Hebrews 7 | What's happening (and who's involved)?

The book of Hebrews identifies a very interesting character from Scripture. This character had a specific interaction with Abraham, the father of faith, that caught the eye of the Jewish audience. A Scripture that we may gloss over in our reading through Genesis ends up being a core text that Hebrew apologists run to that highlights a different priestly order. Through the depth of what Scripture gives us concerning Melchizedek, some have even theorized that he is the pre-incarnate Christ. Many highlight that such a thing may even be what the author of Hebrews is claiming. We will not spend so much time on those theories, but we will address what Hebrews presents.

Hebrews identifies Melchizedek as the king of Salem and priest of the Most High God. Already our antenna should be going up at having a priestly king. This is a common allusion to Messianic prophecy or typology. His name means king of righteousness, and in being the king of Salem, that meant king of peace. So Melchizedek was the king of righteousness and the king of peace. Sound like someone else you know? He had neither mother, nor father, nor genealogy that was ever recorded. There was no record of his birth nor his death, but he was made like the Son of God. The record of Melchizedek is an anomaly, like that of Jesus. And because there is no record of birth or death of Melchizedek, his priestly order is one that lasts forever.

The writer of Hebrews spends more time looking at how Abraham treated Melchizedek. Abraham gave a tithe of all he had to Melchizedek. This was something that was required of Israel to do with the Levites. If you recall, the Levites did not receive and inheritance of the land, for God was their inheritance. This meant that none of the Levities had any means of bringing in resources or income to care for their families. They were priests. They served the Lord. And so the Lord had the rest of Israel give a tenth of all they had to the Levites. The Jewish mind would see what is going on here. Through Abraham, their father, the tithe that went to Melchizedek is one that is given from all of them. The order of Melchizedek precedes that of Levi and is greater, that even Abraham would give that tithe.

As a good apologist, the writer of Hebrews acknowledges the Levitical priestly order and highlights how it could not achieve the perfection we needed. If everything was perfect, why would there be spoken of another? Indeed, the Law could not perfect. But it testifies of something greater that can perfect.

Enter in Jesus, the surety of a better covenant. The Levitical priesthood would shift from man to man by way of death, but Jesus lives forever. Hence, the priesthood of Jesus lasts forever. He is then able to save to the uttermost. He is not limited and held back as man had been. He ever lives to make intercession on behalf of His people. He needs not offer daily sacrifices for Himself, but has offered up Himself and been approved before the Father. He has authority, approved in perfection, to bring fullness of salvation to His people.

There are a lot of lessons and things to pick up from in this text. Melchizedek is indeed a mystery, but a mystery that Hebrews seeks to explain. While we continue to explore this passage, what observations are you making in this passage?