No. 788
“Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb. 6:20)
Melchizedek was the name of a remarkable person who lived in the days of Abraham. Little is recorded about him in the Old Testament except that he was “king of Salem” (king of peace) and “the priest of the most high God” – he was a king and a priest at the same time. He is brought to our attention in connection with Abraham’s battling with the kings of the North who had taken captive Lot, his family, and his household goods at the time when Sodom was sacked.
As Abraham returned from the battle he called upon this king-priest and presented to him a tithe of the spoils taken in battle. Melchizedek served Abraham bread and wine and gave him his blessing. (Gen. 14:18-20) It remained, however, for the Lord in His own due time, nearly two thousand years afterward, to explain to us by inspiration through the Apostle Paul the real significance of this event – that Melchizedek on this occasion typified the glorified Christ.
The Aaronic priesthood, of which Aaron was the head, was instituted by Moses and continued for more than sixteen centuries. It was so well established at the time of the Apostle’s writing, that the Jews considered it to be the only priesthood. Hence, when Christ was preached to them as the real Priest of God who alone had power to forgive sins through the merit of His own sacrifice, they objected that Jesus did not even belong to the priestly tribe of Levi, and hence He had no power to offer sacrifice to God, to make atonement for sin, or to forgive sin.
Those logical Jewish reasoners could not rightly appreciate the work of Christ on behalf of their nation and all the families of the earth. It was necessary that the Lord point out to them, through the Apostle, that there was in the divine plan a still higher order of priesthood than the Aaronic. As our opening text declares, from the time of His resurrection and ascension to God, Jesus has been the Chief Priest or High Priest of a new order of priesthood, not the Aaronic order, but the order of Melchizedek – described by the Apostle Peter as a Royal Priesthood. (1 Pet. 2:9)
“AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK”
All religions have their priests, and so it is also among Christians – each denomination has its own priest. So strictly are the lines drawn that traditionally no Protestant would be allowed to preach from a Roman Catholic pulpit. If by any chance one did occupy that pulpit, a purification and re-consecration of it would be deemed necessary before it would again be used by a Catholic priest. The same rule holds with the Episcopal Church – a pulpit would be considered desecrated if occupied by a Protestant member of any other denomination, and a similar purification and re-consecration would be demanded by Episcopal law and usage.
But God and the Scriptures recognize none of these priesthoods – whether they be Christian or non-Christian – they are of men and by men. The divine arrangement recognizes only the Aaronic priesthood and the Melchizedek priesthood. Anything other than these or outside of these was not predetermined by God and is outside the divine ordination.
The Melchizedek Order of Priesthood, of which the Apostle declared Jesus to be the High Priest, has for its under-priesthood the true saints of God from Pentecost to the present time, of various nations, peoples, kindred and tongues, but in all a “little flock.” Although this priesthood may include preachers and public servants of God, it includes also the very humblest of the Lord’s followers, who have His Spirit, laying down their consecrated lives in His service.
The Apostle admitted to the Jews that Christ was not of the tribe of Levi, but of the tribe of Judah, and could not therefore have been an earthly priest under the divine arrangement, because the earthly priesthood was confined to Aaron and his sons. The Apostle declared, however, that the priesthood of Jesus is not an earthly one, but a heavenly one. It is the risen, glorified Christ who is the High Priest of this higher order than Aaron’s – this Order of Melchizedek.
PURPOSE OF A NEW PRIESTHOOD
The Apostle pointed out that the priesthood of Aaron repeated the typical sacrifices year by year. This evidently could not be all that God designed, because these repeated sacrifices did not abolish original sin, but merely covered it for the ensuing year: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” (Heb. 10:1)
The Scriptures show that God had a much larger purpose – the eventual complete cancellation of sin. Hence the Aaronic priesthood could not have been the end of the divine purpose. The Apostle repeatedly pointed out that God had already decreed a new priesthood to be established in His own due time, as He plainly stated through the Prophet David: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power . . . The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Psa. 110:1-4)
The Apostle’s logic is conclusive with all whose eyes of understanding are opened. The priesthood of Aaron, which had lasted for over sixteen centuries, was some day to terminate, and a new priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek was to be introduced, and the Chief of this order was to be Messiah Himself. The Apostle shows therefore that the divine purpose was that “better sacrifices” for sin would be offered, and that this meant the passing away at the proper time of the typical Aaronic priesthood.
