[Johnathan Fahey] I like a good mystery. I’m not alone in that, judging by the popularity of crime dramas on TV today and a lot of the movies that we’ve seen. I’m not alone in liking a good mystery. I remember seeing the old black and white movies, where something is about to occur near the beginning of the movie, and you see footsteps – somebody walking – you don’t see anything else – just these feet moving along, and then along the wall is a shadow. You see the shadow of a person passing by. There’s a vase or something – arm reaches in, grabs it, and away it goes. No idea who it was, just the shadows and brief glimpses of somebody. And it’s only later on in the story that we find out who that was.

There’s a character in the Bible like that. He shows up in the beginning of the book – a couple verses – just a brief glimpse. Then we don’t hear anything about him. But he shows up later in the book – right about the middle – and near the end we get an explanation of who that was.

The question we’re looking at today is, “Who is Melchizedek?” Who is Melchizedek? Let’s go to Hebrews 7 – Hebrews 7 – we’ll read verses 11 through 17.

Hebrews 7:11-17 – Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood – for under it, the people received the law – what further need was there that another priest should arise according to the order of Melchizedek and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood  being changed, of necessity there is also a change in the law. For He, of whom these things are spoken, belongs to another tribe, from which no man officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law or a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies, “You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

So our goal today is to understand who Melchizedek is and why He is significant. Before we get started, let’s agree on two things – two points. Number one, this is a challenging concept, because the writer who wrote these words, back in chapter 5, mentions that it’s a difficult topic. Just glance back at 5, verse 9.

Hebrew 5:9 – And having been perfected – he says – He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as a Priest according to the order of Melchizedek – of whom we have much to say and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing – the Complete Jewish Translation says, “…sluggish in understanding.” The NIV says, “…slow to learn.”

We may not currently be sluggish in understanding – maybe we are and maybe we aren’t – but he says that this is hard to explain. So let’s agree up front, this is and can be a challenging topic.

The second thing we need to agree is, that this is not fundamental to our salvation. Nowhere in the Scripture does it say, “Salvation is by grace and the knowledge of who Melchizedek is.” Paul didn’t say, “I’m determined to nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Melchizedek.” This is not some master key, not some secret knowledge.
So then, if this is a challenging concept and something that may be not fundamental to our salvation, why are we covering the topic? Well, the writer to the Hebrews dedicates most of chapter 7 to the relationship between Jesus Christ and Melchizedek. And so, to understand what he is saying, we need to understand who Melchizedek is and why He is significant. So let’s get started.

Let’s go to Genesis 4 – sorry, Genesis 14 – Genesis 14, and we’ll start in verse 14 – right up here, near the beginning of the book. To give you some background on this particular chapter, you remember that Abraham and Lot were living in the same area, and there was some conflict between their herds, their shepherds, etcetera. And so Abraham said, “Let’s separate. You take one way and I’ll go the other way. Have your pick.” And so Lot chose the plains down by Sodom and Gomorrah. And after a while, he ended up living in those cities. So, a couple years later, Chedorlaomer, the king from up north, got together with three other kings and headed south to make war. He came down into the area of Sodom and Gomorrah and made war. Well, five kings from that area, including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, went out to meet him. And it was four against five – unfair – but the four won. Chedorlaomer took the spoils – captured Sodom and Gomorrah and took everything back, including Lot, and his family, and all their possessions. Abram, then, wasn’t happy with that, because his nephew – his kinsman – had been taken captive. So we’ll pick up the story in Genesis 14:14.

Genesis 14:14 – Now when Abram heard that his brother – his relation – was taken captive, he armed his three hundred eighteen trained servants, who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. Dan is about 150 miles north, so this wasn’t some quick operation – just jump over the hill, grab some stuff and come back. This took considerable planning and effort – to take 318 men 150 miles and back. Verse 15: He divided his forces against them by night, and he and servants attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. So he brought back all the goods – this indicates he won, so he brought back all the goods – and his brother, Lot, and his goods, as well as all the women and people. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him – who, of course, would have been very grateful for the return of all of those items. So the king of Sodom when out to meet him at the valley Shaveh, which is the king’s valley, after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.

