Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 59

 Jesus Christ is our Forerunner and He Appeared to Abraham as Melchizedek Part 3

Hebrews 7:4-6 Now consider how great this Man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But He whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. KJV

The writer of Hebrews continues in these next few verses to detail how the Hebrew patriarch Abraham revered and reverenced this Man Melchizedek having not even meeting the Man before his war victory at Shaveh (Genesis 14:18), but in fact Abraham knew and recognized Him as not merely a Man but God who called him out of the land of the Chaldees (Genesis 11:31) into a new land that He (God) would show unto him. This is exactly why the writer of Hebrews declares these words next for us in Hebrews 7:4, "Now consider how great this Man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils." (Hebrews 7:4) (KJV). Abraham would not bow to any earthly king by giving that king one tenth of what he had taken from his defeated enemies, therefore, Abraham knew the greatness of this Man because He knew it was the God/Man Himself our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ who told the Hebrews thousands of years in the future of this time of Abraham, that he had already seen His (Christ) days upon the earth as God Incarnate and rejoiced and was glad. This is exactly what we see here and it is exactly what our Lord Jesus Christ told the Hebrews in (John 8:48-58).

Note: "For we mere mortals (human beings) we live only in the present and we can see the past by virtue of our memories and the recorded accounts in History by those people who lived in that time, however, we mere mortals cannot see into the future (no matter what those with crystal balls tell you), because if humans could see into the future, then they would see the period, place, and personal manner of their impending death and change it by avoiding it all together. We know this is impossible because we see people dying and stepping out of time into eternity every single day, even Harry Houdini perhaps the greatest escape artist/magician that ever lived could not and did not escape death dying in 1926, for as it is written, 'And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.' (Hebrews 9:27) (KJV). However, unlike men/women (God's Creation), He (God/Jesus) lives in eternity, for He is the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9-12) and this signifies that He is without days because He had no beginning and has no end, for He just is, therefore, He (God) living in eternity sees the past, present, and future all together at the same time or instance. This is why every single prophesy recorded in the Bible through the human instruments God chose like Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah, Joel, Jeremiah, etc, have all come to pass being fulfilled right down to the very exact detail that was spoken through these men (research it for yourselves if you are sceptical)." Here is what John Wesley had to say of Hebrews 7:4, "The greatness of Melchizedek is described in all the preceding and following particulars. But the most manifest proof of it was, that Abraham gave him tithes as to a priest of God and a superior; though he was himself a patriarch, greater than a king, and a progenitor of many kings."

The writer of Hebrews goes on next to lay out for us the order of superiority that being the patriarch, the priesthood, then the people, with these words in verse 5, "And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:" (Hebrews 7:5) (KJV). The Hebrew people were below the Levitical Priest in greatness and the Levitical Priest were most definately below the Patriarch of the Hebrew Nation Abraham seeing that every Hebrew came from the loins of Abraham through his miraculously born son Isaac, however, the Man Melchizedek was greater than Abraham, and this tells me that Melchizedek was Christ Incarnate. Here is what John Wesley had to say of Hebrews 7:5, "The sons of Levi take tithes of their brethren - Sprung from Abraham as well as themselves. The Levites therefore are greater than they; but the priests are greater than the Levites, the patriarch Abraham than the priests, and Melchizedek than him."

The writer of Hebrews continues making his point of the superiority of  Melchizedek to Abraham with these following words, "But He whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises." (Hebrews 7:6) (KJV). The English phrase 'He whose descent is not counted' is translated by the Greek word genealogeō (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning to reckon by generations, that is, trace in genealogy: - count by descent. This was not possible with this Man Melchizedek because He was not a mere man, but the Pre-incarnate God/Man Jesus Christ. The idea that Abraham would willingly give a tenth of his spoils to a man who was not known to him is obsurd, therefore, Abraham knew Him because He was God who made the promise to Abraham with these words here, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for Me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee." (Genesis 17:1-7) (KJV). Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 7:6, "This is a continuation of the same argument, namely, to show the superiority of Melchizedek; and, in consequence, to prove the superiority of the priesthood of Christ beyond that of Aaron. As in the seed of Abraham all the nations of the earth were to be blessed, Abraham received a sacerdotal blessing from Melchizedek, who was the representative of the Messiah, the promised seed, to show that it was through Him, as the High Priest of the human race, that this blessing was to be derived on all mankind."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…











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