Hebrews 7:1-28 … Laying the foundations.

7:1 For this Melchisedec (The never ending King of Righteousness), king of Salem (King of Complete Peace), priest (sanctified) of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

• John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

In this statement we can derive, based on Scripture, Abraham is the example of the life lived according to Torah. Recalling our discovery of the essence, or Spirit of YHVH, manifesting in the flesh earlier in Hebrews, we can be assured this is the context Paul is driving home to his brethren. The God whom they serve has shown up in the flesh once again to come to the aid of the faithful. The concept of a functioning priesthood in the days of Abraham is generally missed by most, the bigger issue, they miss the fact that YHVH, in the form of Yeshua, IS Abraham’s Priest! .

² To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem (Jerusalem) , which is, King of peace;

• Isaiah 9:6-7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
• John 2:14-17 “And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”

³ Without father, without mother, without descent (unregistered as to birth), having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

Here is a situation that is overlooked by the Greco-Roman influenced church of today…. This King of Righteousness, This Melchizedek … was our Great High Priest according to the Torah. Abraham submitted to this King Of Righteousness in the same way we are called to be set-apart unto righteousness, and submitted to, not only a Savior, but to out King of Kings.

• Genesis 26:5 “Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

⁴ Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

• Exodus 19:6 “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”

It was the result of the appointment of the earthly priesthood that we find ourselves again in need of rescue. These earthly priests thought they had replaced the Eternal High Priest and began making their own laws. Some may say that the appointment of earthly priests sounds like God made a mistake. If it was a mistake, then it is a mistake on behalf of mankind for not being mindful of their commitment to the covenant as we will come to see in the Scriptures.

• Exodus 28:1-4 “And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

⁵ And verily they that are of the sons of Levi (earthly priests), who receive the office of the priesthood (became the ones to offer sacrifices), have a commandment (rule) to take tithes of the people (common man) according to the law (Torah), that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: (even though they are mere humans)

When the people came out of Egypt/bondage to false worship to false gods… They needed these Priests and Rabbis to retrain them in ways of YHVH. Being human these leaders became rulers after “filthy lucre” and brought the people back into a bondage of false worship and false gods. The people break the covenant that was established at the onset of the exodus and find themselves in need of salvation. Paul is teaching his contemporary Hebrew brethren the “mystery of the Gospel”, the Everlasting Gospel of Genesis 1:1.

• Exodus 20:1-6 “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.“
• Jeremiah 11:10 “They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.”

⁶ But he whose descent is not counted from them (Yeshua was not a Levite when He dealt directly with Abraham) received tithes of Abraham, and (Yeshua) blessed him that had the promises.(of eternal salvation and redemption)

Again, the Hebrew brethren listening to Paul have a profound adherence to the Torah, or most commonly referred to as the Law of Moses. The very use of this phase plants a seed of confusion for many, including the Hebrews, as to the origin, more impartantly the timing, of the instructions. Just like the Gospel, the instructions have always existed as we read in Yeshuas statement in John 8:58 and in Genesis 26:5.

• Romans 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
• Galatians 3:19 “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added* because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.”

• *G4369 προστίθημι prostithemi (pros-tiy’-thee-miy) v. to place additionally, i.e. lay beside, annex, repeat.

Now we have to tie these concepts together with other important Scripture. IS THIS the Law of Moses? OR is it in fact the Law of YHVH?…. who never changes…let’s see….

• Exodus 31:18 “And YHVH gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.”
• Luke 11:20 But if I (Yeshua), with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.”
• John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
• Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”

The Everlasting Gospel of Genesis 1:1, the Covenant of Redemption exampled with Adam, the Covenant of Heirs given to Abraham, The Covenant of the Blood Sacrifice for Atonement exampled in the Passover, The Covenant of the Promised Land and Heaven, in the life Moses all culminate in the Torah and in the Life of Yeshua Messiah. Praise YAH!

