The Priest

DEVOTION

PROPHESIES AND FULFILLMENTS CONCERNING CHRIST

THE PRIEST

Ps 110:4

4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

NIV

The entire song labeled 110 is all about Jesus, however we are only focused on this last portion concerning Christ being a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Who was this Melchizedek and why is he the one Jesus would be like as a priest? The first, and it appears the only time we meet him, is during the time Abram was living near the trees of Mamre. After Abram engaged in battle to rescue his nephew Lot and brought back all the plunder of that battle, Melchizedek, described as the king of Salem, Jerusalem, brought out bread and wine for Abram. Abram also gave him one tenth of all the plunder. This is recorded for us in Genesis 14. The next time we hear of him is in this prophecy and then in the fulfillment recorded in Hebrews.

Heb 6:20

20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek .

NIV

By rights we should examine the whole of this discourse about Melchizedek in Hebrews, but let just note it is said he had no father and no mother and no beginning nor end of life, but a priest forever. So we have no true identity of this man, if he were a man and not a form of the Divine. Consider he was not of the tribe of Levi as Levi was still in the loins of Abraham. Consider Jesus was not of the tribe of Levi, but from the line of Judah. Consider Melchizedek brought bread and wine to Abram. Jesus used the bread and wine to refer to his blood and body. Although Jesus in his humanity had a mother and the Father as defined as his Father, in actuality the Spirit is who conceived Jesus in the womb of Mary, Jesus is God and therefor truly does not have a father or mother, or beginning or end of days. He is the Divine and may have been this Divine being, Melchizedek or created him as a forerunner to show Christs character. What does all that have to do with our lives? Why is it important we know all that. The fact Abram gave him a tenth prior to the Law being established and because Melchizedek was not of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of priests, the line of Aaron, the Law does not apply to this tenth. Could that mean the tenth is not part of the Law, or it preceded the Law and even through Jesus was from the line of Judah and thus brought a new Law, a new covenant, that the tenth still applies. We know from Malachi that it is the only place in the Bible which God tells us to test him. That we are to bring a tenth into the storehouse and see if he will not open the gates of heaven.

Mal 3:10-12

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

NIV

Of course he was speaking to Israel about their land, and that they had been robbing him of the tenth. But that does apply to us as well. We can store up for ourselves and not be rich toward God and be like the rich fool with all his new barns. The Lord took him that very night, or we can be like Abram and bring a tenth into the storehouse. This also has meaning of the local place we are fed. The place we receive the bread and wine. Some would support other areas of ministry, which is fine, yet the tenth should come to the storehouse. Jesus is our high Priest. He serves us the bread and wine. He served us his blood and body for our salvation. We will never have another high priest other than Jesus. This should give us pause to consider not placing any man on some high position, or give honor and glory to. Yes great men of God have lived and still do and may yet come to live, but we should not praise them, but praise our High Priest, Jesus.