Here is a little post on Melchizedec. Its is a little lengthy, but I pray that those who read will gain a little insight into the Omnipresence of God. PIERCING THE VEIL MELCHISEDEC Hebrews 5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. And, who is this Melchisedec? He seems to have appeared out of nowhere. Of course, the scriptures indicate he is from Salem, which means peace, but is considered to be Jerusalem by most scholars. In Rabbinic text, in the Midrash text, in the Zohar, and the Dead Sea Scrolls, along with Josephus, and the 2nd book of Enoch, the writers have tried to make this Melchisedec a man like other men of earthly origin. However, Hebrews 7:3 proclaims that this Melchisedec is without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days or end of life, made like unto the Son of God. Without question, he is NOT born out of Adam’s seed, for Adam had a beginning. And, he had to be without sin, for Adam was a sinner who brought judgment on the whole earth. But, this man was without sin having no earthly father. David said, I have been shapen in iniquity from my mother’s womb. This is the same state of all men after the flesh. This man, Melchisedec, is without descent having no beginning or end of life after the carnal man. There is only one who is from the eons to the eons of an infinitesimal life, and that can only be God himself. What a grand appearance to Abraham to be visited by this awesome presence and incarnation of this great High Priest, who is introduced as the king of Salem (Genesis 14:18), and priest of El Elyon meaning God most high. No one in this present day could imagine the awesomeness of being approached by a King/Priest in all of his regal array, and having the power of a King in all his authority, and the compassion of a High Priest in his office of supreme intercession. I lose my breath just thinking of just such a visitation. Some believe that this appearance of Melchisedec is a Theophany, meaning appearance of God, and refers to the appearance of a deity to a human or other being. This term has been used to refer to appearances of the gods in the ancient Greek and Near Eastern religions. While the Iliad is the earliest source for descriptions of theophanies in the Classical tradition (and they occur throughout Greek mythology), probably the earliest description of a theophany is in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The term theophany has acquired a specific usage for Christians and Jews with respect to the Bible: It refers to the manifestation of God to man; the sensible sign by which the presence of God is revealed. Only a small number of theophanies are found in the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament. The difference here in this account of Abraham and the Greek descriptions is that this is not a myth, but an actual occurrence of God’s intercourse with man. Obviously, this encounter has a wide reaching impact on mankind. And, of course, it does. Others believe through traditional Evangelical Christian denominations, following Luther, that they teach that Melchizedek was a historical figure and an archetype of Christ. Tremper Longman notes that a popular understanding of the relationship between Melchizedek and Jesus is that Melchizedek is an Old Testament Christophany - in other words, that Melchizedek is Jesus. Others, noting Hebrews 7 which informs that Melchizedek was without father, without mother, without genealogy agree that Melchizedek could not be Jesus and instead identify him as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Of course, those who do not know that Christ is the incarnation of the Father and that they along with the Holy Spirit are the mystery of the Godhead itself. They are all one. So, it should not be a stretch for one to understand that Christ either as a Theophany or a Christophany is one and the same. Hebrews 7:2-3 says, first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. So the age old question is answered, this Melchisedec is made like unto the Son of God. Did not Christ come in the flesh? When asked by Philip to show him the Father, Christ said, “Philip, have you been so long time with me that you do not understand. If you have seen me, you have seen the Father? “ This Melchisidec had several attributes to name a few. First, he was called King of Salem which means King of Peace. Since Salem is also known as Jerusalem, we know that this encounter is in the same place as Salem also known as Jerusalem also known as the City of God also known as Mount Zion, David’s holy city. What is not known is that Jerusalem did not exist as that name at that time. That city was known as Salem, so this Melchisedec is known as the King of Salem. The spiritual overtones is that God is not talking about an earthly city, but a heavenly city, particularly the Jerusalem which is above. Paul writes about this city in Galatians 4:26, But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. Secondly, he was Priest of the Most High God. This man was not just a priest who tended the daily sacrifices, cleaned out the ash pots, replenished the daily bread, filled the candle stick with oil, or even went behind the veil into the Holy of Holies as a son of Levi with the blood of goats and bulls and sheep to stand in front of the Ark as a High Priest for the nation of Israel. These sins were only covered to be remembered again the next year, and to go through the same carnal ritual of sacrificing animals over and over. No! This man entered into the Holy Presence of God himself in heaven with his own blood to make intercession once and only once for the sins of the whole world. These sins would never be remembered again. Thirdly, He was the King of righteousness. Righteousness is the inherent attribute of a Holy God. Righteousness with him is not something He has to attain to. The essence of His being is pure, and He is one of right standing at all times. His innate character is