Theme of Hebrews By persevering faith, we can have partnership with God’s King-Priest Son!

A powerful promise brings powerful motivation! Hebrews 6:9-20 A powerful promise brings powerful motivation!

Jesus is able to bring me victorious through any and all trials! Hebrews 7 Jesus is able to bring me victorious through any and all trials!

Salvation in Hebrews: A Great Reward! – 9:28 The first coming was to deal with sin The second coming: Has nothing to do with sin Is for believers Is for disciples anxious to see Him Is future (1:14; 2:5) Is called “salvation” This salvation is by works, not faith alone!

Salvation To be delivered from our enemies a.k.a Victory!

Upon Abram’s return, he is met by the King of Salem. Genesis 14:1-17 Lot, Abram’s nephew, lived in Sodom. Several kings battled one another and the ruler of Lot’s area was defeated. Lot, his family, and others were taken captive. Abram pursued and defeated those who had taken Lot captive. Abram brought back all the goods and the people, including Lot and his family. Upon Abram’s return, he is met by the King of Salem.

And he gave him a tithe of all. Genesis 14:18-20 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act I Genesis: In a book that revolves around genealogies, his is absent. Why? He may be the only person in Genesis presented as more important than Abraham!

Psalm 110:4 The Lord has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek”

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act II Remember: this is talking about the Son of David, the Messiah! Messiah is a priest, but not Levitical, of the tribe of Aaron. Instead, Messiah is a priest of a completely different order. Wow!

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act II This High Priest is always around, always available!

Hebrews 7:1-2 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 

Hebrews 7:3-4 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 

Hebrews 7:5-6 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III Melchizedek = King of righteousness and King of peace (Wink, wink…) He’s a legit priest, but not from Levi (!) Abraham gave him a tenth (tithe) and not vice-versa? And… Melchizedek also blesses Abraham. No genealogy, so…what?

Melchizedek was an O.T. “type”, or illustration, of Jesus Christ. A Type of Christ

He may have been: A man the Scriptures present as eternal A pre-incarnate appearance of Christ An angel Melchizedek: A Type of Christ

Hebrews 7:7-10 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. 

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III Melchizedek is greater than Abraham! His life continues! Levi “acknowledges” his superiority as a priest! Melchizedek is something!

Hebrews 7:11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III The Levitical priesthood fell short.

Hebrews 7:12-13 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III The Law needed changing, as well. Melchizedek belongs to a different order, indicating a change was coming.

Hebrews 7:14-16 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.

“You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 7:17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III Jesus was not a Levite. Jesus was like Melchizedek. Jesus meets the qualifications: Appointed by God An endless life

Hebrews 7:18-19 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III The Law system was weak and ineffective because of the flesh. Romans 7:7-14; 8:3

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III The Priesthood was also populated by sinners. The new system can accomplish God’s goals for us.

by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Hebrews 7:20-22 And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek’”), by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III A personal oath from God is a powerful beginning.

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III Jesus Himself is the “guarantee” of a better covenant! But, in what way?

Hebrews 7:23-25 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III There had to be a lot of OT priests because they kept dying.

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III Inadequate system: The Law was weak because of the reality of our flesh and those sent to help were sinners themselves who kept dying.

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III Jesus has the ability to completely bring us to victory because He has the power, the willingness, and is always available! Hebrews 4:16

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III He can get anybody ready for co-heirship!

Melchizedek: BIG time, rarely seen; Act III There is no difficulty so great nor a person so bad that He cannot accomplish His will!

Hebrews 7:26-27 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

Jesus is the perfect High Priest for us! He can meet our every need! “Fitted for us”! Jesus is the perfect High Priest for us! He can meet our every need!

…“holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners”... “Fitted for us”! …“holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners”... Perfect character!

…“has become higher than the heavens”... Perfect position! “Fitted for us”! …“has become higher than the heavens”... Perfect position!

Once was enough! “Fitted for us”! …“who does not need daily …to offer up sacrifices… for this He did once for all”... Once was enough!

Hebrews 7:28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

Unlike the Old Testament system, He can always meet our every need! “Fitted for us”! “the Son who has been perfected forever” Unlike the Old Testament system, He can always meet our every need!

Jesus is able to bring me victorious through any and all trials! Hebrews 7 Jesus is able to bring me victorious through any and all trials!