20) Hebrews - The Shadow of the Lord
Notes
Transcript
Teach God’s Character and Work. (The Word)
So that the people may turn from a rebellious Heart (Root) Sins of “Unbelief, Pride, Selfishness” (Repentance)
and “Be Reconciled to God” (Justification)
Resulting in Transformation - behavioral change of the work of the HS (Sanctification)
Which is obedience to the will of God (The Word)
Resulting in encouraged by God’s Character and Work to hold fast to the Promise of Hope. (Faith and Belief)
Resulting in Eternal Rest, Joy, Peace, Worship (Glorification)
Gathering - Community Announcements
Love offerings / New Member class / Veteran's Day
Call to Worship
Corporate Prayer -
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him. 4 Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. 6 We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all.
Worship through Song
A psalm of David. 1 This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over your surrounding enemies. 3 Your people will volunteer on your day of battle. In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, the dew of your youth belongs to you. 4 The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: “You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his anger. 6 He will judge the nations, heaping up corpses; he will crush leaders over the entire world. 7 He will drink from the brook by the road; therefore, he will lift up his head.
Worship through Song
Worship through Song
Prayer
Sermon
Introduction
Introduction
Today we come to one of those sections that many choose to skip over or not to address. It is a section that though is filled with the richness of God’s care, love, eternal plan, it is many times put to the side. The reasons for this vary for each preacher but they usually revolve around the mystery and context of the text. We come to the mysterious figure Melchizedek. The author has mentioned him before in chapters 5 and 6 but when he came this place in the scripture he took a pause like a big breath before diving into his thoughts.
He stops and says this is for the mature. He said that it is hard to explain because they have become lazy to hear. So he took a pause, told them to wake up he called them to move onto the meat of the truths of God and last week he encouraged them to have bold assurance that the promise to Abraham is secure. Held by God. They were to hold fast to that promise not only because God has said it and since he is truth all things he says are true, but also because he swore an oath. Both of which cannot be broken.
We come to a point in the book that we start to see the overall outline, the work, that God is speaking through this man. The encouragement, correcting, and teaching on the finished work of Jesus.
This author of this book uses the old testament from beginning to end to walk with an unsure, fearful, weak faith, people in a troublesome time. The writing of this book is usually put within 10 years of the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. 30 Years have probably passed and most of this group would probable not had first hand accounts of Jesus’ ministry on earth.
3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
Much changes in 30 years. Just time back to the 1990’s. What was life like, what was important back then is not important today. Time has gone by and at the same time persecution was growing. Many would be asking is this what Jesus came to do? The world doesn’t look any better than it did before? Do we really believe those that told us about Jesus. Historically you can see at this time that many were drifting away from the gospel. Turning to false ideas. There were those that had come to the belief that Jesus was just an angel and the separated themselves into a new group. This may be why the author speaks about angels the way he does. Life is hard, the world was supposed to be different, Jesus has not come back. They start to talk amongst themselves, “What do we do?”
What we see in the book of Hebrews, written by God, that he had already set in place the pieces of history and evidence to give them confidence in the trying times. He goes back to the foundation of the Old Testament teachings and slowly walks them from the foundation of the OT to having confidence in their new life in the Messiah, in the Christ, in Jesus.
God shows his care and concern for this specific group of people in this specific time. This is one of the reasons that Hebrews as a whole or specific sections seem to be left out of the teaching of the whole counsel of God. This book is personal and uses specific language and examples and justifications that made a big impact to them. This would be like our descendants 200 years from now watch the sermons during 2021. Hopefully 200 years from now no one has any idea what Covid-19 is and when you watch pastor preach to the church in troubled times, for correction and encouragement the context and trial will be foreign to them.
But what we will see is that the encouragement and the foundational truth that are used in the 60’s. Not the 1960’s but the 60’s are the same today as they were then because we have a great high priest, an unchanging God that does not break his promises and cares for his people.
Let us read our scripture today.
1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace. 3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. 4 Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him. 5 The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham. 6 But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. 9 And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, 10 for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
We come to a mysterious and misunderstood person in the scriptures. The priest king Melchizedek.
There have been many different ideas about him. This comes from the single fact that God did not choose to reveal anymore about him that what was effective for his purposes and people. There have been different ideas about who this person was and what his significance is. There are ideas like he was an angel, or that he was a personification of the Holy Spirit. Others a divine virtue of some type. These have not been the most popular beliefs. The two most common ideas about his is that he is a Christology or a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ and the other is that he is a historical man that foreshadows the priestly office of Jesus. For a couple reasons I believe that he was a man. A historical man that God used as a type of Christ.
