DEFINITION OF TERMS (For Serious Students)

COVENANT

LAW

LAW
I. In the Old Testament
II. In the New Testament

GRACE

GRACE, MEANS OF

KINGDOM OF GOD

KINGDOM OF GOD, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
I. In John the Baptist
II. In the teaching of Jesus
III. Kingdom and church
IV. In the rest of the New Testament
V. In theological thought

We know very little about the first priesthood, that of the mysterious figure of Melchizedek. Ironically, he is mentioned more in the New Testament than the Old! It shows that his priesthood is of importance in God's programme. All we know directly about his ministry is covered in but 3 verses of Genesis.

There is considerable speculation about who he might have been, ranging from, in Jewish tradition, Shem the son of Noah to, by many today, a preincarnation of Jesus.

"Melchizedek was a Canaanitish prince, a worshipper of the true God, and in his peculiar history and character an instructive type of our Lord, the great High Priest (Heb. 5:6, 7; 6:20). One of the Amarna tablets (Letters sent to the Egyptian Pharaohs Amenophis III and his son Akhenaten around the middle of the 14th century B.C. The correspondents were kings of Babylonia, Assyria, Hatti and Mitanni, minor kings and rulers of the Near East at that time, and vassals of the Egyptian Empire.) is from Ebed-Tob, king of Jerusalem, the successor of Melchizedek, in which he claims the very attributes and dignity given to Melchizedek in the Epistle to the Hebrews." 1

The ministry of Jesus is linked to that of Melchizedek through the line of David, in the only other Old Testament reference to him.

1 Easton, M. G., M. A. D. D., Easton’s Bible Dictionary, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1996.

His relationship to Jesus in the New Testament is summed up as:

Chapter 7 of Hebrews details the relationship. Easton here summarizes it.

"The typical significance of his history is set forth in detail in the Epistle to the Hebrews, ch. 7. The apostle there points out the superiority of his priesthood to that of Aaron in these several respects,
(1) Even Abraham paid him tithes;
(2) he blessed Abraham;
(3) he is the type of a Priest who lives for ever; `
(4) Levi, yet unborn, paid him tithes in the person of Abraham;
(5) the permanence of his priesthood in Christ implied the abrogation of the Levitical system;
(6) he was made priest not without an oath; and
(7) his priesthood can neither be transmitted nor interrupted by death: “this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.”" 1

One day, all our questions will be answered! But there is no doubt that Melchizedek was the king/priest of the first kingdom age.

During the second kingdom age, the priesthood and kingship functions were separated. Moses and his brother Aaron were from the tribe of Levi, those set aside by God to be his ministers during this period.

Joshua, then the Judges, first fulfilled the administrative role. Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim. The judges came from various tribes and were only recognized by the tribes that appointed them. There was little unity in the nation. So the situation administratively, in a human sense, was confusing. The people asked for a king, which God agreed to, reluctantly. The first king was Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin. King David, from Judah, replaced him. When the Northern and Southern Kingdoms split, the Northern to be known as Israel, with 10 tribes, with Judah comprising of the remaining two, Benjamin and Judah. Most of the Levites also settled in Judah. Therefore the lines of kings and priests were preserved right through until the time of Jesus, their successor. Nothing is by chance in God.

Moses, the prophet, was the Old Testament type of Jesus.

Aaron was to become the spokesman for Moses.

At God's request, Moses instituted Aaron as the High Priest.

And Aaron's sons as Priests - temporarily for two of the four!

But Eleazar, who succeeded his father, reigned as High Priest for 20 years, and Ithamar, continued to serve in the Tabernacle. The family line of the Aaronic Priesthood was established.

By the time of Jesus however, the position had been corrupted and became an annual, politically elected one.

The Aaronic Priesthood was therefore, implicated in sending their successor Jesus, to die upon the Cross! This move backfired when Jesus overcame death. The last vestiges of the Aaronic Priesthood effectively disappeared with the destruction of the Temple in 70AD. Jesus replaced the Temple!

Jesus came as the fulfillment of the 3 offices of prophet, priest and king as confirmed by Easton.

KINGLY OFFICE OF CHRIST — one of the three special relations in which Christ stands to his people. Christ’s office as mediator comprehends three different functions, viz., those of a prophet, priest, and king. These are not three distinct offices, but three functions of the one office of mediator. 1

Jesus, as priest, was the successor to Aaron.

And too, the rightful successor through the line of Melchizedek.

He replaced the Levitical priesthood with a better hope, one of perfection, which the former could never provide.

He was appointed by the Father Himself to bring the new and final covenant available to us who live in the third kingdom age.

He made the one final sacrifice.

He is the mediator of a new covenant, infinitely superior to the previous one the people disobeyed.

A personal covenant, available to all those who will believe, to replace those available firstly, to the patriarchal families, then to the nation of Israel.

He made the ultimate sacrifice of His life, spilling His blood so that our relationship to the Father might be restored.

He died so that we might receive eternal life.

To live in the third kingdom age under the New Covenant is a huge privilege for us. May we not abuse it!

One of the greatest misunderstandings in the church today relates to the definition of success in our walk with Jesus.

There has changed with each kingdom age. The major problem is that we forget which kingdom age we now live in!

Here we have Jesus, with the amazing inheritance of both the Melchizedec and Aaronic Priesthoods, prepared to sacrifice His own life for you and for me! Isn't that incredible? Lord, I am so grateful for what you have done for me! You too?

ANCIENT ROADS

Throughout history ‘the road’ has provided an excellent metaphor for life's journey. With amazement, we can look back over the winding grades of difficulty, the narrow pass of opportunity, the choice between security or adventure, when our road divided and we had to make the call. Roman Road pictured.

Source: http://www.bible-history.com