Often people devalue theology, but it should lead to godly living. Understanding Christ’s Melchizedek priesthood of indestructible life helps you intercede in His name for deliverance from sin and walk in the New Covenant with God’s word in your heart and mind. Understanding the Old Testament tabernacle helps you prioritize Christ’s sacrifice on the cross so you trust His blood for forgiveness of sin and the Holy Spirit to defeat spiritual enemies as you draw near to God, encourage others and accept persecution for eternal reward.
Exalt in Christ’s Melchizedek Priesthood of Indestructible Life
Melchizedek blessed Abraham who gave him a tenth of everything. As the king of righteousness and peace without genealogy, Melchizedek remained a priest forever like the Son of God. Levi collected the tenth and also paid it through Abraham being unborn in the body of his ancestor. Because the Melchizedek priesthood brought perfection and superseded the Levitical priesthood, a change of law was required. Being a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek was based on the power of an indestructible life. The former, weak and useless Levitical regulation was set aside for a better hope so one could draw near to God. Jesus guaranteed a better covenant being a priest forever because of God’s oath of not changing His mind (Heb. 7:1-22). Exalt in Christ’s Melchizedek priesthood of indestructible life.
Intercede for Deliverance From Bondage to Sin
Jesus lived forever as a permanent priesthood. He was able to save completely those who came to God through Him because He always lived to make intercede for them. This high priest met peoples’ needs because He was holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners and exalted above the heavens. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself. The oath appointed the Son who was made perfect forever (Heb. 7:23-28). Intercede for deliverance from bondage to sin.
Walk with God’s Word in Heart and Mind
This high priest sat down at the right hand of the Majesty’s throne in heaven. Earthly priests served as a copy and shadow of what was in heaven. God warned Moses to build the tabernacle according to His pattern shown on the mountain. Jesus’ ministry, mediated covenant and promises were superior to the old one. He made a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah different than the one broken by their forefathers after leading them out of Egypt. He put His laws in their minds and wrote them on their hearts to be their God and they His people. A man no longer taught His neighbor to know the Lord because they all knew Him. He forgave their wickedness and did not remember their sins. This new covenant made the old one obsolete (Heb. 8:1-13). Walk in new covenant with God’s word in your heart and mind.
Understand Tabernacle Foreshadows Christ’s Sacrifice for Sin
The first covenant had a tabernacle set up with a lampstand, table and consecrated bread in the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was the Most Holy Place with the golden altar of incense, gold-covered ark containing the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of Glory overshadowing the place of atonement. The priests entered regularly into the outer room for their ministry. In the inner room, the high priest offered blood once a year for himself and the peoples’ sins committed ignorantly. These external regulations could not clear the worshipers’ conscience and were applied until the time of the new order (Heb. 9:1-10). Understand old covenant tabernacle foreshadows Christ’s sacrifice for sin.
Trust Christ’s Blood for Forgiveness of Sin
Christ entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood obtaining eternal redemption. The sprinkling of the blood of goats, bulls and the ashes of a heifer sanctified people to be outwardly clean. Christ’s blood cleansed consciences from acts leading to death so people may serve the living God. Christ as mediator of a new covenant enabled people to receive the eternal inheritance and be set free from sins committed under the first covenant. The law required everything to be cleansed with blood. Without the shedding of blood there was no forgiveness. Christ appeared once for all to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Man was destined to die once and then to face judgment. Christ was sacrificed once to take away sins and would appear a second time to bring salvation to those who waited for Him (Heb. 9:11-28). Trust Christ’s shed blood on the cross for the forgiveness of sin.
Trust Holy Spirit By Waiting for Christ to Defeat Spiritual Enemies
The law was a shadow and not the reality of the good things to come. Yearly sacrifices could never make people perfect since they were a reminder of sins. It was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. After Christ did His will by making everyone holy through His one sacrifice, He sat down at God’s right hand. Since that time, He waited for His enemies to be made His footstool. The Holy Spirit testified that He would put His laws in their hearts, write them on their minds and not remember their sins (Heb. 10:1-18). Trust Holy Spirit by waiting for Christ to defeat spiritual enemies.
Draw Near to God While Encouraging Others and Accepting Persecution for Eternal Reward
Believers confidently entered the Most Holy Place by Jesus’ blood in drawing near to God. They held onto hope with a sincere heart cleansed from a guilty conscience in full assurance of faith and bodies washed with pure water. They considered how to spur one another toward love and good deeds. They kept meeting together for encouragement until the Day approached. No sacrifice for sin was left, but God judged His enemies who kept sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth. He punished and took revenge on those who insulted the Spirit of grace. His people were publicly exposed to insult and persecution, sympathized with those in prison and accepted the confiscation of their property knowing they had better and lasting possessions. Instead of throwing away confidence of rich reward, they persevered in doing God’s will and received His promises in living by faith and not shrinking back (Heb. 10:19-39). Draw near to God while encouraging others and accepting persecution for eternal reward.
Understanding Christ’s Melchizedek priesthood of indestructible life helps you do the following:
1. Intercede in His name for deliverance from sin
2. Walk in the New Covenant with God’s word in your heart and mind.
Understanding the Old Testament tabernacle helps you do the following:
1. Prioritize Christ’s sacrifice on the cross
2. Trust His blood for forgiveness of sin
3. Trust the Holy Spirit to defeat spiritual enemies
4. Draw near to God
5. Encourage others
6. Accept persecution for eternal reward
