Waiting for the Priest (Waiting for Arrival #2)

Back during the shutdown of 2020, I heard about a company called the Magic Puzzle Company.

I really enjoy puzzles, and since it looked like we’d be stuck in our homes for the foreseeable future, I thought it’d be a great activity. They were running a Kickstarter campaign, trying to release three puzzles at once but lacking the funds to mass produce and ship them.

So I took a small risk — small because with Kickstarter you get your money back if it doesn’t fund. It was successful, and eventually my puzzle arrived. Around October. By which point we were all back to shopping at Walmart. But I was still happy to get it.

We put it together, and it was a ton of fun. So much fun that a couple weeks ago I ordered a second one for our family to do over Thanksgiving. We took a trip to Michigan, and it was a blast.

Why They’re Called Magic Puzzles

What makes these different is that a team of artists and magicians came together and tried to figure out how to give a jigsaw puzzle a magic reveal.

I’m going to be very careful here, because I don’t want to spoil anything for you. If you like puzzles, you need to get one of these. It’s genuinely different and you’ll thoroughly enjoy it.

And some of you are thinking, “I don’t care about puzzles. I don’t like puzzles.” That’s exactly what my daughter would have said — and over Thanksgiving she probably worked on it more than anyone. “This is so different. I love this thing. This is addicting.”

So even if you hate puzzles, I won’t spoil it.

Here’s how it works, though. You open the box and there’s a large envelope with all the puzzle pieces. You dump it out. There are a couple of posters so you can see what you’re building.

And then there’s another envelope in the box that says: STOP. Do not open this. Finish the puzzle first.

So you finish your puzzle. You pull out that envelope. You open it — and inside is another envelope saying, “Seriously. Don’t open this yet.” The one we just did said something like the ghost of Gandalf will haunt you for the rest of your life if you open this too soon.

And inside that is another set of puzzle pieces. And as you assemble them, they change and add to what you already built.

It’s a magic puzzle.

A Theological Magic Puzzle

I bring this up because today we get to assemble a bit of a theological magic puzzle.

That’s really what all of Advent is about. The ancient Jewish people were looking forward to some kind of Messiah, and they were trying to assemble the picture of what this Messiah would look like.

Today we get to add a few more pieces — and see how Jesus not only fits the picture, but goes beyond the picture. He reveals Himself to be a little bit magical.

Open your Bible to Psalm 110.

Last week we kicked off Advent by looking at one of the puzzle pictures: that the Messiah would be a prophet. We went to Deuteronomy 18 to see how God told Moses, and Moses told the people, that God would raise up a prophet like him — and then we saw how Jesus is the true and better and ultimate prophet.

Next week we’ll see another piece: that the Messiah would be a king.

But this week we’re going to see that the Messiah also had to fulfill the role of a priest. And Psalm 110 is where that starts to come into focus.

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

Heavenly Father, we come to Your holy Scriptures. We’ve read this verse from Psalm 110, and we ask that You unpack it for us — show us how it relates to Christmas, to the coming of Jesus, and to what Jesus should mean for us.

God, every person in this room is at a different place in their walk. Some have followed You a long time. For some this is brand new. Some are here with questions. Some know all of this because they grew up in church, and they’re struggling. Some are here with real doubts.

Lord, I don’t presume that I have the ability to speak to every one of those people. But I fully trust that You do — that Your Holy Spirit can go far beyond anything I can do, and that even the things I forget to say, or should say, or accidentally say, You will work beyond to say what Your people need. Because You know them. You know their stories. You love them. And You sent Jesus to be their great high priest.

So help them see You clearly today — through me, through Your Scriptures, through our singing and our praying — and let them walk out vividly knowing who Jesus is and what He did for them. In His name we pray, amen.

Who on Earth Is Melchizedek?

Here in the middle of the psalm — right at its high point — King David says the Lord has sworn and promised and will not change His mind. And He’s speaking to some individual, saying: you are going to be a priest forever, after the order, in the pattern, of Melchizedek.

Which means to understand this verse, we have to understand who Melchizedek is.

For that, go back to Genesis 14.

Setting the Scene

To appreciate chapter 14, I need to take you back to chapter 12.

