Covenant People

Recently, my family has helped to plant and subsequently joined a new church.  It has been an exhilarating, emotionally-fraught experience.  We left a church body we loved to set out into the unknown, to spread the gospel in a local community without a strong, evangelical church present. God is abundantly blessing this new congregation.

One of the conditions of becoming a member of this young fellowship is to read and sign a church covenant.  I remember as a child seeing a large framed print of my home church's covenant, as it hung conspicuously on the front wall of that small, country church.  Not once did I read it.  Not once did I hear a sermon about it.  It was merely there, hanging precipitously in front of the congregation. Perhaps that little church body was guided by it?  I really can't say ...

But, back to this new gathering of believers - - - as the new church was founded, it was believed important that those joining have common beliefs, goals and desires to bind them together in mutual agreement, and that that agreement be formalized by each member signing of a copy of the covenant.  In addition to that, all new members are required to attend an orientation at which time the church covenant, among other things, is discussed in detail.

I'm blogging about these contemporary matters because of Hebrews 8, in which the author contrasts the "old covenant" God made with the Hebrew people (the covenant with The Law as its centerpiece), with the "new covenant" brought about by the finished work of our high priest, Jesus Christ.

One commentator, Barnes1, notes that we actually don't have an English word to properly describe the agreements God made in the Old Testament and this new one here in the Hebrews 8.  The English word "covenant" commonly describes an agreement between two equal parties.  It's not hard to realize that "covenant", then, is not the best word to describe such God-man agreements.  God and man are most certainly unequal!  But, there again, it is the best word the English translators could employ.

Going deeper, in the "covenants" God made with men down through the centuries (Adam, Noah, Abraham, David and others), God did not negotiate the terms of the covenants.  He simply told the men how things would be and (this is important) what He pledged to do.  He obligated Himself with promises to men and/or people groups.  For man's part in the covenants, there were obligations; but, God decided for them what was best, what those obligations would be.

A church covenant today is designed to bring its members closer to God and to each other.  In that respect, today's church covenants mimic the two covenants described in Hebrews 8, as the purposes for each are the same.  When you think about it, all Bible covenants were put in place by God to bring His people closer to Him, and to each other.2

Let's look more closely at these two covenants in Hebrews 8:8-12 (ESV)

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,

when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel

and with the house of Judah,

9not like the covenant that I made with their fathers

on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

For they did not continue in my covenant,

and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.

10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel

after those days, declares the Lord:

I will put my laws into their minds,

and write them on their hearts,

and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

11And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor

and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’

for they shall all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest.

12For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,

and I will remember their sins no more.”

In verse 9 the author of Hebrews focuses on the Mosaic covenant (Exodus 20:1-26; 31:12-17), the one that God made with the Hebrew people when He brought them out of their slavery in the nation of Egypt.  Although the people were given The Law in the desert, they were unable to keep its precepts.

In the new covenant, brought about by Jesus Christ and through Him, God not only set the terms of the new covenant, He gives people who turn to Him in faith the Holy Spirit, Who empowers them to keep this covenant.  See verse 10:  "I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts."

What a beautiful promise God makes to His own!  Think about the Christians, not the CINOs (Christian in Name Only), but the real ones.  They live as though the ways of God have been branded on their hearts and implanted into their minds.  That is because, when conversion happens, the Holy Spirit makes His home in the heart of all true believers, filling them with the ardent desire to follow Jesus Christ, to pursue His perfection and make it their own.

Let's not miss one more precious, magnificent aspect of this new covenant.  Contrast verse 10 with verse 12.  Verse 10 sounds to me an awful lot like ... well, like true Christians must be "perfect people".  But, we all know that we can never achieve Christ's perfection in this life.  Even Christians are not immune to the beguilement of sin.  They don't wallow it, but they sometimes fall into it. What a mark of God's love that He is merciful toward our iniquities.  He "remembers that we are dust", made from the earth's own elements (Psalm 103:14). And, in His mercy, He remembers the sins of His people no more.

