Daily Thought

The writer uses what the Genesis record, 14. 17-20, says and does not say of Melchizedek to demonstrate the superiority of his priesthood to that of Aaron. What is not said of him is anything about his birth or death, or his parentage. Birth and parentage were important in Israel, in particular in regard to the genealogy of priests; they had to be born into the family of Aaron. The writer is going to tell of a Priest who was not born into Aaron’s family, just as Melchizedek who pre-dated Aaron. There is no mention of Melchizedek’s death to indicate the continuity of his priesthood, for the High Priest he foreshadowed is high priest for ever. We are told that Melchizedek was a king-priest. His relations with Abraham are described in order to show his superior greatness to Abraham, and ultimately, the superiority of his priesthood to that which derived from Levi, Abraham’s descendant. Abraham, the friend of God, the possessor of the promises, was blessed by Melchizedek, Heb. 7. 6, 7, and gave tithes to him as to a superior, v. 4. Because Levi and his priests derived from Abraham, he by figure paid tithes to Melchizedek. We have already learned that the Lord Jesus is a priest ‘after the order of Melchizedek’, 5. 6, 10; 6. 20. The Aaronic priesthood was not perfect. Priesthood and law went together 7. 11. The ‘law made nothing perfect’, v. 19. The law needed to be changed, and therefore also the priesthood. So Christ, born into Judah, not of Aaron’s family, became priest of a completely different order, a king-priest like Melchizedek. The law, too, must change, no longer based upon carnal ordinances which had no intrinsic value, v. 10, but founded on the power of an endless life. Unlike Levi’s priest, this High Priest was confirmed by an oath, v. 21. He brought in ‘a better hope’ whereby we draw nigh to God. Death terminated Levi’s high priests. Now there is a great High Priest who will not die, and His priesthood is untransferable, inviolable, and His power of saving is complete. No one will ever draw near to God, looking to the Lord Jesus to save, and fail to find Him there, active to intervene and support even in the deepest trouble, and the most dire of circumstances.