It’s a “will worship” morning (Colossians 2:23). I’ll use Psalm 20:1-4 for Temple worship today.
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Hebrews. The spirit of my mind joined the Mind of the Spirit in 7:14-18:
Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Hebrews 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Hebrews 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
Hebrews 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
I thought about Christ being a priest after the order of Melchisedec. If the Son of God were to be a priest “after the order of Melchisedec,” then He, that is Christ, is not Melchisedec. I asked, Did God establish a priesthood in Melchisedec that set the pattern for Jesus to follow? Was there a divinely appointed priesthood order, over which Melchisedec was the head (the greater priesthood who blessed the lesser Aaronic priesthood that was present in the loins of Abraham—Genesis 14:19, Hebrews 7:7), and did the Father promise the Son that He would be inducted into that order? The Spirit, jealous for our LORD, quickly checked the spirit and tenor of those musings. (No worries, I did not take them seriously.) Melchisedec is a shadowy figure of the eternal Priesthood of Christ, like the Tabernacle (Hebrews 8:5). In the same way that the Spirit through Moses prophesied of “another prophet” would come Who would be like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-18), the Spirit testifies that “another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec” (Hebrews 7:11). Melchisedec was a similitude of Christ, for the Spirit testifies that Christ is before Melchisedec as He was before John (John 1:1, 14-15, 27, 30). (For a thorough examination of this question, go to https://baptistlighthouse.org/church-bookstore/melchizedek/ to download a free PDF of my study on the question of Melchisedec.)
Along the still waters, I reflected on the various distinctions that exist between Christ’s Priesthood and that of Melchisedec and Aaron. The first is that Jesus is a “priest forever” and has the “power of an endless life” (Hebrews 7:16). Regarding Aaron and the dispensation of Israel, God set an enforced separation between the priesthood and the kingship (2 Chronicles 26:18; exclusive to Levi: see Hebrews 7:13-14). Melchisedec is more like Christ than Aaron, but neither Melchisedec nor Aaron attains unto the eternal Priesthood of Christ the King.
In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I heard the Spirit say to me, I thought wryly, for I felt the irony of His words: “Christ … the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6). He removed the wall of separation between the offices of king and priest, elevated all who are washed from their sins in His blood to hold the dual offices together, and consecrated our service as “unto” GOD, showing, first, that our ordination to our dual office is by GOD, and, second, that our service is rendered on His behalf, to work out His purpose, to fulfill His will.
The Spirit spoke: Jerry, will you be a dutiful king and priest unto Me! Yes, Lord! I replied. Then hear Me: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I never sought to be a king or a priest to GOD. But now that I am such, I strive to be a dutiful king and priest unto GOD. To Christ be “glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
At the table, we sorted some things and prepared for the day’s labor. He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. He rose; I rose. He walked toward the Harvest. I walked behind Him carefully, placing my feet where He trod. Goodness and mercy giggled. I had to concentrate, so I ignored them. I noticed that when I aligned myself behind Christ just right, I could see the outline of His crown in the shadow at His feet. Curious, I stepped out from His shadow, and the crown was gone from mine. Selah!
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live as soon as I can set up the livestream.
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