And now we get to the story of the man of interest today – Melchizedek. Verse 18:

V-18 – Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave Him a tithe of all.

That’s all that was said about Melchizedek here. So let’s break that down into little smaller chunks. Verse 18: Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. Bread and wine – was that meal or was that some part of a religious service? Well, a little later on, in verse 23, Abram says:

V-23 – I will take nothing – from a thread to a sandal strap – and I will not take anything that is yours, lest you say, “I have made Abram rich, except only what the young men have eaten.” Abram didn’t indicate that he had eaten anything. So perhaps, what was brought out by Melchizedek here was a full meal.

Certainly, later on in Genesis 18:5, when the Lord, it says, came to Abram, Abram said, “Let me go get some bread. I’ll bring out some bread.” Well, what he actually brought out was veal. He brought some beef out – milk, butter and bread – a full meal – when he said he was going to get bread. So, it’s entirely possible that when Melchizedek brought bread and wine, it was a full meal. But it’s hard not to make parallels here between the New Covenant symbols of the bread and wine that Jesus instituted. So, perhaps, this was part of a religious service. It’s unclear – from the text here – exactly what that was. It could be either.

So, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was the priest of God Most High. He was a priest of El-Elion – God Most High. Was that Abram’s God? Certainly, it seems, it was Abram’s God, because Abram invoked the name of that same God in verse 22. David used that same name in Psalms 78, verse 35. He said: Then they remembered that God – Elohim – was their Rock, and the Most High God – El-Elion – their Redeemer. We know that Cain offered sacrifices. Cain and Abel, both, offered sacrifices to God. One was accepted, of course, one was rejected.  We find out from Jude that Enoch was preaching the gospel way back then. So, it certainly seems that there was knowledge of God and His way before Abram in that area. So, this God Most High was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Verse 19:

 V-19 – And He – Melchizedek – blessed him – Abram – and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, the possessor of heaven and earth. Now possessor of heaven and earth refers to God Most High Himself, as we can see from verse 22.

V-22 – But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD God Most High, the possessor of heaven and earth. Verse 20 then:

V-20 – “…and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Now we saw that Abram took his 318 men, and traveled 150 miles up past Damascus – from where he was – and brought those back. And Melchizedek says here, “Blessed by God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram knew that. He took 318 men, went after four kings – four kings of four cities and all their forces. How many were those? It would have been quite a few men out there. But Abram stepped out. He knew that something wasn’t right and he took a step in faith.

We can learn a lesson from that. We, as Christians, should be the first ones to step out in faith. Abram took his men – outnumbered though they were – and went out, but it was God who gave him the victory. And we know that. We definitely put our efforts into things. We step out, but it’s God who gives the victory. And so, we should be able to step out in faith and confidence. The Bible is replete with examples of that. David stepped out. He took a few stones, but he said, “I know God will deliver you into my hand today.” David took action, but relied on God. Elijah faced down 450 priests of Baal – stood there on the hill. I don’t know why the priests of Baal took that challenge. Surely, they had to know that there was going to be no answer. Elijah knew there was going to be an answer, though. And he said, “I’ll take that challenge.” In fact, he offered the challenge. He stepped out and said, “Let’s do this. Let’s step out, because we know that God can handle it.”

So, of all people on the earth, we know that there is one God. And, if we step out, He will come through for us. “If God be for us,” said Paul, “who can be against us.” And the end of verse 20:

V-20 – And he – Abram – gave him a tithe of all – of all that he brought back from that capture – all the goods – he gave Him a tenth of all. Abram tithed.

And that’s all we hear of Melchizedek here at the beginning of the book. We just see that brief glimpse – the shadow. And we come away with four facts. Melchizedek was King of Salem. Melchizedek was priest of God Most High. Melchizedek blessed Abram. And Abram tithed to Melchizedek. And then the record goes silent.

The next we hear of Melchizedek is in the middle of the book – in the book of Psalms – Psalm 110. Let’s notice Psalm 110. This is David speaking about a thousand years later. Psalm 110 – I’m going to read through the first five verses.