He proceeded to argue that the Lord Jesus, having come as the High Priest of this new order, had already offered Himself a well pleasing sacrifice to God, and that on the strength of this sacrifice all who believe in Him and accept Him, all who seek to flee from their sins and return to harmony with God, are privileged to do so. Furthermore, those repentant believers, having their sins covered, are invited to become members of this antitypical priesthood – the Body of Christ, the antitypical Melchizedek. (Heb. 10:19-25)
In accordance with this thought, the Apostle admonished the consecrated Gospel Church: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession [order], Christ Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) The Apostle Peter, far from claiming himself a pope or acknowledging any special clergy class in the Church, assured us that the entire Body of Christ, the entire company of consecrated believers, is a Royal Priesthood. It is this “royal” feature that differentiates the Melchizedek Priesthood from the Aaronic Priesthood. Aaron and his sons had nothing whatever to do with the royalty of the typical Kingdom of Israel. (1 Pet. 2:9)
A HIGHER PRIESTHOOD
When we look at Melchizedek as a type in the Old Testament, we note nothing respecting sacrifice. He was not a sacrificing priest, but a blessing priest, empowered by his kingly office to give his priestly blessing. Likewise Christ, as the High Priest of the Melchizedek Order, does no sacrificing, but is instead a blessing Priest. It is true that He sacrificed Himself while He was in the flesh. (Heb. 5:7) As the Apostle declared: “For this he did once, when he offered up himself.” (Heb. 7:27) It is also true that the followers of the Lord sacrifice themselves, as the Apostle entreated: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1)
This sacrificing of Jesus and His followers is not a part of the Melchizedek type. However, the Apostle shows us the connection between Jesus, who suffered in the flesh, and Christ, the glorified kingly priest beyond the veil: “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb. 5:7-10)
Similarly, the Gospel Age Church, who will be the Millennial Age Royal Under-priesthood, has been called to prove their loyalty, sincerity, and obedience to God by suffering for righteousness’ sake. Having proven their worthiness, they will be glorified by the First Resurrection. They will become Royal Priests in association with Jesus, the High Priest of the Melchizedek Order, and will bless all the families of the earth during the Millennial Age. As the Scriptures declare, this Melchizedek Order of priests will be “kings and priests” unto God and will “reign on the earth.” (Rev. 5:10)
The Apostle showed that both the Aaronic Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood are of divine appointment. Aaron was called of God to be the head of the Aaronic Priesthood, and likewise Christ was called of the Father to become the High Priest of the Melchizedek Order: “And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb. 5:4-5)
The Head of this Melchizedek Order came through divine invitation, and so all the members of the Royal Priesthood must also be called of God. Hence the Apostle sought to find and to influence, not the whole world of mankind, but “as many as the Lord our God shall call” to this Melchizedek Priesthood. (Acts 2:39)
To prevent his Jewish readers from thinking that the atonement of Aaron was more pronounced and therefore more authoritative than that of the Lord Jesus, the Apostle pointed out that the contrary of this is true. Aaron was appointed without a divine oath, but in appointing Jesus as the High Priest of this Melchizedek Order, God had pronounced Himself emphatically by giving His oath: “For those priests [of the Aaronic order] were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb. 7:21)
The Apostle here noted five significant items: (1) God indicated a change of priesthood from Aaron to Melchizedek. (2) The Melchizedek Priesthood was to be a greater and more important priesthood, as implied by the divine oath. (3) The Melchizedek Priesthood would come after and supersede the Aaronic priesthood, inasmuch as the prophecy respecting it came after the Aaronic priesthood had been long established. (4) The Melchizedek Priesthood would be a perpetual priesthood, which could not be transferred to another. (5) The Melchizedek Priesthood would be a higher priesthood, in that it would combine the priestly function of forgiveness of sin and instruction of the people with the kingly function of dominion and power.
WITHOUT FATHER OR MOTHER
Having established these facts, the Apostle proceeded to show how much of this was illustrated by the man Melchizedek, who was the type of the glorified Christ – Jesus the Head, and the Church His Body. The Apostle pointed out the significance of Abraham giving tithes to Melchizedek, noting that the Levites were yet unborn at that time – they were in the loins of Abraham: “Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. . . . And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.” (Heb. 7:4-10) Aaron and his sons, the Aaronic priesthood, were therefore in effect acknowledging this higher priesthood when Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek. The Apostle’s argument is masterly, showing that even in the type Melchizedek was higher than Aaron. Thus the antitypical Melchizedek would be even more glorious, more powerful, and more able to bless and to forgive sins.