⁷ And without all contradiction (dispute) the less (smaller) is blessed (to thank or invoke a good hope upon) of (from) the better.(greater)

Some would consider the paying of the tithe by Abraham to be a blessing upon Yeshua , yet here Paul says that the blessing actually is from Yeshua to Abraham, why? Because Yeshua is the mentor, the superior, the teacher, the mediator of the disciple in the same exact manner as the Torah prescribes and thus Abraham follows the Torah with his tithe. This the exact same manner in which YHVH treats Moses, the Apostles and you and I today, He sets forth the terms of the agreement explaining the things that are beneficial and those that are not. The whole of Deuteronomy 28 … here is just the beginning of it … but read it all.

• 28 “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.”

⁸ And here (in fact) men that die (fleshly) receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

⁹ And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

This statement would have told the entire Sanhedrin that they were to be in submission to Yeshua. This would have been the only thing Paul needed to say to get him killed. And it did.

¹⁰ For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

Salvation by grace through faith was established long before the death and resurrection of Yeshua. Genesis chapter six states that Noah found grace as did Abraham later in chapter ten. I believe too many people associate the act of salvation as, not only the first action of the Father, but somehow, the only action needed. If we look back at the covenant as it is being affirmed we can see otherwise, that there is, in fact, a response made to the call of obedience as well.

• Exodus 19:8 “And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.”

¹¹ If therefore perfection (complete performance execution) were by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received (trained in) the law (Torah or instructions), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

• Exodus 32:1-4 “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”
• Exodus 32:25 “Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them get out of control, resulting in weakness before their enemies.”

Paul is defining for us the roles that are involved. Despite the fact we have somewhat similar titles the administration is much different. Melchizedek is the Eternal and Everlasting Perfect King of Righteousness and as such will NEVER lose His place as our Great High Priest. The earthly priesthood was to act as servants to The Most High and as we have seen, they failed miserably.

• Then: Numbers 18:7a “Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s office for everything of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve:” Exodus 19:6 “And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
• Now: Acts 16:17 “The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.”
• Revelation 1:6 “and (Yeshua) made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

¹² For the priesthood being changed (figuratively: to pervert.), there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

I believe this is a statement of fact; if one thing changes it will affect something else, and not a statement condoning a change.

• 1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

YHVH, through Yeshua, taught Adam the instructions for life, both in the secular (how to deal with the other humans) and in the spiritual (how to live harmoniously with YHVH). We should heed these words more closely as the Scriptures tell us plainly of God’s will for our lives. I have heard so many people say they are searching “for God’s will for my life”. They like the Exodus are wandering through life. Typically wandering over the same ground repeatedly, swearing they are not lost, just taking in the scenery. No longer do we need to wonder, or wander, from what God’s will really is….

• Isaiah 5:13 “Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst.”
• Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.“

The same Savior that spoke life back into Adam, the same Savior that floated Noah to salvation, The Rabbi of Job, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the Apostles…. and the One that wants to train you….is the One who wants you to carry this message in its fullness to the lost and dying world! That IS His will for your life.

God is not the author of confusion, so again, there is no need to wonder, or to wander, about His will for Your Life. Look at how Jesus himself says it… “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”… “I am the Bread from Heaven”… “I am Living Water”… “He who eats of this Bread shall never hunger”… “He who drinks from Me shall never thirst”…

¹³ For he of whom these things are spoken (Yeshua) pertaineth to another tribe*, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

• G5443 φυλή phule (f ï-lee’) n. an offshoot, i.e. race or clan.

I can only think of one application for this statement, that being the confirmation of Prophetic Scripture, with the use of the “root” being mentioned.

• Isaiah 11:1 “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.”
• Romans 15:12 “And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”
• John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

• Deuteronomy 18:18 “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”

¹⁵ And it is yet far more evident (exceedingly obvious): for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

¹⁶ Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Living a life within the Will of God, as a servant, as a sacrifice and in complete adherence of Torah.)

• Psalm 119:109 “I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law.”
• Ecclesiastes 12:11-13 “The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one Shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man”

¹⁷ For he testifieth, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.

In the back of my mind I can hear the testimony of Stephen from Acts chapter seven as I read this portion. How all of the examples were set before us and a how hopelessly we missed them. Paul next statement he is address those that are willfully dismissing it.

