an
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: act of worship and recognition of god sovereignty. Later, when
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: God's people desired a king, God communicated through Samuel what
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: their kings would demand of them. In one Samuel eight
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: verses fifteen to seventeen, we read, he will take a
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: tenth of your grain and of your vintage, and give
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants,
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: take for his own use. He will take a tenth
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: This system of tithes and tributes demonstrates that a tenth
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: of the grain, vineyards, and flocks was for the king.
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: As a result, some interpreters concluded that Abraham recognized Melchizedek
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: as the legitimate ruler of Salem. By giving Melchizedek a
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: tenth of the spoils, Abraham not only acknowledged Melchizedek's spiritual authority,
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: but also his leadership position. Consider the words of the
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: Law of Moses, as recorded in Numbers eighteen, verse twenty
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: one one, I give to the Levites all the tithes
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: they do whilst serving at the tent of meeting. From
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: numbers eighteen, we understand that the priests received a tenth
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: of Israel's goods. The priests could perform the work God
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: had entrusted them to do thanks to the tithe. Possibly,
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: Abraham gave this tithe to Melchizedek as a priest. In
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: doing so, he could express his gratitude to the Lord
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: for the victory he had granted. The tithe offering was
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: an acknowledgment that victory and blessings came from God. Melchizedek
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: might have received this resource both as king and as
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: a priest. What is vital to observe here is that
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: Abraham recognized Melchizedek as the righteous king and priest of Salem.
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: Genesis chapter fourteen gives us an intriguing picture of Melchizedek's genealogy.
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: We learn in verse three that Melchizedek was without father
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: of life. Some presume from this that Melchizedek had neither
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: beginning nor end. In other words, that he was the
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: Lord Jesus Christ revealed in Abraham's days as the priest
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: of the Order of Melchizedek. He was part of a
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: priesthood that could not be attributed to any human origin.
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: It was a priesthood that God had instituted from the
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: beginning of time itself, and that would continue forever. In
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: other words, Melchizedec's priesthood was in the heart of God
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: from before the beginning of days. God had a plan
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: for the Lord Jesus to be the high priest of
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: this order, reigning as the king of righteousness in a
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: city of peace. This divine plan reveals the eternal and
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: perfect nature of Jesus's priesthood, which transcends time and human limitations.
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: You should also observe that Melchizedek resembled the Son of God,
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: as mentioned in verse three. This is a very significant
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: point because it demonstrates that he is a type of
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: an even greater priest, pointing to the Lord Jesus. His city,
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: the city of Peace, prophetically portrayed the work of the
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: Lord Jesus, who brought us peace. Hebrews seven, verses five
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: to ten tells us, now the law requires the descendants
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: the people, that is, from their fellow Israelites, even though
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: they also are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: not trace his descent from Levi. Yet he collected a
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: And without doubt, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: In the one case, the tenth is collected by people
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: who die, but in the other case by him who
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: is declared to be living. One might even say that Levi,
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: of his ancestor. Abraham demonstrated his acceptance of Melchizedek's priesthood
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: by presenting him with a tithe of everything he had.
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: It is clear from verses nine and ten that Abraham
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: was a type of the future levitical priesthood that was
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: about to be established. By giving the tithe to Melchizedek, Abraham,
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: as a representative of the levitical priesthood, acknowledged Melchizedek's superiority,
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: who was a type of Christ. Abraham also gave Melchizedek
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: the tithe, symbolizing acceptance and submission to the eternal priesthood
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: that Melchizedek represented. Eventually there would be two separate priesthoods,
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: one administered by regular mortal members and the other eternal,
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: involving a priest whose existence had neither beginning nor end.
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: The temporary priesthood would eventually give way to the eternal priesthood,
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: and the high priests of the Order of Melchizedek would
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: reign forever, ministering to the the needs of their people.
• 30:01
  Speaker 1: This is a superior priesthood, as highlighted in Hebrews seven,
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: verse eleven. If perfection could have been attained through the
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: levitical priesthood, and indeed the law given to the people
• 30:13
  Speaker 1: established that priesthood, why was there still need for another
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: priest to come, one in the Order of Melchizedek, not
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: in the Order of Aaron. We cannot serve God and
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: meet all his criteria without making mistakes in our actions, words,
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: and thoughts. We often fall short of the ideal he
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: has set. More significantly, we are born in sin, and
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: as a result, each of our actions is tainted by
• 30:38
  Speaker 1: this sin. The countless sacrifices of the levitical priesthood did
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: not solve the problem of sin and our broken relationship
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: with God. There was temporary relief, but the underlying problem
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: was not resolved. Sin, a fatal disease, would eventually be
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: the cause of our death. A more effective solution was needed.
