"THE HOLIEST OF ALL" part LII

MELCHIZEDEK MORE THAN AARON AND THE LAW.
Hebrews 7: 11-14  Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under had the people received the law and the Law of Moses), what further need was there that another priest should be raised after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity also a change of the Law. For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no man had given attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord has sprung from Judah; as to which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

A 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

When God, in Psalm 110, spoke with an Oath of a Priest after the order of Melchizedek, it was a prophecy of deep Spiritual meaning. Why should the order of Aaron, whom God Himself had called, whose work took such a large place in the purpose of God and of Scripture (the physical external world or the earthy), be passed over for the order of another, of whom we knew nothing save one single act? What need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron? The answer is, Because the order of Aaron was only the figure of the work of Jesus upon earth (in His Ministry to Israel only during His first visitation His earthy or physical reality as the son of man in the flesh of man ); for His Eternal and Almighty Priesthood in Heaven something more was needed.

Let us see and grasp this. Aaron's work was the shadow of Christ's work upon earth, of sacrifice and blood-shedding, of atonement and reconciliation with God. Aaron entered indeed within the veil with the blood, in token of God's acceptance of the atonement and for the people. But he might not tarry there; he had to come out again at once. His entering only once a year, and that only for a few moments, served mostly, as we see in chapter 9: 7, 8, to teach the people that the Way into the Holiest was not yet opened; that for this they would have to wait till another dispensation came. Of a life in the Holiest of All, of a dwelling in God's presence, and fellowship (in the intimacy that Adam had before he disobeyed the command spoken to him Genesis 2: 16-17) with Him there, of a communication to the people of the power of a Life within the veil,--- of all this there was no thought. The Glory of Christ's Priesthood consists in His rending the veil (Psalm 97: 2; Lamentations 3: 44; Isaiah 44: 22; 55: 7-9) and entering in for us: of His sitting at the right hand of God to receive and impart the Spirit of God and the powers of the Heavenly Life; of His being able to bring us in, that we too may draw nigh to God; of His maintenance in us of the Life of Heaven by His unceasing Intercession and Ministry in the power and the Authority of an Endless Life; of all this the ministry of Aaron could afford no promise (It is helpless to bring change in man).

It was in all this that Melchizedek was made like unto the Son of God. As Priest of the Most High God, he was also king, clothed with honor and power. As such his blessing was in power. And as one, of whose death and the end of whose priesthood Scripture mentions nothing, and who abides continually, he is the image of the Eternal Priesthood, which is Ministered in Heaven, in Eternity, in the Authority and power of an Endless Life.

The Revelation of the Mystery and the Glory of the Melchizedek Priesthood of our Lord Jesus is the great object of the Epistle. And I cannot urge my reader too earnestly to see that he enters fully into the infinite difference between the two orders or ministries of Aaron and Melchizedek. The apparently simple question, What need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek? Has more to do with our Spiritual Life than we think.

In the opening verses of our Epistle we found the work of Christ divided into two parts. When He had effected the cleansing of sins (that was after the order of Aaron), He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High (that was after the order of Melchizedek). There are too many Christians who see in Christ only the fulfillment of what Aaron typified. Christ's death and Blood are very precious to them; they do seek to rest their faith upon them. And yet they wonder that they have so little of the peace and joy, of the purity and power which the Savior gives, and which faith in Him ought to bring. The reason is simple, because Christ is only their Aaron, not their Melchizedek. They do indeed believe that He is ascended to heaven, and sits upon the Throne of God; but they have not seen the direct connection of this with their daily Spiritual Life. They do not count upon Jesus working in them in the Authority with its accompanying power of the Heavenly Life, and imparting it to them. They do not know their Heavenly calling, with the all-sufficient provision for its fulfillment in them Secured in the Heavenly Life of their Priest-King. And, as a consequence of this, they do not see the need for giving up of self-will and the world, to have their Life and walk in Heaven. (Many know nothing of a spiritual life or a truly Spiritual Life where the risen essence of the Spirit Christ Jesus is the Life giving force within them, this is the intimacy or fellowship with Him and is what the New Covenant of Grace is all about.)

The work of our redemption was accomplished on earth in weakness (2 Cor. 13: 4); it is communicated from Heaven in resurrection and ascension power. The cross proclaims the pardon of sin; the Throne gives the power over sin. The cross, with its blood-sprinkling, is the deliverance from Egypt; the Throne, with its Living Priest-King, brings into the Rest of God and its Victory. With Aaron there is nothing beyond atonement and acceptance; nothing of kingly rule and power; it is with Melchizedek that the fulness of power and Blessing comes, the Blessing that abideth continually. It is as the soul no longer ever again seeks the foundation, but resting on it and it alone, is Built up into Christ Jesus, the perfected and exalted One, that it will be delivered from its feebleness, bankruptcy and Know the power of the Heavenly Life. The more we consider and adore (fear) our Blessed King-Priest, our Melchizedek, the stronger will our conscience and confidence become that from His Throne in Heaven He will, in Divine power, Himself apply to us all the Blessed Fruits of His atonement, and make a Life in God's presence and nearness our daily experience.

1. When He had effected the cleansing of our sins--- God be praised for our Aaron! Glory be to the Lamb that was slain--- He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High! God be praised for our Melchizedek! Glory to the Lamb in the midst of the Throne! The Holiest is now opened, with our great High Priest to bring us in and keep us there.
2. The effecting the cleansing of sins by Jesus preceded the sitting on the Throne. But the application in us in power follows. This is the reason why we are here first taught about the High Priest in Heaven, then in chapter 8 about the Heavenly Sanctuary, and after that in chapter 9 about the power of the blood in Heaven, and from Heaven in us. It is only in the Knowledge of Jesus in Heaven we shall know the full power of the cleansing blood.
3. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a Heavenly calling, consider Jesus on the Throne in Heaven! The worship and the fellowship of a Heavenly Christ makes Heavenly Christians.