This morning, we are going to focus on Heb. 7. But by introduction on want to give us a bird’s eye view of the first 6 chapters. The book of Hebrews was addressed to Jewish Believers in Yeshua while the Temple was still standing.
Because of pressures from their home Synagogues and unbelieving family there was the temptation to deny the finished work of Messiah.
Some Believers were going to the Temple offering sacrifices thinking that they could remain silent about their faith in Yeshua. They had rationalized that God might not notice that by offering sacrifices they were contradicting their confession that the cross was the only way for atonement.
By doing so They doubted the sufficiency of God to allay all their fears of rejection. Which comes only comes by faith in believing God’s promises. Faith comes by God’s Word, which is why the Tenach is the focus of Hebrews.
Citing the Tenach the writer has explained the Superiority of Yeshua as the way to God then Sacrifices in the Templ. In Chapters 1-2 we learned that Yeshua has:
A greater Name, The Name above all Names. That He’s greater than the angels – a greater messenger, with a greater message, providing a greater salvation and greater deliverance.
In chapter 3 we learned He is greater than Moses, and in Chapter 4 Yeshua provides a greater Rest, through a greater Priesthood because He is a greater High Priest.
And because of all of that in Chapter 5 the author calls the Messianic Believers to have a greater commitment to Yeshua which is what Chapter 6 is all about which includes the consequences for failing to do so.
Many Christians believe this is speaking of a believer losing one’s salvation but, in my opinion, it’s a warning to believers about God’s discipline for denying the Lord not losing salvation.
Salvation is all of God, not man. Eph 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Hebrews 6 ends with the great hope we have as children of God. That this confidence is grounded in Faith and Patience. Faith is strengthened through God’s Word; and patience comes by trusting God through the trials He sends as Jacob/James tells us.
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
In the last two verses of Heb. 6 we’re told that this hope is integrally related to the work of our High Priest Yeshua, who is of the order of Melchizedek.
Heb. 6:19-20 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
The “order of Melchizedek” that the writer of Hebrews is describing is a literary term called a “type”
In Biblical study, a type refers to an Older Covenant person, practice, or ceremony that has a counterpart known as an antitype, which is found in the New Covenant.
The explanation by the writer of Hebrews in chapter 7 helps us understand why we have such a great hope in the trials we experience in life and how they relate to the High Priestly ministry of Yeshua.
Types in the Older Covenant are by nature imperfect and temporary. The corresponding antitype, found in the New Covenant is perfect and eternal. Types convey to God’s children significant spiritual truths.
For example, The Bronze serpent of Num. 21:5-9 is a type. The people spoke against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.” The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. So the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the LORD and you; intercede with the LORD, that He may remove the serpents from us.” And Moses interceded for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.” And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.
The antitype is found in John 3:14. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
Melchizedek is a type of the Messiah, And Yeshua is the antitype. Chapter 7 is the focal point of the entire book of Hebrews. It concerns the most central part of Messianic faith – the priesthood.
Reconciliation with God was impossible without the priesthood. Sins could not be forgiven without the priesthood. Israels’ relationship to God was centered in the priesthood, according to God’s Law.
In writing to the Jewish Believers, the writer utilizes typology to illustrate the superiority of the priesthood of Yeshua to the Levitical priesthood. This clarifies His importance to us today.
VV. 1-2 of Heb. 7 is a summary of the Genesis 14 account where Abraham meets Melchizedek after the victory God gave him when he rescued his nephew Lot.
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.
The writer of Hebrews is reminding us here that Melchizedek was the king of Salem, and a priest of the Most High God, that he blessed Abraham, and that Abraham gave to him a tenth of the spoils of the victory.
We’re also told that his name, Melchizedek, means king of righteousness, and that he was the King of Salem. Salem was the name of the city of Jerusalem in Abraham’s day.
Jerusalem is from two Hebrew words Yarah “foundation” and Shalom “peace”. So Melchizedek was king of the city of peace, the City where God has forever placed His name.
But the priesthood of Melchizedek is the focus of this passage. Let’s first review the Levitical priesthood by which the priesthood of Melchizedek’s is compared.
The Levitical Priesthood.
First of all the entire tribe of Levi was appointed to serve God. Not all Levites were priests, only the kohanim, the descendants of Aaron. The non-priestly Levites served as helpers. The priesthood was strictly Jewish.
Secondly the Levites were subject to the King. Their priestly functions were not under the authority of the king, but they were his subjects. Scripture forbade them from ruling. The priestly Maccabees ignored this and served as both priests and rulers.
They over time became known as the Sadducees who became corrupt by preserving their unlawful ruling power by making deals with Rome. God’s Law separated spiritual authority given to the tribe of Levi from State authority given to the tribe of Judah.
A third observation is that Levitical sacrifices, including those on Yom Kippur were not permanent. They had to be repeated, they provided no permanent forgiveness or peace; they covered but did not remove sin.
4. The Levitical priesthood was hereditary. It wasn’t based on what kind of person you were but your genealogy.
5. The Levitical priest’s term of office was temporary. They served from age 25 to the age of 50.
Melchizedek priesthood
1. The priesthood of Melchizedek was universal, not just national. He served as a priest to other kings and kingdoms. In Gen. 14 he ministered to the king of Sodom and kingdoms aligned with Sodom where Lot and his family lived.
