Jesus as High Priest: The Order of Melchizedek Explained

Welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a 30-minute walk through the Scriptures, teaching in-depth Bible truths that change people's lives. Now, here's your host, Les Feldick. Good evening once again, and it's good to have everybody back. And for those of you watching on television, I'm hoping that we didn't leave you hanging on a string last week, although I know we did. But I'm hoping that you're back and can pick up with us here in the studio as we continue the thoughts that we had now in that last half hour. And you remember, I began it with an absurd illustration, and I've got a reason for my madness. Remember that my illustration was, if you had a tremendously expensive, intricately designed and made Swiss watch, and beside it you had a plain old cheap alarm clock, and then have some well-known, famous jeweler come along and tell you there's no difference in them, it would be absurd to the extreme. But I'm going to make my point this half hour, so stay with me. Now, in Genesis 14 again, where we started last program, and now we're going to pick it up there in verse 18, where this Melchizedek, who was the king of Salem, a Gentile community, because Israel is not on the scene, he brought forth bread and wine. We're going to come back to that in a little bit. But he was the priest of the Most High God, and if you'll remember then in our last program, we've been following the changes of the names of deity up through Scripture. And then if you come on down to verse 20, or verse 19 rather, and he blessed him and said, "'Blessed be Abram of the Most High God," but finish the sentence, "'possessor of heaven and earth.'" Then come up to verse 22, and now Abraham picks it up, or Abram, and he repeats it. And now he says, "'And Abraham said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto the LORD,' now that's all capitals, so who's that? Jehovah. "'I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth.'" Now flip, if you will, to Matthew 28, and if you remember in our last half hour, we showed that Jesus definitely referred to Himself as the I Am, or the Jehovah of the Old Testament account. But now in chapter 28 of Matthew, He alludes to this title, the Most High, by virtue of what He says in verse 18 of Matthew 28. Matthew 28, verse 18, "...and Jesus came and spake unto them," that is the 11, "...saying, All power is given unto me," where? "...heaven and in earth." He is the possessor of heaven and earth. He is not only the Jehovah, but He's the what? He's the Elyon. You see that? All right, now then let's come back again to Genesis, once more to chapter 14, and then we're ready for the middle part of the verse. But before we study that, now I want to explain my ridiculous illustration, absurd to the extreme. I know it is. What I had in mind is, over and over, I will read or I will hear, I'll say so-called theologians. I'll use the term loosely. Not all of them, but a lot of them, too many of them, who will refer to the Bible as nothing but a compilation of Jewish myths and legends. I remember reading one who said that, after all, all this stuff, as he put it in the Old Testament, began as the ancient Jews sat around their campfire and exchanged stories. And then after several generations, somebody got the idea, hey, we ought to be writing this stuff down, and that was our Old Testament. Now that's no more or just as absurd as the illustration I gave you. When an educated man, men, there aren't just one or two, there are legions of them. When these educated men with degrees behind their name, and they've been through umpteen Bible colleges and seminaries, and they've written their dissertation and everything, and when they come up and make a statement like that, it's just as absurd for that Jew or let's say, hey, there's no difference between a multi-thousand dollar Swiss watch as there is between a five dollar alarm clock. It's just as ridiculous. I remember a few years ago reading, and he was quoted, the president of one of our more well-known seminaries here in America who made the statement, and I don't know that he's ever retracted it, that the account of Moses and the burning bush was just a figment of some good Jew's imagination. What is that? That's absurd! And how can I say it? Because hopefully I've shown you now in just these last few moments how the Bible is so meticulously put together that the theme never loses. It just comes all the way through from start to finish, and everything is in its rightful place. Now how in the world could 44 men living over a period of 2,000 years do that without the supernatural? Well, they couldn't, and so all I do is try to emphasize that you and I, we don't need the proof of the Scripture, I don't, but you and I can just rest on this Book. It is letter perfect, that is in the originals. I know that all we have are translations, and there has been some slight errors in translation. That's possible. But God has so, I think, brooded over His