Podcast 126, Hebrews, “Pt 7, Ch 7”

Podcast 126, Hebrews, “Pt 7, Ch 7”It is difficult to find a more profound explanation of the priesthood than in Hebrews Chapter 7. Clearly there are two priesthoods, a lessor priesthood and a greater priesthood. The lessor priesthood is the Levitical or Aaronic Priesthood. The greater priesthood is the Melchisedec Priesthood. Priesthood is the power to act in God’s name. To have that Priesthood one must be ordained of God “as was Aaron.” Paul teaches the dramatic difference between the two. First, he teaches of the higher or Melchisedec Priesthood.Hebrews 7:1-4For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.We first read of Abraham meeting Melchizedek in Genesis 14.Genesis 14:18-20And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.In the stories of Jews and Christians, has there ever been a more important meeting, King David adds further insight. Psalm 110:4The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. So far we learn that Melchisedec is King of Salem, Priest of the Most Hight God, & King of Righteousness. We also learn that Melchisedec was greater than Abraham for Melchisedec blessed Abraham and Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec. Melchisedec has Christ like qualities, but he is not Christ. Paul said, “but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” Melchisedec is a High Priest to Christ, and as David teaches, Christ will be a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. In fact, the longevity of that priesthood is a primary theme of Hebrews 7. Hebrews 7:3 “But made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually”; 7:17 “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec”; 7: 24 “Because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood”; 7:27 “who is consecrated for evermore.”It is the Melchisedec Priesthood, however, that is “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life.”  And David teaches us that Christ is a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” Paul echoes the words of David.Hebrews 7:22-28By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.In other words, Christ is the power of the priesthood. He continueth forever. He is able to save all that come unto him, Christ gives his priesthood to man. For example, it was Christ who gave that priesthood to Melchizedek and it was Melchizedek who gave that priesthood to Abraham for Abraham receives all the oaths and covenants or all the promises. Christ also gave that priesthood to Peter and the Apostles. It is through that same Priesthood that bind the oaths and covenants of God. The Aaronic or Levitical Priesthood did not have that power, but the Melchizedek Priesthood did for it is everlasting.Hebrews 7:18-21For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)To understand what those oaths and covenants are, let’s return to the Old Testament. Genesis 12:1-3Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.In other words, if we are to be blessed thorough the Melchizedek Priesthood, we must be of the seed of Abraham, not by birthright only as were the House of Jacob but by righteousness through obedience to the laws of Christ. who is the embodiment of the everlasting priesthood. Anyone who comes unto Christ via his Holy Priesthood, may inherit the blessings of Christ. The scope of the blessing to Abraham and his seed, including the Gentiles who become his adopted seed, is difficult to comprehend.Genesis 13:14-16And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.Genesis 15:5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.The covenant with Abraham is not an earthly covenant only. As we read in Genesis 13: “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.” That is not an idle promise. It is an eternal covenant. In Genesis we readGenesis 17:7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.The Promised Land then covers not only real estate on earth but also real estate in heaven; otherwise, it would not be everlasting. The Levitical Priesthood does not contain that oath or covenant or promise. Only through the Melchizedek Priesthood can it be obtained. Another thing that separates the Aaronic Priesthood from the Melchizedek Priesthood is the difference in law. Law, the greatest gift of God, is often overlooked causing some to erroneously see God as arbitrary. God is a God of law and order, or he would not be God. Every blessing, every miracle, every prophecy, every ordinance, every commandment, every covenant—in fact everything that God does, he does according to law. It simplifies things for us. Obey the law and you get the predicated blessings. Disobey the law and you get the predicated cursings. There is one law of the Levitical or Aaronic Priesthood and a higher law for the Melchizedek Priesthood. Let’s see what Paul says of the Aaronic Priesthood.Hebrews 7:5-10And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.We learn in the above that the Melchisedec Priesthood was first, the Aaronic Priesthood second. The Melchisedec Priesthood is greater, the Aaronic Priesthood is lessor. This is emphasized by Paul.Hebrews 7:11-14If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.