¹⁸ For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

Paul is addressing heretical teachers that are already, in the first century, just twenty or thirty years after Messiah walked the earth, are denying the Scriptures and the Divinity of Yeshua.

“The Nicolaites (Nicolaita) are so called from Nicolaus, deacon of the church of Jerusalem, who, along with Stephen and the others, was ordained by Peter. He abandoned his wife because of her beauty, so that whoever wanted to might enjoy her; the practice turned into debauchery, with partners being exchanged in turn. Jesus condemns them in the Apocalypse, saying (Rev 2:6): “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaites.” ~ Isidore of Seville

The Etymologies, “The Church and sects (De ecclesia et secta), 636A.D.

Marcion Of Sinope, 85A.D., preached that God had sent Jesus Christ who was an entirely new, alien god, distinct from the vengeful God of Israel who had created the world. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian denounced Marcion as a heretic, and he was excommunicated by the church of Rome around 144.

These men are the contemporaries to the early church and they are the forerunners of Dispensationalism and Antinomianism. Paul now returns to his ground work and leaves from the warnings of the heretic highway.

¹⁹ For the law made nothing perfect (accomplish), but the bringing in of a better hope (Yeshua as our trainer) did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

• John 1:7 “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.”
• John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

²⁰ And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

²¹ For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not relent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec: (This is a repeating and expounding of Psalms 110. This is classic Hebrew use of repetition to add emphasis to the statement.)

• Psalm 110 “The Lord (YHVH) said unto my Lord (Yeshua) , Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

²² By so much was Jesus made a surety (pledge of the bondsman) of a better testament [*].

• G1242 διαθήκη diatheke (d̮iy-a-thee’-kee) n.(specially) a contract (especially a devisory will).

A testament, a covenant, a contract has to be center stage when the Scriptures talk about a coming Kingdom, a Promised land, Heirs, and offspring. Something people miss is the fact that Yeshua HAD to die for multiple reasons and one of which is to activate the Last Will of the Everlasting Covenant.

YESHUA DID NOT DIE JUST FOR YOUR SINS….
YESHUA DIED TO UNLOCK THE POWER OF TORAH!!

Matthew 5:17 “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete.“

Revelation 5:2-9 “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”

²³ And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered (prevented) to continue by reason of death:

In the earthly priesthood someone would take over when the priest died, this was an endless need of replacements for the “acts of service”.

²⁴ But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

²⁵ Wherefore he is able also to save (deliver/protect) them to the uttermost (entire end) that come unto God by him (those asking for repentance and salvation by Yeshuas name), seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

• Romans 8:34 “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
• Isaiah 53:12 “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

²⁶ For such an high priest became (to make suitable or proper) us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

²⁷ Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

• Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

²⁸ For the law (Torah) maketh men high priests (important servants) which have infirmity (flaws); but the word of the oath, which was since (amid/among) the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

The defining factor is this: Yeshua is the mediator, the administrator of the Torah, and the earthly priesthood is designed to serve not administer.

Yeshua repairs the broken Marriage Covenant while simultaneously initiating the Will for the Heirs of the Everlasting Covenant. Likewise He reclaims His rightful place as Administrator of the Torah placing Himself as the Propitiate and perfect sacrifice. Abiding in His own commands He went into all the world teaching the Good News and making disciples of all. [Matt 28.19]

Yeshua quietly displays this very concept that Paul is explaining to us. Because so many are blind to the Torah, claiming it to be done away, they do not see these quiet and yet vivid examples.

Matthew 8:1-4 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.”

• According to Leviticus 13:1-3 “And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
• Leviticus 14:1-4,57 “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.”

The Pharisee’s knew Yeshua was not a Levite, nor was He of Aaronic decent, thus making His actions an offence to their understanding of the Scriptures. This is why John makes the statement… “He came unto His own and they knew Him not“.

This is why it is so incredibly important for us today to have a clear perspective of the Scriptures. We do not want to misjudge our actions and miss our Redeemer when He comes.