Psalms 110:1-5 – The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies. Your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power, in the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning. You have the dew of your youth. The LORD has sworn and will not relent. You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. The LORD is at your right hand, and He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath.

All of a sudden – after a break of a thousand years – here’s a reference to Melchizedek. And it says, in verse 4, “The LORD has sworn that you are a priest forever….” Who is that you? Well, it’s the one addressed in verse 1 – the LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand.” So whoever is referenced by my Lord is going to be a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. Well, who is that “my Lord?” Let me quote a reference from Barry C. Davis of the Dallas Theological Seminary – the paper he wrote, titled, Is Psalm 110 a Messianic Psalm? I won’t quote much of it, but I’ll give you the gist of what he said. His question that he’s addressing is, “To whom did David refer when, in verse 1, he used the term adon – my Lord?” And so he goes through a couple possibilities. David, at one point, referred to Saul as “my lord.” But it couldn’t be Saul, because, by this time, Saul was dead. David also referred to King Achish, of the Philistines, as “my lord” in one particular passage, but it wouldn’t be him, because he’s not an Israelite – he’s not part of the people of God. Three other possibilities have been brought forth. Perhaps it was David, referring to himself. Perhaps it was King Solomon, his son, or the King of Kings – the Messiah, who was to come.

Let’s go to Matthew 24 and have a quick look at Matthew 24, because this gives us an idea of who is referred here in Psalms – Matthew 24, and verse 41 – sorry, Matthew 22 – Matthew 22:41. Sometimes I can’t read my own writing. Now, you know the Pharisees were constantly out to trap Jesus – to try to get Him to say something that would get Him in trouble so they could get Him out of there, because they didn’t like Him at all. So Jesus went on the offensive here. He decided to ask them a question – shut them down a little bit.

Matthew 22:41 – So while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? – What do you think about the Messiah? – Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” Good answer. And He said to them, “How then does David, by the Spirit, call Him Lord, saying – now we get the quote from Psalm 110 – “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand until I make your enemies your footstools? If David calls Him Lord, how is He his son?” And no one was able to answer Him – not a word – from that day on. They didn’t challenge Him again – for a while. They weren’t all that bright on occasion.

Let me read you Adam Clarke – his commentary on 110 – Psalm 110. “…that the Jews, who lived in the time of our Lord, believed this psalm” – Psalm 110 – “to have been written by David, and that it spoke of the Messiah alone, is evident from this: that when our Lord quoted it, and drew arguments from it in favor of His mission (Matthew 22:42) they did not attempt to gainsay it. If the Pharisees had had an answer” – and said, “Oh, David wasn’t talking about the Messiah,” or “David was talking about himself or his son” – “they would have said so.” They would have had an answer for Him, but they didn’t, because – as Jesus points out – he was talking about…David was talking about the Messiah when he talked about my Lord. Adam Clarke continues: “Peter, in Acts 2, and Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15 and other places, apply it” – Psalm 110 – “to show that Jesus is the Messiah, nor was there any attempt to contradict them – not even an intimation that they had misapplied it or mistaken its meaning.” Both Peter and Paul reference this scripture to say that my Lord is referring to Jesus Christ, and nobody is arguing with them. So, it’s clear that Psalm 110 is talking about the Messiah.

So now we get back to verse 4 in Psalm 110, where it says, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” So this is the reference to Melchizedek. At this point in time, the Levitical priesthood existed for 500 years, and David here is writing about the Messiah, and says He’ll be a priest – but not a son of Aaron’s – not one of the Levites – but He’d be a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. We’ll come back to that later.

So, from here, we come up with two more facts – two more pieces of information about Melchizedek – that the Messiah will be a priest like Melchizedek, not Aaron, and that the Messiah will have an eternal priesthood. And then the record goes silent for another thousand years.

Let’s pick up the story now in Hebrews. Hebrews is where we were before. I’m going to go to Hebrews 5, and verse 4, where the writer is talking about the honor of being a priest And he says, in 5:4:

Hebrews 5:4 – And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him, “You are My Son. Today have I begotten you.” As He also says in another place, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” And he goes on to say, “This is tough stuff. We have much to say, but it’s hard to explain.” Of course, two short chapters later, he gets into it.

