A New High Priest Chapter Five

MONEY CHANGERS 5

A NEW HIGH PRIEST


Heb. 7:12 “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”
Psalm 110:4 “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizidek.”
Please! Hear the word of the Lord! The priesthood has been changed! When the priesthood changed, it was necessary for the Law to be changed also! The Law gave instructions on the duties of the Levitical priesthood and how they were to be supported. With another priesthood replacing the Levites, whose duties would also be different, the first law would in no way be of use now, except to authenticate the new, to serve as an historical account, show how much greater the new actually is, and demonstrate God's character and opinion on many things.
When you look back over happenings of the past, you can see how certain individuals demonstrated their character and attitudes in particular situations. You may also see in what areas there was need for change.
In the case of a new priesthood replacing the old, there was a need for a new law.
Heb. 7:15-19 “And it is far more evident: for that after the similitude (resemblance [Strong's]) of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made, not after the law of carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17 For he (God) tetifiesth, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.
18 For there is verily a disannulling (Gr. - athetesis, ath-et'-at- sis;cancellation [Strong's]) of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19 For the law made nothing perfect (Grk. - teleioo, tel-i-o': to complete [Strong's]) but the bringing in of a better hope did. (emphasis mine) (added notations)
The Law did not have the power to save a soul, but Jesus was made the high priest of the New Covenant, after the power of an endless life. The change had occurred! Only if every jot and tittle (fig. The least particle [Strong's]) was fulfilled could this change occur.
Matt. 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass FROM THE LAW, till ALL be fulfilled.” (emphasis mine)
So it is evident that our Lord and Savior did completely fulfill it all.
There is a priesthood existing today that God himself has set in order. The first one has been canceled. The priests of the first served unto the shadow and example of heavenly things.
Heb. 8:5 “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”
But oh! Dear Reader! That which is real and true is far better than all the examples and shadows could ever be!
The blueprint of a house is useful until the house is built, but who would attempt to live in the blueprint once the house was completed? Let us grasp hold of that which is real and which is available to us now, not the representation of the better to come, but the real and better itself.
Now as we go on and look at the changes that have taken place, keep in mind that tithing was the designated means of supporting the old priesthood. The changes have been so extreme and profound that if tithing was supposed to be the means of supporting this new priesthood also, then we would need to know how it fits into this new system, and we would also need to find scriptures in the New Covenant explaining how it is to be carried out.
There is one thing that needs to be kept in mind at all times, and that is, that there is a dividing line that must be clearly and boldly drawn between the earthly representations of heavenly and spiritual things, and those things which really are heavenly and spiritual. The scripture is very clear. The changing of the priesthood NECESSITATED a change in the Law.
Heb. 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a BETTER covenant, which was established upon BETTER promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant (see Jer. 31:31- 34) with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying know the Lord: for all shall know me,from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he saith a NEW covenant, he hath made the first old (Grk. - palaioo, pal-ah-yo'-o: declare obsolete [Strong's]) Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (emphasis mine) (added notations)
These powerful verses tell us many important truths. They tell us that the second covenant is not according to the first one. This is a fact we can now accept, so it is useless to try to make the second function like the first. In fact, we are told here that the first was made obsolete by Jesus who is our new high priest.
'Obsolete' means “fallen into disuse or no longer in use; of a discarded type; out of date.” (Webster's)
These verses also tell us that the ministry Jesus has obtained is a more excellent one than the first. His ministry surpasses, by far, that of the previous high priests. Now he is the mediator of a covenant that is better than the first.
A mediator, according to the Greek, is mesites, mes-ee'-tace; “a go between, that is, (simply), an internunciator. or, (by impl.) a reconciler (intercessor): - mediator,” (Strong's), while the word 'better' is kreitton, krite'-tohn; meaning “stronger, that is, (fig.) better, that is, nobler, best, better” [Strong's[).
So the one who stepped into the position of new high priest, after the order of Melchisedec, became our reconciler. He brought harmony and peace between God and man through his death and resurrection, and the New Covenant, which he is minister of, and which is, indeed, both stronger and more noble.
BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT JESUS BECAME A PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC? HOW CAN THAT BE?
The order of Melchisedec is a completely different order from the order of Aaron, the first Levitical priest. So let's look at the word 'order'. It comes from the Greek word taxis: “regular arrangement, that is, (in time) fixed succession (of rank or character), official dignity: - order” (Strong's)
The word 'fixed' means to have an inextricable position, and 'inextricable' means – Unable to disengage.”
'Succession' is, “the process, right, or act by which one person succeeds to the office of another. 'Succeed' is to come after or take the place of another by descent.” (Webster's)
Long ago before the Levitical priesthood was set up, God had officially established a priesthood, and the first high priest of that priesthood was a man named Melchisedec. This particular order was put on hold for a time since there was no one to succeed Melchisedec in his order until the time of Christ. In the interim between Melchisedec and Christ, there was another priesthood put in place temporarily, which consisted of the tribe of Levi, or what is called the order of Aaron, (because Aaron was the first high priest in this order.) This priesthood would serve until the Law was fulfilled and a successor to Melchisedek should come. The Levitical priesthood, while in authority, would serve to show the people their sins, and thus their great need of a way of grace.
According to the order of Aaron, the fixed or permanent arrangement was that at Aaron's death, his son would succeed him, then later, his son's son would succeed him, etc. However, the order of Melchisedec was an eternal priesthood. The only successor to Melchisedec would be one who would never die. The only one who could then succeed Melchisedec would be the Messiah himself.
So the priesthood that is in effect today is one that began long before the Mosaic Law, with the man Melchisedec, and is now continuing eternally.
Melchisedec is probably considered somewhat of a mystery person to many Christians, however, if we are going to try to get some understanding of the priesthood today, how it functions, and how it is to be supported, I think we should take some time to consider the first high priest of the order to which we belong.