WHO IS JESUS · PART 2 — THE PRIEST ON THE THRONE, THE PROMISED SEED, AND THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY GHOST
Who Is Jesus — A Walk Through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation
OPENING WORD
The first study asked one question. The question was, who is Jesus? The first study walked through the whole Bible for the answer, from the first book of the Bible to the last book of the Bible. That study ended with an honest note. The note named the roads that study saw but did not walk. This second study walks three of those roads. The first road is an old king who was also a priest. The second road is a promise about a seed. God planted that promise in a garden. He repeated that promise to one family, generation after generation. He swore that promise to a king. The third road is the way the Bible names the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost side by side, while the Bible keeps saying that God is one. Every step on each road rests on a Bible verse printed in full. Nothing rests on any person's word alone. Read every verse slowly. Weigh every verse yourself.
THREE QUESTIONS THIS STUDY ANSWERS:
1. Who was Melchizedek, and why does the Bible call Jesus a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek?
2. How does the promise of the seed travel from the garden, through Abraham, through David, until the New Testament names the seed as one person?
3. Where does the Bible name the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost together, while the Bible still says God is one?
THE FOUNDATION ALREADY LAID — WHO IS JESUS
THE FOUNDATION → A CHILD IS BORN + A SON IS GIVEN → HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED THE MIGHTY GOD (Isaiah 9:6).
THE FOUNDATION → SHE CALLED THE NAME OF THE LORD THAT SPAKE UNTO HER, THOU GOD (Genesis 16:13).
THE FOUNDATION → THE WORD WAS GOD + THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH (John 1:1, John 1:14).
THE FOUNDATION → THE LORD SAID UNTO MY LORD, SIT THOU AT MY RIGHT HAND (Psalm 110:1).
THE FOUNDATION → THOU ART A PRIEST FOR EVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK (Psalm 110:4).
OPENING ANCHOR
Zechariah 6:12Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH [H6780 tsemach]; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: (13) Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
BEHOLD THE MAN WHOSE NAME IS THE BRANCH → HE SHALL BE A PRIEST UPON HIS THRONE.
(My personal thoughts: In ancient Israel, the law kept the office of king and the office of priest apart. Zechariah 6:13 puts one man in both offices at the same time. This study follows that man through the whole Bible.)
1. A. THE KING OF SALEM — A PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, BEFORE THE LAW WAS GIVEN
Genesis 14:18Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And Melchizedek [H4442 Malkiy-Tsedeq] king of Salem [H8004 Shalem] brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. (19) And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: (20) And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
MELCHIZEDEK KING OF SALEM + THE PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD → HE BLESSED HIM + HE GAVE HIM TITHES OF ALL.
(My personal thoughts: Melchizedek stands in the book of Genesis with no introduction, no father, no mother, and no family record, a king and a priest in one man before the law of Moses existed. Abram carried the promise of God, yet he received a blessing from this man. In the Bible, the greater person blesses the lesser person (Hebrews 7:7).)
IN SALEM ALSO IS HIS TABERNACLE + HIS DWELLING PLACE IN ZION.
(My personal thoughts: Psalm 76:2 sets the name Salem beside the name Zion, which is Jerusalem. Melchizedek was the king of the same city where David would later reign. Soldiers would later crucify Jesus outside the wall of that same city.)
Psalm 110:4Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
THE LORD HATH SWORN, AND WILL NOT REPENT → THOU ART A PRIEST FOR EVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.
(My personal thoughts: Melchizedek appears one time in the book of Genesis, about a thousand years before David writes this one line about a priest for ever. The Hebrew word behind "sworn" is shaba (H7650, to swear an oath). God swore this oath with the words "and will not repent," so the oath cannot be taken back (Psalm 110:4).)
2. B. THE BOOK OF HEBREWS OPENS THE NAME — KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, KING OF PEACE
Hebrews 7:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For this Melchisedec, 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 by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
KING OF SALEM + PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD → KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS + KING OF PEACE.
(My personal thoughts: The book of Hebrews translates both names for the reader. The name Melchizedek means King of righteousness (being right with God). The title King of Salem means King of peace.)