Many of you have heard the name Abraham. Maybe you went to VBS and sang “Father Abraham had many sons.” Abraham was the patriarch God used to create the Jewish people.

When we first meet him, though, he isn’t named Abraham yet. He’s still Abram, married to Sarai, and they have no children.

And God says to Abram: go. Leave. Go to the land I will show you.

He doesn’t name it. He doesn’t say where it is. He gives no GPS coordinates. Just: go.

So Abram and Sarai pack up and take off. And they don’t go alone — they bring their nephew Lot.

Both Lot and Abram are extremely wealthy. By chapter 13, they arrive in a region that looks good, but they have too many flocks and too many people in their households for the land to sustain both. So they agree to split — amicably, not out of anger. Lot says he’ll take his flocks and family and servants in one direction, and Abram heads the other way.

Then in chapter 14 we learn that four kings have banded together into one large army. They invade five cities, win, and take all the goods and the flocks — and also the people. Among them: Lot and his family.

One messenger escapes and runs to Abram: your nephew Lot has been taken captive. And he tells him the whole story.

Here’s how large and powerful and wealthy Abram was: the text says he gathered his trained men — three hundred and eighteen of them — and went to fight these four kings.

And he won. He defeated them, freed Lot and his family and servants, and freed all the captured people to go home.

But because he won the war, he got the spoils. So the already powerful, already wealthy Abram just got a great deal wealthier.

And that’s when we read a genuinely bizarre story.

After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:17–20)

The Most Mysterious Man in Scripture

This is the only place in all of Scripture where Melchizedek actually appears. He’s discussed elsewhere — in Psalm 110, and in Hebrews, which we’ll get to — but this is his only appearance.

And because of this strange interaction with Abram, Melchizedek becomes this mysterious, larger-than-life figure. Because we know almost nothing about him.

We have no idea who his family was. Was he married? Did he have children? Often in the Bible we’re told someone’s lineage — this is so-and-so, son of so-and-so. We get none of that with Melchizedek.

We have no idea how old he was. No idea how long he’d reigned as king. We don’t even know whether he and Abram already knew each other. Maybe they’d hung out before and talked about God. Maybe this was their first meeting. We don’t know.

All we know is two things: he is king of Salem — that little town that later becomes Jerusalem — and he is a priest of God Most High. Which means he’d have been a spiritual brother to Abram.

And just as suddenly as he appears, he’s gone.

But right before he vanishes from the pages of Scripture, Abram gives him a tenth — a tithe — out of the spoils.

Sit With That

Think about what just happened.

Here is the mighty, wealthy, soon-to-be-famous Abram. In three chapters he’ll be renamed Abraham, meaning “father of many,” because God has promised descendants as numerous as the stars in heaven and the sand on the shore. God is going to create the Jewish people physically through him — and, spiritually, everyone who follows Jesus.

Abram had 318 fighting men. He was powerful enough to defeat armies. He was so wealthy that he and Lot couldn’t occupy the same region without overwhelming the land.

And this great and powerful man gives a tenth to Melchizedek — and receives a blessing from him.

Which is exactly why the author of Hebrews writes:

See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. (Hebrews 7:4–7)

Quick note on the Levites, since they come up here. Abraham had a son, Isaac. Isaac had a son, Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons, and those twelve became the twelve tribes of Israel. One tribe was named for the son Levi. Unlike the other eleven, the Levites received no allotment of land when the people entered the promised land. Instead they became the priests — maintaining and managing everything related to Israel’s religious life.

So the author’s argument is this: as great as Abraham was, Melchizedek was greater. He was superior. He gave the blessing to the one who was inferior. He was the one receiving the tithe — not saying, “Wow, how great you are, Abram, let me give to you.”

If you’ve followed Jesus a while, or grew up in church, or simply by virtue of being here on a Sunday, you’re probably starting to piece together who David is writing about in Psalm 110:4. Who is greater than Abraham. Who this priest in the order of Melchizedek — this king-priest — actually is.

But before you declare the puzzle finished, let’s add a few more pieces.

What a Priest Actually Did

When God established the priesthood through the Jewish people, He created three groups.

