Thou Art A Priest For Ever After the Order of Melchisedec - Part 1285

"And being made perfect, He became the author of salvation unto all them that obey Him -- called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec, of whom we have may things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing ..." (Hebrews 4:9)

Interestingly, Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest, but rather, He that said unto Him, "Thou art My Son. Today, I have begotten Thee." As He saith also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." (Hebrews 5:5-6)

"For verily  He took not on [Him the nature] of angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham." (Hebrews 2:16)

Who is being referred to here? Jesus. This same Jesus who was both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) Jesus, "who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for whom [are] all things, and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation, perfect, through sufferings. For both He that sanctifies and they who are sanctified [are all] of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." (Hebrews 2:9-11)

Note that the heavenly plan is in complete contrast to what men do when they desire a priest. In this latter instance, "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; 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.

And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins. And not man takes this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as [was] Aaron." (Hebrews 5:1-4)

But as we recognize from the old covenant, the law made nothing perfect, for those priests were made without an oath. The law then became a schoolmaster to show us our need for Jesus the Christ in our life.

"Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens, who need not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the people's; for this He did once, when He offered up Himself." (Hebrews 7:25-27)

For the law makes men high priests which have infirmity, [or weakness], but the Word of the oath, which was since the law, [maketh] the Son who is consecrated for ever more. He is a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not men.

"For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices, wherefore, [it is] of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer -- for if He were on earth, He should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law, who serve unto the example, and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make a tabernacle, for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." (Hebrews 8:2-5)

"But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second." (Hebrews 8:6-7)

"By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament." (Hebrews 7:22)

It is for this reason such trust have we through Christ to God-ward, "not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God -- who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of His countenance, which glory was to be done away with ... did you catch that? "Which glory was to be done away with." (II Corinthians 3:7)

"How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory, for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels. For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remains [is] glorious.

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech; and not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished; but their minds were blinded; for until this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament, which vail is done away in Christ." (II Corinthians 3:8-14)

But as we know, even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. But we serve the King of kings and Lord of lords, who willingly was made flesh so that we might experience eternal life in Him. The Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending.

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)

His precious blood shed on the cross for you and I. And, as a consequence of asking Jesus to be Lord in and of our life, we begin to understand that "the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (II Corinthians 3:17)

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1)

Stand in the offering plate.