Hebrews 7:1-10 | Who or What is Melchizedek?

Hebrews 4:14–6:5 and the Need for Solid Food

Our text today is found in Hebrews chapter 7 verses 1 through 10, but we will Travel to a few different areas before we read Hebrews 7 1 through 10. Let's pray father. Lord, please by the name of your son Jesus be with us.

Amen. Hey Trinity, will you grab my water? Forgive me. Our theme for this Lord's Day is who or what is Melchizedek. Alistair Begg says that if you're preaching topical sermons. You don't preach this text.

This is not something That you would say. Hey, I want that's it. That's the one I want to preach. This is what I want to bring to people. It's attention. And he says if you expositionally walk through the text.

This is one of the spots of the Bible that you wish that you could skip over. Without the brains in your audience in the congregation. Noticing it's a hard person of portion of Scripture. My proposition is since Jesus is our high priest and King forever.

We have no Need to look for another. Right. Jesus is our high priest and King forever. We have no need to look for another. And today this day if you will give me your attention my intentions are to show you Christ by way of this King priest.

Who is called Melchizedek? And our outline we will see Melchizedek compared to the Son of God. Not the Son of God compared to Melchizedek. As some people like to teach but Melchizedek compared to the Son of God.

The context of our portion of Scripture is found in Hebrews 4 14 through 6 5 1 through 14 and 6 1 through 3. And here's what I want you to notice from the context. That Jesus is our high priest, right?

Hallelujah, hollaback. Jesus is our high priest. That Jesus is able to sympathize with our weakness. Why? Because Jesus took on flesh. We can have you and I can have confidence when we draw near to him.

And he was appointed high priest by his father. Not by anyone else but by his father God the Father. That he was made perfect Through suffering not morally perfect, but that the life that he lived it perfectly Satisfied the wrath of God and that he Jesus is the source of eternal life.

Anyone if anyone is to have eternal life. They must come to Jesus Christ. He is the source. There is no other source. It's him alone. He's the only way to the Father and That he was designated by God as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek last thing.

That the hearers of this letter were hearing. But they were not listening. Right. Remember we went over that so let's look at the context real quick. We'll begin in Hebrews chapter 4 beginning in verse 14.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens. Jesus the Son of God. Let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness.

But one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin. Let us with confidence draw near to the thorn of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace. To help in the time of need. For every high priest chosen from among man is appointed to act on behalf of man in relation to God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

And he can deal Gently with the ignorant and wayward since he himself is beseeched with weakness. Because of this he is obligated. He is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins just as he does for the sins of the people of those 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 me and As he's also said in another place.

You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek in the days of his flesh. Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with the loud cries and tears to him Who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his reverence, although he was a son.

He learned obedience through what he suffered and being made perfect. He became the source of eternal life for all who obey him being designated by God as high priest after the order of Melchizedek verse 11.

About this we have much to say and it is hard to explain. So about what about Melchizedek. About Melchizedek. We have much to say but it is hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers you yourself need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God.

You need milk not solid food. For everyone who lives on milk is Unskilled in the word of righteousness because he is a child. But solid food is for the mature for those who have their who have their powers of discernments trained by constant practice and distinguishing good from evil.

Chapter 6. Therefore. Let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity. Let us leave the gospel for a minute and go on To McKesson deck. That's what it's saying here. Not laying again the foundations of repentance from dead works and instructions about washings the laying on of hands the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment and this we will do if God permits.

The teaching of Jesus in the high priesthood being after the order of McKesson deck is where the Hebrew Christians Need it to go and it is where we will go today. We need to go. We will go today. The church has always been a place where both we have both those Who are ready for solid food and those who are not ready for solid food?

Problem is is most churches neglect those who are ready for solid food by never getting into real teaching. They only feed milk. But there's the opposite to where they're there there's no solid food and there's no milk.

There's stories about the pastor's life. We want to be a church that does both. We give the gospel every week. And we teach holy rot. Because it is by the milk of the gospel that men are saved and by which you are being saved if you hold fast to the message.

Let's uh, look real quick at that message first Corinthians chapter 15. This is what Paul is pointing to. When he's when he's when he's speaking about milk. I want you to listen. How and how important is this milk?

How important is it for me when our when the babies come to feed them milk. We don't shove steak in their mouth when they're babies. They need milk. First Corinthians chapter 15. We'll look at verses 1 through 4.

Now I would remind you brothers of the gospel that I preach to you which you received in which you stand and by which you are being saved if You hold fast to the word I preach to you unless you believe in vain.

