DEFINITION OF TERMS

MELCHIZEDEK
MELCHIZEDEK
PRIEST
PRIESTS AND LEVITES
I. The biblical data
II. Wellhausen’s reconstruction
III. Some reactions to Wellhausen’s reconstruction
IV. Priesthood in the New Testament

The book of 1 Peter deals with this reality and should be regular, compulsory reading for all believers! We are individually to come to Jesus as a holy priesthood.

This fact that there is only one mediator, one priest between God and mankind, is confirmed by Timothy.

It is worth repeating the scriptures from Hebrews that tell us that human priests have always been weak, but that we now have an eternal, holy, blameless priest who is exalted above the heavens! Hallelujah! That is the priest I want and need!

There is no difference between believers, there are no classes of believers, and there is no priesthood other than the priesthood of Jesus. In Christ we are all one

You may think that you are not good enough to come to God through Jesus yourself, but this is not the case. For when we believe, we are forgiven of all our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

As Isaiah prophesied, we are clothed in a robe of righteousness that enables us to approach the very throne of God, even though we aren’t yet perfect in the natural.

Jesus is king over all.

We must not let any intermediary come between ourselves and Jesus.

How is your relationship with Jesus today?

Of course, the culmination of God’s work through Jesus, is for Jesus to rule and reign on the earth for 1000 years, with His priests, the martyrs, both physical and spiritual, as part of the first resurrection. Again, no intermediaries here!

Then we have the second resurrection, after which Jesus will reign forever.

Every true disciple of Jesus looks forward to His return. For we all wish to see the glorious consummation of the priesthood of Jesus.

In the meantime we need to prepare ourselves for His return.

Come Jesus, come.

Wait and see!…

The 'new priesthood' we have created today is so insidious that we often don't recognise it. From the outrageousness of the tele evangelist who asks you to send in your prayer requests (along with a 'gift') to be prayed over by him or her to the well meaning pastor in the local church who is truly wanting to help, but in the wrong way.

As leaders, we need to be encouraging and training people to communicate, and build a relationship, with God for themselves.

May the Lord forgive us for usurping His priesthood that He established at the ultimate cost, death on the cross.

BIBLE ARCHAEOLOGY

Ancient Hittite Ruins

These ancient Hittite ruins date back to Biblical times. The stone lions guarded the gateway of the ancient Hittite capital city of Hattusha which is located in modern Turkey. The Hittite ruins are important in the study of Biblical archaeology, they reveal that the Hittites of the Bible really existed and were important in ancient times.

2 Kings 7:6 "For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, [even] the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us."