After the Order of Melchizedek

 

For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:1–6 ESV).

 

In the last phrase of this paragraph the writer says that Jesus is “a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” (v.6). To understand this best we should read the original mention of this King/High Priest in the Old Testament (cf. Genesis 14:18-20) and the writer’s description of him later in this letter (cf. Hebrews 7:1-25). Instead of dealing with these twenty-five verses in detail today, I want us to get the big picture and the main point. The big picture is of Christ's superior priesthood over the Old Testament priests of the tribe of Levi. While the first twenty-four verses of chapter seven may be complex and difficult to understand, the last verse is wonderfully plain.

 

It has three parts: Christ can save forever (v. 25a), which is a great promise; He always lives to make intercession for us (v. 25c); and, this eternal intercession and eternal salvation are for those who draw near to God through Christ (v. 25b). Think with me about the relationship between those first two: that Christ can save forever, and that Christ always lives to make intercession for us. It says that he can save us forever since (or because) he always lives to make intercession for us. In other words, our future eternal salvation hangs on Christ's future eternal intercession for us.

 

This implies two huge things. First, it answers the question of what we need to be saved from. We need to be clear about this, especially when we talk to unbelievers. For them the very term "salvation" or "being saved" may not carry the same meaning the Bible gives these terms. It is simply that we need to be saved from God. Specifically, we need to be saved from the wrath of God that burns against all ungodliness and unrighteousness (cf. Romans 1:18). Christ can save us forever from the wrath of God because he intercedes forever with God. He continually puts himself between the Father and us as an impenetrable shield against his wrath against sin. Hebrews 10:30-31 says, "We know Him who said, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay.' And again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

 

That’s not a very popular message. We like the kindly, old grandpa figure of God who is indulgent in allowing his grandchildren to do whatever pleases them much better. However, that is not the God of the bible and the Father of our Savior, Jesus. Until we get this firmly and clearly fixed in our minds, hardly anything in the book of Hebrews will make sense. The major problem in the world and in our lives is not our troubled marriages or our wayward children or our financial pressures or our failing health or our cultural degeneration. The main problem in the world—everybody's problem—is our sin and how to be reconciled to God so that we escape his terrifying wrath at the judgment. That's the main problem. And the Biblical answer is priesthood. And specifically, the superior priesthood of Christ. Jesus is greater!

 

This is where the writer is going. What we need God has provided for us in His Son, who is so much greater than anything we could imagine! Melchizedek was great. Even Abraham recognized that truth; but he pales in comparison to the greatness revealed now in Jesus! Thanks be to God!