The Order of Melchisadek

‘…we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God…’ (He 4:14)
In Jesus we have a high priest who is ‘the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey him.’(He 5:9) The word ‘all’ is what we need to focus on. The office of Levi was strictly for the Children of Israel and according to Law.
‘For the Law was given by Moses.’(Jn1:17). The writer of the Hebrews makes a point: there is an inherent infirmity of law on the reason that each high priest needs to offer up sacrifice first for himself and then for the people, and every time repeat the same procedure, in comparison with Jesus ‘who is holy harmless, undefiled …made higher than the heavens.’(He7:26-28, 24). With one offering he has fulfilled his Service. Since Jesus overcame death his priesthood is far superior to that of Levi, in that He continues forever to intercede for all those who hope in His mercy. This hope is qualified as‘an anchor of the soul.’
Jesus by birth cannot be entitled to a Levitical priesthood since he is from the tribe of Judah.(He.7:14) Be that it may the prophetical verse from the Psalm of David(Ps 110:4) refers to him as a priest after the order of Melchisedek.
The point is that a second Order of Priesthood exists since ‘the Law made nothing perfect’(He7:19).
2.
Who was this Melchisadek, the King of Salem?
According to the Bible scholars he was the priest of God Most High(‘el ‘elyôn) .There are records attesting to the fact there was indeed an office of high priests among the Cannanites around 2nd mil. BC. In a Ras Shamra liturgy, Baal, the supreme deity of the Canaanite pantheon,is referred as the ‘God Most High.’ Then the question arises was Melchisadek a worshiper of Yahweh or Baal? His sudden emergence from obscurity to bless Abraham and the patriarch giving tithes to the priest-king must be seen as the work of God even as Ruth, a Moabite woman becoming the progenitor of David and of Messiah. Whom God has taken in hand for His work is adopted into the family of God and has passed from life into immortality. Thus the priest-king of Jerusalem has no beginning or ‘end of life; but made like unto the Son of God...’(He7:3). Melchisadek is a type for Christ and his priesthood notwithstanding the odium of being a Canaanite priest-king , is universal. With Moses came Law while with Christ came Grace and Truth. Truth of the Order of Melchsadek transcends that of Levi since Levitical priests served under the infirmity of truth of nature.
benny

Apples Of Gold in pictures of silver

‘He shall purify the sons of Levi,...that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.’Mal3:3
This verse is part of a prophesy and it brings sure enough a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Since Jesus came and offered his body as a sacrifice hasn’t he replaced the Old Covenant with the New?
For this reason many scholars have found the chapters 43-46 of Ezekiel very puzzling.
Let us consider who is the refiner and purifier of silver. Messiah is the refiner. I would like to point out the metal Silver is used with particular reference to the Children of Israel. Two trumpets in silver mentioned in Nu 10:10 can be seen as a forerunner of the gospel. More on this anon.
Whereas gold is especially used in conjunction with the Church. First of all let me strike a word of caution that the relative value of silver and gold is not of any relevance but merely as a prophetic tag.( It is somewhat like rhymes in poetry to aid the memory of the bards of yore, a literary device.) The nation of Israel and the Church are like two eyes set wide apart on a face, both called to work as one. Better still I shall refer to the title of this post from Proverbs ‘of a word fitly spoken being like apples of gold in pictures of silver.’( 25:11 ).
Old and New Covenants need to converge not as scattered light but as laser.
‘Law had made nothing perfect.’ (Heb7:19).
Jesus shall bring both Old and the New into one. In the light of the above I think Jesus as a High Priest must reveal exclusively for the nation of Israel. Ezekiel must be referring to this phase in the history of the Children of the Covenant, and of the seed of Abraham, in the chapters 43-46.
Law shall be perfected in Him (Heb:7:26-28). In terms of the nation of Israel. Amen.
2.
Rev 21:15 ‘And he that talked with me had a golden reed..’ In the preceding verse we read of the foundations of the Holy Jerusalem being inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles. The significance of the Holy Jerusalem can only be revealed after Messiah ( who came as a Servant and was rejected by the nation of Israel) would supplant the temple worship of which the Law is its Holiest of the Holy. ‘I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are the temple of it(vs.22).’ The day of Pentecost was marked by outpouring of His Spirit and in the Book of Revelation we are told of a similar event where Holy Jerusalem shall descend out of heaven from God. In one we saw Grace at work and in the other we shall see Law in its perfect state. In one as St. Paul describes, the epistle of Christ being written in fleshly tablets of the heart.(2 Co 3:3) Here we see two strands of God’s mode of Redemption: for the Church and for the nation of Israel. Rather than entering into controversies should not the Church be built up according to what was revealed?
benny

