Hebrews 7
McGeeCHAPTER 7THEME: Christ our High Priest after the order of MelchizedekThe rest of the Epistle to the Hebrews deals with the subject of the living Christ who is at this moment at God’s right hand. It is a subject that is really neglected in the church today. We talk a great deal about the death and resurrection of Christand that is wonderfulbut my friend, we need to go on to a living Christ who is at God’s right hand and who has a ministry there for us. Now the reality of that ministry to us is what is going to test our spiritual life. Here is a barometer or Geiger counter which you can put down on your life: How is the truth of this chapter of Hebrews going to affect your spiritual life? The writer to the Hebrews is going to make a comparison and contrast of the priesthood of Melchizedek and the priesthood of Aaron.
Hebrews 7:1
CHRIST IS PERPETUAL PRIESTThe little word for is used by the writer to the Hebrews as cement to hold together what has been said previously and what he is now going to say. It refers us back to verse Heb_6:20 of chapter 6. Melchizedek is a type of Christ. In the historical record Melchizedek is called “king of Salem” and “priest of the most high God” (see Gen_14:17-24). Not much is said about Melchizedek in Genesis 14frankly, I would have forgotten about him, but the Spirit of God didn’t forget about him. When we come to Psalms 110 there is this prophecy concerning the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ: “…Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psa_110:4). You and I are living in the day of Christ’s priesthood. There are many critics today who do not like the term dispensations. Many preachers won’t mention the word. I mention it because the Bible uses the term. Dispensations are the different ages or time-periods showing the progressive order of God’s dealing with the human family. This is an example: Back in the Old Testament Aaron was the high priest, and there was a literal tabernacle down here. Today we have a High Priest, but He is not ministering in any building down here. He is up yonder at God’s right hand, and He is there right now. While there are not many references to Melchizedek in the Old Testament, there are quite a few references to him right here in the Epistle to the Hebrews. In Heb_5:10 we read, “Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.” Then again in Heb_6:20, “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Now here in verse Heb_7:1 the writer says, “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him.” He is going to talk a great deal about Melchizedek in this chapter. The very key to this chapter is found in verse Heb_7:17: “For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Since we are going to look at Christ as a priest after the order of Melchizedek, we need to know all we can about Melchizedek, and we need to go back to the account in Genesis 14. The events of Genesis 14 took place after Sodom, and we have in this chapter the first account of a war. The kings of the east formed a confederacy and came against the kings of the west, that is, those who lived around the Dead Sea. The kings of the east won and lugged off the people as slaves and the wealth of the cities as booty. Word was brought to Abraham that Lot was being carried away into captivity. Abraham immediately armed about 318 men out of his own household, which means he had quite a household. Each man that he could arm must have had at least one woman and a child. Therefore Abraham must have had about a thousand people who served under him! He took these 318 men, and by a surprise attack he was able to get a victory over the kings of the east. All he was concerned about was rescuing Lot, but in so doing he was able to rescue the king of Sodom and all the others. In Gen_14:17 we are told: “And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.” The king of Sodom made Abraham an offer which he refused, then out of nowhere we read: “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God” (Gen_14:18).
Hebrews 7:2
It has been supposed by some that Salem was Jerusalem. I do not think that is true at all. Salem is not a placethe word salem means “peace.” He does not say that Melchizedek was king of Jerusalem. He was king of peace; he was a man who could make peace in that day. I am sure he was king of a literal city somewhere, but it doesn’t mean he was king of Jerusalemit could have been any place. He was king of peace. Melchizedek was also the “King of righteousness.” That is what the name Melchizedek means: melek is a Hebrew word meaning “king,” and tsedeq means “righteousness.” Jeremiah speaks of Jehovah-tsidkenu, meaning “Jehovah our righteousness.” Melchizedek is a type of Christhe represents Him in several different ways. He is king of peace and king of righteousness. The Lord Jesus Christ is a King. He is righteousnessHe was made unto us righteousness. Melchizedek was “priest of the most high God.” The Lord Jesus is our Great High Priest. Now the very interesting thing is that when Melchizedek came out to meet Abraham, he brought bread and wine. I believe that these two Old Testament worthies, these patriarchs, celebrated the Lord’s Supper together! They were looking forward to the coming of Christ two thousand years before He came. Today you and I meet and partake of bread and wine, looking back to the coming of Christ two thousand years ago. They celebrated the Lord’s Supper together. Don’t ask me to explain itI can’t explain it; I can just call your attention to it. This is something before which we stand in profound awe and wonder and worship. This is where faith treads on the high places.
