In our last article it was stated that there are four things required in the new covenant in order that the worship of God should be conducted under that covenant, those four things are:
- There must be a covenant prepared of God, in the hand of a mediator, who is accepted of God and the persons interested in the covenant.
- There must be a priesthood ordained of God for the mediation of the covenant.
- There must be a sacrifice that will be offered to satisfy the justice of God.
- There must be an alter on which the sacrifice will be offered.
In this weeks article we will be concerned with the second requirement; there
must be a priesthood ordained of God for the mediation of the covenant. That great high priest along with the nature of his priesthood was promised in the in old testament, in Psalm 110:4; “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
After The Order of Melchizedek
Now we must inquire; what is the meaning of: “after the order of Melchizedek?”
There are many particulars wherein the priesthood of Melchizedek and the priesthood of Jesus Christ are similar. The similarities of the two make the one to be after the order of the other. The priesthood of Melchizedek was typical of the priesthood of Christ Jesus. In point of truth that was the greatest reason for the ministry of Melchizedek, that he should prefigure the Lord Christ as he is the great high priest of the everlasting covenant.
There is that in Melchizedek (mystically) which is true in the person of Christ, in this Melchizedek is typical of Christ.
To begin our comparison let us look at the following verse. “To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that King of Salem, which is, King of peace;” Hebrews 7:2.
First: Melchizedek is typical of Christ in his name. The name, Melchizedek is by interpretation, King of righteousness, Hebrews 7:2. This name, King of Righteousness which is the interpreted meaning of the name Melchizedek, is in every way typical of Christ Jesus. For Jesus Christ is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jeremiah 23:6.
It is Jesus Christ who has brought in everlasting righteousness for the church of God church of God church of God
Second: After that also King of Salem, which is King of Peace; Hebrews 7:2. The order of the name and title of Melchizedek is here to be observed, He is first King of Righteousness and after that King of Peace, Isaiah 32:17, those who would approach God must approach in perfect righteousness and so shall find perfect peace, that is they must approach God in Christ. “For He is our peace who hath made both one” Ephesians 2:13-17. “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross” Colossians 1:20. Our Lord Jesus is “THE PRINCE OF PEACE” Isaiah 9:6. The Lord Jesus is the author of our peace, it is he who maintains our peace with the Father, his kingdom abounds in peace, Psalm 72:3,7.
Third: Melchizedek was by the direct appointment of God, priest of the Most High God, Hebrews 7:1. That is God himself by direct and personal action had appointed Melchizedek to be Priest. This was before the levitical priesthood was established. By that action on the part of God the Hebrews could know that the levitical priesthood had had a predecessor and so might infer it was to have a successor. The superiority of the Melchizedekian priesthood to the levitical was demonstrated by the personal appointment of Melchizedek to that office by God himself: while the levitical priests came to office by the “law of a carnal commandment” Heb. 7:16.The importance of that personal appointment of Melchizedek to the office of priesthood by God himself is brought to light when it is considered that even in the appointment of Melchizedek it is not said that the Lord sware, or hath sworn. But in the appointment of Jesus Christ to the office of The Great High Priest it is said “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” The oath of God the Father in the appointment of his Son Jesus Christ to the office of priesthood shows the infinite superiority of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ to that of Melchizedek just as Melchizedeks direct appointment to the office of priesthood shows Melchizes superiority over that of the levitical priests who were vested with the office by natural generation being the sons of Aaron, that is being made priests by the law of a carnal commandment, Heb. 7:16.
Fifth: Melchizedek is said to be without mother, (Heb.7:3) so it is true of the Lord Jesus in his divinity, his divinity was from everlasting (in the beginning was the Word, John. 1:1) and so there was no place for a mother.
Sixth: Melchizedek is said to be without descent, (Heb.7:3) he had no recorded genealogy, that is Melchizedek had no successor nor had he any predecessor. This Melchizedek (in order to be the most accurate type of our Lord Jesus Christ) had no recorded beginning of his priesthood, nor had he any recorded ending to his priesthood, this was to type the eternity of the person and priesthood of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who is a priest forever.
Seveneth: Melchizedek is said to be made like unto the Son of God, Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Our Lord Jesus is the only begotten Son of God.
Eighth: It is said of Melchizedek that he abideth a priest continually, Jesus Christ is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and who has an unchangeable priesthood.
Now it is manifest in these things that what was mystically true in Melchizedek was presented to foreshadow or type the Lord Jesus in His office of the Great High Priest of the everlasting covenant. But why was this Melchizedek chosen to be a priest and prefigure the Lord Jesus. That question will be taken up in the next of this series of articles.
A.J. Ison
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