No more - - - "as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) so far has He removed our transgressions from us!"
King David, who wrote Psalm 103, was unknowingly looking forward prophetically to the new covenant, which would be revealed through David's earthly descendant, Jesus Christ.

What a blessing to take part in this new covenant, as part of Christ's Bride, the Church!  And, what a joy to "covenant" with our brothers and sisters in faith, to worship with them and minister together for the sake of Jesus Christ's good news, the gospel!

But, you say, isn't this passage concerning the Hebrew people, the spiritual nation of Israel, the Jews? Yes, the old covenants did apply in largest part to the Jews, although there were some non-Jews who were included (Rahab, Ruth, etc.) . And, although the new covenant applies to the followers of Jesus Christ from every nation on Earth, some of those followers are of Jewish descent.  The Church today is part of "spiritual Israel"; yet, the Jews have not been disdained by God.  Verses 10-12 also have a futuristic, prophetic meaning for the Jewish people on Earth, as a whole.  In the last days, God's Spirit will once again be poured out upon the Jews.   In that day, huge numbers of Jews will recognize Jesus as Messiah and know the fullness of this new covenant.  What a wonderful day that will be!

Sources:

1   http://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/8-8.htm

2   http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/why-a-church-covenant

Sketch and Shadow

When I was a child I would see in magazines this exercise:  the reader would be asked to copy a drawing presented there in the magazine.  If he or she could take a pencil and accurately reproduce the drawing, so that the rendition closely resembled the original, the reader/imitator was supposedly had artistic ability. (And, could purchase an art course, lol!)  I was a dismal failure at such tasks, because I possess not one iota of visual art talent!  My sketches did not bear more than a shadow of resemblance to the original!

In Hebrews 8:1-7 (ESV), our main text for this morning, we are reminded of a similar relationship between the Temple of God in the third heaven and the earthly Temple(s) here on earth.

1Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2a minister in the holy places, in the true tent^a that the Lord set up, not man. 3For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.4Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6But as it is, Christ^b has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

First, a clarification:
What is this term "third heaven" I mentioned just now?  Paul referred to the dwelling place of God as the third heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:2.  Our earthly atmosphere is the first heaven.  The universe beyond the earth's atmosphere is the second heaven.  What Christians generally refer to as "Heaven", and the "heaven" mentioned in verse 1 here, is the "third heaven".

Verse 1 reminds us that, when Jesus ascended to Heaven, He ultimately sat down at the right hand of God the Father, referred to here as the Majesty, where He began to carry on as our High Priest.  But, do we have a scriptural record of that occurring?

And, what's all this about tents?  Verse 2 refers to "the true tent", and goes on to remind the Hebrews of how Moses was given the "specs" (as builders say) for the first "temple" when he was spending all that time on Mt. Sinai with God.  You can find this in the book of Exodus, ch. 24-31.  The first "temple" was actually a grandiose tent, which the Hebrews called the Tabernacle.  (All of the Hebrews lived in tents in those days, as they were vagabonding it across the desert on a regular basis.)  The Tabernacle was the first place that the people of God met together WITH their God, as His presence, the Shekinah Glory, came down to meet with them, filling the tent (Tabernacle). However, the true tent, "the original", is now and evermore in Heaven.  Later on, when the people were established in the Promised Land, a more permanent structure was built by King Solomon, a Temple based on "specs" given by God to Solomon's father, King David.  In both the Tabernacle and the Temple, the structures were built to God's exact specifications.

The writer, in Hebrews 6-13, spends a great deal of time examining the importance of the heavenly "tent", the Tabernacle and so forth.  We'll look at this theme in more depth as we move on through this amazing book of the Bible.  But, this morning, let's hone in on this point.

It was not until our Melchizedekan high priest, Jesus, finished His work on earth and presented Himself before God the Father in Heaven that mankind was finally granted access to the Heavenly Tabernacle.

I just went and read Revelation 5 again, end-to-end.  It depicts Jesus Christ presenting Himself, immediately after His ascension, before His Father's throne, having been found worthy to take the scroll and break its seals.  Look at verses 5-10 (The Message)

One of the Elders said, “Don’t weep. Look—the Lion from Tribe Judah, the Root of David’s Tree, has conquered. He can open the scroll, can rip through the seven seals.”