In Exodus 3 God revealed to Moses His covenant name, Yahweh. This is the covenant name God gave in His relationship with Israel. The Levitical priests were ministers of Yahweh. While Melchizedek was priest of The Most High God (El Elyon), a more universal name of God.
In the same way Yeshua is not just the Messiah of Israel, but of the world. His priesthood is universal, just as Melchizedek.
In Heb 7 we are reminded that our father Abraham, gave tithes to a different kind of priest than the Levitical priest.
Hebrews 7:7-10: But without any dispute the lesser (Abraham) is blessed by the greater (Melchizedek). And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
So the Levitical priests who under Torah received tithes, were tithing to Melchizedek through their father Abraham. The writer of Hebrew is making the point that the Melchizedek’s priesthood is greater than the Levitical for that reason.
It’s interesting to note that Abraham, after his encounter with Melchizedek, spoke to the king of Sodom about The Lord (Yahweh) – God Most High (El Elyon) (Gen 14:22) a combination of the covenant and universal names of God.
This is an indication that Abraham is father of both Jews and the nations through the antitype of Melchizedek, Messiah Yeshua.
Melchizedek’s Priesthood was Royal in that he was a king. This was something forbidden to the Levites. But perfectly foreshadows the role of Yeshua as Priest and King as foretold by Israel’s prophets: Zech 6:12-13
“Then say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD. {13} “Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.”‘
Melchizedek was King of Salem (Jerusalem) his name means King of Righteousness a type that pointed to the antitype, Yeshua.
The Melchizedek priesthood was more like the permanent to come. The Levitical offerings were given to provide righteousness and peace, but as we have said those offerings only had a temporary effect.
Melchizedek was both a king of peace and righteousness. His rule is righteous and peaceful, but Melchizedek could not make men righteous or give them peace.
Only the antitype, Yeshua, could give righteousness and peace. Rom 5:1 “Therefore having been justified (counted righteous) by faith, we have peace with God through our Messiah Yeshua.”
Messiah gives us peace by giving us righteousness. Listen to what Isaiah prophesied in 32:15-17 Concerning the work of God’s Spirit that would come through the promised Messiah.
Through Him the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fertile field… and the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
The priesthood of Yeshua provides the first fruits of perfect peace by the indwelling Spirit that has come to believers. And that peace will come to the world when He returns to rule and reign in Jerusalem.
Melchizedek’s priesthood was personal, not hereditary. His parentage and origins unlike the Levites were irrelevant to his serving as a Priest. In this he was a type of the Messiah.
Not because Yeshua had no genealogy but because his genealogy had nothing to do with his priesthood. His genealogy related to His Kingship. He was chosen to be a priest not by virtue of birth, but because of His sacrifice offered on the Cross which provided everlasting atonement for sin when coupled with faith.
Melchizedek’s priesthood was permanent not temporary. Levitical priests individually served from age 25 to 50. Corporately their priesthood was temporary since it began at Sinai and ended when the veil was torn in the Temple when Jesus died on the cross. Matt. 27:50-51:
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.
Melchizedek had no covenantal or time boundaries. In v.3 we are told “He abides a priest forever.” Not that he lived forever but the order of his priesthood in which he ministered remained forever.
However he is a type, and he did not live forever. The antitype, Yeshua, lives and ministers forever.
So the first half of Hebrews 7 Gives significant evidence why Melchizedek’s priesthood was greater than the Levitical.
Melchizedek was though a king and didn’t fight in the battle of the kings because he was a king of peace. Abraham recognized that he was a priest of God by giving to him his tithe.
Abraham knew that his victory was from God so in thanksgiving he tithed the spoils of his victory. So, tithing predates the law at Sinai, just as the Sabbath predated the Command at Sinai and both are universal laws of God.
The Levites, as the priestly tribe, received no inheritance of land, as did the other tribes. They were to be supported from the tithes of their brothers the rest of the Israelites.
Under the law one group of the sons of Abraham tithed to another. But Abraham the father of the Levites who received tithes from the sons of Abraham is cited as one who gave his tithe to Melchizedek.
The writer of Hebrews uses this significant truth lot demonstrate that Melchizedek’s priesthood was greater.
Melchizedek blessed Abraham even though God said that through Abraham all the nations of the world would be blessed. And yet the blessing given to Abraham by Melchizedek further demonstrates His priesthood was greater than the Levites.
Just as Levi in Abraham gave tithes the Levites receiving the blessing rather than giving it, proving Melchizedek’s priesthood was greater.
Melchizedek is the type and Yeshua the Antitype. The type is temporary the antitype is permanent. The type is imperfect, but the antitype is perfect.
Yeshua the Messiah is the priest-king our prophets foretold would be coming a priest for Jew and Gentile, He is the one who brings God’s Peace, Righteousness, and Kingdom but only for those who confess they are sinners and acknowledge that He died for their sin and receive Him as Lord and King.
Those who don’t are experiencing God’s judgment, which is just a taste of the everlasting judgment that is coming when He returns.
The dead will be resurrected and judged for rejecting God’s Son sent to provide atonement for all who will receive Him. But to those who reject His priestly work they will be sent to eternal judgment.
The unrighteous will no longer dwell with the righteous. The righteous are just like the unrighteous but for one thing. The righteous have put their sin on God’s Lamb Jesus. But today if you have heard His voice come to Him that you might have life and God’s peace in these difficult times.
