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Colonizing the Creation
Jesus has gone before us into the direct presence of God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:20). And if He is our high priest, then as His royal priesthood, we too must participate in this same order. So, who is Melchizedek? Moses gives us the story in Genesis Chapter 14.
The first time we see this man, it is in a time of war. Wicked men are fighting among themselves, and God’s servant Abraham is not involved. But when the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are defeated, his relative Lot is taken captive (he had been living in Sodom). So, Abraham went to war to rescue his relative Lot. In the end, because of the warfare of the righteous (Abraham), blessing came to the wicked (the king of Sodom), and to the wishy-washy (Lot). Sodom’s king got his people and goods back; Lot got his freedom.
Today, the righteous are called to war for the sake of the lost and the lukewarm in the hopes that they might turn from their ways and live. Let us give ourselves in prayer for those who do not know the Lord and who have not discovered the road of life. Let us also give ourselves on behalf of those who have come to know Him but who are at various levels of mixture in their commitment to staying on that road. Two people groups – those who do not know any better and those who ought to know better.
O Lord, arise in Your mercy and make Yourself known to these in our generation.
It was in returning from battle that Abraham was met by two kings – both the wicked king of Sodom and the righteous king/priest Melchizedek. How long this godly king had been reigning in the city of Salem (or Jerusalem – Psalm 76:2), we do not know. But in his rule, he functioned as a priest. He went in before God on behalf of the people and came out expressing governmental authority that revealed what he had discovered in His presence. Clearly, he was a man of discernment. He immediately recognized that both he and Abraham served the same God, the One who possessed heaven and earth. And he acknowledged that God had blessed Abraham with victory. As Melchizedek had stood before Him, the Lord had revealed these things to him. So, he blessed our father of faith. And Abraham tithed from the spoils to him, honoring Melchizedek’s priesthood and his relationship with God.
On the other hand, Abraham was not impressed at all with the king of Sodom. When this king offered him all the plunder from the battle, in effect he was saying, “You earned it; you keep it.” His offer revealed that he did not recognize in any way that it was the Lord who had given Abraham victory. But God’s servant had determined that he would not take anything belonging to this man lest credit for Heaven’s blessing/work in his life should go to anyone but God. And certainly not to this evil man.
And we must learn from Abraham’s priorities. All glory must go to God. For example, we can be thankful for the godly influence of others – those who have taught, mentored, and counseled us. But we are either of them or of the Lord. Too many try to be both – like the Corinthian believers.
For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.
Leaders must acknowledge our own “nothingness” when the Lord blesses our work and we see precious spiritual fruit coming out of our labors.
When we believers find our identity in those whom God has used in our lives, then glory and attention is drawn away from Him – the One who was fashioning us as a potter does clay. True apostolic ministry will always establish people and local churches upon Christ as their foundation and then rejoice when they give all honor and glory to Him for His merciful work in them. Such believers will always be thankful for those whom He used in their lives. But they will glorify God. As the Lord restores New Testament apostles in our generation, they will oppose allowing their names to be the identifying factor of the people they have served. Today, too many are known by names other than Christ. Such words as Baptist, Lutheran, Pre - Post - or A - millennial, Calvinist, etc. come to mind. (Do we think that Calvin identifies as a Calvinist today – or does he see himself simply as a worshipper of the Lamb?) If any past historical leader is presently known in heaven only by his relationship with Christ, then so should we on earth. Why would any believer today want to find their identity using that person’s name? If such a practice is not appropriate in heaven, why would we think it might be proper here?
We have acted in this manner because we want to help people identify who they/we are in light of what they/we believe the Bible teaches on certain subjects. It helps to bring clarity and definition. But in doing so, we have actually clouded and to some degree obscured Heaven’s main rallying point – even Christ. It would be helpful if Calvinists stopped preaching Calvinism and simply preached Christ from their Calvinist perspective. And the same for Arminians. Those of the various millennial positions could stop preaching them and simply preach Christ from their personal perspective. If we ceased from our practices of identifying ourselves and each other prematurely and kept gathering to Him, He would guide us into all truth and we could take the journey together. As a result, we would come to Heaven’s goal – God’s people known by no other name than His.
The second time we see Melchizedek’s name is in a Davidic psalm about the ascension of Christ.
The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
In his first New Testament sermon, Peter referenced this psalm when declaring that Christ was now ruling as Lord (Acts 2:34 - 36). Today, though He is seated in heaven at the right hand of the majesty on high having all authority in heaven and on earth, yet on earth His enemies are many. So, what is Heaven’s strategy?
The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
It seems that the Father has called His Son to rule at His right hand while simultaneously exercising His authority in the midst of those who hate Him. And from Zion, the place among men where heaven and earth intersect, the Father will extend Christ’s strong staff of office/His scepter of authority. One implication in these verses is that God’s throne room now finds expression to some degree here among His people.
Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.
(Psalm 110:3 NKJV)
Since Jesus is no longer ministering on earth in the weakness of human limitation, but now rules in the heavens glorified with power, these are the days for us His people to be volunteers, to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to Him. And because of His resurrection, the tomb of death that His body was laid into two thousand years ago quickly became the womb giving birth to the messianic era where the beauty of His holy presence now clothes us. But notice that He now has the dew of His youth. He is not an aged monarch feebly trying to hang on to power but rather ruling with youthful strength zealously leading the armies of heaven in the centuries–long war against spiritual darkness.
The LORD (Hebrew, YHWH) has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord (Hebrew, ADONOY) is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country. He will drink from the brook by the wayside; therefore He will lift up His head.
In the days of His flesh, Jesus could read this psalm and be assured of His resurrection. He would not be left in any tomb; He would come forth into His priestly role – one which would endure forever. And notice that the mark of this Melchizedek priesthood is kingly warfare that judges and destroys all rebellious and arrogantly sinful opposition against God. In the end, our warrior king stands on the field of battle totally in control. He is not nervous, fearful, or doubting the outcome. In fact, He can stop, stoop down, have a drink of water, and then lift up His head to evaluate what is unfolding. Today, He knows exactly what is happening on the spiritual battlefield of this earth. And because He sees the end from the beginning, total victory is assured.
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.
In scripture, people’s names can have prophetic significance. And since Jesus (YHWH is salvation) functions according to an order first revealed in the story of Melchizedek, we can expect that Melchizedek’s name would find its full meaning revealed in the person of Christ. Jesus is the King of righteousness and He is the prince of peace.
And the following verse of scripture clearly tells us that Melchizedek is a type of Christ. As we study the only authoritative writing available to us to learn about this man, we find that though there is simply nothing about his birth, his death, or his genealogy we do find this clear statement – that God had made him like the Son of God. First in the womb and then over many years the Lord had fashioned this man to be a godly king/priest, in order to more perfectly foreshadow His coming Messiah. Therefore, through Christ, Melchizedek’s priesthood today finds full expression and will continue perpetually.
Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.
Today, when we read God’s account of Melchizedek in Genesis Chapter 14, we see a man functioning in a way that God has permanentized, clarified, and brought to full expression in His Son. We now have such a King/Priest who bears the burden of His people before the heavenly Majesty and at the same time arises in mighty power to lead them triumphantly in the centuries–long war against evil. Let us bow before Him.
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