6-10 So I looked, and there, surrounded by Throne, Animals, and Elders, was a Lamb, slaughtered but standing tall. Seven horns he had, and seven eyes, the Seven Spirits of God sent into all the earth. He came to the One Seated on the Throne and took the scroll from his right hand. The moment he took the scroll, the Four Animals and Twenty-four Elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb. Each had a harp and each had a bowl, a gold bowl filled with incense, the prayers of God’s holy people. And they sang a new song:

Worthy! Take the scroll, open its seals.

Slain! Paying in blood you bought men and women,

Bought them back from all over the earth,

Bought them back for God!

Then, you made them a Kingdom, Priests for our God,

Priest-Kings to rule over the Earth

We can rejoice in this, Christians!  We can exclaim with the writer of Hebrews (6:19-20) that we have this "hope", this steadfast expectation, as an anchor for our souls:  a certainty which reaches behind the separating curtain in the heavenly Temple's Holy of Holies, where Jesus our forerunner entered on our behalf, since He became a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

And, as our forerunner, He opened the way with the payment of His blood, to redeem us, to buy us back - - Believers of every tribe and from every nation - - not only giving us an eternity in Heaven with Him, but also making us into a Kingdom of priest-kings, who are empowered to walk in spiritual victory here as mortals, yet who will one day rule over the Earth.

I really cannot even grasp that with my finite mind.  Paul stated that our understanding of such things in this earthly plane is like looking into a cloudy mirror.  But, in that day, when we leave this mortal life, we will "know even as we are known".  The original Greek of that verse, 1 Corinthians 13:12 puts it like this:  "I will know fully, as also I have been fully known."

No more "sketch and shadow" in that glorious day!  Hallelujah and amen!

Why Jesus was Baptized by John

I would imagine that, of all the questions and concerns rumbling around in your mind today, this question would not be at the top of the list.  If, though, like me, you enjoy studying the Bible, it is a question worthy of consideration.

Consider baptism.  In the Baptist belief, it is an outward sign of an inward grace having been applied to the believer's heart.  It is a testimony.
Well, Jesus did not need salvation; He led a perfect life.
So....why did He ask his cousin, John the Baptist, to baptize Him?

If you will remember, John at first refused to do it.  Take a look at Matthew 3:13-17  (The Message)

13-14 Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, “I’m the one who needs to be baptized, not you!”

15 But Jesus insisted. “Do it. God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.” So John did it.

16-17 The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”

Some of you will take exception to my featuring The Message version here when I hone in on verse 15.  But, check it out in other versions, if you like.

Now, the Baptist tradition I've always heard was that Jesus was setting an example for us believers to follow.  I do believe that was the case.  However, I don't believe that was the only reason He submitted to baptism.  If that were the only reason, He could have explicitly said for His disciples to "do it" (baptize and be baptized - - - they did, after all), without actually being baptized Himself.

Borrowing again heavily from the work of Biblical scholar, David W. Lowe, I believe something deeper and more spiritually transactional was going on here.  Look at Hebrews 7:18-22 (NIV).

18The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

20And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

“The Lord has sworn

and will not change his mind:

‘You are a priest forever.’ ”^b

22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

"The former regulation" referred to in verse 18 is the Levitical priesthood.  Is it possible that, through His baptism, Jesus was demonstrating a transfer from the Levitical (Aaronic) priesthood to the Melchizedekan?

John the Baptist was six months older than his biological cousin, Jesus.  (Mary and Elizabeth, John's mother, were cousins).  Both John and Jesus were at least 30 years old (as recorded in Luke 3:23) at Jesus' baptism, which "kicked-off" His earthly ministry.  If you go back and read Numbers 4, you will find several occasions where it is emphasized that priests had to be 30 years old before assuming their priestly duties.