So let’s go to Hebrews 7, verses 1 through 3, where we get a more in-depth look at Melchizedek. Now here’s where we start getting into some deep water. You know when you’re wading out into the lake – there are a couple inches of water around your ankles – it’s okay to walk. You’ve got your balance. And the farther out you go, it more easy to lose your footing and get drifted away. Well, we want to keep our feet firmly planted. We don’t want to drift away. So, we’re going to look at this in detail. Hebrews 7, and verse 1:

Hebrews 7:1 – For this Melchizedek – he starts a sentence, and he doesn’t finish it until the end of verse 3. Let’s start in verse 1 and end up in verse 3. For this Melchizedek…remains a priest continually – that’s his basic sentence – For this Melchizedek…remains a priest continually. But there’s a whole lot of information between those two pieces. So, what does the writer do? First, the writer recounts the highlights of the story of Melchizedek to plant those memories back in the minds of his listeners. For this Melchizedek – here’s the history – king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him. To Him, also, Abraham gave a tenth part of all. So he’s recounted that history.

Second, he expands on the titles of Melchizedek. Continuing in verse 2:

V-2 – First being translated king of righteousness, and then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace. Melchizedek is a name composed of two words: Malki; sedek. Malki means king or my king, and sedek is righteousness. So that title is King of Righteousness. Some see in that My king – My King Is Righteousness. So it can be translated either way – King of Righteousness or My King Is Righteousness. He also expands on King of Salem. Salem, of course, is a word that means peace. In Arabic, it’s salam – remember that from the Disney movie. In Hebrew, it’s shalom. And it was a city…there was a city named Salem – Peace. We understand that was the beginning of Jerusalem – the City of Peace. So this King of Salem…that literally translated is King of Righteousness. He may also have been the king of a city – a literal city of Salem. So now we’ve addressed the title.

Now the writer comments on the lack of genealogy. In verse 3, he says:

V-3 – Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God. What does that mean?

One school of thought considers Melchizedek to be a human being – a physical human being, just like you and me. Let me quote from a Website that explains how most – or many – view this particular section. It’s from a paper titled, The Priest Like Melchizedek – A Study of Hebrews 7. The Website says: “However, Melchizedek had no parents that are mentioned in Scripture. His position as priest did not depend on his parents or his genealogy, unlike the Levitical priests. His priesthood was a different kind – a different order. Similarly, Scripture says nothing about his birth or death, unlike the patriarchs, who were carefully chronicled. He did not create a dynasty of priests, each dying and passing the priesthood to a son. We might say today that he came out of nowhere, and then disappeared. Nevertheless, he remains known as a priest even today. He remains a priest forever or is declared to be living. This mysterious Melchizedek is the prototype of Jesus Christ.” So many see Melchizedek as simply a human being.

Another school of thought is what our church teaches. Let me read to you from the booklet that our church produces, Who Is God? “The equation between these two” – Jesus Christ and Melchizedek – “these two great personages becomes clearer when we read on in Hebrews 7. Verse 3 describes Melchizedek as being ‘without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, and one who remains a priest continually.’ His priesthood never ceased. The only priest who could have possibly fit these qualifications was the pre-existent Word – that great Being who was on hand before the very creation itself.” And they reference John 1:1. Continuing on: “The description ‘without father, without mother’ means far more than just the supposition that Melchizedek’s family connections were simply omitted from the Genesis account. He had no physical human parents. In context, the phrase ‘having neither beginning of days nor end of life’ makes that point crystal clear. Finally, the phrase, ‘made like the Son of God’ or ‘bearing the likeness of the Son of God’ is further strong evidence of Melchizedek’s identity. He was like the Son of God because He was not yet, in actuality, the Son of God – that is, until He was later begotten by God the Father through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Melchizedek could not have been the Father, because He was the priest of the Most High God.” So the priest wouldn’t be the God Himself. “He could only have been the eternal, pre-existent Word, who later became Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” That is our church understanding – that Melchizedek was not simply a human being, but that He was the very Word of God before He became flesh and dwelt among us as Jesus Christ.

