MELCHIZEDEK AND ABRAHAM.
Hebrews 7: 4-10 Now consider how great this man was, to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils. And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest's office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham: But he, whose genealogy is not counted from them, has taken tithes of Abraham, and has blessed him that had the promises. But without any dispute the lesser is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes has paid tithes; For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
The continuation of the FIFTH SECTION
Hebrews 7: 1-28.
The New Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek.
AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS
BY THE REV. ANDREW MURRAY
September 1894.
Now consider how great this man was. If we rightly apprehend the greatness of Melchizedek, it will help us to understand the greatness of Christ, our great High Priest. The Hebrews gloried in Abraham, as the father of the chosen people; in Aaron, who as high priest was the representative of God and His worship; in the Law as given from Heaven, in token of God's covenant with His people. In all these respects the superiority of Melchizedek is proved. He is more than Abraham (4-10), more than Aaron (11-14), more than the Law (11-19).
Melchizedek is more than Abraham; of this a double proof is given. Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek; Melchizedek blessed Abraham. According to the Law the priests received tithes from their brethren, but here a stranger receives them from the father of the whole people. There is more; in Israel men who die receive tithes; but here one of whom it is witnessed that He liveth, who abides continually. And in Abraham, even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes. All was so ordered of God as a hidden prophecy, to be unfolded in due time, of the greatness of Christ our High Priest. Consider how great this man was.
There is a second proof of his greatness; Melchizedek blessed Abraham. But without any dispute the lesser is blessed of the better. Abraham had already been blessed of God Himself (Gen. 12: 2). He here accepts a blessing from Melchizedek, acknowledging his own inferiority, unconsciously subordinating himself and the whole priesthood that was to come from him, to this priest of the Most High God.(Without record of parents or of death and burial but this we know of him, he was a gentile as, he was not in the line of Abraham, second that he was NOT of Aaron's priesthood or descendents and this third fact he was a priest of the Most High God an accepted title for a gentile who know God and walked in God's righteousness. Emphasis added)
The unfolding of this Divinely-ordained type not only reveals the Superiority of Christ to the Levitical priesthood, but sets before us most suggestively two of the characteristics of our relation to Christ as Priest. We receive Blessing from Him; He receives tithes from us.
Christ comes to bring us God's Blessing. We have seen in chapter 6: 14 what God's Blessing is. It is in Christ that the Blessing is confirmed and imparted. And if we would know fully what the Blessing is Christ brings us, we have only to think of the priestly blessing in Israel.
On this wise you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them,
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee;
The LORD make His face to shine upon thee, and be
gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give
thee peace.
These are indeed the Spiritual Blessings in the Heavenlies with which God has Blessed us in Christ and which, as High Priest, Christ dispenses. He brings us to the Father, and we learn to know that He Blesses and keeps us. In Him, the Son, God's face shines upon us, and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is our portion. In Him God lifts up His countenance upon us, and, by the Holy Spirit, gives His Peace to our hearts. Christ the High Priest makes every part of this Blessing a Divine reality, a Living experience in the power of a Life that abides continually.
Christ gives us the Blessing, we give Him the tithes. The tithes to God are our acknowledgment of His Right to all that we are, this body. Our High Priest has a Right to the surrender of all we have, as belonging to Him, to the willing sacrifice of all He asks or needs for His service. The connection between the tithes and the Blessing is closer than we know. The more unreservedly we place all that we have at His disposal, the more we in very deed forsake all for His sake, the richer will our experience be of the fulness and the power which our High Priest can Bless.
Without dispute the lesser is blessed of the better. This is the true relation. The more we know of that better name which Jesus has received, and have our hearts filled with His Glory, the lower we shall bow, the less we shall become in our own eyes; and thereby the fitter and the more willing to be blessed. And the more ready, too, to render Him not only the tithes, but the whole of all we are and possess. As in our spiritual life this twofold relation to our Great High Priest is maintained, and a deep faith and dependency on His Divine fulness of Blessing is cultivated, along with an absolute surrender to His disposal and service, the mighty power of His Priesthood will be revealed in our hearts. And we shall see with ever-increasing clearness that the two dispositions, faith in Him who Blesses and consecration to His service, have their root in the one cardinal virtue of humility, making us ever less and less in our own eyes, until we sink into that nothingness, and bankruptcy, which is the death to self, and makes room for Him to be All. Then the word will be fulfilled in us in a new meaning: Without dispute the lesser is Blessed of the better.
1. Melchizedek blessed Abraham. The work of your High Priest, my soul, is simply blessing. Learn to think this of Jesus, and seek to have a great confidence that He delights to Bless. He is nothing but a fountain of Blessing; rejoice greatly in this and Trust Him for it.
2. Remember that the all-comprehensive Blessing of your Melchizedek in Heaven is--- the Holy Spirit from Heaven in your heart. As it is written: "Christ Redeemed us, that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon us, in Jesus Christ; that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through faith." The Holy Spirit "abiding continually" in the heart is the High-Priestly Blessing.
3. This day He comes to meet you, as you returned from the battle weary and faint. Bow before Him, and let Him Bless you! "Even as the Holy Ghost said, To-day." Believe that Jesus is all to you.
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