The first reason that we will hit on later is that he is said to “resemble” the Son of God or “made like” the Son of God. The second reason is that in the context of the author establishing the superiority of Christ in all ways in order to encourage and call them to fix their eyes on Jesus.
He develops that Christ has the highest of positions as king and priestly mediator, as the atoning sacrifice and sacrificer. He has established that Jesus is greater than the angels and Moses and as you read the flow of the book we are in the middle of the defense of Jesus as the great high priest and has the superior priesthood compared to the Levitical Priesthood.
He will establish that Jesus brings the better covenant, sanctuary and sacrifice. He will develop the superior privileges of a believers faith and Superior christian behavior. The entire book is a loving encouragement to struggling church. If that is what God is communicating through this author. This would be the time to let the world know that this mysterious mas was Christ. But the text says he resembles Christ.
This man is a type in the Old Testament. A type is part of what we cal Typology
Typology
Typology
A Type is an actual historical event or person that in some ways symbolizes or anticipates a later occurrence; particularly, an Old Testament foreshadowing of a New Testament event.
Chapter 7 reveals Jesus as the superior priest and it is likely that he Ps 110 in his mind.
1 This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over your surrounding enemies. 3 Your people will volunteer on your day of battle. In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, the dew of your youth belongs to you. 4 The Lord has sworn an oath and will not take it back: “You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek.”
The end of chapter 6 was an encouragement based on the oath, the promise, that he made Abraham. He just made a big deal about that when God speaks it is unchangeable and when he speaks and oath it is also unchangeable.
David Speaks of the declaration of God that the Messiah would come and sit at God’s right hand. In the place of highest authority. We saw this in the first four verses of Hebrews
1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.
The Lord will sit at the right hand, will extend a mighty scepter from Zion and he will rule. God has sworn an oath to the Ruler “ You are a priest forever according to the pattern of Melchizedek. God made an oath to encourage his people about Abraham and he also made an oath about this Melchizedek.
The Author of Hebrews Points back to the Psalm of David a thousand years earlier. David pint back another 1000 years to Gen 14. There was a battle of Kings and in the war Abraham’s nephew was taken and so he went to get him back.
14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he and his servants deployed against them by night, defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus. 16 He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people. 17 After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said: Abram is blessed by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 20 and blessed be God Most High who has handed over your enemies to you. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
That’s it. before God penned the book of Hebrews through the author this the extent of the information known about this man. This is one of the proofs that God has inspired the entire word of God. This mysterious figure does not show up in any other literature and before the writing of Hebrews you have a single interaction with Abraham. Then David speaks of an oath that God made to a future King that he would be in the pattern of this man. Now the extensive description of him comes 2000 ish years later in a New Testament author.
He starts the discussion with Characterizing who this man was.
The Mystery Man
The Mystery Man
1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace. 3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
The thought of the first three verses is the reason given in justification of his last statement.
17 Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. 20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus entered as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest in the pattern or order of this man. He the gives the reason for this with each of these being a shadow pointing towards Jesus.
First this man was the King of Salem - Salem was another name used for the city of Jerusalem.
1 God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel. 2 His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.
Before Isreal existed this man was king in the city that would be called Jerusalem.
Second He was Priest of the Most High God. El Elyon Most High God. He is called priest of this God as Abraham had also come to have serve the God Host High.
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
When Abraham had finished the battler and returned Melchizedek met him and Abraham gave a tithe or a tenth of everything he had gained from the spoils of the battle. and Melchizedek blessed Abraham
Hebrews 7:1–2 (CSB)
… met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. ...
The author continues with a translation of his name. It is first King of Righteousness and then king of Salem that is King of peace.
Hebrews 7:2 (CSB)
… First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace.
There is never peace before righteousness. All peace that come first comes from righteousness. This is true peace. The peace of being made right with God not the false peace of comfort and ease.
Then we come to one of those sections that can be debated.
3 Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
As he is a type that shadows that anti type that revealing of the full person of Jesus. The author is setting up the foundation for the rest of the chapter. Verses 11-28 will compare and prove Jesus as the better priesthood that the Levitical Priests. As God uses this man as a pointer to Jesus and the priesthood that does not end, he did not have the genealogy of this man or the record of his death put into writing. The full discussion of the Levitical Priesthood and Priesthood of Jesus will be developed the next two weeks. But here is view of what is going on here.
11 Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?
The reason he bring up the genealogy is that this was extremely important to the Levitical priesthood. A priest was required to be of the tribe of Levi. He had to be a descendant of Aaron. There were ways to be disqualified to be a priest but the point is that Levitical priest assumed the office by birthright and not base on character of dignity. If you were unable to prove your genealogy you were not allowed to serve.
