The Order of Melchisedec

 Temple Baptist Church - 2-5-2023

Psalm 110; Hebrews 6:19-7:4

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I want to take my text tonight from Psalm 110:4 which reads: “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 

 

B.  We will look at this verse both historically and prophetically tonight.

 

1.  The Patriarchal Priesthood.  Prior to the Law, the first-born male child was to become the high priest of the family.

 

2.  The Aaronic Priesthood.  Under the Law, the High Priest was of the lineage of Aaron, a Levite. Every High Priest was a Levite but not every Levite was a High Priest.

 

3.  The Levitical Priesthood.  Under the Law, God chose the Tribe of Levi to serve in the Tabernacle. 

 

4.  The Individual Priesthood of the Believer.  After the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ—God every born-again believer approaches God through Christ.

 

5.  The Priesthood of Melchizedek (Melchisedec).  The Eternal Priesthood of Christ which was established by Melchizedek in type and continued by Christ in antitype.

 

C.  Historically (the type) and prophetically (the antitype or fulfillment) are both found in Psalm as Melchizedek had live centuries before the Psalms were written, and Christ would not come until many centuries later.

 

Genesis 14:18-20  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.  (19)  And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:  (20)  And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

 

Hebrews 7:1-3  For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;  (2)  To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;  (3)  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. 

 

1.  His name: Melchizedek.  This name, in verse 4, means King of Righteousness.

 

Proverbs 29:2  When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

 

Isaiah 32:1  Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

 

2 Samuel 23:3  The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

 

Jesus Christ is the Righteous King of all.  Acts 10:36  The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

 

2.  His Office:  King of Salem.

 

a.  Melchisedec was evidently a well know King-Priest as Abraham recognized him immediately. 

 

b.  Salem, according to verse 2, means Peace.  One of the Old Testament words for Jerusalem is Salem. 

 

Psalms 76:1-2  In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.  (2)  In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

 

c.  Christ is our Peace.  Ephesians 2:13-14  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  (14)  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

 

3.  His Appointment: Priest of the most high God.

 

a.  Earthly high priests under the law, except for Aaron—were appointed by men.  Melchisedec, before the Law, shows no such appointment. was appointed by God.

 

Hebrews 5:1-5  For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:  (2)  Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.  (3)  And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.  (4)  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.  (5)  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.

 

b.  Christ’s appointment came by God.  Luke 9:35  And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

 

4.  Melchisedec’s Position. 

 

a.  “Who met Abraham … and blessed him.”  Hebrews 7:7  And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

 

b.  Christ is blessed above all.  Ephesians 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

 

Philippians 2:9-11  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  (10)  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  (11)  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

5.  His Descent:  “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.”  (Hebrews 7:3)

 

a.  Melchisedec had no recorded genealogy, birth, or death—though he was a man.  Hebrews 7:4  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

 

b.  As God—Christ had no recorded genealogy, birth, of death.  John 1:1-2  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2)  The same was in the beginning with God.

 

1 John 1:1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

 

6.  His Eternality: 

 

a.  The Bible does not say that Melchisedec was eternal, as he was a man.  He had no recorded genealogy: birth of death.

 

b.  The Bible does say that Christ is an eternal High Priest after the Order of Melchisedec. 

 

Hebrews 6:19-20  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;  (20)  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

 

7.  Melchisedec was a Universal High Priest:

 

a.  Melchisedec was a King-Priest to the Gentiles in Canaan.  He was also a King-Priest to Abraham, the beginning of the Jewish people.

 

b.  Christ is a Universal High Priest.  He died for both Jew and Gentile.  He is both the Saviour of the world and the High Priest of the redeemed of all nations.

 

Revelation 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;