righteous, holy, pure, and perfect in all his ways. He makes judgments, and His judgments are perfect every time. He never has to go back later knowing more facts and changes his righteous judgments. He ONLY can impute and impart righteousness to sinful man as His nature is righteous. Mankind cannot attain to righteousness on his own. God is the standard of righteousness for all to measure up to. In Revelation 19:11, And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. When God makes war, he does so in true judgment and pure righteousness. The anti-christ spirit in men is deemed the enemy of the soul, and he comes with his two edged sword and destroys the arch enemy of Christ. The vessels that come forth are holy, pure, just and righteous Sons of God who are able to subdue the earth and its inhabitants in righteousness. Fourthly, He is the King of Peace. At Christ’s birth, the angels came and declared, “Peace on Earth and goodwill to all men.” His birth ushered in a state of national tranquility upon all of God’s creation in every continent and every nation on earth. This simply means that mankind is exempt from the rage and havoc of war bringing peace between individuals with harmony, concord, security, safety, and prosperity. He is the King of Peace or more particularly, it is the Messiah’s peace or the way that leads to salvation. As Christians, it is the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and also content with his earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is. He is our peace in life or in death. His peace is not like the world’s peace, but his peace passes all understanding and keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus no matter what trial, tribulation, chaos, or battles we go through. This is why He is the King of Peace for he rules and reigns in peace in our hearts. Fifthly, He is made like unto the Son of God. Christ in the flesh was the incarnation of the Father. God is a spirit which no man has ever seen. It was the unveiling or revealing of his nature to the world through his appearance as the Son of God and the Son of Man through which mankind could see into the hitherto unknown realm of the Father. God was the word and the word was made flesh. He came unto his own, but his own received him not. No wonder man could not see this great High Priest for they could not see him as the firstborn Son of the Father from heaven. Jesus asked Peter, “whom do men say that I am?” Peter’s answer was one of spiritual impartation. He said, “Oh, thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus said, “flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto you, but my Father in Heaven.” Now we know that the Son of God and this MELCHISEDEC are one and the same. And, how do we know this? By the spirit! This understanding is spiritually imparted. Sixth, He was without father and without mother. What? You say, how can that be? Everybody on planet Earth has a father and mother. Ah, now you understand, He is not of this Earth. Jesus said, “they are not of this world, even as I am not of this world.” Christ is from heaven and He is not born of an earthly father. His father is God and He is born of the Power of the Holy Ghost not of the seed of man. Many believe Mary is the mother of God, but the truth is that Christ was here before the incarnation. Only in the womb of a woman did he come as a Son of Man, but he was here long before that immaculate conception. He was truly without father and without mother. He was only manifested as a man for his short 33 years to reveal the Father to a lost and dying world. Seventh, He was without beginning and He was without end. We measure man’s triumphate entry into the Earth only a little over 6,000 years ago, and we measure by the best of scientific calculations the existence of the Earth itself to be somewhere around 4 billion years or so. If we recognize that God is the creator of Heaven and Earth from the account of Genesis, then we must know that He is much older than that. The question is, how old is he? The scriptures do not give an account of time as to the age of God, but it does say He was without beginning and without end. In other words, God always was and he always will be. He is from the eons of long ago to the eons of the future, and He is infinitesimal in his existence. Time as we know it cannot measure him for he transcends all time. Oh, the magnificence of his presence cannot be compared to mortal man! So, now, what do we know about this High Priest, MELCHISEDEC? We know that Christ was made after his order. Christ came at a fixed time after the order of Melchisedec in fixed succession of rank and character, with his same official dignity to be a merciful High Priest onto God with one hand on the throne and one hand on mankind bringing the two together into one. He did not come after the order of Levi for the priests of Levi all died as well as did the priesthood. But, he came through the tribe of Judah of which nothing was spoken of concerning priesthood to usher in a new order of priesthood after the power of an endless life. In Hebrews 7:17-28, For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect , but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent , Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec, By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever , hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth 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 needeth not daily , as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the peoples: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. Mechisedec, was he Christ? YES! And he was God! And He is our High Priest who forever maketh intercession that he might bring the whole world into a holy relationship with the creator of the universe. I can’t help but feel faint at His Holy Presence.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 23:15:11 +0000
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