John's parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were both descendants of Aaron.  Very crucial detail in the Scriptures, although it seems relatively meaningless at a first glance.  It should have been obvious that Zechariah was a descendant of Aaron; he was serving his turn as priest in the Temple when the angel appeared to him in the Holy of Holies, after all....But, what difference did it make if Elizabeth was a "daughter of Aaron"?!  NO detail of Scripture is meaningless.

During the reign of Herod king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and he had a wife named Elizabeth, who was a descendant of Aaron.

Luke 1:5

(See also 1 Chronicles 24:10.)
The Levitical priesthood passed from father to son; therefore, John the Baptist was a true Levitical priest.
"So what?", you ask.

"For Jesus Christ to become a priest after the order of Melchizedek, and for it to succeed the Levitical priesthood, there had to be a transfer of the priesthood. For a transfer to take place, a member of both parties must be present. In this case, a member of both the former Levitical priesthood and the new Melchizedekan priesthood were present at the baptism. Notice that Jesus stated the baptism had to take place “now” in order for righteousness to be fulfilled.

The transfer of the priesthood took place in a most extraordinary fashion, after the pattern given to Moses. Under the Levitical priesthood, God set forth the example for the transfer of the priesthood from father to son with Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons. The consecration ceremony, among other things, included the following:

Lev 8:6 So Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.

Lev 8:10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them.

Lev 8:12 He then poured some of the anointing oil on the head of Aaron and anointed him to consecrate him."1

Now, read the verses from Matthew 3 again.  We have water (water of the Jordan river).  The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove, representing the anointing oil, in the presence of and with the approval of God the Father.  All three Persons of the Godhead were present and manifest at this earthly event.  That is a big deal.  On this auspicious occasion, Jesus Christ was anointed into the Melchizedekan priesthood; the transfer of the Levitical priesthood to the Melchizedekan priesthood was accomplished.

In addition, the baptism of Jesus marked a turning point in the ministry of John the Baptist. John the apostle alluded to this in his gospel account when he quoted John the Baptist testifying about who Jesus is: "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)

Now that I think about it, those are "good words" for all of us who claim the name of our high priest, the High Priest of Heaven, Jesus Christ.


Sources:

1    Lowe, D. W. (2005). Earthquake Resurrection: supernatural catalyst for the coming global catastrophe. ISBN: 1-4116-3970-7. Place of publication not identified: D.W. Lowe.

He Lives On?

In our study for today we are going to ponder Hebrews 7, which continues to contrast the Melchizidekan priesthood with the Levitical priesthood.  Why does the author of Hebrews devote so much space to this?

Remember that the Hebrew audience was in peril of devolving back to strict Judaism, with a sprinkling of Jesus thrown in for good measure.  The author is making the important point that Jesus is not a condiment, but is the main course.  When Jesus came on the scene and did the work God the Father ordained Him to do, He changed everything, even down to the foundations of Judaism, even the priesthood.  He transformed worship and relationship,  from the Levitical priesthood which came through Aaron (Moses' bro) to a holy priesthood foreshadowed by Melchizedek and fulfilled by Himself (Jesus).

In a recent post, I put forth 3, well, really 4, schools of thought about Melchizedek.  I'd like to delve deeper into one of those today.  For reference, here is the post from a few days ago.  If you didn't get a chance to read it, I'd recommend you do so before proceeding: http://resplendentdaughter.blogspot.com/2017/01/mystery-man.html

The Bible does not tell us explicitly much detail about the Melchizedekan priesthood, other than that Jesus is our High Priest, and He is of that priestly order - - an order from which Melchizedek also was (or is) priest.  One of the (lesser well-known) schools of thought about Melchizedek is that he was/is an angelic being who took the form of a human to fulfill the role of King of Salem.  If that sounds far-fetched, hang with me.   I'm going to share here a synopsis of some serious study done by David W. Lowe1, in his ground-breaking (sorry for the obvious pun) book, Earthquake Resurrection.

Before I do that, though, go back and read the bulleted list of descriptors in the Mystery Man post (link above).