Hebrews 7:4Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
CONSIDER HOW GREAT THIS MAN WAS → EVEN THE PATRIARCH ABRAHAM GAVE THE TENTH OF THE SPOILS.
Hebrews 7:11Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? (12) For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
ANOTHER PRIEST SHOULD RISE AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC → THE PRIESTHOOD BEING CHANGED + A CHANGE ALSO OF THE LAW.
(My personal thoughts: The priesthood of Aaron came with the law of Moses. Psalm 110:4 promised a different priest, so the book of Hebrews draws the plain conclusion that a new priesthood brings a new law with it. The order of Melchizedek stands both before the law of Moses and after it.)
Hebrews 7:20Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (21) (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) (22) By so much was Jesus made a surety [G1450 egguos] of a better testament [G1242 diatheke].
THOSE PRIESTS WERE MADE WITHOUT AN OATH + THIS WITH AN OATH → JESUS MADE A SURETY OF A BETTER TESTAMENT.
(My personal thoughts: The priests in the family of Aaron received the office by birth, with no oath of God behind them. Here the book of Hebrews at last names the one priest made with an oath, Jesus. A surety is a person who makes himself responsible for the whole agreement, so Jesus himself is the guarantee that this covenant stands.)
Hebrews 7:26Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (27) Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
HOLY + HARMLESS + UNDEFILED + SEPARATE FROM SINNERS → HE OFFERED UP HIMSELF ONCE.
(My personal thoughts: Every high priest in Israel brought an offering for his own sins first. This priest had no sins of his own. He offered up himself, one offering, one time, the priest and the sacrifice in one person.)
3. DIFFERENT VIEW, SAME SCENE — bread and wine at Salem, and bread and the cup at Jerusalem
Genesis 14:18Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
MELCHIZEDEK BROUGHT FORTH BREAD AND WINE + HE WAS THE PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.
Matthew 26:26Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. (27) And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; (28) For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
JESUS TOOK BREAD + HE TOOK THE CUP → THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
[VERSES JOINED TOGETHER — NO ONE VERSE SAYS THIS ALONE]
(My personal thoughts: No verse states that the meal at Salem pointed forward to the supper of the Lord. That is why the tag stands above. Let the reader weigh the two scenes side by side.)
4. THE SEED OF THE WOMAN — THE PROMISE PLANTED IN THE GARDEN
Genesis 3:15Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed [H2233 zera] and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
BETWEEN THY SEED AND HER SEED → IT SHALL BRUISE THY HEAD, AND THOU SHALT BRUISE HIS HEEL.
(My personal thoughts: The Hebrew word zera (H2233, seed) means a child, or the children who come after a man. God spoke this promise in the garden, on the day sin entered the world. Watch this one promised seed move from one man to the next man in the verses below.)
Genesis 26:3Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; (4) And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
I WILL PERFORM THE OATH WHICH I SWARE UNTO ABRAHAM THY FATHER → IN THY SEED SHALL ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.
(My personal thoughts: Here God repeats to Isaac the same oath God swore to Abraham on the mountain. The promise did not die with Abraham. It moved down one generation.)
Genesis 28:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; (14) And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
I AM THE LORD GOD OF ABRAHAM THY FATHER, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC → IN THY SEED SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.
(My personal thoughts: Now the promise moves down again, to Jacob. God has now spoken one promise to three men in one family line, in three generations. The promise stays on that one line.)
Genesis 49:10Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
THE SCEPTRE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH → UNTO HIM SHALL THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE BE.
(My personal thoughts: A sceptre is a rod a king holds as the sign of his right to rule. The promise now narrows from the whole family of Jacob to one tribe, the tribe of Judah. Remember this tribe, because the name Judah returns near the end of this study.)
5. THE SEED PROMISED TO DAVID — A THRONE FOR EVER, SWORN WITH AN OATH
2 Samuel 7:12Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. (13) He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
I WILL SET UP THY SEED AFTER THEE → I WILL STABLISH THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM FOR EVER.
(My personal thoughts: Solomon, the son of David, built the temple. But the throne of Solomon did not stand for ever, because the kingdom split in two pieces after his death. The promise of a throne for ever therefore reaches beyond Solomon, to a greater son of David.)