So what is the point the writer is trying to make here as he gets into chapter 7. Well, he’s making the point that the priesthood of Jesus is superior to the priesthood of the Levites. And he makes that using six arguments. The first one I’m going to address last. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, I pile some stuff on my plate, and I always save the best for last. So we’re going to come to the first point that he makes at the end.

Now, we’re trying to keep our feet grounded here, so we need to remember some basic math from when we were young. If A is greater than B, and B is greater than C, then A is greater than C. Are you with me so far? If 10 is greater than 5, and 5 is greater than 1, then 10 must be greater than 1. The point that he’s going to make here is, that Melchizedek is greater than Abraham, and Abraham is greater than Levi, so Melchizedek must be greater than Levi with the Levitical priesthood. That’s central to his understanding. You see, for the Israelites, Abraham was the gold standard. There wasn’t anybody greater. Abraham was it! You remember that the Pharisees kept going back to “but we have Abraham as our father.” John tackled them on that point when he was speaking to the Pharisees when they came out to see him. He says, “Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise of children to Abraham from these stones.”

I take that as a humbling comment – who am not the son of Abraham directly – one of these stones. Jesus also tackled them on that topic. The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham is dead, and the prophets, and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do you make yourself out to be?” Abraham was the gold standard for them. And so the writer, here, was going to say – make the point – that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham, and Abraham was greater than Levi, so Melchizedek – and any priest associated with Him – is going to be greater than the Levitical priesthood.
So let’s go through these points – first point: Abraham tithed to Melchizedek. He makes that in Hebrews 7, verse 4:

Hebrews 7:4 – Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. We saw that from the story at the beginning.

Also in verse 9 he says:

V- 9 – Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak. Now, obviously, this is a figure of speech that he is using. But the one who brings the gift is not greater than the one to whom the gift was offered. The one who receives that gift is greater. Melchizedek received the offering – the tithe – that Abram brought. So Melchizedek is greater than Abraham.

Point two: Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Take a look at verse 6.

V-6 - But he whose genealogy is not derived from them – Melchizedek’s genealogy is not derived from the Levites – received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. Remember, it says, “Melchizedek blessed Abraham.” Verse 7: Now beyond all contradiction, the lesser is blessed by the better. You remember when the blessing when the blessing was to be passed on to the sons – the whole mix-up with Jacob and his brother, Esau? That whole thing came about because the father was going to pass on that blessing. The greater blessed the lesser. And so, the writer says, “Melchizedek blessed Abraham.” So Melchizedek was greater than Abraham. And Abraham, being greater than his son, Levi – whom he would have blessed – Melchizedek is greater than Levi. The Melchizedek priesthood is greater than the Levitical priest hood.

Point number three: We can draw near to God through Jesus, but not through Levi. Take a look at verse 11.

V-11 – Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood – for under it the people received the law – what further need was there that another priest should arise, according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron. The people could not go into the most holy place to meet God face to face. There were areas and sections of that temple setup, and the people could go only so far, and then they had to stop. The priests, then, could go farther, but they couldn’t go all the way either. They were forced to stop. It was only the high priest, once a year, who go behind that veil. Only he could approach, and the people could not approach all the way to God. Perfection didn’t come through the Levitical priesthood.

Let me read from chapter 9, verse 8 – just a page over.

Hebrews 9:8 – The Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. The Levites offered at the first tabernacle, but the way in was not made available then. Verse 9: It was symbolic for the present time, in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience, concerned only with food and drink, various washings and fleshly ordinances, imposed until the time of the reformation. Those sacrifices that they offered made the outside clean. It made them ritually pure for God, but it couldn’t cleanse the conscience. It couldn’t make them perfect before God. The Levitical system did not allow them to become perfect, which is why another priesthood was needed – is what the writer says. Take a look at verse 19 – 7:19:

Hebrews 7:19 – For the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand, there is the bringing of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. On the one hand, there’s the Levitical priesthood, which serves its function, but it cannot cleanse the conscience. On the other hand, there’s the Melchizedek priesthood. And by that, we can draw near.