Although the Levitical priesthood was replaced by Jesus' superior priesthood, the Levitical priesthood served an important function in its day.  It is very crucial to remember that the Bible is a book of patterns and parallels, of foreshadowings, prophecies and fulfillments.  Specifically relevant to this discussion, the Temple and the Levitical priesthood were patterned after design and service in Heaven, because this is what God commanded Moses and David to do.  This was established in 1 Chronicles 24-27 and is verified in Hebrews 8:23 and 9:24-25.  Hebrews 9:23 likens the earthly representations to be how we might sketch the design of our home on a scratchpad.  Unless we were talented artists, the resulting sketch could be very similar, but still paling in comparison to the "real and actual".

Reading 1 Chronicles 24:4-5, we see that King David appointed 24 divisions of the Levitical priesthood, from both Eleazer's and Ithamar's (Aaron's sons) descendants.  Now, I invite you to go read Revelation 4 and refresh your memory as to the equally mysterious "24 elders" and "4 living creatures".  1 Peter 3:21-22 state that Jesus Christ is surrounded by different types of angelic beings as He now sits at the right hand of God.  From Revelation 4-5, a picture of the throne room of God shortly after Jesus ascended to Heaven, we see some of those angelic beings.  Because the Levitical priesthood had 24 orders of the priesthood, and was a pattern of what is in heaven, it follows that the 24 elders are a heavenly parallel of the priestly order of the 24 descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar. They serve the Melchizedekan priesthood of the high priest of heaven, Jesus Christ.2 

Is it possible/plausible that Melchizedek was a high priest before God, an angelic being of that same priestly order?  Could it be that he is in Heaven now, continuing his service to the Son of God, our great High Priest?

In the next post, we will continue to explore Hebrews by examining what this book says about the ceremony of transfer from the Levitical priesthood to the Melchizedekan.

Sources:

1     @davidwlowebooks . earthquakeresurrection.com . 

2      Lowe, D. W. (2005). Earthquake Resurrection: supernatural catalyst for the coming global catastrophe. ISBN: 1-4116-3970-7. Place of publication not identified: D.W. Lowe.

Goddess Gathering 2017

This past Saturday there was a huge march in Washington, DC, my nation's capitol.  Officially, it was called Women's March 2017.  The U.S. media have been reporting that approximately 500,000 people were in attendance.

These people, mostly American women, do not represent me and I am tired of hearing the media describe "most" American women in terms typified by the people at this march.

In America at the moment, we have a massive schism of values.  The women at Women's March 2017 for the most part represented values completely at odds with mine.  This march was a worship service...and the goddess worshipped was Self.  Self is a god or goddess, whether the worshipper is a man or woman, adored and venerated all across this land.  Self's creed is: "Me and my needs first; before every other consideration, I come first."  Self-worship was introduced into this world by Satan, the enemy of men's and women's souls.
Every person alive worships something or someone.

I am a Christian woman.
My highest allegiance is to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ,
and only to Him.
Because of this, the Holy Bible is my life-book, my authority on all moral matters concerning this life.
If the Bible says it, I believe it; and, that settles it.
Best choice and best decision I ever made.

Jesus Christ is the source of my freedom.  Freedom doesn't come from a march or even through a voting booth.  Freedom flows from the worship of the only true God, who sets people's souls free. And, if Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed.

There are times the Bible is difficult, requiring self-sacrifice.
There are times because of my beliefs I am ridiculed.  This world's Self-fueled culture is hostile to me.
However, because Christ Jesus is my Anchor, I am unmoved by criticism from those who worship lesser gods.

My goal in this life is to glorify my Savior.
Often that takes the form of sacrificial love for others, because that is what Jesus did.
I was given by God a godly husband.  He is the head of our home just as Jesus Christ is the head of His Church.
My husband treats me with love, as the Bible commands.  (It is not always easy, I assure you.)
I honor him as the Head of our Home, having no problem with him holding that God-ordained position.
This does not make me weak or subservient.  It brings joy and order to our home as we serve each other while serving our Savior.
God gave us two wonderful sons.
It has been my honor and privilege to model Jesus in front of them for over 20 years.  Nothing gives a Christian mother more joy than to see her children walking in faith with the Lord Jesus.

