Abraham (R) y Melquisedec (L). By Juan Antonio de Frías y Escalante, 1633. Source.
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:8-10)
by Brian Shilhavy
The book of Hebrews in the New Testament portion of the Bible conclusively shows the superiority of the New Covenant, instituted by Jesus Christ, compared to the Old Covenant, instituted by Moses and The Law.
The authorship of the book is not stated, but it has historically been attributed to the apostle Paul, the author of many other portions of the New Testament, as the writing style is very similar. There may have been other contributing authors, but it is not a personal letter from Paul written to specific congregations of believers in various locations, like the rest of his writings.
It is written more like a legal brief, to be used by anyone who is a true believer in Jesus Christ, and it completely demolishes the arguments of the unbelieving Jews of Paul’s day, who are generally referred to as “Zionists” today, which include not only the unbelieving Jews, but a major portion of the Christian religions, especially the Evangelical Zionist Christians who are currently running the government of the United States of America.
This article will look at the superiority of the office of “High Priest” that Jesus was appointed to, which preceded the priesthood and office of high priest under the Law of Moses, and his brother Aaron who became the first Jewish high priest, because the priesthood of Jesus Christ is based on a priesthood that existed hundreds of years before Aaron and Moses were even born, and long before the “Jews” ever existed.
Jesus is the current reigning High Priest, and his believers and disciples now make up the “priesthood,” regardless of their ethnicity, earthly citizenship, or any religious affiliation.
The Priesthood of Melchizedek
Paul uses the character of Melchizedek, who is only briefly mentioned in the writings of Moses, in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, to explain this ancient priesthood.
Melchizedek was the king of Salem (later named Jerusalem) during the days of Abraham, and was “priest of God Most High.”
This is recorded in Genesis chapter 14, after Abraham and “318 trained men born in his household” went out to rescue Abraham’s nephew Lot, by defeating the military of four kings who had taken Lot and his family captive at that time.
When he came back from this victorious battle, he meets Melchizedek.
After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:17-20)
This is all we know about this man named Melchizedek from the historical records, which is very important to note as we read what Paul wrote about him thousands of years later, in the book of Hebrews. His race, family line, and everything else about him is unknown based on the written historical records.
There is a lot of speculation about this mystery man, of course, and many Jews historically believed he was actually Shem, one of the three sons of Noah. But that is pure speculation.
He is mentioned one other time in the Old Testament, by King David, in Psalm 110. Here are the entire seven verses of Psalm 110:
Of David. A psalm.
The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies.
Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth.
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. He will drink from a brook beside the way; therefore he will lift up his head. (Psalms 110:1-7)
Paul references this Psalm in describing the priesthood of Melchizedek in Hebrews, but he is not the only one during those days who referenced this Psalm, as Jesus Christ himself also referenced it when he walked this earth in his human body.
It is recorded in Luke chapter 20, when the Jewish leaders tried to trap him in his speech while challenging his authority when he taught in the Temple of Jerusalem:
Then Jesus said to them,
“How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David? David himself declares in the Book of Psalms:
“‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”‘
David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?“
(Luke 20:41-44)
The Jews had no answer to this.
Then on the Day of Pentecost recorded in the book of Acts, Peter also references Psalm 110:
For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”‘
Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:34-36)
We can see clearly in these passages that it was understood that the Jewish King David was prophesying about the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, as being appointed to the priesthood of Melchizedek, a priesthood superior to the Jewish priesthood started by Moses and Aaron.
So with this background, let’s now look at what Paul wrote about the priesthood of Melchizedek in Hebrews chapter 7 and 8.
It is a masterpiece in rhetoric (the art of persuasion and debate), and nothing I write can improve upon it.
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.
Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!
Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, their brothers—even though their brothers are descended from Abraham.
This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.
One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?
For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.
He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.
For it is declared:
“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but 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.'”
Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
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.
He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.
Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.
If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.
They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.
This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle:
“See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.
But God found fault with the people and said:
“The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
(Hebrews chapters 7 & 8)
The New Covenant Priesthood
Besides the office of High Priest, we see many priests who function in various capacities in the society of the First Century when the Bible was written.
As I have frequently written over the years, many of these “priests” functioned much like today’s medical doctors, having the authority to declare one “healed” from specific diseases.
When Jesus healed people, he was doing it outside of the Law of Moses, which only allowed priests from the line of Aaron to declare people “healed.”
This is why early in Jesus’s ministry, he often told the people he healed NOT to tell others who healed them, but to go directly to the Jewish priests so they could take credit for it.
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees,
“If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.
“I am willing,” he said.
“Be clean!“
Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:
“See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news.
As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. (Mark 1:40-45)
To learn more about this, see this article I wrote over 10 years ago:
When Jesus’s disciples also began to heal people under his authority as recorded in the book of Acts, many of the Jewish priests became believers in Jesus as the Messiah:
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7)
There were also non-Jewish priests who served in pagan temples offering healing services, and we encounter one of them in the book of Acts after Paul and Barnabas healed a crippled man:
In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.
He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out,
“Stand up on your feet!”
At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language,
“The gods have come down to us in human form!”
Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.
The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:
“Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.”
(Acts 14:8-15)
This is the true “priesthood” of believers, as we serve our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, who is a High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
We have the authority of Jesus Christ to actually heal people, not the corrupt medical system and their modern-day priests called “doctors,” who are trained to only manage disease and create life-long consumers of their products of witchcraft, pharmakeia – “medicines”, in the Satanic medical system.
Here’s what Peter wrote about our priesthood in the superior New Covenant:
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:4-9)
The false believers among the Zionist Jews and Christians who today claim that THEY are the “chosen ones” with special privileges while continuing to quote passages from the Old Testament/Covenant, are servants of Satan and part of the brotherhood of Satan.
They neither know nor serve the true High Priest today, Jesus Christ. See:
Suffering from Persecution Leads to Perfection
Let me conclude this article with one very important point that we dare not ignore, as it is key to distinguishing between those who serve Satan and those who serve Jesus Christ: the path to salvation and perfection is a path of suffering while we remain in our human bodies.
This is what Paul wrote in Hebrews chapter 5:
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:8-10)
Once you understand this as you go through your own suffering for standing for the Truth, then you will understand how the early believers in the New Testament actually rejoiced when they suffered for Jesus Christ, joining his own sufferings.
They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. (Acts 5:40-41)
God will not always rescue you from suffering and persecution, but he will be there with you through it all, providing comfort.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
If you are one of the true “chosen ones”, then you were put on this earth to do battle with Satan, and NOT to live a “good life” or seek “the American dream,” because those kinds of days await us in the future, in the Kingdom of God, after the battle is finished.
In the meantime, for those of you who are still pursing the “American dream” or the false teachings of Christianity, this is what I wrote back in 2017:
To everyone in America reading this let me give you my advice after serving God as a disciple of Jesus for almost 40 years now. Change is coming. It is inevitable. If you are not suffering now, if your life is not falling apart now, just wait.
Look at everything you currently depend upon, everything you cherish, and be prepared to lose it. (Source.)
Comment on this article at Created4Health.org.
This article was written by Human Superior Intelligence (HSI)
See Also:
Understand the Times We are Currently Living Through
The post The Non-Jewish High Priest Office of Jesus Christ in the New Covenant and the Priesthood of Believers first appeared on Health Impact News.
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