The Levites. They maintained the temple — or, out in the wilderness, the tabernacle. They kept things clean and set up and functioning. They did the repairs, made sure all the supplies were on hand, greeted people as they arrived. They maintained the entire operation of the religious center of their culture.

The ordinary priests. Out of the Levites came the priests proper — descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Moses and Aaron were both from the tribe of Levi, and God selected Aaron and his sons for this role. So in a sense all Levites were priests, but these are the ones we typically picture: the men actually sacrificing animals and leading the burnt offerings. They did the work.

The high priest. Out of the ordinary priests, whoever was head of state — a king, a judge, whoever — would select a high priest. The high priest ruled over the other priests, functioning something like a governmental head, though only over the priesthood rather than the whole nation.

Later, in the New Testament era, the high priest becomes something like the president of the Sanhedrin — which functioned as their supreme court. So you could think of the high priest as their chief justice. He’d typically serve until he died, unless he committed something egregious enough to warrant removal.

The Day of Atonement

Besides ruling over the priests, one of the high priest’s central functions came once a year on the Day of Atonement.

He would enter the sanctuary, into what was known as the Holy of Holies. Before walking in, he had to go through extensive purification rituals for his own sin. Then he’d enter wearing a robe bearing all twelve tribes of Israel — so that he could go in representing all of the people. And there, as their representative, he would make the sacrifices on their behalf.

For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. (Hebrews 5:1–4)

So the high priest was to be of the people, chosen by God to represent the people, in order to make atonement for the people.

Let me say that again. Of the people. Chosen by God. To represent the people. In order to make atonement for the people.

Which Is Exactly What Christmas Is

Jesus, God the Son, took on human flesh — which is what Christmas is about — so that He could become of the people.

He was chosen by God, and by taking on human flesh He was able to represent the people. Humanity had sin, and Jesus was made in the likeness of sinful humanity — yet He Himself was without sin.

And He went and made atonement for the sins of the people.

But rather than entering a Holy of Holies to sacrifice an animal, Jesus — the great high priest — made Himself the lamb. Because He was without sin, He sacrificed Himself.

He didn’t go in merely to sacrifice an animal and provide temporary forgiveness. He sacrificed Himself, the only human ever to live sinlessly, to provide us permanent forgiveness of sin.

So the puzzle picture of the Messiah wasn’t only a prophet. Yes, we needed a prophet to tell us God’s ways and God’s truth. But we also needed a Messiah who would be a priest — one who would be of us, and who could then make atonement for our sins so we could be reconnected with God the Father.

Jesus is our great high priest. He is the puzzle picture — and He goes way beyond anything we could ever hope or imagine.

He’s a little bit magical.

What This Should Do in You

I think this truth should do two things.

1. It Should Give You Peace

Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and today’s theme is peace. Christian churches all around the globe are remembering that the Messiah came to bring peace.

In fact, when Jesus was born and the angels announced it, one of the first things they proclaim is peace on earth. Because peace had come.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14–16)

Because Jesus is the high priest who passed through the heavens — and who passed through the cross — He is able to give us an everlasting peace.

If you’re looking for peace, you’ll find it most fully in Christ.

So many of us look for it in entertainment. In our bank accounts. In our addictions. In relationships. In all sorts of places.

But when you take good things and make them ultimate things, they become bad things.

The illustration I use constantly: it’s like drinking salt water. It looks so wet and so refreshing, and the more you drink, the more it dries you out.

To find that true, everlasting peace, you have to come to Christ.

So if you’re not a follower of Jesus — or if you know the story but you’ve been wandering away — may this second Sunday of Advent be the day you come to Christ, give Him your life, and find peace.

Philippians tells us that in Christ we can have a peace that surpasses understanding. Some of you are going through something genuinely difficult right now and are longing for peace. But as you turn to Christ and see who He is and what He’s done, you can begin to experience a peace that doesn’t make sense to anyone watching.

People will look at your situation. They’ll see the health crisis. The financial crisis. The relational crisis. And they’ll wonder how on earth you’re so calm.

And you’ll know it’s because you have a great high priest who didn’t sacrifice an animal — He sacrificed Himself. The priest became the lamb, so you could have life.

Peace That Produces Confidence

And notice what the author of Hebrews says this peace produces: confidence.