Son of Man

“I saw in the night visions…one like the Son of man…”(Dan 7: 13-14)
Jesus was the Messiah that Daniel saw in his night visions. The Son of Man corroborates the same in the verse ‘The son of man came eating and drinking…’(Mt 11:19) Jesus during his earthly ministry said, ‘I appoint unto you a kingdom…’ (Lk 22:9) Was not his authority attested even in the prophesy of Daniel that ‘…his kingdom was one that which shall not be destroyed.’ Dan 7:14 He came unto his own, and his own received him not’(Jn 1:11). As he began his ministry he commanded the disciples to ‘go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’(Mt10:6) Jesus was well aware of the rejection and his warning ‘You shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the son of man be come’ therefore would mean another advent than his first.(Mt.10: 23)
Coming back to the vs 2 of Malachi ‘ Who may abide the day of his coming?... he shall purify the sons of Levi … that they may offer unto the Lord, an offering in righteousness.’ Does it not refer to the Great Tribulation and the redemption of the sons of Levi or nation of Israel?
benny

In God's Time

'Behold, I will send my messenger,…even the messenger of the covenant…' Mal 3:1-3
Evidently the first part pertains to John the Baptist (Mt3:3)Prophet Isaiah prophesied ‘Prepare ye the way of the lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our lord.(Is 40:3)’
Getting back to our key text Malachi then goes on to point out a prophesy beyond the immediate, beyond the ministry of John or Jesus, that could only hold significance for the nation of Israel. Thus while studying a Biblical prophesy we need to fix in our minds time is more like a kangaroo word within Time or Day of the Lord. Many of the Biblical prophesies thus can be broken on the clue given by the Lord. I shall explain what I mean by kangaroo word. The word ‘nourished’ would also carry another word ‘nursed’ that may as well agree with the general meaning.Nursed is a kangaroo word.
Day of the Lord accommodates different time frames.
Those who tackle prophesies in the Scriptures ought to keep in mind on what slippery ground they stand on. What makes a scholar think he shall crack the code of God unless it is given from high? 'One day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day'.(2 Pe3:8)’
Problem of the interpretation is compounded by our concept of time. We are trying to unlock mysteries that is the prerogative of God, the father.(Mt 24:36)
Jesus referring himself as the son of man predicted a future event closely before his death. He said when he shall come to the Throne his disciples also shall sit upon 12 thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.(Mt 19:28.)

Mt.19: 28) Would it mean then that Judas Iscariot would also sit in judgment?
Peter on whom this charge fell as we read in the acts of the Apostles chose Mattias to replace Judas Iscariot (Ac.1: 15-26). Jesus said:‘Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.’(Mt18:18) Didn’t Peter have then the authority established by no less person than Son of man to induct a replacement for the betrayer?
From the clear evidences given by the Scriptures we ought to compare the like with the like. Thus we may conclude that Judas had forfeited his place as we have the verse 18 with which to underpin our interpretation. Spiritualizing some texts in order to get around some difficulties is often fraught with danger. Historical events with which we place the ministry of Jesus or of Israel nation fall according to time and place. In order to interpret some scholars resort to spiritualizing: these are clever by half. They compare apples with oranges.
benny

