† Melchizedek priesthood vs levitical priesthood.
† How the priesthood affects the calendar we use
† Calendar and the end of the age, what is an age?
Adam
† God Gave Adam Dominion = King
Genesis 1:26–28 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
God talked and revealed things to Adam = Prophet
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
Adam was the king and a prophet, but was he also a priest?
† Moses records that both Cain and Abel knew a blood sacrifice was required, performed in a certain manner, at a predetermined place and time.
Genesis 4:3–4 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering,
The phrase “process of time” is thought to be an idiom.
† a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g. over the moon, see the light ).
The Hebrew literally says, “after the end of the day.”
† It is thought to indicate the year’s end. The meaning is that at the appointed day (New Year’s Day, Nisan 1), and place (the entrance to Eden).
Abel and Cain learned to give a proper offerings from Adam.
Jacob split up the Melchizedekian priesthood into three parts.
† The kings of Israel would come through his son Judah,
† the priests through his son Levi, and
† the birthright (prophetical line) would go to Joseph.
† This was to continue until the Messiah would come and reestablish the Melchizedekian priesthood.
In the law of Moses, God judged any king of Israel who tried to reestablish the Melchizedekian priesthood by adding the priesthood to his office.
† This amounted to saying that he was the promised Messiah.
† Pretending to be a prophet was just as serious
Deuteronomy 13:1-5 NKJV “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, [2] and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’-which you have not known-‘and let us serve them,’ [3] you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. [4] You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. [5] But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.
Jesus the second Adam
1 Corinthians 15:45-47 NKJV And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. [46] However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. [47] The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.
The Melchizedian priesthood restored in Jesus
Hebrews 7:12–17 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
† We need to understand the importance of what is being said here.
Hebrews 7:1–3 1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
† without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.
If we understand that Paul is speaking about the order of Melchizedek contrasted with the order of Levi, it suddenly makes sense.
To be a Levitical priest one had to be not only a Jew (no Gentiles allowed), but one had to be a direct descendant of Levi (no other tribes allowed).
This applies to both the mother and the father.
Numbers 3:6–7 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. 7 And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle.
† In contrast, the superior Melchizedekian priesthood does not have any requirement of being from a certain tribe of Israel.
† A Melchizedekian priest starts performing his duties as a priest whenever the last high priest, or God, ordains him.
† Unlike the Levitical priesthood, the Melchizedekian priesthood is only stopped by death. There is no mandatory retirement.
Hebrews 7:20-28 NKJV And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath [21] (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The LORD has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek'”), [22] by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. [23] Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. [24] But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. [25] Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. [26] For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; [27] who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. [28] For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
Hebrews 7:20-28 MSG The old priesthood of Aaron perpetuated itself automatically, father to son, without explicit confirmation by God. But then God intervened and called this new, permanent priesthood into being with an added promise: God gave his word; he won’t take it back: “You’re the permanent priest.” This makes Jesus the guarantee of a far better way between us and God—one that really works! A new covenant. [23-25] Earlier there were a lot of priests, for they died and had to be replaced. But Jesus’ priesthood is permanent. He’s there from now to eternity to save everyone who comes to God through him, always on the job to speak up for them. [26-28] So now we have a high priest who perfectly fits our needs: completely holy, uncompromised by sin, with authority extending as high as God’s presence in heaven itself. Unlike the other high priests, he doesn’t have to offer sacrifices for his own sins every day before he can get around to us and our sins. He’s done it, once and for all: offered up himself as the sacrifice. The law appoints as high priests men who are never able to get the job done right. But this intervening command of God, which came later, appoints the Son, who is absolutely, eternally perfect.
In Christ
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NKJV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. [18] Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, [19] that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
1 Peter 2:9 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Communication
Romans 8:14 NKJV For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
† You are His Temple
1 Corinthians 6:19 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
† God is with you.
1 Peter 5:10 AMP After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be].
† He will complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish us.
Gift
1 Corinthians 14:1 NKJV Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
Office
Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
Acts 15:32 NKJV Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words.
† Do not grow tired
Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
† Community of believers, church.
† Do not isolate.
Galatians 6:1 1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
† Keep the faith
2 Kings 13:14-19 NKJV Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!” [15] And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows. [16] Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. [17] And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the LORD’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.” [18] Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped. [19] And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.”
† Words vs Heart’s intend
2 Kings 2:9-12 NKJV And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” [10] So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” [11] Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. [12] And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.
Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, [14] I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 6:12 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.