Here it is for I receive for I deliver to you a first importance. What I also received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures. That he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.

The church needs that every week. I would say that a church that does not teach that every week. Has fallen. What the Bible gives us to to live on. But again This is something that came to me I wrote down that came to me as I was thinking about this and it was it is this you will never be able to Articulate the depth of the gospel without understanding the teachings around the gospel.

Paul Washer says that thousands and thousands and ten thousand years in heaven. We will know no more be at the foothills of the gospel of how the depth is of it. I might be paraphrasing that and saying it wrong, but he's talking about the that the gospel itself.

It's it's so much there. There's so much to understand. And our problem is is that we will never fully understand it and so we need it every week. Every waking moment. We need the gospel. But we also need the teaching in the scripture that surrounds the gospel that makes the gospel clearer.

And that's what I hope to accomplish with this hard portion of text. Much ink has been spilt on identifying the relationship between Melchizedek and Jesus. And There are extra biblical writings such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and second Maccabees that can leave you thinking quite differently from the.

What I believe the biblical interpretation is some Believe Melchizedek to be a Christophany a Pre-incarnate Christ so Christophany is when you're reading the Old Testament and you see Places in the Old Testament where Jesus is revealed.

We saw this last week in the Old Testament doing in Genesis chapter 3 dealing with the angel of the Lord as as Abraham has lifted his hand against his son to come down and to sacrifice his son. It says the angel of the Lord Called to him Abraham.

Abraham do not hurt your son. So in scripture where we see the angel of the Lord. We see this as a Christophany. That this is that that this is Jesus being revealed before his his incarnation but people seem to think that this is a free incarnation of Christ and They're calling it a Christophany and I'll and I'll dive deep into that.

Momentarily, so the question is who or what is this? Melchizedek and I'm gonna give you my interpretation. It's very simple. I Believe him to be a type of Christ remember we're going through covenant theology.

We have types and anti types. Remember the the illustration of the menu. We have a picture of a burrito, but it's not the burrito. As a matter of fact in order to get the picture they had to take a pic.

With the camera they had to take a picture of a real burrito. So I believe that this this Melchizedek is a picture. He is a type of Christ. He is not Christ. He is a picture he is a type and that Jesus is the anti type this making him not a Christophany.

But just someone who resembles Christ. And I will and on that statement allow me to build my case first we see Melchizedek appear in Genesis 14 so he only appears in the Old Testament twice Genesis 14 and in Psalm 110 and in short when it comes to Genesis 14 the context.

There was there was a battle and Abraham's Kingsman lot was taken. So Abraham took 318 of his trained men to rescue lot now. These are not Navy SEALs, right? These are shepherds. These are people work in the field and know how to throw a punch so Don't thank Navy SEAL.

Don't thank marine when he says trained men. These are just men who can fight men who were willing to fight now after Abraham returned from the battle. He met with Melchizedek and we'll pick up right there in Genesis chapter 14.

Just for the sake of time. We'll read verse 18 through 20. Genesis 14 18 through 20. So he's on his way from the battle and it says verse 18 and Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High and He blessed him and said bless it be Abram by God Most High possessor of Heaven and earth and he blessed God Most High who was and he said bless it be God Most High who has delivered your enemies into your hand and Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Now turn your attention to Psalm 110. There's only seven verses and we'll read all seven. So this is the most quoted passage of Scripture in the New Testament. Nothing is quoted more than Psalm 10 seven verses but it speaks about a king and a priest and It's a psalm of David a psalm of Davis David being King the earthly physical king of Israel.

And he says the Lord Yahweh here notice the all-caps says to my Lord Adonai. The Lord Yahweh says to the Kings Lord Adonai. Sit at my right hand. Until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. The Lord Yahweh sends forth from Zion.

Your mighty scepter rule in the midst of your enemies your people will offer themselves Freely on the day of your power in your holy garment. From the womb of the morning to the dew of your youth. Will be yours the Lord has sworn.

He will not change his mind. You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord Adonai is at your right hand. He will shatter Kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations filling them with corpses.

He will shatter the chest scatter the chaff over the wide of the earth. He will drink from the brook by way by the way, therefore he will lift his Head. Now, let's go to our text Hebrews chapter 7 we will read verses 1 through 10.

Have in mind. I know it's gonna be hard, but have in mind everything that's been said. Just just put it all there as I read this verse 1 for this Melchizedek King of Salem priest of most high. God met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him and To him Abraham Appropriated a tenth part of everything.