Time Out

A Miracle Off Broadway©

The other day I called on a friend of mine at his office on the 32nd street, Mañana Ave., off Broadway. Applebaum worked for Paranormal Absurdities Inc., Knowing how keen he was to expose every fraud that went under psychic phenomena I had to be wary notwithstanding our 20 years of friendship. He was a dragracer and one who tinkered with anything that came with wheels. After exchanging pleasantries I paused unable to find an opening line. Noting my fumbling he asked me to shoot. Well it was a clear and succinct invitation. So I took my .45 magnum and shot. The bullet went right through his shirt and hit the rubber plant in the corner of his cabin.
“What was that?’ Applebaum sat up suddenly and wrinkled his nose. “ Sounds like a gunreport.” He said. Seeing me grin widely he sat up on his swivel chair and said,” What is the matter with you?” You look weird!” I explained triumphantly,”I just shot at you. You survived. If you can prove this isn’t a miracle I shall believe you are holding a proper job and not wasting your talents in some fraudulent set up.” My friend guffawed. “You are on. I can smell a fraud miles away!” He took the gun from me and checked to say,” One bullet less here. His eyes narrowed and looked at me suspiciously,” So you did shoot at me?”
“Then it is a miracle?”
“ No. Don’t be in a hurry.” He levelled the gun and aimed at the cabin of his boss where his name Henry Winkleman was neatly written on the frosted glass.
Bam! The gun went off and the glass shattered in zillion splinters. The man came out and checked the damage to his cabin. It was sign for the personnel to converge around their boss. They all were in a shock. Mr. Winkleman came in quick steps followed by the staff. He stood before my friend red in the face and cursing him he wanted an explanation. My friend said,
” This guy here a nut case. I happen to know him from school. He came here with a cock and bull story of a miracle. I had to prove him wrong.” The boss took the gun and checked “A real McCoy, obviously.” Before I could reply he added in irritation,” Must you waste time, Mr. Applebaum with every nut who comes to you with a miracle?"
As my friend floundered I found my voice.” Miracle wasn’t in the gun sir. I have miraculous powers.That is all.” While I said my piece I had deftly extricated a manila envelope with the Army seal. I said, “ As you can see I would have enlisted but because of my powers I was exempted.”
It was true a gun was a toy in my hands.” If you don’t believe I can prove with AK-47. Or Kalashnikov?”
Applebaum looked at me as if I had gone off the rocker. His boss with his rat like face looked at me. “I suspect fraud here sir. Would you mind if we put you to a series,- non-invasive tests? ’ Before leaving the office I had to surrender the gun for close examination. I agreed and went to the lab specified by the company. For three days I was probed, swabbed and pinched by a few nurses and I had all my extremities connected to a number of panels where I could see needles recording everything that was to be known of me. For a good measure I underwent psychological tests and what not. Applebaum was there to keep me company. A fortnight later I received an envelope, which was stamped: PERSONAL. Beneath in red, For your eyes only
I scanned hastily the report. It read.” “The patient under reference is non-existent. There was an annexure that had a heading GUN REPORT
Only one line was neatly typed: The gun with serial number X@-A-23674: real.
Since then Mr.Applebaum refused to take or return my calls.
benny

