Prepare for Christmas: The Fifteenth Day of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

And Who Is Melchizedek?

Sunday, December 16, 2018

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First his name means “king of righteousness;” then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. . . . Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:1-3, 25

Once again we find support for recognizing in Melchizedek an Old Testament appearance of Christ. And can’t we see a picture here of Jesus? The name of this high priest means “the king of righteousness,” and Acts 7:52 calls Jesus the promised Righteous One. Melchizedek’s name means “king of Salem” or “king of peace.” Over and over in the New Testament, Jesus is called the Prince of Peace.

We know that Jesus is the “Alpha and Omega” (Revelation 22:13) – without beginning and without end. So we can be sure that the reference here is to the Lord. And verse 25 gives us great confidence as we hear again that he now “lives to intercede” for us.

Sometimes someone asks me to pray for some problem and I don’t know what to ask for. I’m encouraged and undaunted when I remember that Jesus now “lives to intercede.” So I put that fact together with his promise that “when two or three agree as touching anything” (Matthew 18:19) he will grant it. He gives great confidence in our prayers when we simply put the whole situation in his hands and pray, “Lord, we agree with you. Whatever you are praying for our friends, grant it.” I know he would never ask for anything except the Father’s will, so we can know we are praying for what God wants in that life.

As we learn more and more about our high priest, we learn to put our confidence and hope not in the apparently helpless infant in the manger but in the God/Man Christ Jesus who overcame our sin, conquered death, rose from the dead, and now sits at God’s right hand interceding for us.

Prayer: Father, Thank you for Jesus and for the realization that in all of life we need a high priest to constantly intercede for us. Amen.

And Who is Melchizedek?

An Advent Devotional Guide
prepared for Rehobeth United Methodist Church, Winter 2012,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

messiahcob.com