I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
Ezekiel issues a stern warning against those who make prophecies based on their own imagination. He warns them that God will take action to stop those who speak of seeing visions which they never saw. As I read this passage it struck me as something which some in the Church today should listen to. It warns those who make prophecies but have not been sent by God. He tells us that these false prophets have spoken in the name of God, but have not made any effort to repair the breaks in the wall so that it will stand firm on the day of battle. Rather than strengthen the wall, they cover it with whitewash so that no one else can see where it is weak and strengthen it. Their prophecies have led to the death of those who should not have died and the sparing of the life of those who should not have lived.
The writer now explains what he means when he says that Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. We have no record of the beginning or ending of Melchizedek’s life, which allows us to think of him as a priest whose priesthood is eternal, unlike that of priests of the order of Aaron, whose priesthood ends when they die. So saying that Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek means that His priesthood will never end. He will always be there to intercede with God on our behalf.
Further, the writer points out that Melchizedek blessed Abraham and received a tenth of the plunder he had taken at a time before Isaac, the grandfather of Levi (from whom the priests of the order of Aaron are descended), was conceived, let alone born. The writer uses these two things to show that Melchizedek was a superior priest to Aaron (and his descendants). First, he points out that the person who receives a blessing (in this case, Abraham) is the lesser person and the one who blesses (in this case, Melchizedek) is the greater. Second, he points out that, in a figurative manner, the priests of the order of Aaron, who collect a tenth from others, gave a tenth to Melchizedek.
Further he points out that if the Levitical priesthood could have allowed perfection to be obtained, there would have been no need for a priest to come from a different order. But since God found it necessary to establish a new order of priests, it was necessary to establish a new law as well. In order to become a priest of the order of Aaron one needed to meet physical requirements (one of which was being a descendant of Levi). Jesus did not become a priest of the order of Melchizedek by meeting physical requirements.
I have read through this passage numerous times, including several times today. However, just now is the first time I noticed what appears to me to be the writer’s primary purpose in talking about Jesus as a priest of the order of Melchizedek. He points out that the name Melchizedek means “King of justice” and that Melchizedek was the king of Salem, which can be translated as “King of peace.” The writer is telling us that Jesus is a priest of the order of the King of justice and of the King of peace. From this we conclude that Jesus’ priesthood is one of peace and justice. Jesus is a priest who calls us to worship God by striving for justice and peace.
God has done great things for His people (both the Jewish people and those who follow Christ). He has done these things in order to encourage them to obey His decrees and follow His instructions.
Foolish talk and action causes resentment that is a greater burden than any physical weight.