Hebrews 7
The writer of Hebrews is writing mostly to Christian Jews, those men and women who were acquainted with the old covenant that was initiated with Moses. The reference made to Melchizedek precedes the old covenant and Moses, going back to Abraham. Abraham was known as the father of many nations, meaning he was God’s chosen man to originate salvation for us all through Jesus, Abraham’s descendant.
Melchizedek was the King of Salem. He worshipped God. He also stood in the position of a High Priest, or a mediator between God and mankind. The Hebrew word for priest is kohen, and it speaks of the person who was God’s “personal attendant” or the one who has been called to dedicate their life to the Lord’s work. Melchizedek was more than a godly man; he was in a spiritual position, called of God, to serve in ministry leadership.
In Genesis 14:18-20 we read that Abraham went to the priest, the priest blessed Abraham, and Abraham then gave Melchizedek, a priest, a tenth of all he owned, for the Lord’s work. Tithing is a spiritual principle that has been in place long before Moses and the Jewish Law. I find it interesting that the writer of Hebrews did not compare Jesus to Aaron, the High Priest under Moses. The writer goes to prelaw times to describe Christ. The writer mentions
In verse 8 it says, “Here mortal men receive tithes, but there He (Jesus) receives them, of whom it is witnessed that He lives.”
When we tithe, we are returning God’s portion back to Him, and Jesus is the One who is receiving them. He takes notice of our obedience and our heart. Jesus is the one who receives what we give to our local church.
Jesus is the new High Priest, the mediator of a new covenant. His position is unchangeable. He’s the one who always makes intercession for us. The word for “make intercession” in the Greek is entunchano means “to fall in with.” It has the idea of pleading with a person on behalf of another. Jesus is on our side, our redeemer, giving us right standing with God.
Lamentations 1-2
Laments were composed as poetry in the ancient world. Lamentations has five poems, with the first four being acrostics, and the fifth is a prayer. The author is not named, but tradition points to Jeremiah. Chapter 1 is a lament about Jerusalem in affliction. In verse 2 we read, “among all her lovers, she has none to comfort her.” Her lovers would be the nations Jerusalem looked to as her allies, instead of looking to the Lord. God was her husband, and He wanted her attention. Instead, Jerusalem gave her attention to others, like an adulterous person would turn away from a spouse. There was no commitment from these nations for the Hebrews the way God committed to them in a covenant relationship. God loved His people. The nations only used Jerusalem for their own interests. This is a message to us of God’s faithfulness to those who will enter into covenant with Him.
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