A Priest is Come

If you are like many Americans, you are currently preparing for several holiday gatherings. There's the office party, your kids' school event, that get-together with close friends (like your Growth Group), not to mention the gathering (or two or three!) with family members. It's quite possible you will even host one or more of these events.

Perhaps you are enthusiastic for these events or overwhelmed by just the thought. But imagine your excitement if you knew your party was going to be attended by a beloved family member you haven't seen for years or by some celebrity you deeply admire. Your elation would go through the roof with the anticipation! You'd bake the best food, do a deeper clean in the house, and make sure everything was perfect for your honored guest.

For centuries, the Jewish people awaited with excited anticipation the arrival of the Messiah to usher in the very first Christmas party. They expected Him to be a great prophet like Moses (which we saw last week when we kicked off this For Unto Us blog-only Advent series). They also knew He would be from the line of King David (which we will look at next week when we conclude this series). But some Jewish scholars also expected Him to be a priest like the mysterious Melchizedek.

Melchiz-eh-who?

In Genesis 14, Abram, later renamed Abraham as the Israelite patriarch, defeated a set of kings in a battle. After receiving the spoils of war, Abram gave a tithe of his winnings to God. And he did so by giving it to a dude named Melchizedek.

Genesis 14 is the only place where Melchizedek is part of the biblical story. All we know about him is that he was king of Salem (which later became Jerusalem) and was priest of God Most High. Yet, despite this singular appearance, it was a significant appearance.

The author of Hebrews points out that Melchizedek seemed to appear out of nowhere and go back to the unknown. And yet, despite this mysterious appearance, he must have been an incredibly important man for Abraham to offer his tithe to this priest.

That is why the author of Hebrews made his central point in chapter 7 from Psalm 110:4, which says...

"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek." (Psalm 110:4, ESV)

The True and Better Melchizedek

As you read Hebrews 7, you quickly realize the author was beyond convinced that Melchizedek's brief appearance in Genesis 14 was intentionally used by God to point to Jesus as Messiah & High Priest. Like a priest, Jesus was and is the intercessor between God and His people, acting as our representative before God.

But there is a very significant action Priest Jesus did, but with an important "wrinkle." Often, priests offered sacrifices (like lambs) on behalf of the people to reconcile them to God. However, Jesus didn't sacrifice a lamb: He became the lamb! Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed Himself to completely pay the penalty for sin, so you and I (who were like lost sheep) could be reconciled with God.

As you continue to prepare for your Christmas parties and Advent Worship Gatherings, may you thank Jesus for being the Priest who came to die for you so you might be found.