Psalm 132:11Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
THE LORD HATH SWORN IN TRUTH UNTO DAVID → OF THE FRUIT OF THY BODY WILL I SET UPON THY THRONE.
(My personal thoughts: The promise to David has now become an oath, the same way the promise to Abraham became an oath. God bound himself with the words "he will not turn from it" (Psalm 132:11). The coming king would come from the body of David, not from some other nation.)
6. DIFFERENT VIEW, SAME SCENE — two oaths in the book of Psalms, and one man
Psalm 132:11Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
THE LORD HATH SWORN IN TRUTH UNTO DAVID → OF THE FRUIT OF THY BODY WILL I SET UPON THY THRONE.
Psalm 110:4Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
THE LORD HATH SWORN, AND WILL NOT REPENT → THOU ART A PRIEST FOR EVER.
[VERSES JOINED TOGETHER — NO ONE VERSE SAYS THIS ALONE]
(My personal thoughts: Two psalms record two oaths of God, one oath for a king from the body of David, and one oath for a priest for ever. No single verse in the book of Psalms says the two oaths land on one man, so the tag stands above. The New Testament names Jesus as the sworn priest and as the promised king from the seed of David (Hebrews 7:21-22, Acts 13:23).)
Jeremiah 23:5Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch [H6780 tsemach], and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
I WILL RAISE UNTO DAVID A RIGHTEOUS BRANCH → THIS IS HIS NAME WHEREBY HE SHALL BE CALLED, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
(My personal thoughts: The Hebrew word for Branch is tsemach (H6780, a branch, a sprout), the same word Zechariah used for the man who is a priest upon his throne. The word printed LORD in capital letters is the covenant name of God. So a man born in the line of David carries the name of God himself.)
7. E. THE NEW TESTAMENT NAMES THE SEED — AND THE SEED IS CHRIST
Matthew 1:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
JESUS CHRIST + THE SON OF DAVID + THE SON OF ABRAHAM.
(My personal thoughts: The New Testament opens with a birth record. The very first verse names Jesus as the son of David and the son of Abraham, both promise lines at once. The first sentence of the New Testament answers the oldest hope of the Old Testament.)
Galatians 3:16Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Now to Abraham and his seed [G4690 sperma] were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
TO ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED WERE THE PROMISES MADE → AND TO THY SEED, WHICH IS CHRIST.
(My personal thoughts: Paul reads the book of Genesis with great care. He builds the whole point on one word being singular, seed, not seeds. Then he names the person, Christ.)
Acts 13:22Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. (23) Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
OF THIS MAN'S SEED HATH GOD ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE RAISED UNTO ISRAEL A SAVIOUR, JESUS.
(My personal thoughts: Paul preached this in a synagogue, a house where the Jews met to hear the scriptures. In one sentence he states the whole thread of this study, for God raised up the promised Saviour from the seed of David. Then Paul gives the name of the Saviour, Jesus.)
2 Timothy 2:8Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
JESUS CHRIST OF THE SEED OF DAVID + RAISED FROM THE DEAD.
(My personal thoughts: Paul folds the whole gospel (the good news) into one line for Timothy. Paul chose only two facts, that Jesus Christ is the seed of David, and that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. The promise line and the empty grave stand together in one sentence.)
Revelation 22:16Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
I AM THE ROOT AND THE OFFSPRING OF DAVID + THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR.
(My personal thoughts: Jesus speaks these words about himself, almost the last words of the whole Bible. The offspring of David is a son born into the line of David, and the root of David is the one the line itself grew out of. Jesus is both the offspring and the root.)
8. F. THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY GHOST — NAMED SIDE BY SIDE, AND STILL ONE LORD
(My personal thoughts: This verse still governs everything below. Nothing on this page adds a second God or a third God. Hold every verse below beside Deuteronomy 6:4.)
Matthew 3:16Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit [G4151 pneuma] of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: (17) And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
THE SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDING LIKE A DOVE + A VOICE FROM HEAVEN → THIS IS MY BELOVED SON.