Kingdom of Heaven

‘If ye then be risen with Christ…’Col 3:1
In one of my previous posts I had defined a new birth as changing the world-view by accepting Jesus Christ. It is a work done in faith and completed by Grace that has appeared with the advent of Christ.(Jn 1:16-17). Jesus described it as ‘an yoke that is easy.’(Mt 11:30
What would salvation in practice mean to us? God has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son (Col 1:13) This kingdom is of a different standard than kingdoms of the earth. St. John the divine qualifies them as Children of the Devil(1 Jn 3: 10), Children of disobedience (Col 3: 6).
God so loved the world that He sent his dear Son to redeem those who were sinners. Sinners are those whose appetites and works are totally wrapped up in themselves. They are the children of the kingdom. (Mt 8:12). One sign of those who belong to this kingdom is given in the verse:‘…love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy.’ (Mt:5: 43).The ministry of Jesus was to translate these children from the ways of the world. Thus Jesus said,‘ Love your enemies, bless them that curse you… that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven;’ Thus all those who have accepted Jesus as their savior are added to that kingdom where they are made righteous.(1 Jn 3:9) We bear his seed which is the Word. Secondary meaning of the seed ought to indicate that we are still far from being perfected. ‘…every good tree bringeth forth good fruit…’
‘All scripture is …profitable for doctrine,..for correction, for instruction in righteousness.(2 Ti 3:16) We, having put on the new man, are renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created us (Col 3:10)Through his word we are instructed in the way we should go and Jesus Christ has emphatically said, ‘ Not every one that saith … Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.(Mt7:21)’
Even while we are in our corrupt bodies we have been set down spiritually in heavenly places. The epistle unto the Ephesians makes it very clear that we have been sealed until the redemption of our bodies (Ep:1:13) and we have an inheritance. We are waiting for His promises to be completely fulfilled(Ep 1:9-11). If it were not so our Lord’s Prayer wouldn’t have included the line: ‘Thy kingdom come.’ If we are groaning in our spirits for it, any amassing of wealth or prosperity that children of this world seek with total focus wouldn’t mean so much to us. We as children of God need to hold a mature view of what is needful for our creature comforts. ‘ Give us this day our daily bread’ is our prayer and it is indeed in his will.
If we cannot witness while on earth effectively who we are and of our inheritance, we are like salt that has lost its saltiness.
benny

Counting The Cost

‘If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother…’ St. Lu 14:26
The Bible is all things to all men. Many sects with their strange practices and exclusiveness owe their being to some verses scattered here and there in it. These sects or cults have a form of godliness but for any one seeking spiritual nourishment and an all round growth, a system that is built on superfluities than God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as the core value, shall come indeed short of His Will. A tree planted by the river of water is of a different league than a seed swept along the current willy-nilly by some isolated verses. (Ps 1:3)
Did Jesus literally want Peter, Andrew, John and others to hate their kith and kin or families in order to be considered his disciples? If this were truly as intended why did Jesus assign to Peter the building of the Church he had in mind? (Mt 16:18)
We read from the gospels that Peter was married (Mk1:30) and his wife traveled with him in his later ministry(1 Co 9:5). It seems to me that the significance of the key verse cannot be taken in a literal sense. Perhaps the key to the problem of deciphering this hard saying is not in hate but in the verses that follow. Our Christian growth is gradual and we need to take stock of what our abilities are and whom we have put our trust in. We have been called to glory through Jesus Christ. Then it is not works but Grace ( 1 Pe 5:10) that we bank on.
Who will wait to set up a home till one is hundred percent mature? Is it not more of a challenge that each partner hopes to be made mature from marriage than out of it? Maturity comes from a spirit of accommodation, love and shared responsibilities etc., that marriage enjoins on each partner. We are more likely to cast ourselves into the business of living with all that is at our command and leave the rest on Him to supply our shortfall.
Christianity in practice has always been the enterprise of the imperfect to work its way up on the wings of faith and grace. What a Christian could supply in that pursuit unto excellence has been faith,- and of course to keep flying. The matter of the other pinion, that of grace, would be the testimony of all believers, without any exception.
benny

