Hi Friends!
Here’s a History / Bible Line Thought for you.
What is the Melchizedek Priesthood?
Well . . .
If we look at what the Bible says about this Melchizedek Priesthood we see that it is an order – a lineage of Priesthood from Melchizedek to Jesus Christ.
The Melchizedek Priesthood is mentioned in five different chapters in the Bible.
In Genesis 14:18 we see this mysterious figure Melchizedek who is the King of Salem (Jerusalem). He is also “the priest of the most high God”.
And we can see from the manner in which Abram (Abraham) accepts Melchizedek that he knows that this “most high God” is the true God whom he worships.
Melchizedek blessed Abram and said that the most high God had given Abram’s enemies into his hands. Read Genesis 14 and you’ll see that Abram did defeat his enemies and bring back his nephew Lot and all he had.
Then Abram payed a tithe to this Melchizedek, showing that he did accept Melchizedek as legitimate priest of the most high God – the true God.
That tells us a LOT about Melchizedek right there!
Gen 14:18 AKJV/PCE And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Gen 14:19 AKJV/PCE And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
Gen 14:20 AKJV/PCE And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Then we see David refer to Melchizedek in Psalm 110.
Looking at this Psalm 110:1 we can see God’s promises to the Messiah.
And we see these promises applied to Jesus Christ.
In Hebrews 1:13 Jesus is to sit at the Father’s right hand as God makes the Lord’s enemies His footstool.
Psalm 110:5-6 sound very End Times and Messianic.
It talks about His day of wrath.
He judges and destroys many in battle.
He takes control of the nations.
Ps 110:1 AKJV/PCE A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Ps 110:2 AKJV/PCE The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Ps 110:3 AKJV/PCE Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
Ps 110:4 AKJV/PCE The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Ps 110:5 AKJV/PCE The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
Ps 110:6 AKJV/PCE He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
Ps 110:7 AKJV/PCE He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
And in Psalm 110:4 we see that the Father swears that the Lord (Jesus the Messiah) is a priest for ever!
And He is priest after the order of Melchizedek!
So this establishes that Melchizedek (in Genesis 14:18) was a righteous man and the priest of the true God.
And Notice that Melchizedek was priest of the most high God LONG before Moses lived or was given the Law for the people of Israel in Exodus – Deuteronomy!
Also Notice that Melchizedek was priest of the most high God and accepted by Abram as the priest of the true God in Genesis 14 years before Abraham was circumcised in Genesis 17!
Gen 17:23 AKJV/PCE ¶ And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
Gen 17:24 AKJV/PCE And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
So God views this this priesthood of the order of Melchizedek as very legitimate.
And as higher in priority than the priesthood of the Law of Moses!
God doesn’t make Jesus the priest of the order of the Law given to Israel by Moses!
Instead God declares the coming Messiah priest of the order of Melchizedek in Psalm 110:4. Melchizedek’s order of priesthood existed in Genesis 18 LONG before the time of Moses!
So this Melchizedek order of priesthood existed before and is clearly superior to that priesthood of the Law given to Israel through Moses!
REMEMBER THAT FRIENDS!
In Hebrews we see several more points about Jesus and the priesthood of Melchizedek.
We see in Hebrews 5:8-10 that Jesus, even though He was God’s Son, still suffered and was perfected in that He did the will of the Father.
Through His death Jesus obtained for we who believe, eternal salvation.
And so He is established as an high priest after the order of Melchizedek!
Heb 5:8 AKJV/PCE Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9 AKJV/PCE And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Heb 5:10 AKJV/PCE Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
We see in Hebrews 6:19-20 that Jesus as an anchor for our soul.
He has entered into the Temple in Heaven through the veil that seperated us from God in the earthy temple.
Notice that Jesus has entered in for us as high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec!
Heb 6:19 AKJV/PCE Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20 AKJV/PCE Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
In Hebrews 7 we see that God views this Melchizedek Priesthood as
Heb 7:1 AKJV/PCE For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Heb 7:2 AKJV/PCE 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;
Heb 7:3 AKJV/PCE 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.
Melchizedek is not mentioned in any of the genealogies in the Bible.
So he doesn’t have any parents or descendants that we know of.
He like unto the Son of God. Strong’s definition says that like unto = to assimilate closely.
Heb 7:3 ISV He has no father, mother, or genealogy, no birth date recorded for him, nor a date of death. Like the Son of God, he continues to be a priest forever.
So with no end for his priesthood it continues for ever as Jesus in now the high priest of this order.
Notice in verse 14 that Jesus is of the tribe of Judah.
Heb 7:14 AKJV/PCE For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb 7:15 AKJV/PCE And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Moses didn’t provide for any priests from Judah.
But Jesus is made priest after the similitude = resemblance of Melchizedek.
So it seems that this is a New Order of Priesthood that God began with Melchizedek in Genesis.
And Jesus here is established as the author of our Salvation and our high priest after this order of Melchizedek!
I hope that helps you understand this Melchizedek order of priesthood better.
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