I am intelligent and well-educated, with three college degrees.  God blessed me with an outstanding career and with a vibrant ministry, in which I remain engaged with the aim of giving God ALL the glory.

Since that day I yielded my soul to Jesus, as my Savior and Lord,  I have had one supreme desire - - to be like Jesus, no matter what it takes.  Despite this, I have had some devastating times and made some stupid moves.  Even Christians who long to follow Jesus sometimes get blindsided, step in a huge pothole or just make horrible decisions. Through those times, Jesus Christ has held me, taught me, shaped me and sustained me.  I am grateful for everything I have been through because it has brought me closer to Him.

I am writing this and making this testimony to say that the lies Satan tells you are merely that --- lies, counterfeit joy, devious deceptions --- which will bring only heartache, loneliness, grief and despair. A woman can violate her body by killing her child and scream from the rooftops that she is a "nasty woman".  But, in her heart she knows the truth.  She was made for more than this.  She is a precious soul created by a loving God.  But, she has lost her way.

I am here to tell you that no woman or man is "too far gone" as long as breath is in the body.  It is not too late.  Redemption waits for you at the feet of Jesus Christ.  Don't swallow the lies of the enemy of your soul.  He, Satan, only wants to devour you, to destroy you, to prevent you from seeing the truth that will lead you to salvation.  Turn to Him...Jesus, the lover of your soul.  He will show you the way.

Matthew 11:28-30  (The Message)

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Forgiveness, restoration, eternal peace and eternal rest are available both now, right now, and forever.
He waits for you.

http://www.sbc.net/knowjesus/theplan.asp

Mystery Man

Cruising around Facebook this morning I saw a post that made me LOL - - - well, one of several, actually.  A single, young woman had posted a pic of a chocolate dude.  I don't mean a black man.  I mean chocolate shaped into the shape of a man, ok?  Her comment was that she had found the perfect man because he was "sweet and decadently rich"...

Well, the "man of the day" 'round here is not @POTUS or @VP (their official "new" Twitter handles).   Instead, he is somewhat of a "mystery man".

The scriptural texts for today are Hebrews 5:10, Hebrews 7:1-10, Psalm 110:4 and Genesis 14:18-20. My strong suggestion is that you open some tabs on your browser to those texts (or your physical Bible, whichever you'd prefer).

The writer of Hebrews is said to have crafted a beautiful sermon in the Greek language, which helps me not one iota from the standpoint of my not knowing Greek.  A lot of the beauty is lost in translation.  The result is that what an English-speaker sees is that the writer keeps cycling back to the major themes hammered home in the book/sermon.  In this specific case, in Hebrews 5:10, it is first asserted that Jesus Christ is a high priest "after the order of Melchizedek".  Without further elaboration, the author cycles back to this in chapter 7.

The author was writing to Christian believers who were in danger of devolving back to Old Testament ritualistic, Levitical practices and beliefs, due to the intense persecution they were receiving (Hebrews 10:32-34).  His purpose was to elaborate on this extremely crucial function of the Lord then (and in our present day), but also to show how Jesus and His Way are leagues apart (way different) from how things operated in the Old Testament.  The recipients of Hebrews were in danger of turning back from following Jesus because they did not have a clear picture of who He was/is. Many if not all of them never met Jesus "in the flesh".  In that respect they were in the same boat we are in today, which makes this teaching crucial not only to them but to us as well.

Ok, then.  So, who was this Melchizedek?
The story begins in Genesis 14:1 and continues through 15:1, after Abraham was returning from a battle in which he killed several kings of the area.  The King of Sodom and the King of Salem (Melchizedek) both met him in the Valley of Kings (14:17).  One blessed Abraham, and the other "wanted a piece of" Abraham.  One represents God's benevolent love (Melchizedek's bread and wine were echoed at The Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30) and are a type of the body and blood of Christ, while the other represents Satan's desire to "have us".  Abraham chose well.  He refused the offers of the King of Sodom, but accepted the blessings of the King of Salem (Melchizedek), going even beyond that to give Melchizedek 1/10 of everything in his possession.

