Tuesday September 6, 2022

It's been nearly a week since my last entry...I've been busy with school stuff, as my new semester has just begun. My sermon this Sunday (the 11th) is on Psalm 110.  David is the author of the Psalm, and references a might King, who will also be a priest-like Melchizedek.  If you have not read my last entry, I would encourage you to do so, as this is a continuation of last Wednesday.
In my last entry I talked a bit about Melchizedek-a king/priest mentioned in the book of Genesis Ch. 14. Today, I would like to take a look at Hebrews Ch. 7.
Heb. 7: 1-10
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. 3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.
4 Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. 5 And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment [a]in the Law to collect [b]a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these [c]are descended from Abraham. 6 But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected [d]a tenth from Abraham and [e]blessed the one who had the promises. 7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. 9 And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Hebrews 7 lays out something utterly fantastic! When God established the nation of Israel, He set up a family line that would serve as priests. God also set up a kingly line-that would rule as kings. We never see one person have the title of king and priest throughout the history of Israel. According to what we can gather, from both Genesis, Psalm 110, and Hebrews 7-God also created a separate priestly line-outside of the nation of Israel. This line served as both: King and Priest. Melchizedek was not Jewish, he was a Gentile. This family line was created before God made his covenant with Israel, before the great patriarchs (Isaac and Jacob), and way before the Law of Moses. This line preceded all of these things. So, when David declares in Psalm 110: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” David is saying that the coming Messiah will be for the Gentile and Jew. Not only that, but the Messiah will also be a King-again, not just for Israel, but for all people. 
In my next entry, I will talk about why this matters, and how Jesus has fulfilled this role in the life of the believer.