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Day 44: Hebrews 7/Psalm 116
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Thursday April 8, 2004
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So Who Was
This Melchizedek?
The author of the letter to the Hebrews talks in this chapter about an
Old Testament priest named Melchizedek. What a great name! So what was
the big deal about Melchizedek? Well, Jesus, in
the previous chapter, was referred to as being “a high priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”
He goes on to tell
the story about how Abraham, as great as he was, gave a tenth of all
that he had to this high priest named Melchizedek. This was of great
significance to the author, not only because the great patriarch
Abraham felt an obligation to give ten percent to this priest, but for
several other notable reasons as well. Melchizedek was unusual because
he was both a king (he was king of Salem) and a priest at the
same time.
He was also a bit
of an anomaly because he was not descended from the tribe of
Levi, the traditional “Levitical priesthood,” as were the other priests
of the time. It was evident from the author’s words in this letter that
Melchizedek got his power and his authority not from
his ancestry and tradition, but from a direct blessing of God.
Jesus was also not conventional; he was different, and he
challenged all of the traditions and the thinking of the Jews. He was
sent to replace the law with something better, something that we could “embrace”
rather than “achieve.”
The real message of
this chapter is made clear in the passage:
“Unlike the other high
priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for
his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for
their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints
as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the
law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.”
Hebrews 7:27 & 28 (New International Version)
No priest and no sacrifice
could ever give us the salvation that we have through Jesus’ sacrifice.
It was, and is, the perfection that allows us to be with God.
Today’s
Prayer:
Lord, help me to share this wonderful news of Jesus and his perfect
sacrifice for us. Help me to show others that their salvation lies not
in their words or their deeds or in who they are, but in Jesus, and
Jesus alone…
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Memory Verse of the Week:
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the
Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus..."
Hebrews 10:19 (New International Version)
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For a complete
listing of all the previous devotionals in this "50 Day
Experience," click here.
To read the chapter or psalm of the day online, click on one of the
following links:
o
Hebrews
7
o
Psalm
116
Greer Bower, bower@cincyvineyard.com,
Director of Information Technologies at VCC
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