Not confidence in who you are. Not confidence in what you’ve done. Confidence in who He is and what He has done.

Because your high priest sacrificed Himself, He tore the curtain to the Holy of Holies. When Jesus died on the cross, that curtain was ripped from top to bottom. They say it was something like three inches thick — no human could have torn it. And yet it was torn from top to bottom, allowing the presence of God to come out from the Holy of Holies to us, and allowing us to come in to Him.

So because you have this peace, you know you’re okay with God. And you can now approach His throne of grace with confidence.

God wants you to come.

Some of you tell me you don’t like praying because you don’t know what to say and you don’t feel good at it. I think that’s because you assume you have to quote poetry to God, or use big theological words.

No. God wants you raw. Honest. Awkward. Just come.

Approach His throne of grace with confidence — not because you’re amazing, but because Jesus is amazing. And as you come and bow before that throne, Scripture says you will receive mercy and find grace in your time of need.

You will receive peace.

2. It Should Give You Purpose

When you walk through the doors of this building, one of the first things you see is what’s on our wall: at Riverwood we want to help you love like Jesus loved and live like Jesus lived.

We believe our broken world needs people who will go and be a little like Jesus.

That doesn’t mean you become the Christ — there’s only one Christ. But you are to become like Christ. You go and show love. You go and show kindness. You go and stand for truth, because the truth sets people free.

You are to represent Jesus in this world.

Which means you are to be a priest.

Some of you are thinking, “Wait. It’s one thing to be a Christian and follow God, but I’m not a priest. Don’t I have to stand up front and preach, or hear people’s confessions?”

No. Actually, you are.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

Just as God chose the Jewish people and created them through Abraham, you as a follower of Jesus join the church — and you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood.

Why? So that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of your spiritual darkness, out of your sin, into His marvelous light, into His ways, into His life.

You’ve been called for a purpose.

Yes, God wants to fill you with peace. But that peace should get you so excited you can’t keep quiet about it — the same way you can’t help telling people about a magic puzzle.

You are a priest, because you are of the people, chosen by God, sent to the people, to represent the people and to represent Christ to them — and to let them know that atonement has been made for their sin.

Which means this Advent isn’t only about the Jewish people waiting for the great high priest. It isn’t only about us awaiting the return of our great high priest.

This Advent might actually be about you going to people who are waiting for you — as a priest — to tell them about the life-changing message of Jesus.

So this Advent: who do you need to go to? Who do you need to minister to? Who needs to hear about this peace?

He just might want to use you.

A Prayer

Heavenly Father, as we close, we want to listen to You. Who are You calling us to? Who do we need to be a blessing to?

Lord, I pray first for those here who follow You — that they would come to You. If any of them have been wandering, if they’ve been wrapped up in their sin, may they confess it in this next moment and realize how they’ve been chasing shallow things. They’ve been drinking salt water, and You offer living water. Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning, and that when we confess our sin You are faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But God, You also want to use us. There are others out there drinking salt water. Others in darkness. Others trying the ways of this world and finding themselves dry. And because You, Jesus, our great high priest, our light, came into that darkness — may we accept Your call to go into the darkness too.

Father, someone here is thinking of a specific person right now. A roommate. A classmate. Someone at work. A neighbor. Thank You that You’re showing that to them. But it’s another thing entirely to actually walk across the road this afternoon, or down to that cubicle tomorrow, or to that desk, or into that room, and strike up a conversation — to ask what they need, or even ask if there’s anything we can pray about.

God, help us. So many of us are chicken evangelists. We want to share our faith and we don’t know how, and we’re afraid, and we don’t want to be rejected. So would You do what only You can do? Open the door. Let them ask the questions. Give us the opportunity to share our own stories, so people would see Jesus.

Show us Jesus in this next holy moment — crucified and resurrected. The one who left His throne in heaven to take on human flesh, even coming as an infant: helpless, dependent on His mother. May we recognize that we too are helpless and dependent on You. And then, Jesus, You grew and lived the life we should have lived, and You died the death we should have died. And now You call us to follow, and to go just as You went, sent for us.

So speak now. Help us see who You’re sending us to. Help us find our peace in You. Minister to us in these next few moments as we take the communion elements. In Jesus’s name we pray, amen.