There are essentially 3 approaches to identifying this "mystery man".

1.  The Traditional Jewish Approach
Because the patriarch Shem (one of Noah's 3 sons, the firstborn) was an old man at this point in Abraham's life, the traditional interpretation is that he was the king of Salem (Jerusalem) at that time. It is an interesting interpretation; you can read more about it here, if you are so inclined:
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Parashah/Summaries/Lekh_Lekha/Melchizedek/melchizedek.html
We must read with discernment what we find on the Internet.  The scriptures never say, for instance, that the King of Sodom brought Abraham to the King of Salem.

2.  The Typological Approach  (Figurative Interpretation)
Scaring you with the big words, ain't I?  :)
What is a "type" in the Bible, first of all?   It is important to understand this, as types fill the Bible.
In biblical study, a type refers to an Old Testament person, practice, or ceremony that has a counterpart, an antitype, in the New Testament. In that sense types are predictive. The type pictures, or prefigures, the antitype. The type, though it is historical, real, and of God, is nonetheless imperfect and temporary. The antitype, on the other hand, is perfect and eternal. The study of types and antitypes is called, as one might expect, typology.

In this way of thinking, then, Melchizedek was a human man about whom little is known, hence the mysterious references to him having no mother or father, no beginning or end, etc.  (Hebrews 7:3). Such a lack of information on the "man", Melchizedek, in the remainder of Scripture would, therefore, be purposeful.1

A "sub-set" of the typological approach is an alternative interpretation that, while Melchizedek was a real being who "reigned" over Salem (forerunner of Jerusalem), he was a supernatural (angelic) being.  This would explain the non-human attributes given in Hebrews 7.  More elaboration will be given to that explanation as we look at the author of Hebrews' exposition contrasting the Levitical priesthood with the Melchizedekan.

3.   The Theophany Approach (Literal Interpretation)
As a general rule, I believe it is always best to interpret Scripture literally, unless it is patently obvious that a more figurative interpretation is required.   Many Bible scholars believe Melchizedek was a Christophany.  (The two terms "theophany" and "Christophany" are essentially interchangeable, as anytime God took on human form to interact with men/women in the O.T., you have a Christophany.)2  I used "Christophany" here, though, because of the heavy linkages made in Hebrews between Jesus and Melchizedek.
Those who argue for this literal interpretation3, (that God took on human form to appear to Moses, to bless him and to receive his tithes), point to the descriptors in Hebrews 7 to defend their position.

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

If the writer of Hebrews is being literal here, then what human in Scripture ---

• is called King of Peace

AND

• is called King of Righteousness

AND

• is called a priest of the Most High God (the first time priesthood has been mentioned in the Bible)

AND

• blessed Abraham (John 8:58)

AND

• has no mother or father or genealogy

AND

• has no beginning nor end of life

AND

• resembles the Son of God

AND

• continues as a priest forever

A mystery?  Depends on your point of view.  There are no other explicitly recorded priests "after the order of Melchizedek" except, well, Melchizedek and Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament is full of instances where God "came down" to appear to an O.T. character.  Here are a few references:2(again)
From Genesis:
11:5, 12:7-9, 16:7-14, 18:1-33, 22:11-18, 32:22-30
From Exodus:
3:2-4:17, 24:9-11 and 16-18, 33:9, 34:5
Numbers 11:25 and 12:5
Deuteronomy 31:14-15
Judges 5:23
2 Kings 19:35
And, finally in the N.T. - - - Matthew 1:23, when God revealed Himself to us by putting on flesh in the form of the infant God-King, Jesus.

We serve a mysterious God, yet One who desires for us to know Him.  Hallelujah!

The whole point of the Hebrews passage is to illustrate that Jesus Christ both fulfilled, far exceeded and replaced the Levitical priesthood and system to which the struggling, first-century Hebrew Christians longed to return.  This theme of the high priesthood of Jesus Christ is further developed later in the book of Hebrews, and I look forward to exploring it with you in further posts.

