Hebrews 7:1-10 PRBC AM Service June 27, 2010

The Opening Prayer and the Weight of Hebrews 7–10

Chapter 7. Epistles to the Hebrews, Chapter 7. We've been through the book of Hebrews for about a year now. And we now enter into the heart of the argument of the Epistles, Chapters 7 through 10. Before we return to the Word of God, let's once again ask Him to open our hearts and our minds.

Indeed our Heavenly Father, as we have sung and as we have prayed, we would ask that You would be with us now. We desire to understand Your Word. We desire to understand this section of Your Scripture, which opens up for us so clearly the very purpose of Father, Son, and Spirit, and redemption itself.

And that we recognize that this is going to take work on our part. Give us a desire to hear and to understand Your truths, we pray in Christ's name. Indeed we, that section that opens up the primary argumentation of Christ, the redemption extended argument for the supremacy of Christ, Jewish Christians who might experience from their families and friends the pressure to go back and offer sacrifice.

To offer that sacrifice would be, of course, to say that Jesus Christ is not the finished sacrifice. It would be to offer the greatest blasphemy against His name. Many Old Testament Scriptures, He has demonstrated for us who Jesus is, having come in the flesh, the One through whom all things have been made.

He's identified Him as Yahweh Himself, come in the flesh, in Hebrews chapter 1. We've had many exhortations to Him. ...has once made profession... ...that sacrifice, those... ...examining... ...we finish a section of exhortation.

Then He stopped and for quite some time gave us a section again of exhortation, being quite concerned that His audience might not be ready for what He actually begins here in chapter 7. I understand His concern.

This is a difficult section. It is difficult to attempt to present in a sermon form. It defies easy division into sections because it is an extended argument. It defies simplicity because it requires us to know the Old Testament text and to keep it in mind and to understand its parameters.

Even more so as we get into chapter 9. I have a feeling, I haven't decided fully on this, to take a bit of its form and its least addressed points to make someone... ...and so I... ...Grand Canyon. Well, if you're going to try to do something that's going to take everything you've got, well, you train, you prepare, your mind's on it.

I imagine Brother Callahan would tell you just as I have been preparing to do things like riding Mount Lemmon and things like that, that you find yourself driving down a road and you're thinking about that.

You're planning it. You come up with, you know, it would help if maybe I did this or if I did that. It's what consumes your thinking. It's what consumes your mind. Well, we are going to be attempting to climb a large exegetical mountain in the book of Hebrews here.

We've been on the uphill climb and now we're getting to the steep part. The hard part. It's like going down to South Mountain. It's one thing to ride South Mountain until you get to the very top. And guess what South Mountain does?

It saves the steepest of the course. After you've done all those miles and think, this isn't all that half bad, you get to the last three quarters of a mile. That steep part to go up to the highest point in chapters 9 and 10.

And so it's going to take some work. Not the type of sermonizing where you can daydream and tune back in because by the time you tune back in, you'll have missed something that's really important for the next three chapters.

And so I'm exhorting you to put forth some extra effort, as I will, to attempt to understand this section. So let's look at chapter 7. We're not going to start with a survey of the land. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness.

And then also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

Observe how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. And those, indeed, of the sons of Levi who received the priest's office, sought to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.

But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. Without any dispute, the men received tithes, but in that case, one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.

And, so to speak, through Abraham, even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. Now, if perfection was through Levitical priesthood, on the basis of it that people received the law, what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Melchizedek?

For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change. For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe from which no one has officiated. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke.

This is clearer still if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.

For as it is attested of him, you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. For on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness, through which we draw near to God.

So much the more, also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. The former priest, on the one hand, but Jesus, on the other hand, holds his priesthood forever. Him, since he always was fitting for us to have him separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens, who does not meet daily like he offered up himself.

For the law appoints men as high priests of the Son, as presented here. Chapter 8, chapter 8 should be familiar to you. The New Covenant, the seventh chapter, where Jesus becomes a guarantee of a better covenant.

