Good Friday, March 30, 2018
Hebrews 6:19-20 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:1-3 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.
HE SERVES AS YOUR PRIEST FOREVER
There is one more brushstroke we might add to the portrait which the holy writer paints of Jesus our High Priest. If our hope in Him was strong--and yet only for a while--it still wouldn't be very precious. So, another important truth the author of Hebrews presents to us is that Jesus' work as our High Priest is lasting. "[He] has become our priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
Melchizedek was a mysterious figure of the Old Testament. He appears seemingly out of nowhere in the days of the patriarch Abraham. In Genesis 14 we read the story of how five kings attacked and plundered Sodom and Gomorrah, and kidnapped Abraham's nephew Lot. When Abraham heard about it, he put together a fighting force of 318 trained servants, chased down the five kings, and rescued Lot. On the way home from his defeat of the five kings, Abraham was met on the road by Melchizedek who brought out bread and wine, and gave to Abraham a blessing.
Melchizedek was "the king of Salem" (king of peace) and "the priest of the Most High God" (Genesis 14:18). His name means "king of righteousness." The Holy Spirit saw fit to use Melchizedek as a prototype or picture of Jesus, our Prince of Peace, the Lord our Righteousness. And since there is no record in the Bible of Melchizedek's birth or death and no information about his family history, the Holy Spirit also chose to use Melchizedek to picture for us the blessed truth that the priesthood of our Savior--His pleading for us before God's throne--is not only for a while, but permanent!
Praise Jesus your High Priest who made atonement for your sins by His precious blood. Praise Him because He has made your life secure now and you will be secure in Him then, on the Day of His return. Keep your eyes fixed on Him who endured the cross to make you His safe in His care forever.
Jesus, my great High Priest, Offered His blood and died;
My guilty conscience seeks No sacrifice beside.
His powerful blood did once atone, And now it pleads before the throne.
My Advocate appears For my defense on high;
A gracious Father hears And lays His thunder by.
Not all that hell or sin can say Shall turn His heart, His love, away.
(Christian Worship, 359:1, 3)