The Apostle anticipated that the Jews would object that under the Law, every priest of the Aaronic order was obliged to show that he had a right to serve because of his genealogy. His parentage had to be in the priestly family. How then could Jesus be a priest since He had no relationship with Aaron and had no parentage in that family? The Apostle answered this objection by describing Melchizedek this way: “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” (Heb. 7:3)
Thus God made Melchizedek a most graphic picture of Christ, whose authority as priest is not derived from His family lineage, either father or mother, and whose priestly office does not descend to successors, and whose term of office is not limited by years, but is everlasting. Thus Christ’s priesthood, after the Order of Melchizedek, a priest upon His Throne, is an unchangeable one – one that will be maintained in perpetuity, until it has served its full purpose.
THE BETTER SACRIFICES
But what about the priesthood of Aaron? It was by no means without typical significance. While it did not typify the glory of the Kingdom, it did most distinctly typify the sufferings necessary to precede the glory to follow: “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day.” (Luke 24:46) “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.” (2 Tim. 2:12) Christ had to first suffer and then enter into His glory as the Melchizedek Priest. His faithful followers must walk in His steps and “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ,” laying down their lives for the brethren just as Christ laid down His life for them. (Col. 1:24); 1 John 3:16)
The Apostle contrasted the sacrifices of Christ and the Church with the sacrifices of the Aaronic priesthood, showing that the sacrifices of the Law were only types: “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” (Heb. 9:23-24)
Thus we are on safe ground when we say that the typical Atonement Day of Israel and its typical sin-offering represent the sacrifice of Christ followed by the sacrifice of the Church, accepted as members of His Body. While space does not permit us to examine them here, the minutest details of the Atonement Day sacrifices (Lev.16) found fulfilment in the experience of Christ and His faithful during the Gospel Age. In the type, the Aaronic High Priest gave a sacrifice, representing the death of himself and his associates. His change to a new nature was represented by him passing beyond the veil into the Most Holy. He then came out again and blessed all the people, representing the blessings that are to come to mankind through the new Priest after the Order of Melchizedek – to take place as soon as the sacrificing has all been finished and accepted.
We have seen that our Lord was made a High Priest after the Melchizedek Order in His resurrection from the dead, a spirit being, far above angels, principalities and powers, and every name that is named. (Eph. 1:20-21) We have seen that the elect Church, the Royal Priesthood, enter upon their priestly office after sharing with Christ in His resurrection (Phil. 3:10), and are made “partakers of the divine nature,” receiving glory, honor, and immortality. (2 Pet. 1:4; Rom. 2:7)
Thus we see that the Melchizedek Priesthood has been merely prepared during this Gospel Age. It will do its work during the Millennial Age when our Lord will be both a King and a Priest upon His Throne. As King of kings and Lord of lords He will rule, putting down all sin and insubordination. As Priest He will lift up and bless the whole world and heal it of its mental, moral and physical sicknesses. Furthermore, as our Lord promised, His faithful will sit with Him in His Throne sharing His Kingdom honors and glorious work of uplifting humanity. (Rev. 3:21)
This beautiful picture of the Melchizedek Priesthood confirms the message taught throughout the Bible – that God has been gathering out of the world a Little Flock, the Spiritual Seed of Abraham, which will reign with the Lord, “Whom the heaven must receive [retain] until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21) The groaning creation must wait for the “manifestation of the sons of God” – the Royal Priesthood. (Rom. 8:22, 19; Rev. 21:1-5)
All who love God and their fellowmen, all who love righteousness and hate iniquity, will be glad to welcome the new dispensation. Satan will be bound and the deceptions he has used to ensnare the world will be dissolved. Who would not be glad to know the time is near when the knowledge of God will fill the whole earth, “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer. 31:34)
The confused babel of the various creeds will soon be silenced. As the Prophet declared: “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” (Zeph. 3:9) The Lord’s people can rejoice now, and soon the poor suffering world will also be able to rejoice. “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” (Isa. 35:5)
THREE AGES, THREE MESSAGES
The divine message during the Jewish Age was to take out a typical people, Israel after the flesh. The divine message during this Gospel Age has been to call out the Elect that they might participate in the sacrificing as antitypical priests like unto Aaron, preparing them to become, along with their Lord, antitypical priests like unto Melchizedek for the work of the future blessing of the world. The divine message of the future, the Millennial Age, will be “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” – restitution to human perfection, to all that was lost in Adam.