His fourth point: Jesus was made a priest by an oath of God. He brings this up in chapter 7, verse 20 and 21.

V-20 – And inasmuch as He – Jesus – was not made priest without an oath – for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath, by Him who said to Him, “The Lord has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek – again, referencing Psalm 110. The Levitical priesthood was by birth. Good or bad, those who born the sons of Levi became priests and were available to offer sacrifices before God. But the priesthood of Melchizedek was specifically chosen by God Himself – and that with an oath.

And in verse 28, he says:

V-28 – For the law appoints as high priests men who have weaknesses. But the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son, who has been perfected forever. Yes, the Law came, but the oath – in Psalm 110 – came after the giving of the Law, and – the writer says – supersedes that Law.

Five: Jesus offered a one-time sacrifice. We see that in verse 26 – 7:26:

V-26 – Such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless and undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens, who does not need daily – as those high priests – to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s. For this He did once for all, when He offered up Himself. The Levitical priesthood had to go in everyday. Every day there was a new sacrifice. And those priests had to offer a sacrifice for themselves – to cleanse themselves – before they could administer the people. Jesus Christ had no sin. He needed no sacrifice to approach the throne of God. And so the sacrifice that He made for us was a one-time sacrifice for all – and therefore, it’s better than the Levitical system.

And now we come to the sixth point – the one he makes at the very beginning: Jesus priesthood is eternal. Remember in verses 1 through 3, he wrote:

V-1-3 – For this Melchizedek…remains a priest continually. This was his first and most important point.

Take a look at verses 23 and 24, as well.

V-23 – And there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. Why did Israel need to get a new high priest every couple of years? Well, because the old one died. He couldn’t continue his service. Verse 24: …but He – Jesus – because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. We don’t need another priest. This one won’t die! His priesthood is eternal.

Let’s skip ahead to chapter 8, verse 7 – a scripture you know well – chapter 8, verse 7:

Hebrews 8:7 – For is that the first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says, “Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.”

We know that scripture. We need a new covenant. Is there something wrong with the covenant? What’s wrong with the covenant? Is the Law the problem? No, the Law wasn’t the problem. The problem was with the people. They couldn’t keep that Law. And with the priests, the problem, again, was not with the Law that made them a priest. The problem was with the people. The priest died. They needed a new one. And so, there had to be a change in the Law. What was that change in the Law? Was the change in the Law that now anybody could become a priest? That it was simply thrown wide open? “Everybody raise your hand that wants to be a priest. Y’all come down.” No. That was not the change. The change was that the priesthood came after the order of Melchizedek. Jesus standing as a priest does not depend on the Law, because He’s not a priest after Aaron. He’s a priest after the order of Melchizedek. He is the perfect priest.

Take a look at verse 11:

Hebrews 7:11 – Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood, no place would have been found for another. Jesus Christ came as that perfect priest. And the ability for Him to be a priest after the order of Melchizedek is what allows Him to be both a king – from the line of David – of Judah – and a priest – not according to Levi, because He wasn’t a son of Levi. And we saw that it didn’t say anything about being a priest, if you are from Judah, but from Levi, you could have been. Jesus wasn’t from Levi. So He became a priest – He is a priest – according to the order of Melchizedek.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I cannot – as far as I know – trace my roots back to Abraham. And I can’t trace them through Levi, which means I cannot be a priest. So, if I am to be a priest – a king and a priest – as Jesus says is what He offers those who are His – then the only way is – for me to be a priest – just like Jesus Christ, after the order of Melchizedek.

So, who was Melchizedek? We teach that Melchizedek was the pre-incarnate Word of God – that Word who came down before He became Jesus Christ to meet Abraham and to be King of Righteousness, King of Peace. Why is He significant? He points to the priesthood of the heavenly temple long before the Levitical priesthood was instated. He allows Jesus Christ to be both a king and a priest. And that give us the opportunity, as well – to be kings and priests forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.