That's the first time the word covenant has been used. And so we're getting into his blood, Lord's Supper. This is something that we do remembrance of in the Lord's Supper. The foundation of chapters 9 and 10, where we have the completed covenant, this one will by which we are sanctified through the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, the atonement, it's all right there.

So this becomes foundational to that discussion. So it is well worth our ethic basis upon wills. We'll say, well, because Jesus died. And as soon as you then ask them one question beyond that, you get this look like desire to have a rich and serious covenant.

If I can forgive you something you do to me, why can't God just forgive you for what you've done to him without all the sacrifice and everything? We should desire to enter into these things if the Holy Spirit has given us these things.

Melchizedek, Abraham, and the Meaning of His Priesthood

So we begin in chapter 7 with chapter 14, the first reference we have to Melchizedek. Let's skip over all the long names of the kings, but let's just summarize what it is that are chapter 7. But before that, there was kings in these kings.

And of course, in that day, these kingdoms would be very small, very small areas. But there was warfare. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled before other kings. And they fell into tar pits. And the attackers then come upon Sodom and Gomorrah.

Remember, Lot had gone down into that land and lived amongst the people of Sodom. And they took the goods of Lot, Abram's nephew, and his son. So a word comes, the Hebrew, notice. So then what happened, his family is a small army.

He pursues after the attackers. He defeats them. He rescues Lot. Then we have this, he's returning from the defeat. The king of Sodom is coming out to meet him. The king's valley. There are some who think the king's valley is right outside of Jerusalem.

And notice, Melchizedek, king of Salem. Jerusalem, Melchizedek, king of Salem. Salaam, peace. Salaam, king of Salem. And so Melchizedek, Hebrews, went. Just as Abraham, he knows who God is. So Melchizedek receives more of a tenth of what he has sworn to Yahweh, God most high, possessor of heaven and earth.

But I will not take a threat as a giving of the. Receives a tenth from him and it's short. Stretch forth your strong scepter from Zion. Volunteer freely the day of your power. In holy array from the womb of the dawn, your youth are to you as the dew.

Do not change his mind. You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. On the subject of Melchizedek. But to. Part of all the spoil. He begins to, in essence, explain some things about.

Melchizedek was, first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness. Melchizedek means. Malak means king. Zedek, Zedekah. So Melchizedek means king of righteousness. But there is something about his kingship that is marked.

By righteousness. And then. Salaam. Salem. As I mentioned, the connection. Between being king of Salem. And being king of that city that would eventually. Many years down the road. Become the very heart of the worship.

The place of worship. It seems to be thinking about righteousness and peace. It would be fitting. To think of righteousness and peace. In that, Melchizedek is going to be made a type. Of Jesus, the son of God.

And what is Jesus? He establishes righteousness. He establishes peace. Therefore, having been justified, made righteous. By faith. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5. And so this Melchizedek.

Beginning of days or end of life. But made like the son of God. He remains a priest perpetually. Speaking in supernatural. Hebrews. We sit back. First century. Talk about who he was the son of. King list would say.

In establishing. Succession. We are not told who he was. We are not given a genealogy. We are not told about when he died. Appearance of Melchizedek. That Melchizedek was. A theophany. It said that he is.

But made like the son of God. The type. Anti-type here. The experience of Melchizedek. Not only in the positive things. That are said about Melchizedek. But in the silence. To Jesus. Melchizedek doesn't determine.

The type as applied to Jesus. It's the other way. The author is saying. Look. In the inspired word. This is what we're told. And this is what we are not told. And in light of what. Abram does. In acknowledging Melchizedek.

As his superior. Giving to him. The tithe. Receiving from him. The blessing. These are the things we can derive. From that understanding. Especially in regards. To then this. Strange statement. And so he's taking literally.

An exhaustive look. At everything that's said. In the Old Testament. About Melchizedek. And saying. What must. Be the conclusion. This. Did not derive. His authority. From a genealogy. Told about his death.