Hebrews 7:3
Here Melchizedek is a picture of Christ and a type of Christ in another way. The Lord Jesus comes out of eternity, and He moves into eternity. He has no beginning and no end. He is the beginning. He is the end. You can’t go beyond Him in the past, and you can’t get ahead of Him in the future.
He encompasses all of time and all of eternity. Now how can you find a man who pictures that? Melchizedek is in the Book of Genesis, a book that gives pedigreesit tells us that Adam begat so-and-so, and so-and-so begat so-and-so, Abraham begat Isaac, Isaac begat Jacob and Esau, and you follow the genealogies on downit is a book of families. Yet in this book that gives the genealogies, Melchizedek just walks out onto the pages of Scripture, out of nowhere, then he walks off the pages of Scripture, and we do not see him anymore, Why did God leave out the genealogy of Melchizedek? Because Melchizedek was to be a type of the Lord Jesus in His priesthood. From the prophecy given in Psalms 110 we see that Melchizedek is a picture of Christ in that the Lord Jesus is the eternal God, and He is a priest because He is the Son of God, and He is a priest continually.
That is, He just keeps on being a priestthere will be no change in His priesthood because He is eternal. In the Genesis account we see that Melchizedek came to Abraham at just the right moment. Abraham was about to be tested, and he needed someone to encourage him and to strengthen him. Melchizedek came with bread and wine, and he was the priest of “the most high God.” (This is the first time in Scripture that God is called “the most high God.”) He came just as the king of Sodom was making a proposition to Abraham: “Now Abraham, it was nice of you to recover Lot and the rest of the people, and we appreciate that. I know you don’t want to make the people slaves; so give us the people, and you keep the booty. You keep it, Abraham, it’s yours.” Now according to the Code of Hammurabi for that day, the booty did belong to Abraham, but Abraham said, “Why, I wouldn’t do that at all. I won’t take even a shoestring from younot even a thread. I refuse to receive anything from you” (see Gen_14:23). Then God appeared to Abraham and said, “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Gen_15:1). Melchizedek came and ministered to Abraham. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest, and He ministers to us today. I will be very frank with you, if He doesn’t minister to you and bless your heart and life, it is because you are still a little babe and you haven’t grown up. You have not entered into the great truth presented here. My Christian friend, have you gone through trials and deep waters, and has Jesus ministered to you and helped you? Are you conscious of the fact that He blesses you every day? On one tour that I conducted to Bible lands, I left half-sick and would not have gone if my wife had not urged me to do so. I just didn’t feel up to the trip. On the trip I was sick several times and had to drop out of the tour a couple of days. But God was so good to us. We had good weather; we never had a bad flight, and the Lord was just good to me in so many ways. I was conscious of the fact that my High Priest was on the job; He was doing His job, my friend, and He was blessing. I’m talking to you about reality. I’m not talking to you about a theory, about a religion, or about a ritual that you go through. I’m talking to you about a Man in the glory who is alive, and He is the living God. Is He the living God to you? Notice what it says in Gen_14:19"And he [Melchizedek] blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth." You and I live in a universe that belongs to Him; He owns it, and He has said that all things are ours today. Do you enjoy a sunrise? Just this morning I went by myself out to a nearby golf course, and I saw the sun come up over the Sierra Madre mountains. He did that just for me this morning. What a performance He put on. He is wonderful! What a glorious day it is! He is the living Christ. I just thanked Him again for bringing me to another day, and I thanked Him for being so good to me, and I told Him that I love Him. The living Christ is yonder at God’s right hand. How real is He to you?
Hebrews 7:4
CHRIST IS PERFECT PRIESTAbraham paid tithes to Melchizedek. He recognized that Melchizedek was above him and that he was the priest of the most high God.
Hebrews 7:5
In Abraham the sons of Levi, who were descended from Abraham, paid tithes to Melchizedek. This shows that Melchizedek was superior to Aaron and his family. My friend, one of the ways in which you recognize the lordship of Jesus Christ is by coming and making a gift to Him. Every gift ought to be more than just to a church or to some other ministry; it should be a gift to the Lord Jesus Christ. You recognize His lordship, and you are a priest worshiping when you bring a gift to Him.
Hebrews 7:6
You would think that Abraham would be superior to Melchizedek, but he was not. Melchizedek was a Gentile who was the priest of the most high God. I do not know where he got his information about God, nor do I know the background of this man. If anyone tries to tell you more about him, he is guessing. Also there are a whole lot of things I can’t explain about the Lord Jesus because He is God. I do know that He is my Great High Priest todayand that’s all I need to know.
Hebrews 7:7
Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek who was better than he was. When you and I worship the Lord Jesus and bow before Him, we recognize His superiority.
