Hebrews 5-7 PRIESTS AND MELCHIZEDEK
It has been a joy to me learning more about the typology in Christian Theology. This week as I go through with my Bible reading in the Book of Hebrews, God has taught me another amazing relationship of the OT to the NT.
In chapters 5-7 in the Book of Hebrews, Jesus' superiority is being thoroughly examined and compared with Israel's Priests that come from the line of Aaron. Their role was to present Israel before God and to offer sacrifices that atoned for the sins.
But the author then points out that even the priest were morally blemished people and that something more was needed. And he then states that Jesus was that something more. Jesus is the Great High Priest.
But Jesus did not come from the line of Aaron, instead he came "in the order of Melchizedek the Priest". Melchizedek is a peculiar bible character that appears in only two places in the OT: Genesis 14 and Psalm 110. A Gentile who worshiped the true God.
Notwithstanding being a priest, he was also a king- a king of Salem. His name signifies "king of righteousness", then also, "king of Salem" signifies "king of peace". In Jewish tradition, a ruler couldn't be a minister, the Jews would not have allowed such dual office-holding. But such is the greatness and the spiritual power of this man, however he isn't a Jew, and knew nothing about the temple and the Old Testament, Abraham himself is dazzled by him. Melchizedek demonstrated the kind of leadership that Christ was to bring. He was both a priest and a king.
Psalm 110 provides a string among Old and New Testaments. It implies that the Messiah would be greater than David, while being David's descendant. And by tracing the Messiah's origin to Melchizedek, it built up his credibility and standing as both priest and king.
Not only that Jesus is our High Priest, He is also our King of Righteousness and Peace.
In Him and through Him, we are made righteous in the eyes of God. And in Him, can we have a legit peace, a peace that rises above all earthly comprehension.