But while God has thus provided a great salvation and forgiveness of past sins for all mankind, His plan includes punishment of every sin that is willful, in proportion to its willfulness. This means that some of the human family, having degraded themselves seriously with a degree of willfulness, will have correspondingly more steps to retrace in order to attain all that was lost and redeemed. It means a just recompense from God, “Who will render to every man according to his deeds.” (Heb. 2:2; Rom. 2:6)
However, it also means an opportunity for a proportionate blessing to each one who may have done the least kindness to any member of the elect Priesthood, even so much as the giving of a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple. (Matt. 25:31-40) The divine Word further assures us that those who continue willfully obdurate and rebellious will ultimately “be destroyed from among the people” – they will die the Second Death, from which there will be no hope of recovery. (Acts 3:23; Rev. 21:8)
In other words, God is providing in Christ full redemption from the curse that came upon Adam and his posterity. This redemption, secured by the precious blood of Christ, must eventually be made available to every member of the race by bringing each one to a knowledge of the Truth. The responsibility will then rest upon each individual; his eternal destiny will be based on the course he chooses – either life eternal or death eternal, because ultimately the Lord will have a clean universe. Understanding all of this, let us learn to abhor that which is evil and cling to that which is good. This is the very soundest policy for the life that now is and for the life that is to come.
As it is written, “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13)
But why must we wait? Why not now? The Scriptures answer: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:8-9)
As we come to understand and appreciate the divine plan, we see that it is by far better than any earthly human plan. Thank God that neither the Lord’s friends nor His enemies have the power to change His purposes one iota. He has declared: “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isa. 55:11)
(Based on Pastor Russell’s Sermons, pages 136-147.)
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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST
Question: Some time ago, someone gave me your paper on the subject, Where are the Dead? It is interesting, but what about Enoch and Elijah – and Moses who appeared at the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus? Where were they and where are they? Shouldn’t we conclude that those good men are in Heaven?
Answer: The transfiguration recorded in Matt. 17:1-13, and the whirlwind experience of Elijah have misled many Christians into believing that Moses and Elijah must be in Heaven; but Jesus Himself was very emphatic: “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven . . . the Son of man.” (John 3:13 – The oldest Greek manuscripts properly omit the last four words of verse 13 as contained in the KJV. Although our Lord is now in heaven, He was not in heaven at the time He addressed Nicodemus.)
St. Paul added strength to this statement, saying, “That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead.” (Acts 26:23) And also, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” (1 Cor. 15:20) As respects Moses and Elijah in the transfiguration scene, Jesus said it was a “vision.” (Matt. 17:9) A vision is somewhat after the manner of a dream where one might see a dead relative, but such a dream would be no proof at all that the relative was alive, or in heaven.
In 2 Chron. 21:12, it is stated that Elijah wrote a letter to King Jehoram of Judea; and that was about eight years after his whirlwind experience that had taken him from Elisha after they had crossed Jordan. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that Elijah was removed by the whirlwind to some remote spot, but not taken into heaven.
In 2 Kgs. 2:12-18 “the sons of the prophets” insisted upon a three-day search for Elijah, lest he be in distress “upon some mountain, or into some valley.” These were educated men, in no wise considered stupid; and they certainly did not believe Elijah had gone up to God’s throne, or they would have known better than to go searching for him. They were persuaded they would be able to find him, although their search proved unsuccessful.
As for Enoch, it is simply related that he “was translated that he would not see death.” (Heb. 11:5) There is no hint here that he was “translated” to God’s throne, and we may be certain that he was not taken there, as the Bible never contradicts itself. If Jesus had been wrong that no man had ascended into heaven, He could just as easily be wrong in other places, which would make Him a fallible teacher, and not worthy of our implicit confidence. St. Paul further said of all three of these men: “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us [the Christ Company], that they without us should not be made perfect [perfected in the resurrection from the dead].” (Heb. 11:39-40) (John J. Hoefle, No. 168, June 1, 1969, with minor editing.)
Question: The general Scriptural teaching is that no man can see God and live: “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” (Exod. 33:20) In light of this, explain this passage: “And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. . . . the nobles of the children of Israel . . . also they saw God, and did eat and drink.” (Exod. 24:10-11)
Answer: In the first passage, we are told that no one can see the literal face of God and live. The glory-light shining out therefrom is so bright that it would destroy a human being, if he would see it. In the second passage, what was granted to Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the seventy Elders was not a sight of God’s body, but rather they were given a vision, a representation, of His body. Not only is this suggested in verse 10 by the symbolic pavement under His feet, but also by the word in verse 11 which is translated “they saw.” This word is the Hebrew word chazah from which the Hebrew words for seer and vision are derived, e.g., chozeh, seer, 2 Sam. 24:11; chazon, vision, Hab. 2:2-3; chazoth, visions, 2 Chron. 9:29; chazooth, vision, Isa. 21:2; chizayon, vision, Joel 2:28. The Hebrew, therefore, suggests that they saw a vision, a representation of God, but not God Himself. (Paul S. L. Johnson – The Present Truth, March 1, 1921, with minor editing.)
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