Hebrews 7:8
“Here men that die” refers to the Levitical priests; “but there he” refers to Melchizedek. You can offer yourself to Him, and He will receive you. When I offer myself to Him, He doesn’t get much, but I have offered myself to Him and am thankful that he will accept me.
Hebrews 7:9
“Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.” The priestly tribe of Levi was in the loins of Abraham when he paid tithes to Melchizedek, and thus Levi also paid tithes to Melchizedek. In the same way, back yonder when Adam sinned, I also sinned. In Adam all died. The reason you and I are going to die, if the Lord tarries His coming, is that we are in Adam and we sinned in Adam. However, today I am perfect because I am in Christ. Do you realize that? God sees me in Christ, and I am perfect in Him. I am accepted in the Beloved. My friend, this is great scriptural truth, and it is stated in simple language.
Hebrews 7:11
In other words, the thing which characterized the Aaronic priesthood is that it was incomplete. It never brought perfection, complete communion with God. It never gave redemption and acceptance before God to the people. It never achieved its goal. Therefore we need Christ.
Hebrews 7:12
We are not under the Mosaic Law. The Mosaic Law belonged to the Aaronic priesthood where they offered bloody sacrifices. The Mosaic Law and the Aaronic priesthood go together.
Hebrews 7:13
The Lord Jesus came in the tribe of Judah and therefore could never be a priest here on earth. The priestly tribe was the tribe of Levi. The priesthood had to be changed since Christ did not come from Levi.
Hebrews 7:15
This is what the prophecy in Psalms 110 said concerning the Messiah who was to come.
Hebrews 7:16
Christ became a priest by His resurrection from the dead; He has an endless life.
Hebrews 7:18
The Mosaic system went out of styleit wore out. It never gave what man must have: perfection.
Hebrews 7:19
We come to God through Christ. We have seen that the Lord Jesus Christ is a perpetual priest and He is a perfect priest. The Aaronic priesthood could not fill the bill. Now we have a perfect priest, and that one is the Lord Jesus Christ. He has provided salvation for you and me. God has taken us out of Adam and put us in Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2Co_5:17). We are no longer joined to Adam but are now joined to the living Christ. We will summarize the contrast between the priesthood of Aaron and the priesthood of Melchizedek as follows: Law vs. Power (law restrainspower enables) Commandment (external) vs. Life (internal) Carnal (flesh) vs. Endless (eternal life) Changing vs. Unchanging Weakness and unprofitableness vs. Nigh to God Nothing perfect vs. Better hope
Hebrews 7:20
In Psalms 110 is a prophecy of the fact that the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, would be in the line of Melchizedek as priest. “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psa_110:4). One thing that makes the priesthood of Christ superior is the very simple fact that it rests not only upon the Word of God but upon the oath of God. All the Old Testament tells us of the tribe of Levi is that they were set aside for that particular functionno oath was given concerning them.
Hebrews 7:22
The word testament should be “covenant.” We have not only a better priesthood in Jesus Christ, but it is also by a better covenant. Christ is our High Priest. He ministers in a superior sanctuary, by a better covenant, and built upon better promiseswe will see this subject expanded in chapters 8 through 10. The Lord Jesus’ priesthood is superior in every department.
Hebrews 7:23
CHRIST IN HIS PERSON IS PERPETUAL AND PERFECT PRIESTIn other words, the Aaronic priesthood of the Old Testament always ended by death. Aaron died, just as Moses did. I have always felt that the death of Aaronif it wasn’t greaterwas just as great a loss to Israel as the death of Moses. In his death they lost their high priest, the one who had gone with them through the wilderness, the one who knew them and understood them. Now they would have to have a new priest. You and I don’t have a changing priesthoodChrist will always live to make intercession for us.
Hebrews 7:24
The Lord Jesus won’t be dying anymore. He died once for our sins, but never again will He die. He is there all the time for you. I received a letter once from a man in Puerto Rico who comes home late at night from his work in an oil refinery. He listens every night at 11:30 to our radio Bible study program. The Spirit of God ministers the Word of God to him down there late at night. The Lord Jesus knew all about that man long before I got his letter and learned of him. I didn’t know him, and I didn’t know he was listening to the radio broadcast. The Lord Jesus knew all about him because He has an unchangeable priesthood.
He is on duty twenty-four hours a day. That means that at 11:30 at night He knows this man, understands him, and ministers the Word of God to him. I rejoice in being able to give out the Word of God today because I am assured that the Spirit of God will be ministering it to folk. The Lord Jesus is the Great High Priest. While that fellow was listening, I was asleep in bed on the other side of the continent. But while I am sleeping there is a High Priest up yonder who will make the Word effective.
