The apostle, being now on the ground of priesthood, shows the excellency of the Melchizedec priesthood of Christ, and uses it to bring back these Hebrews from that which was after the “carnal commandment to that which was “after the power of an endless life.”
The order of the priesthood is according to Melchizedec, but after the analogy of Aaron—not yet come out from the holiest. Arguments are drawn from Scripture to show that this priesthood is far more excellent than that of Aaron. One point of importance is its being another— “after the similitude of Melchizedec there ariseth another priest:” that implied the setting aside of the other. Directly the Aaronic priesthood is gone, the whole system connected with it is gone; for that was the keystone. According to their own Scriptures, there was to be another, and now that is come. And wherever Christ is concerned the Spirit immediately bursts into all the beauty and excellency of it.
Gen. 14 and Psa. 110 These scriptures bring us greatly into the history of Melchizedec. They are all we have about him, showing us the mystery of his person and glory. The people, when Christ was on earth, could not understand His being David's Son and David's Lord. In Psa. 110:44The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4), it is Jehovah, and not in ver. 7. “He shall drink of the brook in the way” —in humbling Himself He shall have His head lifted up.
The history of Abraham is remarkably interesting in Gen. 14—his having entirely done with the world, while Lot, in a selfish way, liked the world, and chose the world when he was a believer. Abraham does not this: he gives up the world in the power of faith. Lot was under the world: Abraham had complete power over the world because he had given it up. He would not take from a thread to a shoe-latchet. And then God says, “I am thy shield,” &c. He had God. Giving up the world, he had victory over it, and has God for his shield.
It is after this that Melchizedec comes out to meet him. In the future day this will be seen in Christ coming out to His people; it applies to ourselves in a heavenly way now. “Priest of the most High God.” In that word, all the peculiar character of Melchizedec comes out. Abraham had overcome by faith—He knew God by faith. Now He is made known to him as “possessor of heaven and earth.” The Gentile powers broken, God rules and does what He pleases; and Nebuchadnezzar gives Him the title of “Most High God.” He takes to Himself His great power and reigns as Most High. This is not the name known to Abraham's faith; that was Shaddai. Abraham was called to walk before God, and he suffered no man to do him wrong in going through the world. Jehovah, the one true God, brought His people into relationship with Himself—all the rest were false Gods. We have the relationship of Father in contrast with these; but all these names are for faith to own. Most High is another thing; Possessor; Col. 1. “to reconcile all things to Himself;” and Eph. 1. “to gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth.” He will be the possessor of heaven and earth; Melchizedec-priest, in this character of priest of the Most High, He has gained the full victory over the power of the world. The Heir of Promise is the great victor. Psa. 91 He who has got the secret of who this Most High is, (never the Father's name in Hebrews; it is the “throne of grace” spoken of) shall have the blessings of Abraham's God. So Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:3333Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? (2 Kings 18:33)) taunted by the enemy, “hath any of the gods of the nations delivered out of my hand,” Psa. 91:22I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. (Psalm 91:2). I will have the Jehovah the God of Israel, now despised, but He will overcome amidst the gods of the nations, (ver. 9.) No secret now in His name. (Luke 4:11, 1211And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 12And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. (Luke 4:11‑12).) And He says, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Tempting God—trying whether He is as good as His word—to see whether it is true. Thou shalt not put God to the test, (ver. 9.) The knowledge of the Most High as Jehovah, is Israel's God. When Christ has taken This real power, He will be Melchizedec-priest: at least He will be Priest on His throne. The counsel of peace, as regards this earth is between Jehovah and this Priest on His throne— “righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Aaron was never a king.
Melchizedec brought bread and wine after the victory. There is no thought of a sacrifice to secure blessing while living a life of faith; but he brings forth refreshment for the victor, bread and wine, eucharistic, accompanied with thanksgiving; bread, the symbol of that which strengthens, and wine, of that which refreshes the heart of man. The people on earth are fully brought into blessing. Melchizedec blessed the Most High God on the part of Abraham, and blessed Abraham on the part of God.
The earthly priesthood takes the character of joy and gladness on the victory being obtained. Melchizedec was king of Salem, and king of righteousness. This says nothing about divine righteousness; it is righteousness established. He rules according to it—righteousness looking down from heaven—righteousness in His person, and mercy shown to those who do not deserve it. “A king shall reign in righteousness.” “A man shall be as an hiding-place, and a covert from the tempest,” “righteousness and peace have kissed each other;” righteousness is the character of the rule, and the effect of it peace. We have it now in a higher way, a divine way. We have it in our souls; but it is to be on earth, in Melchizedec, king of righteousness and king of peace. In Psalm 110 Christ is sitting at God's right hand, and we connected with Him during the time he is sitting there— “until” his enemies are made His footstool. His people will be willing in the day of His power—we, through grace, are made willing now, (ver. 3.) “Thou hast the dew of thy youth;” all the new generations of Israel when the fresh blessing comes in on the earth (a figure, of course). he will come in power, and rule over His enemies—He will judge the heathen. “He shall drink of the brook in the way,” i.e., willing to get the refreshment by the way, being perfectly dependent. “I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me;” and this is rewarded with exaltation. Looked at as to His title, it is after the power of an endless life; but not exercised according to that yet. When “righteousness and peace have kissed etch other,” it will be. It was necessary that the atonement should have been made. The Jews had rejected promise just the sane as law, and now they must come freely, through His grace, like any poor sinner.