Word that He hasn't allowed any gross error to come in, not even in our translations, so that we can rest on this as the inspired, God-breathed Word of God. And when we can come to the place that we can just believe it without doubting, whether it's the account of creation, whether it's the flood, whether it's the call of Abraham, whether it's the covenant with the nation of Israel, or whether it's the gospel of the cross, whether it's the writings of Paul, whether it's the book of Revelation, what do we say? It's the Word of God. It is miraculous from start to finish, and we have no room for doubt. All right, now here's another good example of just what I'm talking about. Clear back 2,000 B.C., when no one in has had any idea of God the Son going to a Roman cross to purchase mankind's redemption. Oh, it was there in latent terms, such as in Genesis 3.15, where the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. Now we know what He was talking about, but they didn't. Even the writers of Scripture didn't understand these things. But you see, God so put all these things into His Word that it just gives us assurance that He knew everything from start to finish before it ever happened. And now in the middle of verse 18, we find that Melchizedek brought to Abram what? Bread and wine. Now they certainly used bread in the worship in the tabernacle, the table of showbread. The wave offering was, you remember, the sheaf of grain. But another time they would have drink offerings of wine, and they would pour that out. But never was bread and wine ever associated in combination throughout the Old Testament economy. But for those of us of our day and age, the age of grace, what did bread and wine speak of? The Lord's Supper, the communion table. And the only way we can really identify that is now if you'll go back with me to, oh, let's see, John's Gospel. No, I think I want to look at the one in Matthew. I'm sorry. Go back with me to Matthew, and we have the Lord's Supper in Matthew. I've lost my place. Whatever. Maybe it was in, oh, I'm in Mark. Matthew, anyway, he institutes the Lord's Supper at the Last Supper at the Passover, and it's in Matthew, I'm sorry, 26. Matthew 26. I was trying to find it in Mark. In Matthew 26, verse 20, now, when even was come, he sat down with the twelve, and as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, so on and so forth. And then you come on down to verse 26, and as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, and break it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take eat, this is my body. Verse 27, He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Now, right here, I'd like to ask a question. Did the disciples understand what all this stood for? Not the foggiest notion. They followed His directions, but there is no explanation by the Lord Jesus, or even by the writer of this Gospel account, that they had any idea of what He was doing. So we have to wait until we come to the Paul, and now, of course, turn over to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. And now we understand what it was all for. Now here is again, progressive revelation. The 11 there at the night of the Passover didn't understand it. Jesus did not explain it. It wasn't time for it. Because, you see, the Lord's table of the bread and the cup is a memorial of His death. And back at the night of the last Passover, it hadn't happened yet. So now if you go into 1 Corinthians chapter 11, we're beginning with verse 23. Paul writes, For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night which you betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do ye, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me. Now here's the explanation, verse 26. For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death until he come. Now this is the purpose of the Lord's Supper. It's nothing more and nothing less than a remembering of what Christ accomplished on the cross. That as His body was broken, as the bread was broken, as it suffered in ignominy and shame, and then as His blood was poured out, that of course is in the cup. And so way back here, now if you can come back with me again to Genesis, way back here we have the picture of His death, burial, and resurrection, but that's all. But all of this is to just simply reassure us that the Word of God is so true, it's so supernatural. Now then up to the first part of verse 18, and now we're going to answer the question, who was Melchizedek? Well, the Scripture just tells us here that he was the king of the little village of Salem, or the city of peace, which now we know as the city of Jerusalem, the city of peace, and he came as the priest of the Most High God. Remember, I think I put it on the board last week just as we were coming to an end, and the term is El Elyon. And in the Hebrew, the ordinary word Elyon simply means the highest, or the most high. But when it's elevated to the capital like this, then it equals, as we saw then, God's title of the Most High God, and that's