How wonderful this is! Let’s give Him all the praise and glory. The following verse is perhaps the key verse to this entire section, and it is the very heart of the gospel.
Hebrews 7:25
“Wherefore"again we have this little hinge on which a big door swings. It swings back into what has been said before and swings on into what is ahead. “He ever liveth.” It says, first of all, that Christ is not dead, but He is living. Right at this very moment He is alive. We emphasize the death and resurrection of Christ, but we ought to go beyond that. We have to do with a living Christ. We know Him no longer after the flesh. We know Him today as our Great High Priest at God’s right hand. My friend, that is where we need to put the emphasis. He died down here to save us, but He lives up there to keep us saved. “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.” He is able to keep on saving you. “To the uttermost” means all the way through. He is able to save us completely and perfectly. He is the Great Shepherd who up to this very moment has never lost a sheep. Do you want to know something? He never will lose one. If you are one of His sheep, you may feel like you are going to be lost, but He is up there for you and He is watching over you. “He ever liveth to make intercession.” Intercession actually means “intervention.” He intervenes for us. “…We shall be saved by his life” (Rom_5:10). John wrote, “My little children [born ones], these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” Well, John, you are not talking to me because I do lots of things that are wrong. Now, John, do you have a word for me? John went on to say, “And if any man sin"now we are getting somewhere!“we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1Jn_2:1). An advocate is a paraclete, a comforter, someone to stand at our side. He is Jesus Christ the righteous. Everything He does is right. Everything He does is righteous. We shall be saved by His life. How wonderful to know we have a living Christ! You are not alone, my friend. It is just baby stuff to sit down and cry, “Oh, I’m having this problem, and I’m so alone. There’s nobody to help me. To whom shall I go?” My friend, what do you think He is doing up there? Aren’t you conscious of Him? Why don’t you turn to Him? I remember talking to the mother of a man who was leaving his wife and running away with another woman. I took the mother with me when I went to talk with the other woman. She would not change her mind and was determined to go with this man. This poor mother, as I took her home, just got down on the floor of the car and began to cry out, “Oh, God, why have You forsaken me?” But by the time I got her home, she was more composed and apologized, “I’m sorry I said that God has forsaken me. I don’t believe that He has.” I assured her that we can be sure of the fact that He ever lives to make intercession for us. Though we are faithless, He is always faithful to us. It is wonderful to know He is up there, my friend.
Hebrews 7:26
He “became us” means Christ is just what we need. He is the one who fills the bill. He is just right for uswe couldn’t have anyone better than He is. “Holy"that is, in relationship to God. He is the holy one. “Harmless” means tht He is free from any malice, crafitness, or cleverness. When He gets you off when you sin, it is not because He is a clever lawyer. It is because He is the one who paid the penalty for you, and the penalty absolutely has been paid. “Undefiled"He is free from any moral impurity. My friend, this is God’s answer to the blasphemous films, songs, and literature of our day. The Bible makes it clear that the Lord Jesus was free from moral impurity. He is also “separate from sinners.” He is like us, yet unlike us. He could mix and mingle with sinners, and they didn’t feel uncomfortable in His presence, but He was not one of them. His enemies accused Him of associating with publicans and sinners. He sure did, yet He wasn’t one of them. He was separate from sinners.
Hebrews 7:27
Notice that the Lord Jesus did not need to offer any sacrifice for His own sinHe had none. If it were necessary for the Lord Jesus to come back and die for you again, He’d be back, my friend. He would be back today. But He won’t be back to die for youHe died once. The continual sacrificing in the Old Testament must have gotten pretty old and pretty tiresome. I am sure that many times when the priests would meet there at the laver to wash their hands and feet, one of them would turn to the other and say, “How many times have you been here today?” “Well, I don’t know. I’m sure I have been here at least a dozen times.” The other would reply, “Well, I have been here fifteen times. I’ve washed my hands here so many times that I’ve got dishpan hands! And look at my feetthey look like I’ve been standing in water all day. I’m so tired of going to that altar and offering sacrifices again and again and again.” I want to tell you, it must have been pretty wearisome, and if Aaron had overheard them talking, I think he would have said, “I agree with you that this ritual gets tiresome, but do you know what God is trying to tell us? He is trying to tell us that sin is an awful thing and that it requires the shedding of blood. But He has One who is coming someday who is going to die on a cross for us. When He does, there is going to be no more shedding of blood. He will have paid the penalty.”
Hebrews 7:28
The high priest in the Old Testament had to offer a sacrifice for himselfthe Lord Jesus never did. We have a High Priest who can be touched, who can be reached today. He is there to help and He understands, but He is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.