IF our Lord were on earth He should not be a priest (Heb. 8:44For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: (Hebrews 8:4)) He is a priest in heaven. His is a heavenly, not an earthly, priesthood. An earthly priesthood reckons a genealogy; its priests derive their position from their predecessors, whether by birth or otherwise. As priest, our Lord has no genealogy, neither is He a priest by virtue of succession. Our Lord is not, by His incarnation, of the priestly, but of the royal line; not of the tribe of Levi, but of Judah.
The order of our Lord's priesthood is peculiar to itself, and was in type foreshadowed before a successional order of priests was established by God on the earth. Before Israel was, before Levi was born, before God chose the family of Aaron out of the tribe of Levi for His priests, He appointed, in Melchisedec, the type of the order of the priesthood of His Son. Thus is the order of Melchisedec's priesthood, described by the inspired writer, “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life" (ch. 7:3).
Aaron was the head of the line of the high priests of Israel, and from him they traced their honor. Their order flowed from its fountain head—Aaron, so constituted by the call of God (ch. 5:4). No one could be high priest unless he was the rightful successor of God's first high priest. God jealously protected the line. He allowed no intruders, and this the early doom of the rebels against His authority proved. Korah and his company arose to usurp to themselves the office of the priesthood; "They gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?" (Num. 16:33And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? (Numbers 16:3).) But Korah and his company were not of the chosen family, this Moses told them, adding, "Seek ye the priesthood also?" (ver. 10). The judgment of God fell upon these rebels against God's decree, and against His high priest, they " went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them; "and the fire from the Lord consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
Korah's gainsaying is the climax of the threefold iniquity, which Jude tells us characterizes the presumption and the apostasy of the latter days. “Woe unto them I for they have gone in the way of Cain [who rejected the blood of atonement], and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward [who prophesied falsely for his own advantage], and perished in the gainsaying of Core" (ver. 11). A most solemn warning, and a most terrible example concerning the presumption and the doom of men who assume to be priests, but who are only priests by their own election, and are not made priests by God.
The order of the priesthood of Melchisedec is totally different from that of Aaron. Melchisedec had neither predecessor nor successor—his order vested in himself. Christ, as High Priest in His order, has neither predecessor nor successor. Priestly predecessor, He evidently had none, for He was not of the priestly line; successor He can never have, for risen from the dead, He abides in heaven a Priest continually. "He continueth ever," He "hath an unchangeable priesthood” (Heb. 7:2424But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. (Hebrews 7:24)).
How entirely different this is from His kingly glory, is apparent. His kingly genealogy is detailed in the royal gospel by God the Spirit (Matt. 1:1-171The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:1‑17)); "He was born King of the Jews" (Matt. 2:22Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. (Matthew 2:2)); He witnessed a good confession before the Roman, under whom Israel was tributary, and declared He was "the King of the Jews" (Matt. 27:1111And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. (Matthew 27:11)); and on His cross His accusation, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews," was written, in the great languages of the then earth, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, for the wide world to read.
All nations shall be brought to His discipleship (Matt. 28:18, 1918And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Matthew 28:18‑19)); the prophecies shall be fulfilled; Jehovah will yet set His King on His holy hill of Zion. (Psa. 2:66Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (Psalm 2:6)); the earth shall render glory to its King, “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." (Isa. 9:77Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:7).)
But earth's genealogies concern not heavenly glories—in heaven it is God has greeted His Son as Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb. 5:1010Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 5:10).)
The Lord, the order of whose priesthood is peculiar to Himself—it being neither successional nor transmissible, but heavenly and everlasting-ministers in heaven in various ways after the types of the Aaronic priesthood; but in order to the fulfillment of these types and shadows such ministry cannot be exercised on earth. Earth is not its suited place. He appears in the presence of God for us.
For example, Aaron and his successors could not minister according to the office appointed by God unless the veil were in existence. No veil, signified that the Holy of Holies was not divided from the holy place. If no veil, then either God dwelt no longer in the darkness between the Cherubim upon the mercy-seat, or He had made the Holy of Holies one with the Holy by His presence. In either case the service of the high priest and the priests of Israel would be impossible.
God rent the veil of the temple from heaven to earth at the time of the death of Jesus, and destroyed by so doing, the office of the high priest of Israel, and the significance of the worship of the temple; but God has opened heaven for us, and He bids us now draw near into the holiest of all, by the blood of Jesus and through the veil of His flesh (ch. 10:19, 20). No veil exists now between God and men. God is Light—He has revealed from heaven His wrath against all ungodliness (Rom. 1:1818For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:18)); God is Light—" If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." (1 John 1:66If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (1 John 1:6).)
Let the true Christian, the partaker of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of his Christian profession—Jesus.
He has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
He lives to die no more.
He is in heaven, in the presence of God for us.
He alone is our High Priest.
He ever lives to make intercession for us.
He is our Advocate, our Comforter with the Father.
THE MAKING OF PRIESTS.
The priests of Israel were such by succession. No man was able to make another a priest. Priests were priests by birth; they derived their honor from their parentage. God selected the tribe of Levi for the office of priesthood and the teaching of the law, and none but Levites were able to fulfill the priests' office. God chose the tribe of Judah and the house of Jesse for the royal dignity, and none but a son of David could be king. God called whom He would, from what tribe He pleased, for the prophet's work. It is evident a prophet was not, and could not be, a prophet by succession, but whether prophet, priest, or king, men were such by the work and plan of God.
God has His own way in our Christian day for the making of priests, and no man can make another a priest to God, or a priest of God. God has only one way of making priests in our day, and there is no conception in the Scriptures of anything of the kind approaching to a Christian making anyone a priest. Only One makes priests to God, and that One is our Great High Priest—Jesus.
Jesus first washes sinners from their sins in His own blood, and then makes such as He has thus washed, kings and priests to God His Father. "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 1:5, 65And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5‑6).) This high honor is common to all true Christians. It follows the grace which cleanses. It is impossible for a man who is a Christian not to be a priest to God; it is impossible for a man to be a priest to God unless he is washed from his sins by the Lord Jesus Christ, who thus washes in His own blood.
God's priests are "an holy priesthood" and "a royal priesthood"; they are chosen to fulfill a gracious service—” to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ," and to show forth His praises who " called them out of darkness into His marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:5-95Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:5‑9)). Unlike the earthly priests of Jehovah they obtain not their honor by natural birthright, but they are born of God; unlike the earthly priests of Jehovah they are not so by being of the family of Aaron, but they are made priests by God's great High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ.
Men may make their fellow men priests of this or that church on earth, but men cannot make men priests to God. Priests so made are usually designated priests of a church which has a name of earth attached to it. The priests made by Christ are never in scripture termed priests of a church at all, but they are priests to God the Father.
KEY TO ENIGMA
10. Nun ... Joshua
13. Herodion ... Rom. 16
20. Ophir ... 1 Kings 10
“SHE HATH DONE WHAT SHE COULD."