Hebrews 7:11-28 — Jesus Like Melchizedek
Thoughts about serving others
This link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.
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Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
If we recognize there is a Creator God and if we can imagine he wants an eternal relationship with that which he created, we must be curious to know how this can be attained. As we struggle with this concept, it becomes clear that we have a decision before us, a decision that is black and white, no in between state: we either believe in God or we don’t. If we do, then we are next faced with the question of who God is and we find the answer is consistently presented in this collection of books we call the Bible. As we read an understand more of the history, we see a pattern and must be convicted that we are not worthy and we are not alone in this condition. This is the audience for which the book of Hebrews is written, those who are truly seeking to understand, who want to have the story explained to them. The end of the story is Jesus Christ, the one who sacrificed himself once for all. The one who is not of a traditional line of priests from the tribe of Levi, the Order of Aaron, but one who is and was from eternity, from the Order of Melchizedek.
The author of Hebrews makes the case for Christ for those who recognize the need: “a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:19). This better hope is needed because the law (lists of lists) cannot produce holiness, only through Christ can this be fully achieved.
“Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant” (7:22)
“he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
‘The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever”‘” (7:21)
“Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people” (7:27a), common knowledge to those in the day and something we know about because of Leviticus. Here’s the key concept to wrap our minds (and hearts) around: “He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself” (7:27).
The evidence becomes clear for those truly seeking. Lord help us to present your case in a manner worthy of your grace.