His. To Jesus's. And so. Since we're not given a genealogy. We're not given a source. For Melchizedek. He just. Death. Came somewhere near. The idea is. That since the text does not. Refer us to. His birth.

It does not like. A natural king. Saying. Well. And then he died. During the reign of so and so. Instead. Made like the son of God. He remains a priest. Perpetually. And the fulfillment of this. Is then seen.

In Psalm 110. When the promise is made. To the kingly figure there. You will be made a priest. After the. Order of Melchizedek. What order of Melchizedek? No one had ever. So how can you have a. Order of Melchizedek?

Melchizedek. Is if you are. Who your father is. Or your mommy is. You don't have beginning of days. Or end of life. If you're going to be part. Of the order of Melchizedek. There has to be something. Downright divine about you.

And that's what he's going to parallel. To Jesus. Think about who Abraham. Someone who has. You see in the Jewish force of this. Abram the patriarch. In him. One who had. Superior. The sons of Levi. Who received the priest.

From the people. That is from their brethren. Although these are descended from Abram. So remember. Levi is not given any land. The portions are set apart. Truth of God. Amongst the people of God. And so to live amongst.

The people of God. But they are to receive. Their inheritance. In essence. From the Lord. Through. The giving of the people. Was to go direct. Little priesthood. That's why. There was so much. Strong condemnation.

But instead. They would say. Peace. Peace. And so on. And so forth. And stood against. The true prophets of God. And so they were to receive. From the people. A tenth. Even though. Were descended. From Abraham.

So amongst. The descendants of Abraham. Levi included. I think. Abraham would be his. Great grandfather. So from him. Even though they live. Amongst the same people. They're all descendants. Of Abraham.

There is to be this. Giving to them. Of a tenth. For their support. And that is how. They would then. Be the ministers of God. One whose genealogy. Is not traced. From them. But a tenth. From Abraham.

And blessed the one. Who had the promises. Abraham receives the promise. So the argument is made. In verse seven. But the lesser. Is remembered. In the blessings. This again. Is where we're. We need to have.

The Old Testament background. Remember what happens. The blessing of the first. The despair of Esau. Don't you have a blessing. For me. And see for us. That just seems. So. Foreign. Certified. And the lawyer write it.

And you can change that. A dozen times. Of a child. We've lost all that. We're disconnected from that. We're disconnected from. Kingship and royal. But the argument is. Blessed by the greater. The blessing is to.

It flows downhill. And so the argument is. Well. If Melchizedek. Proportion of things. In this case. Mortal men. In that case. One receives them. Of whom it is witnessed. That he lives on. And so. If in the law.

The Superiority of Melchizedek to Levi

Mortal men. Could receive ties. Witnessed. He lives on. Begins with a. With a statement. Is somewhat along. These lines. And we. We might even go so far. As to say. Or it. It might be said. So to speak.

The author is not. Not saying. Well look. I'm making this. A dogmatic statement. And. And you know. I'm. This is a hill to die on. But he's. He's. And so to speak. Right. Who received ties. Paid ties.

For he was still. On the loins of his father. When Melchizedek met him. In other words. Abram. Is up here. You've got the patriarchs. You've got Levi. And so. Levi is still in. The loins of. And so when.

Abraham. Pays ties. Then clearly. Someone who is descended from. Cannot be. Greater than. Or is said to. In a. Federal way. Have paid ties. To Melchizedek. His whole point is. Even the. Lesser than. This Melchizedek.

Priesthood. Psalm 110. Is going to tell us about. The Psalm 110. Records an oath. From God. That he's going to make. This. Messianic figure. And or. A priest. After. And so since. A subjected. We tend to think of the stories.

Of the old. Again think about. This is 15. This is 22. And I. Close tight family ties. Back then. And the people came. And ran off with your nephew. You go get him. He's coming back. And here. So there is.

Activity. Going on. Situation. The earliest activities. So should have released. Generation.