the way so many of these titles of deity are used. In the ordinary vernacular, they're just another Hebrew word out of the Hebrew language, but when it's elevated then into the realm of deity, it becomes something unique and special. Now, Melchizedek, who was he? What was he? The only answer we've got is the book of Hebrews. So now if you'll turn in your New Testament to Hebrews, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, through the T's, the book of Hebrews, chapter 6, the last verse, and then go right on into chapter 7. Now remember, as I pointed out either just a few moments ago or last week, it's hard for me to remember, but this Melchizedek was a Gentile priest. There was no Israel on the scene, so he was a Gentile priest so far as the symbolism is concerned, and he was a representative of the Most High God, which is the term of God for Gendaz. Now then, in chapter 6 of the book of Hebrews, verse 20, and I'm sure that Paul wrote Hebrews, at least that's my view, and Paul writes whether the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Now I'll come down into chapter 7, for this Melchizedek, the king of Salem, the priest of the Most High God. Now you see how Paul is in perfect accord again with the book of Genesis and the book of Daniel, keeping Melchizedek as a priest of the Gentile term for God, the Most High, and he met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth of all, first being by interpretation king. Now what sets that word apart? Well, it's capitalized. He's the king of righteousness, which sets him up now then as deity, and after that also king of Salem, which is the king of peace. Now verse 3, this Melchizedek was without father, without mother, without a genealogy or descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, and abideth a priest continually. Now I know not everyone is going to agree with me, but I maintain that Melchizedek was simply again Jehovah, or God the Son, in a theophany, now that's just a big word that means that God appeared in human form, this was simply God in the person of Jehovah, the Son, however you want to put it, appearing to Abraham in a role that would define our whole New Testament economy, and that is that we as Gentiles have to have a high priest who is not tied to the law of Israel. And that's why the high priest of Israel, he was a high priest of a Gentile community. And now let's go on. Since he had no genealogy, no beginning or ending, I have to feel that it was Christ appearing to Abraham in human form just for the sake of laying the groundwork for our high priest, for us as Gentiles. Come all the way down, if you were, to verse 11 in chapter 7. If therefore perfection was by the Levitical priesthood, now we've got to stop a minute, beginning with Aaron, the very first high priest of Israel, way back there just before they came out of Egypt, out of what tribe did every priest have to come from? The tribe of Levi. You all know that. They couldn't be a priest unless they were of Levi, and Aaron was the first one. Now then, verse 11, if perfection was by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people, that is Israel, received the law, what further need? Why did there have to be another priest that should rise after the order of Melchizedek and not called after the order of Aaron? Well, what's the answer? We Gentiles couldn't approach God through a Jewish high priest. We have to have one that represents us Gentiles, and that's, remember, what Melchizedek was clear back there 2000 B.C. And so now then, read on. Verse 14, we'll skip from 13, now verse 14, For it is evident that our Lord, the Lord Jesus, sprang out of what tribe? Judah. He went out of the tribe of Levi. So you see, he wasn't eligible to be a priest after the order of Aaron, because he came out of the tribe of Judah. Now then, verse 15, And it is far more evident, for that after the similitude of Melchizedek there writheth another priest, who is made not after the law of the carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth thou art a priest for ever, but after the order of Melchizedek. Is it beginning to come through? All the way from start to finish now we have the connection of the high priest of the Gentile and the Most High God. The Lord Jesus is not only the Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, but He's also the high priest of the Gentile God, so that you and I tonight can rest assured that we have a high priest tonight interceding for us at the very throne room of heaven itself. Not a high priest after the order of Aaron, but a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. I don't think I'm going to have time to do what I would like to do next, but maybe we can take a quick try. Come back to John's Gospel, and again for...oh, yeah, we've got a few minutes left. Come back to John's Gospel, chapter 20, because we cannot get a comprehension of Christ's role as our high priest unless we can understand what He has done to fulfill that role. Now, we won't take time to look