But there is more as to dispensation; there is the question of the new covenant. We have to see what our part is in this; the new makes the other old. That old covenant was made at Sinai: it was addressed to man in the flesh, making a claim upon him. The new covenant is on the ground of the law being put into the heart, and forgiveness given. The new covenant was made with Israel and Judah. Have we nothing to do with it? I do not say that. His blood has been shed. “This is my blood of the new covenant shed for many.” All that God had to do to bring the Jews in was done: their bringing in is suspended because of unbelief. Then what do we get He was minister of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of His spirit. We have the law in our hearts, and forgiveness. We have all the blessing's of the, new covenant—God's part all thoroughly laid. We have Christ in whose heart the law was hid; not the letter—that was made with Israel and Judah, though they are now outside. Then another thing: I am one with the Mediator of the new covenant. I am as part of the Church—a member of His body, (that is not brought out here,) but while He is gone in—not seen in the Aaron character—I am associated with Him. He has shed the blood on which it is all founded. He is gone to make good that part which is in heaven, and meanwhile I am connected with Him. I have the effect of the blood. He is there on the throne, a proof of its being accepted. He is the forerunner into the glory I am going into. He is a priest forever, while I am here in infirmity. He is a priest different to those priests who died, “after the power of an endless life.” While He sits waiting till His enemies are made His footstool, He has done everything for His friends, and has sent down the Holy Ghost to associate us with Him in heaven, and to maintain us in communion till He comes out. There is no figure of the temple used here: it is all the tabernacle in the wilderness. He who is High Priest after the order of Melchisedec is gone in. There was provided some better thing for us, and we get this heavenly association with Him.
In Heb. 7. the superiority of this priesthood is shown. (Ver. 3) “Continually,” that is one great thing for us, and that is insisted on much. The constancy of our position comes out in the 9th and 10th chapters. The meaning of it is, without any interruption, not only forever. Aaron's priesthood could be broken up—pass from one man to another, but this is all transmissible priesthood. It has the stamp of eternity on it in its very nature; so the value of His blood is for, perpetually—that is the force. What do we find in the state of souls generally now? Is their peace continuous? or are they, when conscious of failure, wanting to be sprinkled again? The Jew wanted a sacrifice for every sin; but with us there is one sacrifice uninterrupted in its efficacy—not broken in upon. The priesthood goes on continuously. We fail, and there is the Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. It is after the power of an endless life—not like Aaron's —not in the temple—but in the “true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Always there, untransmissibly, “to the uttermost,” right through. “He ever liveth to make intercession.”
Melchizedec was a man, no doubt, like any other—a mysterious personage, appearing on the scene without an origin known. Whose son was he? All kinds of suppositions without any conclusion. Why? Because Scripture leaves us in the dark. As a priest, Christ was without genealogy—not as a man. His mother is known. Again, He was not to be cast off at a certain age, as those priests were. He continueth ever. “Made like unto the Son of God” —only as a priest. Royalty is connected with the priesthood. Abraham paying tithes to Melchizedec is another important point. God had given them Aaronic priesthood, promises, &c.; but there was something greater, something behind, which was above and beyond all this. Levi paid tithes to Abraham, showing the superiority of Melchizedec to Levi. (Ver. 12-11.) They must give it all up as applying to Aaron.
-Ver. 18 20 give the secret of the whole thing. There was the disannulling of what went before, because not perfect, and the bringing in of a better hope. “Did” is better left out. What is the result of that? We draw nigh to God. (Ver. 19.) Did the Jews do this? Did the priests do it? No. “Now we see not yet all things put under him;” but we have a better thing; “we draw nigh to God.”
Perfect atonement has been made—the veil is rent—the High Priest in heaven; and when He comes forth, we shall come with Him.
There is a time for Melchizedec Himself when he shall come in glory. To be sitting on God's own throne is the highest thing. Now He is sitting on God's right hand in all the fullness and brightness of His glory; and while there, we get all our associations with Him—dead with him, &c. And when He appears, we shall appear with Him. We may take it as to our union and our association with Him in priesthood, He is the High Priest, and we are priests, The Holy Ghost, being sent down, associates. us with Him, while He is in heaven. We could not receive the holy Ghost until Jesus was glorified. Then having perfect righteousness, we are seated in Him.
Ver. 25. “He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him.” We do not come to Him, (the Priest,) but He goes to God for us, and we go to God by Him. As Lord, we came to Him; but as Priest, not. He intercedes, and brings us back when we have failed. He is watching always—thinking of us when we are not thinking of Him.
Ver. 26. “For such an high priest became us,” &c. Why this? It became us! The Jews had worship on earth; we go higher than the heavens. Our priest is there, on the right hand of God. That stamps the character of our worship. “Higher than the heavens” is the place of our worship. In The fullest sense he sanctified Himself (John 17) when He went up on high. Instead of a priest joined with us in the place of sin or its consequences (which could not be. He was, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, but bore the sin on the cross). He is taking our hearts out of the present world to the scene where He is. The thing that fitted Christ for the exercise of His priesthood is, that He could take me where sin is not. He has Put it away. It was not put away under the Jewish service; but that is not the character of our relationship with God. We are dead—dead to sin; you cannot connect it with your place on earth. He is gone “higher than the heavens.” We have no other connection with God than that in Christ, out of the flesh (not physically of course, we have the treasure in earthen vessels Christ made “higher than the heavens,” “being us.” There is a great deal in the world that is undermining this. Men say we are not dead to sin, and are associating themselves, not dead, with Christ. It is all false. If not dead, I have no associations with Christ at all. The veil is rent, sin is put away in the flesh is condemned—we are dead. I see more and more daily of the danger and conflict there is in connection with this, and the effort to bring our association with Christ down to flesh. He is risen. We have association with Christ in heaven. Our citizenship is there. Most blessed comfort for us it is, that all I have to go through here, Christ has gone through. He passed through all, “tempted like as we are, without sin.” He ever liveth to make intercession for us,” while our hearts are associated with Him through the power of the Holy Ghost.