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: The levitical priesthood in the Old Testament did not succeed
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: in eradicating sin and restoring humanity to a right relationship
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: with God. The solution would be found in the establishment
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: of a new priesthood descending from the order of Melchizedek.
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: Hebrews seven twelve seventeen tells us, for when the priesthood
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: is changed, the law must be changed. Also, he of
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe,
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: and no one from that tribe has ever served at
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: from Judah, and in regard to that tribe, Moses said
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: nothing about priests. And what we have said is even
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: more clear. If another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: has become a priest not on the basis of a
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: regulation as to his ancestry, but on the basis of
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared
• 31:53
  Speaker 1: you are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus,
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: being from the tribe of Judah and not from the
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: tribe of Levi, becomes a priest not by a physical regulation,
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: but by an indestructible life. This new priesthood is eternal
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: and perfect, unlike the levitical priesthood, which was temporary and imperfect.
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: The change in priesthood brings a change in the law,
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: a transition from a system based on repetitive sacrifices to
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: a system based on the perfect and unique sacrifice of Jesus.
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: Hebrews seven twenty two twenty four tells us because of
• 32:31
  Speaker 1: this oath, Jesus has become the guarranter of a better covenant. Now,
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: there have been many of those priests, since death prevented
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: them from continuing in office. But because Jesus lives forever,
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: he has a permanent priesthood. This passage highlights that Jesus,
• 32:49
  Speaker 1: by living eternally, maintains his priesthood perpetually, becoming the guarantor
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: of a better and more enduring covenant. The former priests
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: existed in great numbers because death prevented them from continuing.
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: Each levitical priest served for a limited time as death
• 33:07
  Speaker 1: interrupted their service. However, Jesus, because he lives forever, holds
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: his priesthood permanently. This means that his role as our
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: high priest will never end. Therefore, he is able to
• 33:21
  Speaker 1: save completely those who come to God through him because
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews seven twenty
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: five emphasizes that Jesus can save completely and eternally those
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: who come to God through him because he is always
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: alive to intercede for us. This continuous intercession guarantees our
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: salvation and allows us to experience complete and absolute victory.
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: Jesus will be our guarantor of eternal life and forgiveness.
• 33:50
  Speaker 1: He is able to save perfectly, that is, completely, totally
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: and eternally. Hebrews seven twenty six states, such a high
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: priest truly meets our need. One who is wholly, blameless, pure,
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Jesus is holy, innocent,
• 34:07
  Speaker 1: and immaculate, separate from sinners and exalted above the heavens.
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: Unlike the levitical priests, Jesus does not need to make
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: daily sacrifices for his own sins, as he is sinless
• 34:19
  Speaker 1: and has no sin. He is also not required to
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: offer sacrifices repeatedly to atone for the crimes of his people.
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: With a single act, he offered himself as the perfect
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: and final sacrifice, ending all other acts of sacrifice. Hebrews
• 34:34
  Speaker 1: seven twenty seven clarifies, unlike the other high priests, he
• 34:38
  Speaker 1: does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: for his own sins and then for the sins of
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: when he offered himself. This unique and perfect sacrifice of
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: Jesus is sufficient for all eternity. Thus Jesus will be
• 34:57
  Speaker 1: our guarranter of eternal life and death forgiveness forever. The
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: author of Hebrews assures us that he is able to
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: save to the utmost. This expression indicates that Jesus is
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: able to save completely, perfectly and eternally all people who
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: come to God through him. Therefore, the eternal priesthood of
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: Jesus and his unique and definitive sacrifice guarantee us complete
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: and lasting salvation. His continuous intercession assures us that we
• 35:27
  Speaker 1: will always be under His protection and grace. This is
• 35:31
  Speaker 1: the foundation of our faith and the certainty of our
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: eternal salvation. Knowing that we have a perfect high Priest
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: who lives forever to intercede for us and ensure our
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: reconciliation with God,