up the Scriptures. If we had a two-hour class, well, then that's what we'd do, but 30 minutes just doesn't give us time. But if you'll remember, on the Day of Atonement, back there in Leviticus 21, the high priest once a year would take the blood of a sacrificed animal, and he would make his way all the way through the front part of the tabernacle, go in behind the veil, and sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat, which was the very presence of God under the Shekinah glory. And then Israel's sins were covered for that next year. Now, that was the role of the high priest on behalf of Israel. Our high priest had to do the same thing. You've got John's Gospel, chapter 20. Here it is on the resurrection Sunday morning, and I think you all are acquainted with the events. And here comes Mary Magdalene, saw the tomb was empty, ran back, remember, and told the disciples, and they couldn't believe it. And then they come running, Peter and John, and then verse 9, I think, tells us so much, and most people are not enlightened on this. What does it say? As Peter and John saw all the evidence there at the empty tomb, verse 8 I'm sorry, they saw and they believed, but look at verse 9, for as yet they, the twelve now, and Peter and John in particular, they knew not the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead. They had no idea He was going to rise from the dead until they saw the proof of it. But that isn't what I wanted to make. Come on down now to Mary. You know the account. She saw the tomb was empty, and she said, Oh, where have they put my Lord? And as she turns, verse 13, here stood the Lord Jesus, only she didn't know it was He, and He says, Woman, why weepest thou? And she said, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him. And then come down to verse 15, And Jesus said unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? And she, supposing Him to be the gardener, said unto Him, Sir, if you have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away. And she said, Mary. Now what do you suppose Mary wanted to do? Oh, embrace Him to think that He was alive. But what does He do? He holds her at bay, and He says what? In verse 17, Jesus said unto her, Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to the brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, your Father, to my God, and your God. Now come back to Hebrews again, if you will. Hebrews chapter 9, and then I think we can pull all this together. Hebrews chapter 9, verse 11, But Christ, being come a high priest of good things to come, now not after the order of Aaron, remember, but after the order of Melchizedek, the priest of the Gentile name of God, and so Christ becomes a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, where is it? It's in heaven. And so, verse 12, now remember what you just read in John. On that resurrection morning, Jesus says to Mary Magdalene, Don't touch me until I have ascended to the Father. Now this is on the resurrection morning, and we're not talking about the ascension of Acts. This is in John's Gospel, on the resurrection morning. And now verse 12, Why did He have to ascend? For neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered into the very throne room of heaven now. He entered in once into that holy place, the very presence of God. And as He presented His blood, He obtained eternal redemption for us. What role was He fulfilling? High priest. Not the high priest of Israel, but the high priest of all. Now, we're not going to leave the Jew out of this, because, oh, now I think I've got a few seconds left. Flip back real quickly to Romans chapter 3, because we don't want to leave the Jew out so far as his high priesthood is concerned, because now as a result of the cross and the power of His resurrection, He is the high priest of all. And that's what Melchizedek represented, of course. Now in Romans chapter 3, you know I'm always stressing that Paul is the one who has received the final part of our progressive revelation, except the book of Revelation, but Paul brings everything to a head. And now in Romans chapter 3, verse 29, he asks the question, is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles? And what's his answer? Yes, of the Gentiles also. See, nobody's left out. And so now as a result of the work of the cross, as the work of His presenting His own blood in the very throne room of heaven as the high priest, our high priest, everything has been satisfied. Everything that's done had to be done. Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick. Through the Bible is a partner-supported ministry. If this program has been a help to your study of the Scriptures and you'd like to see others enjoy the teaching, your support would be greatly appreciated. Write to us at Les Feldick Ministries, Route 1, Box 760, Kenta, OK 74552, or call 1-800-369-7856. Remember, all programs are available in printed form, audio cassette, and videotape. Be sure to tune in next time to Through the Bible with Les Feldick.