He was first by translation of his name king of Righteousness and then he is also king of Salem. That is king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy have another beginning of days or end of life but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest-for-ever.

See how great this man was whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils and those the Senate of Levi who received priestly offerings. Have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people that is from their brothers.

Though these are also this are awesome. These also are descendants from Abraham but this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him. Who had the promise? It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.

And in one case tithes are received by mortal man. But in the other case by one who it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself Who receives tithes paid tithes through Abraham.

For he was still in the loins of his ancestor when he met when the kizadek met him. All right things that you might have noticed and these will be our sub points. So point one He is a priest of God Most High.

So point two Mikesodek is the king of Salem. So point three He is without genealogy and sub point number four Abraham Gave him a tenth of everything and we'll just jump right in it for the sake of time.

Melchizedek as Priest of God Most High

So point number one. He is a priest of God Most High. We see that in verse 1. Let's read verse 1 again for this Mikesodek king of Salem priest of the Most High of most of the Most High. God met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him.

Notice how this Mikesodek is both king and priest. All right, I pointed that out earlier that that this I believe is a clear type when it comes to typology. Jesus is both king and priest. This is something that we don't see in the Aaronic priesthood so the Aaronic priesthood the Levitical priesthood are Just priests they are not kings.

Kings come from Judah. Priests come from Levi. The Levitical priesthood are descendants of Levi not of the tribe of Judah. Jesus is from the tribe of Judah and Yet he is priest and as we transition Mikesodek is the priest of God Most High.

This is God Most High. This is El Elyon. El being the Old Testament word for God Elyon Most High. This is telling us that that God was at work and established before he establishes the covenant with Abraham.

And we listen we know this is true. Think Job. Right, who did Job worship and Job was before Abraham. God has always been at work. He's never been without a people who worshipped him. Job was a worshipper of God.

This Mikesodek whoever he is was a worshipper of God. So no in biblical history. What the writer is doing in my opinion he is showing That there are two priesthoods Who worshipped God Most High. El Elyon?

Melchizedek as King of Salem and King of Peace

So point number two. Some of these will be faster than the others. So point number two. Mikesodek is king of Salem verse 2 and to him Abraham appropriated a Tenth part of everything. He is first by translation of his name king of righteousness and Then he is also king of Salem that is king of peace.

The writer of this book has given us insight to his name that his name means king of righteousness. His name is broken down in Hebrew as Malak and Zadok. Malak is king. Zadok is righteousness king of righteousness.

Melchizedek king of righteousness. And he said this is telling us that this Melchizedek this Malak Zadok Was a king was a righteous king and that this king would have established a righteous kingdom. And it also says that he is also king of Salem, and it says that is king of peace.

Salem Melchizedek. Salem would have been Melchizedek city the city that he was a king of and Salem this the city is probably known by another name. That's familiar to us Jerusalem Jerusalem Salem is what I believe to be Jerusalem and we you come to this conclusion when you look at Genesis 14 18 Hebrews 7 1 through 2 and you compare that to Psalm 76 verses 1 and 2 listen to this.

This is really cool. Psalm 76 verse 1 and 2 it says in Judah. God is known. His name is great in Israel. His abode is established in Salem.

His dwelling place in Zion so that the Hebrew term.

For Salem can mean peace. The Hebrew term for Salem can refer to peace or it can refer to Salem the place. So Salem can be peace or it can be the place and the place is Now known as Jerusalem Jerusalem.

It is where we get the word Shalom. Salem is where you get the word Shalom. Shalom means peace. So what I believe the author is doing is he he's just trying to unscramble the eggs, right? And I'll explain that more in a minute.

What I believe the author is is doing is is that the author understands the name Melchizedek to mean king of righteousness and the title of his name to mean king of peace as seen in 7 2. The combination of the terms righteousness and peace has messianic implications that's only found in the Old Testament and the understanding of this helps us to see why Melchizedek has such a prominent role in the New Testament book of Hebrews.

Now as we transition, I believe these things are pointing us you and me to the our righteousness into our peace. Again, this is a tight What the writer is doing he is he's looking at Melchizedek's a figure that these Jewish followers of Christ would have known and he is saying that That just as this king up back here who our forefather pay tithes to Was was king and priest just Jesus is king and priest and And just as he had this righteousness about him in this peace that this righteousness and peace can be only found in Jesus.

Because Jesus is our peace. We can only have peace in Christ alone. So point three, this is where it gets a little tricky. He is without genealogy verse 3 he is without father or mother or Genealogy have another beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues Priest forever.