61 and from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and who bore their name. 62 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 63 The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.
The first point that the author is setting up is Melchizedek was a priest not based on birthright but because it was God’s will and so is Jesus as he does not come from the line of Levi but of Juda. The second part of this is that there is no record of this mans death which symbolizes the eternality of Jesus’ position as priest. With that was the fact that the Levitical priests would start their service at 25 and then they would be done at 50 years old. They could not go beyond that. There are a couple of circumstances that there are priest in the bible recorded as being older than 50 but that was an exception.
The main point of the lack of information about Melchizedek’s genealogy an death was that he pointed to and symbolized the type of priest that Christ would be. One that would continue as priest forever. There will be no end to the days of the forerunner Jesus that we have our anchor in.
He is Greater
He is Greater
Verses 4-10 develop how Melchizedek as priest is greater than the Levitical priests. There is a man in the Jewish history more revered that Abraham. He represents all of Isreal. He is the first and the patriarch of the people. His descendants come from him and there is not one greater than Abraham so if this man is shown to be greater than Abraham then he is greater than Abraham’s descendants.
4 Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him. 5 The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham. 6 But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.
First of all he is great because Abraham gave to him. Not the other way around. This an exclamation. The one who is lesser gives to the greater. Is the point that he is making. The Levites were given the tithes because of the commands of the Law not based on their greatness. Abraham gave because of who this man was not because he was commanded. The Law has not been given yet. It would not be given for centuries to come after Isreal is rescued by God from Egypt.
Second it was Melchizedek that blessed Abraham. It was always the higher more important the greater that blessed the lesser. Such as the blessing from fathers to children that we see in the scriptures. This so set in stone that he says it is beyond dispute in verse 6 and 7.
6 But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.
This is such a sure thing. That he uses it to make a definitive point on the matter.
Final Arguments
Final Arguments
8 In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. 9 And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, 10 for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
These are the final arguments he makes in this first section the perfect High Priest. From a typological point of view on theologian made this comment.
Hebrews 2. Christ’s Melchizedekian Priesthood (7:1–28)
“The tithe which Abraham gave to Melchizedek was received by one who, as far as the record goes, has no ‘end of life.’ ”
The word testifies that he lives is also translated as declared in other translations. Then he makes this final statement to wrap it up. In a way in a sense, this is not to be taken literally. He says since Levi comes from the line of Abraham that in a way also gave to this king priest when Abraham gave the tenth.
This section of text lays the groundwork the next two weeks where we will hear from God that how the Levitical Priesthood was temporary and a better one has come. The Levites could never be king based on how God’s will was revealed. But the scriptures promised of a priest king.
One commentary wrote it this way
Hebrews Theological Implications
Melchizedek is not only a priest after a different order than Aaron; his priesthood was also a royal priesthood, something that could never be true of the Levitical priesthood. Since Christ is not from the tribe of Levi, since he is eternal, since he is a royal priest, and since there can only be one priesthood, it is obvious that the Levitical priesthood has come to an end with the fulfillment of Ps 110:4 in Christ.
Conclusion
Conclusion
I spent some time on this idea of typology. The events and places in the old testament that are shadows of real places and event in the New Testament. We will see this again and it is important to know how much can be seen in these types and antitypes. We must be careful with them. If we take the shadows and symbols and read into them more than what God has said about them we can start to fall into false ideas. The New Testament reveals that clear picture and the old testament types should be interpreted from the clear pictures.
5 These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.
God cares for his children and in he writes through the author to his children. As they struggle to deal with the fact that Christ has not returned and the world is still a mess and even though Christ sits on his heavenly thrown his time has not been revealed yet to make things new. The author goes to the most fundamental an solid truths that the Jewish Christians have and is methodically walking them through the evidence for them to have confidence in Christ. Confidence in the Hope of their salvation.
We see that God cares for his people. We have been given everything that we need in God’s word and God’s people to have bold assurance in the promises of God. Do you find yourself questioning and pulling away from the one and only savior. Falling back in to a confidence in self, idolatry, or other works like we see the Christians here doing.
Then I encourage you as this author does is to see the sovereignty of his word. The working of his hand as he comes to his children to encourage them.
Today we wouldn’t use the same examples to develop this idea but our God does not change. Our God is great and Melchizedek is a symbol of Jesus’ enduring and everlasting perfect priesthood.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Communion
Warning
Children, Lost, Sin
19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Prayer
Song
Closing
Blessing/Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.