Jesus the Priest-King
READ: Hebrews 7 and Genesis 14
In the beginning, there was a garden, a beautiful garden where God and man shared a pure relationship with each other, just the way that God intended. We all know how that developed. From that point on, the Bible holds a litany of attempts by God to restore that relationship. Throughout the Old Testament, we see stories of God longing to restore that relationship and speaking to His people, but then somehow we mess it up. Later on, we see where God implements a plan with the Isrealites to have these priests that are explicitly responsible to minister to God and assist people in their sacrifices to God for atonement. These priests act as a link between God and man, a conduit of relationship but not quite the original idea.
As I’ve read the Bible, I’ve loved discovering the imagery throughout the Old Testament that depicts God’s true intent through His Son, Jesus. One thing that I’ve always seemed to miss was this story about Abraham and Melchizedek that is talked about in Hebrews 7. Genesis 14 talks about how Abraham sets off to restore Lot’s lost riches; and on his way back from doing so, a King named Melchizedek, who the Bible also describes as a priest serving the same God as Abraham, meets Abraham, and they feast together. In return, Abraham gives the King-Priest a tenth of what he just won back. In short, Melchizedek is the first mention of a priest in the Bible. Not only was he a priest, but he was also a king. Sound familiar?
From the very beginning God knew what He was going to have to do to restore this garden relationship. In fact, John says it perfectly. John 1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Hebrews 7:24-26 says that Jesus is our great High Priest. He is our King and our Priest, constantly interceding for us at the right hand of God. No matter what you might be going through this week/month/year, the hope that we have through Jesus is unflawed and unmatched. Since He defeated death, hell, and the grave, Jesus will always be our Royal High Priest. As long as Jesus holds that position, we are invited to receive salvation and reconciliation to God through Jesus. As long as Jesus holds that position, we get to take part in the promises that were made to Abraham long ago. As long as Jesus holds that position, we can have full confidence that whatever God has promised or said through His Word and Holy Spirit will be fulfilled.
ACTIVATION: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas in your life that you're holding onto that you need to release into the hands of Jesus, our Royal Priest. Ask Him to help you hand it over. Maybe there are situations in your life that you don’t trust God with. As long as Jesus is on the throne, He’s trustworthy.
PRAYER: God, thank You for Your Word. Thank You Jesus for Your life, Death, and sacrifice for me. Holy Spirit, show me areas in my life that I don’t trust You with. Show me areas in my life that are hard for me to surrender to and teach me how to let go. I want You to have all of it, but sometimes it’s hard. Remind me of Your faithfulness in my life and show me how to trust You more. I love You, and I trust You. Your kingdom come, and Your will be done. Amen
In the beginning, there was a garden, a beautiful garden where God and man shared a pure relationship with each other, just the way that God intended. We all know how that developed. From that point on, the Bible holds a litany of attempts by God to restore that relationship. Throughout the Old Testament, we see stories of God longing to restore that relationship and speaking to His people, but then somehow we mess it up. Later on, we see where God implements a plan with the Isrealites to have these priests that are explicitly responsible to minister to God and assist people in their sacrifices to God for atonement. These priests act as a link between God and man, a conduit of relationship but not quite the original idea.
As I’ve read the Bible, I’ve loved discovering the imagery throughout the Old Testament that depicts God’s true intent through His Son, Jesus. One thing that I’ve always seemed to miss was this story about Abraham and Melchizedek that is talked about in Hebrews 7. Genesis 14 talks about how Abraham sets off to restore Lot’s lost riches; and on his way back from doing so, a King named Melchizedek, who the Bible also describes as a priest serving the same God as Abraham, meets Abraham, and they feast together. In return, Abraham gives the King-Priest a tenth of what he just won back. In short, Melchizedek is the first mention of a priest in the Bible. Not only was he a priest, but he was also a king. Sound familiar?
From the very beginning God knew what He was going to have to do to restore this garden relationship. In fact, John says it perfectly. John 1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Hebrews 7:24-26 says that Jesus is our great High Priest. He is our King and our Priest, constantly interceding for us at the right hand of God. No matter what you might be going through this week/month/year, the hope that we have through Jesus is unflawed and unmatched. Since He defeated death, hell, and the grave, Jesus will always be our Royal High Priest. As long as Jesus holds that position, we are invited to receive salvation and reconciliation to God through Jesus. As long as Jesus holds that position, we get to take part in the promises that were made to Abraham long ago. As long as Jesus holds that position, we can have full confidence that whatever God has promised or said through His Word and Holy Spirit will be fulfilled.
ACTIVATION: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas in your life that you're holding onto that you need to release into the hands of Jesus, our Royal Priest. Ask Him to help you hand it over. Maybe there are situations in your life that you don’t trust God with. As long as Jesus is on the throne, He’s trustworthy.
PRAYER: God, thank You for Your Word. Thank You Jesus for Your life, Death, and sacrifice for me. Holy Spirit, show me areas in my life that I don’t trust You with. Show me areas in my life that are hard for me to surrender to and teach me how to let go. I want You to have all of it, but sometimes it’s hard. Remind me of Your faithfulness in my life and show me how to trust You more. I love You, and I trust You. Your kingdom come, and Your will be done. Amen
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