This verse is where interpretations can get wonky. I Know this because I've had some wonky interpretations because of this verse. I've I've thought some weird things because of this verse. Right and let me tell you when I saw him out there.

It was ink spilt on this subject. There are some weird things written because of this verse. But now after you know being in Hebrews and studying I believe that this verse Is the main verse that teaches my interpretation that it's typology?

Him being without father or mother or genealogy have another Beginning of days nor end of life is speaking of the fact that he does not appear in Scripture before Genesis 14 like it doesn't tell you who his mom and dad is nor That there's a backstory of his birth or do we read of his death?

So you. There's no one scripture where it says and so-and-so beget Melchizedek and Melchizedek beget so-and-so and then Melchizedek dies. Like it's just not in Scripture. Right and at this time there was a Jewish interpretation that said that he Listened to this that Melchizedek was sham.

So the Jews believe that Melchizedek was sham you say who sham? Noah's son one of Noah's sons name was sham and so the Jewish belief was that this priest this Melchizedekian priesthood that this guy was sham and that because of this that it is only a title the name Melchizedek is only a title.

It's not his name and yet the writer says by translation of his name He is king of righteousness. The Jews interpreted that this Melchizedek was sham and when you hold the Interpretation that this is the title which the LDS Church does and now they when whenever they ordain people it's to the ordination of.

Like to them you cannot baptize someone unless you are of the Melchizedek priesthood. So you see these these guys they walk around here and they knock on your door. They are people that has been ordained into the Melchizedek priesthood.

So to them Jesus is not the only priest of this order there they also hold to the priesthood of Melchizedek. Because they hold it as a title just like the Jews do. But this is sham. Now this is my opinion, I believe it can only mean like the text says that it's he just has no genealogy.

But look like when you read the Bible you just don't read anything about him. There's nothing there. He appears and then he's he doesn't appear again to to Psalm 110 and then after Psalm 110. He doesn't appear it again to to Hebrews chapter 5.

Like he's just not there and I believe the writer is just saying that he he is speaking against the Jewish interpretation that he's sham. Why. Because sham has a genealogy if the Jews at this time are teaching that he's sham and our writer is teaching that he had No genealogy.

He can only be teaching that he's not sham. This is something that the hearers of this time would have known. But unless you dig you come out with some wonky interpretations and trust me I've been doing some digging.

It's kept me up at night. Now, I believe the writer is actually clearing the table, right? He is he when it comes to these Jewish fables. He is unmixing the egg. Man y 'all got it all mixed up. And and there's another Jewish fable.

We'll get to that in the at the last point. The last part of this verse though, it tells us that he was a type. I want you to see it the last part of this verse where it says but resembling. So verse 3 the last part.

But resembling the Son of God. He continues a priest forever. That he Melchizedek resembles God. Notice it doesn't say that he was the Son of God or that he Present tense is the Son of God. It just says but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

So the word resembles here means looks or seems like. He looks or seems like this is what a type is. That's all Melchizedek is. He seems like The Son of God he he looks like. I mean when he when he came out to Abraham.

What did he bring bread and wine? I'm not saying there's something spiritual. They're unique. But he looks like he resembles the Son of God. Well, how cuz I mean if you just look at the idea of Jesus and the genealogy.

Jesus has a genealogy. I Have a genealogy, but the man Christ Jesus does. All it's telling us is that this guy is not shim and he resembles. Stop stop going crazy with your fables and your myths. He's he just resembles the Son of God.

Though he is a higher priesthood in the order of the priesthood of Aaron. He's greater. He's superior to the priesthood of Aaron. Why. Because Abraham gave him a tenth and to be honest My biggest problem with making him a Christophany is the fact that by saying this we would have to say that Jesus Prior to the incarnation had an earthly kingdom on earth before the call of Abraham.

Where he would have been both king and priest to say that he this is a pre incarnated Christ. You're saying that Jesus had two incarnations and the first one failed. Ladies and gentlemen, that's blasphemy.

That goes against the gospel. Because it says he was king of Salem Jerusalem on earth. We cannot go that route. The text doesn't allow it and as we transition I Would like to point out that the paschal lamb pointed to Christ.

That it pointed to Jesus that the men that the men in Memma Manon that came down from heaven pointed to Jesus that the bronze serpent that that was on the Po pointed to Jesus. These things like Melchizedek are shadows pointing to the substance that they are not the substance he is nothing more than a type a picture of something that was.

Something was going to come that's greater. Something it's coming that he resembles and that's it. That's it. That's all it talks of. That's all it's all it is with him. Other than him being a greater priesthood.

