1. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Hebrews 7

2. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Who is this mysterious Melchizedek?

3. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Who is this mysterious Melchizedek?
He was seen as an important but puzzling character from the ancient past
Little is actually known about him
In fact, everything we know about him is found in three short sections of Scripture: Genesis 14, Psalm 110, and Hebrews 7

4. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Illustration of Rembrandt
In the 17th century, the Dutch artist Rembrandt painted two portraits of a famous Roman heroine named Lucretia
One portrait was painted in 1664
Two years later, he painted the second portrait of Lucretia in a different pose

5. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Illustration of Rembrandt
For over 300 years, the two paintings were never seen together
Different private collectors owned one or the other of the two paintings
They were two paintings of the same person, painted by the same master

6. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Illustration of Rembrandt
No one was aware of their connection … until 1991
At last, the two paintings were displayed side by side where they could be compared

7. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
In a similar way,
the portraits of Melchizedek and Jesus Christ
have never been compared
until the 7th chapter of Hebrews

8. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Hebrews 7 paints a portrait
of Melchizedek placed side-by-side
with that of Jesus Christ

9. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
Hebrews 7 contains the most information about Melchizedek in the entire Bible
Melchizedek first shows up in our Bible in Genesis, only 14 chapters into the Bible
Genesis 12 contains God’s call of Abram and God’s promise to make Abram into a great nation and bless him. (Genesis 12:2)

10. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
Genesis 13 includes the story of Abram and his nephew Lot agreeing to separate and occupy different territories
In the beginning of Genesis 14, there is the report of a war among several kings
Caught up in the spoils of war, Lot was carried off by the victors…an apparent victim of circumstances

11. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
In the middle of Genesis 14, Abram learns of his nephew’s predicament, takes a contingent of 318 soldiers, routes Lot’s captors and liberates Lot, his possessions, and all the people with him
It is after Abram’s return from victory that this story unfolds with Melchizedek

12. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
Even though it is contained in just three verses, it was a significant encounter for Abram, primarily because Abram acknowledged God’s blessings in his life:
He chose the blessings of the priest over the spoils of war offered by the other kings
He credited God for the victory won in that recent battle
He tithed, giving an offering in worship to “God Most High”

13. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
This is the end of the account
No more details about Melchizedek are found in Genesis, or other ancient history books
Aside from the passages in Hebrews, the only other place that mentions Melchizedek in the Bible is Psalm 110

14. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
Psalm 110
Messianic psalm, prophesy of a savior
One who sits at the right hand of God the Father
With enemies a footstool for His feet
Holding a mighty scepter of power
The supreme ruler
Arrayed in holy majesty
The supreme judge

15. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
And the Psalm describes the Messiah as a “priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek”

16. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
And the Psalm describes the Messiah as a “priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek”
Sound familiar?

17. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
And the Psalm describes the Messiah as a “priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek”
Sound familiar?
Hebrews 6 ends with “having become a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek”

18. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
And Jesus applied the language of Psalm 110 in describing Himself in Matthew 22:42: “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”
The duplication of this specific language in multiple places reminds us that none of this is about Melchizedek

19. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Context
And Jesus applied the language of Psalm 110 in describing Himself in Matthew 22:42: “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”
The duplication of this specific language is multiple places reminds us that none of this is about Melchizedek
These passages are all about Jesus

20. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
We are best served to look at Hebrews 7 not so much for the answers to the question “Who is Melchizedek?”

21. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
We are best served to look at Hebrews 7 not so much for the answers to the question “Who is Melchizedek?”
What we are really after are answers to the more profound question “Who is Jesus?”

22. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
We are best served to look at Hebrews 7 not so much for the answers to the question “Who is Melchizedek?”
What we are really after are answers to the more profound question “Who is Jesus?”
The author of Hebrews was inspired to lead us to Jesus

23. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
We are best served to look at Hebrews 7 not so much for the answers to the question “Who is Melchizedek?”
What we are really after are answers to the more profound question “Who is Jesus?”
The author of Hebrews was inspired to lead us to Jesus
Melchizedek is being used as an illustration to help us understand more about Jesus

24. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Melchizedek portrays Jesus Christ in three significant ways in Hebrews 7

25. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Melchizedek portrays Christ As Priest
Melchizedek was a priest of the God Most High
Jesus Christ is also a priest of the God Most High
Both brought out bread and wine
Jesus came to offer the ultimate sacrifice for our sins – His blood
Now He is interceding for us in the very throne room of God
He is constantly interceding for our sins every day because of that one sacrifice
There is no reason for other sacrifices – Jesus paid it all

26. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Melchizedek portrays Christ As Priest
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have become kind of like a man who suffered from a life threatening illness who has to take medicine every day to fight his sickness
BUT THEN, someone comes along with a medicine he only needs to take ONCE
And he is healed

27. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Melchizedek portrays Christ As Priest
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have become kind of like a man who suffered from a life threatening illness who has to take medicine every day to fight his sickness
BUT THEN, someone comes along with a medicine he only needs to take ONCE
And he is healed
But, there is a problem with this scenario

28. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Melchizedek portrays Christ As Priest
Jesus was not born of the tribe of Levi – He was from the tribe of Judah
The Law had decreed that you could not be a High Priest if you were not from the tribe of Levi
Not even Prophets and Kings could offer sacrifices without incurring the wrath of God

29. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Melchizedek portrays Christ As Priest
The only way Jesus could become a Priest was if God created another priesthood
And that is what God did
The author of Hebrews tells us that God declared His intentions in Psalm 110

30. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Melchizedek portrays Christ As Priest
But, God went further
God took the trouble to prove that Jesus Christ is a legitimate Priest in every way
Melchizedek served as a Priest 400+ years before the Levitical Law was in effect

31. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Melchizedek portrays Christ As Priest
The Priesthood of Jesus Christ preceded and followed after the Levitical priesthood
The Priesthood of Jesus Christ is better than the Levitical Priesthood

32. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
2. Melchizedek Portrays Christ as King
Melchizedek’s name means “king of righteousness”
King of Salem means “king of peace”
Melchizedek was both a Priest and King
Under Jewish Law, that was impossible

33. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
2. Melchizedek Portrays Christ as King
A Priest had to come from the tribe of Levi
A King had to come from the tribe of Judah
As a descendant of King David, who was from the tribe of Judah, Jesus had full credentials to be a King – but, this lineage is only part of the story

34. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
2. Melchizedek Portrays Christ as King
Jesus right to rule also came from the line of Melchizedek who was the King of Salem
Salem is a derivative of the word “Shalom” which means peace, so this give Melchizedek the title “King of Peace”
Isaiah 9:6 prophesied that Messiah would be called “Prince of Peace”

35. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
2. Melchizedek Portrays Christ as King
This title relates Him back to Melchizedek
The ancient “King of Salem” from Abraham’s day and the “Prince of Peace” of Jesus’ day are similar
Another connection to the “King of Salem” – Salem is an early name for Jerusalem – the City of David –Jesus was a descendant of King David

36. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
3. Melchizedek portrays Christ as Eternal
“He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.” (Hebrews 7:3)
The past kings of Israel before Babylonian captivity traced their genealogy back to King David. The priests of Israel traced their genealogy back to Aaron – those priests returning back from Babylon who could no longer give evidence of their genealogy were not permitted to serve any longer as priests

37. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
3. Melchizedek portrays Christ as Eternal
But the first priest-king had no genealogy
He appears from obscurity out of the pages of history
We know nothing of his origins and we know nothing of his death
In this he is likened to the Son of God

38. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
3. Melchizedek portrays Christ as Eternal
Some may say that Jesus has a genealogy and therefore is not like Melchizedek
The answer is found in the pre-existence of Jesus
Though He has a human genealogy, He also existed before He was born

39. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
3. Melchizedek portrays Christ as Eternal
He appears in the very beginning – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God.” (John 1:1)
Here is our take away:

40. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
3. Melchizedek portrays Christ as Eternal
He appears in the very beginning – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God.” (John 1:1)
Here is our take away:
The priesthood of Jesus is a better priesthood because
He never had a beginning and His priesthood has no end

41. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
3. Melchizedek portrays Christ as Eternal
He will always be our High Priest
He will always be the basis for our forgiveness and our fellowship with God

42. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Our lesson teaches us, through a picture of Melchizedek
Jesus is our High Priest
Jesus is our King
Jesus is eternal

43. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
Jesus
The guarantor of a better covenant (Hebrews 7:22)
He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25)

44. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
During this coming week,
Will you thank God for the precious gift of His Son Jesus,

45. A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek
During this coming week,
Will you thank God for the precious gift of His Son Jesus, and
Will you draw near to God, through Jesus?