Sources:
1   http://www.gty.org/resources/bible-qna/BQ032813/who-was-melchizedek
2   https://www.gotquestions.org/theophany-Christophany.html
3   https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-20-why-you-need-know-about-melchizedek-hebrews-71-10




 

An American Celebration

20Daniel said,

         “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,

         For wisdom and power belong to Him.

21“It is He who changes the times and the epochs;

         He removes kings and establishes kings;

         He gives wisdom to wise men

         And knowledge to men of understanding.

22“It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;

         He knows what is in the darkness,

         And the light dwells with Him.

Daniel 2:20-22

I don't know what you have planned today, but I plan to spend part of this God-given day of life to watch the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States.  It will be the first one I have ever had the privilege of watching live.  Why?  I was working full-time during the preceding presidents' inaugural events.

I won't be watching because I am a huge fan of our new president.  He was not my first, second or even third choice in the Republican presidential primary.  Mr. Trump won't be a "perfect president", nor do I expect him to be. The best I can say about today's change of power is that I am "cautiously optimistic".

Instead, I will be watching and celebrating because I am a huge fan of The American Experiment1, as some (most notably Alexis de Toqueville) have called our country.  I believe that the founding principles which made this nation the foremost nation of the world are timeless and God-given. Indeed, if you closely examine the major components of our American legal system you will find parallel after parallel to the Hebrew Law in the Old Testament, even though over the last 75 years "Progressives" have governed us away from that bedrock foundation.

I'm also a huge fan of God, whom I believe to have ordained the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency.  This sovereign act on God's part does not guarantee approval of the man or even that Trump was the best candidate running.  It merely affirms that God works His sovereign will among us and that He answers prayer.

While writing this post (true confession!) I have the TV on.  Rev. Franklin Graham just walked down the steps to the viewing area where he will be sitting during the swearing in ceremony.  In 2016, this man held non-partisan prayer rallies on the steps of the Capitol buildings of every, single one of the 50 United States.  He advocated a return to the Judeo-Christian principles on which this country was founded.

I was one among many millions of Christians praying fervently regarding the outcome of this election and, even though Mr. Trump was not my candidate of choice, I do believe that God heard those many millions of prayers and answered.  Certainly, Mr. Trump was not the answer all of us Americans wanted, but this was His answer nonetheless.

It is imperative that, as Christians, we avoid the temptation to put our trust in a man (or woman), whomever is elected.  It is our civic responsibility and our Christian duty to plunge in and get involved in local, state and national politics.  Yes, it is a nasty business much of the time; but, to do otherwise is to shirk our responsibility and to revile this magnificent gift of American government our God has given to us.  No, this pursuit, this passionate involvement, should never eclipse or take the place of spreading the gospel.  Never!  Likewise, we should not "fall for" the specious argument that "God and politics don't mix".  VP Pence said it well when he declared (and I paraphrase) "God first. Family Second. Country third."

Our trust is in God, who gave us eternal life through Jesus Christ the one and only Savior. (Acts 4:12) Our confidence is in Him, the only wise God, who left Heaven to live among us and who died to redeem us from the slavery of our sin.  Our trust is in the Lord of Angel Armies (El Shabbaot) who ordained the founding of America and who will continue to use her in the progression of His divine plan for this fallen world.

We must continue to pray and work, for the spread of the gospel "from sea to shining sea" and around the world.  We must pray for a Holy Ghost revival in our country which, at present, appears to be drifting more and more into an ungodly mess. (May righteousness fall down like rain!)  We must continue to engage our often godless worldly culture with a love that is grounded in truth and in timeless principles - - - principles of faith, holy living and sound government.  We must do this in the face of unpopularity, even as we find ourselves increasingly in the minority in America. Finally, today, we must celebrate this peaceful transition of governmental power as a good thing - - - as the outgoing leader of the free world affirms and blesses by his presence the incoming leader of the free world.

Here's a bit of patriotic musical inspiration!
https://youtu.be/ruojMCl_DKg

God bless America!

Sources:

1     https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101018151322AARUkzf