To quote Alistair Begg if you follow me on Facebook, you've seen this to cling to the shadow. You forfeit the substance. If you're focused on the shadow if that's where your hope is You have forfeited the substance.

The substance is Christ the something greater that all things in Scripture point to are Christ. Sub point number four. Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. This is found in verses 4 through 10. So how great?

Sorry see how great this man was. To whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils and to those descendants of Levi he who received the priestly office. Have a commandment in the law to take tithes From the people that is from their brothers.

Though these also are a descendant of Abraham. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and Blessed him and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.

In one case tithes are received by mortal man. But the other case by one of whom it testifies that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself who receives tithes pay tithes through Abraham. For he was still in the loins of his ancestor.

When he met him, all right, so Abraham on his way back from the battle having With him the possessions of the four kings that fell so these kings came in they took. They took. You know. They capture people and they took what the people had.

Abraham takes his men and he goes and he defeats these kings supernaturally in my opinion. What takes place. He's got four kings and armies and his three hundred and eighteen men defeat them and Return and as he returned home He was met by mechizedek and to him this this king this this priest this king priest.

He Abraham Gave a tenth of everything that he brought back. So so all the spoil that he brought back from this war. He gave it to this priest this this king priest. That's what this that's the context of the verse Of verses 4 through 10.

Now I believe what the writer of Hebrews is telling us is that this Melchizedek priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood because the Melchizedek did not come from Abraham and Abraham gave this Melchizedek priest king tithes a tenth of everything that he had.

So much so that Abraham the Levitical priesthood. You know, he paid this tithe to him and the explanation is is how why did this happen? Why is is this Melchizedek greater? Than the Levitical priesthood because the Levitical priesthood is of the tribe of Levi the tribe of Levi is from Levi the son of Jacob who is the son of Isaac and Isaac is the son of Abraham and so he He's just showing the superiority.

When it comes to blessings the the blessing would be passed down from father to son. Basically, the father was the what was the superior? The son would be the inferior. And you have this this this Melchizedek who's not even in the line of Abraham who who blesses Abraham?

And Then through him his offspring are blessed. His offspring are given tithes. This is really hard to explain. Because you got because it has that one verse in it that that they pay tithes because he was in the loins of his father I mean his of his ancestor and so just trying to to to to comprehend that and wrap your mind around is is really tough so this is what I believe so because They are Abraham excuse me, so because they are from Abraham they to pay tithe.

I Just believe it like it's it's that simple. It's not really trying to say something weird or or anything like that. But because the leave the Levitical priesthood, so this is why the Melchizedek priesthood is greater is because the Levitical priesthood are Our descendants of Abraham and Abraham paid him tithes speaking that Abraham in this moment was the inferior and Him being the superior and it was all of this was to show that the Levitical priesthood is inferior to The priesthood that Jesus holds being that Jesus is after the order of Melchizedek.

Does that make sense? It's. It's really tough. So Because this Levitical priest line is it comes from Abraham and they were in Abraham When he paid so because of that the The priesthood of Melchizedek is superior and they are inferior.

In order to enter the Levitical priesthood, this is really cool in order to enter the Levitical priesthood you would begin training for the priesthood at 25 and you would in and you would enter the priesthood at the age of 30 and You could be a priest Only until the age of 50.

So you would train for at 25 you would enter at 30 and you can only be that until you were 50 and In Chapter 7 verse 23 tells us that another that they were prevented by death the former priests Were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in the office.

When you look back in history, they can only be a priest until they were 50. The at the inauguration of the priesthood they would wash you they would anoint you and your father would say That this is my son in whom I am well pleased.

So every priest in order to become a priest after their train, they would wash them. They would bathe them. They would anoint with oil and the father of this priest would would recognize this as his beloved son.

It sounds familiar doesn't it look at Matthew chapter 3. Matthew chapter 3 verse 13. Then Jesus came to Galilee to Jordan to John to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him saying I Need to be baptized by you and do you come to me?

But Jesus answered him let it be so now for thus it is fitting to fulfill all righteousness. Then he continued. Then he consented and when Jesus was baptized immediately he went up from the water and behold the heavens were open and He saw the Spirit of God Descending like a dove coming to rest on him and behold a voice from heaven Said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

At this king of righteousness. We see Jesus said that this what was happening was to fulfill all righteousness that Jesus was baptized he was emerged in water that he was washed that the Heavens open and the Holy Spirit came in and rested upon him speaking of the anointing that he was Anointed and then there was a voice.