A Prophesy Of Little Worth

‘It is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people..’ (St.Jn 11:49-52)
In the previous post I had narrated an incident in the house of Simon the leper. Mary, the brother of Lazarus anointed Jesus with spikenard that must have cost her a fortune. She had foreknowledge of the passion and death of Jesus and took appropriate steps to prepare him for the event. He knew why she did it. One might say it was a woman’s intuition spiritually discerned and given expression. It became a perpetual memorial for her. Her visiting card to heaven one might say was embroidered on actions in consonance with her revelation.
We have an example of another who had a revelation of sorts.
Caiaphas, the son-in-law of Annas touched on the ministry of Jesus once again inspired by the Spirit of Christ. The office of the High Priest was not by any standards a mean one. In his day he might have been elevated to that office by the Roman procurator. Even so he stood in the line of great many worthies who ever guided the destinies of the Jewish nation. None could have exceeded in the excellence of that office than Aaron who was ordained by the Lord God to that post.(Ex 4:14-16 ) God also accorded him a special place alongside Moses to meet Him (Ex19:24). This being the case the prophetic utterance of Caiaphas was merely in the fitness of his office.
He would also have known the revelation concerning Messiah from the book of Daniel.(Dan 7:13) Teachings unlike that of any other rabbi before him and especially miracles attributed to Jesus (raising of Lazarus etc.,) ought to have given the High Priest an intimation as to the role of Jesus.
Be that as it may Caiaphas owed his office to the goodwill of Rome. Under the Roman aegis much of his energy went into safeguard his authority. We read from the gospel of Luke that behind his throne the one who held the clout was his father in-law Annas (St. Lu 3:2). In his day there existed backroom politics that we are well familiar with.
He had to make certain his religious administration did not cave in under the political repercussions that were bound to happen if the prophet from Nazareth was let to speak his mind. It was political expediency pure and simple when he prophesied the key verse. A latter day Balaam (Num: 22-24) whose prophesy was of little worth since his self-interest had rendered it null and void.
In the Jewish trial of Jesus (Jn 18:24) we read that he rent clothes publicly separating him from ‘the blasphemy’. He must have been quaking in his shoes at the prospect of being seen as a ‘sympathizer’ or fellow traveler by the powers that be. The Sanhedrin as a matter of immediate urgency delivered Jesus to the governor thereby distancing publicly from the fate the Son of man had invited on himself.
No man can serve two masters. The high priest presiding over the religious affairs of the Jewish nation was looking for the advent of Messiah. But there was before his Judgment seat and he didn’t know Messiah. Reason? As we read in the gospel of John ‘ he loved the praise of men (St.Jn 12:43)’ He served the interests of Rome too well to discern the only one who bore in him their blessed hope.
Note: By reliable historical accounts Caiaphas was deposed by Vitellius, the President of Syria.(Jos Ant xviii 2:2, 4:3)-ack Ralph Earle, Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia . Pub: Moody paperback edition-1983)
benny

So Close,Yet So Far

‘You have the poor always with you…’ (Mt.26:11)
From the verse cited above would it mean that Jesus was for the status quo? Didn’t he care for the poor or for their betterment? Let us look in what context he made this statement. Jesus as we read in the gospel was dining in the house of Simon the leper. In that house of festivity one can well imagine what was the mood like: while wine flowed and conversation uncorked from the guests assembled, there must have flowed plenty of small talk all froth and goodwill. In the midst of it a woman did something very unusual but very significant considering that enemies of Jesus was very much active. (Their schemes cannot have been laid out in absolute secrecy.) The woman who brought the alabaster box with precious ointment must have had an inkling that Jesus may be ‘taken out’ as we hear of the expression these days. Jesus must have surely known his life was on collision course and there was surely a point where his earthly mission had to stop. So her act however extravagant was in line with his ministry. ‘She hath wrought a good work upon me’ as Jesus saw it. She tapped on the spirit of Christ that radiated from his words and deeds as to anticipate a moment where her action could dovetail into his ministry. She knew the time and place; and also how to give to her hurt.
The Lord loves a cheerful giver, as St. Paul would say. It comes to us as a surprise that the disciples were moved with indignation. They may have often moved with their master but did that help them to plumb the depths of their master? No, they were more wrapped in the daily grind of their ministry than see the true significance of her action. Their ministry was done as per his master’s injunction, ‘Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses.’(St. Mat 10:9-10) They had scrimped and saved in order to be found worthy of their meat. Perhaps it was excusable that they judged her extravagance from their circumstances. Are we not guilty of judging others without understanding their circumstances?
benny