Melchizedek and Abraham
Vii. — 4. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.
5. And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest’s office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham:
6. But he, whose genealogy is not counted from them, hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises.
7. But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better.
8. And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9. And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes hath paid tithes;
10. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met hi™
Now consider how great this man was. If we rightly appre hend the greatness of Melchizedek, it will help us to understand the greatness of Christ, our great High Priest. The Hebrews gloried in Abraham, as the father of the chosen people; in Aaron, who as high priest was the representative of God and His worship; in the law as given from heaven, in token of God’s covenant with His people. In all these respects the superiority of Melchizedek is proved. He is more than Abraham (4-10), more than Aaron (11-14), more than the law (11-19).
Melchizedek is more than Abraham; of this a double proof is given. Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek; Melchizedek blessed Abraham. According to the law the priests received tithes from their brethren, but here a stranger receives them
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from the father of the whole people. There is more; in Israel men who die receive tithes; but here one of whom it is witnessed that He liveth, who abideth continually. And in Abraham, even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes. All was so ordered of God as a hidden prophecy, to be unfolded in due time, of the greatness of Christ our High Priest. Consider how great this man was.
There is a second proof of his greatness; Melchizedek blessed Abraham. But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better. Abraham had already been blessed of God Himself (Gen. xii. 2). He here accepts a blessing from Melchizedek, acknowledging his own inferiority, unconsciously sub ordinating himself and the whole priesthood that was to come from him, to this priest of the Most High God.
The unfolding of this divinely-ordained type not only reveals the superiority of Christ to the Levitical priesthood, but sets before us most suggestively two of the characteristics of our relation to Christ as Priest. We receive blessing from Him; He receives tithes from us.
Christ comes to bring us God’s blessing. We have seen in chap. vi. 14 what God’s blessing is. It is in Christ that the blessing is confirmed and imparted. And if we would know fully what the blessing is Christ brings us, we have only to think of the priestly blessing in Israel.
On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee;
The LORD make His face to shine upon thee, and be
gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give
thee peace.
These are indeed the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies with which God hath blessed us in Christ and which, as High Priest, Christ dispenses. He brings us to the Father, and we learn to know that He blesses and keeps us. In Him, the Son, God’s face shines upon us, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is our portion. In Him God lifts up His countenance upon us, and, by the Holy Spirit, gives His peace unto our hearts. Christ the High Priest makes every part of this blessing a divine reality, a living experience in the power of a life that abides continually.
Christ gives us the blessing, we give Him the tithes. The tithes to God are the acknowledgment of His right to all. Our High Priest has a right to the surrender of all we have, as belonging to Him, to the willing sacrifice of all He asks or needs for His service. The connection between the tithes and the blessing is closer than we know. The more unreservedly we place all that we have at His disposal, the more we in very deed forsake all for His sake, the richer will our experience be of the fulness and the power which our High Priest can bless.
Without dispute the less is blessed of the better. This is the true relation. The more we know of that better name which Jesus has received, and have our hearts filled with His glory, the lower we shall bow, the less we shall become in our own eyes; and thereby the fitter and the more willing to be blessed. And the more ready, too, to render Him not only the tithes, but the whole of all we are and possess. As in our spiritual life this twofold relation to our great High Priest is maintained, and a deep faith and dependence on His divine fulness of blessing is cultivated, along with an absolute surrender to His disposal and service, the mighty power of His priesthood will be revealed in our hearts. And we shall see with ever-increas-
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ing clearness that the two dispositions, faith in Him who blesses and consecration to His service, have their root in the one cardinal virtue of humility, making us ever less and less in our own eyes, until we sink into that nothingness, which is the death to self, and makes room for Him to be All. Then the word will be fulfilled in us in a new meaning: Without dispute the less is blessed of the better.
1. Melchizedek blessed Abraham. The work of thy High Priest, 0 my soul, is simply blessing. Learn to think this of Jesus, and seek to have a great confidence that He delights to bless. He is nothing but a fountain of blessing; rejoice greatly in this and trust Him for it.
2. Remember that the all-comprehensiue blessing of thy Melchizedek in heaven is — the Holy Spirit from heaven in thy heart. As it is written: “Christ redeemed us, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us, in Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” The Holy Spirit “abiding continually” in the heart is the high-priestly blessing.
3. This day He comes to meet thee, as thou returnest from the battle weary and faint. Bow before Him, and let Him bless thee! “Even as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day.” Believe that Jesus is all to thee.
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