(My personal thoughts: Count what happens in this scene. The Son stands in the river, the Spirit of God comes down like a dove, and the voice of the Father speaks from heaven. The Father speaks those words about the Son, not the Son about himself.)
9. DIFFERENT VIEW, SAME SCENE — the same river, told by the man who was standing there
John 1:32Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. (33) And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (34) And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
I SAW THE SPIRIT DESCENDING FROM HEAVEN LIKE A DOVE → THIS IS THE SON OF GOD.
(My personal thoughts: John the Baptist tells the same river scene as a witness who stood there. God had told John the Baptist in advance that the Spirit coming down and staying was the appointed sign. So the Father gave the sign, the Spirit was the sign, and the Son received the sign.)
Matthew 28:18Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME → BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST.
(My personal thoughts: Jesus names all three side by side in one command. He names the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. This study says only what the verse says.)
John 14:16Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter [G3875 parakletos], that he may abide with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I WILL PRAY THE FATHER + HE SHALL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COMFORTER → EVEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH.
(My personal thoughts: One sentence holds three again, for Jesus prays, the Father gives, and the Comforter comes. Notice the word another. Jesus had been the helper standing beside the disciples, so another Comforter means another helper like Jesus.)
John 14:26Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
THE COMFORTER, WHICH IS THE HOLY GHOST → WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME.
(My personal thoughts: This verse leaves no room for guessing about who the Comforter is. The verse plainly calls the Comforter the Holy Ghost. The Father sends the Holy Ghost in the name of Jesus, three names in one verse again.)
2 Corinthians 13:14Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST + THE LOVE OF GOD + THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY GHOST.
(My personal thoughts: Paul ends a whole letter with one blessing that carries three names. Grace means the favor of God that no person earns, and communion means a sharing together. Paul, a strict Jew who confessed one God all his life, still set the Lord Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Ghost side by side in one farewell.)
1 Peter 1:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (2) Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER + SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT + THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
(My personal thoughts: Peter opens his letter the same way Paul closed his letter. Foreknowledge means knowing a thing before the thing happens, and sanctification means being set apart for God. Two different apostles write the same three-name pattern.)
Ephesians 4:4Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
ONE SPIRIT + ONE LORD + ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL.
Now place these witnesses side by side. Matthew shows the Son in the river, the Spirit coming down, and the voice of the Father. Jesus commands baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Jesus promises the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father sends. Paul closes a letter with the Lord Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Ghost in one blessing. Peter opens a letter with the Father, the Spirit, and Jesus Christ in one sentence. Over all of these verses stands one command. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD" (Deuteronomy 6:4). The Bible never calls this a contradiction. It states all of these verses in the same book.
[VERSES JOINED TOGETHER — NO ONE VERSE SAYS THIS ALONE]
(My personal thoughts: The verses state directly that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are named side by side, by Matthew, by John, by Paul, and by Peter. No single verse states in one sentence how the three names and the one LORD of Deuteronomy 6:4 fit together. Where the Bible stops explaining, this study stops explaining too.)
MOUTH OF TWO
Zechariah 6:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
HE SHALL BE A PRIEST UPON HIS THRONE.
Hebrews 8:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
WE HAVE SUCH AN HIGH PRIEST → SET ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF THE MAJESTY IN THE HEAVENS.
Revelation 3:21Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
I ALSO OVERCAME + AM SET DOWN WITH MY FATHER IN HIS THRONE.
2 Corinthians 13:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
IN THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES SHALL EVERY WORD BE ESTABLISHED.
(My personal thoughts: Three witnesses say the priest is on the throne. A prophet speaks, the writer of the book of Hebrews speaks, and the risen Lord speaks. The word is established.)
THE SHADOW AND THE FULFILLMENT
Think of a shadow lying on the ground. You can see the shape of the shadow. The shape alone will not tell you what is casting the shadow. Two different things of about the same size can cast almost the same shadow. The shadow stays a mystery until the true light shows you the object itself. Then you look back at the shadow. Then you see that the shadow carried the shape of that object all along. That is what the Old Testament pictures are. The Old Testament pictures are real shadows, truly shaped by a real body. The Bible calls these things "a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Colossians 2:17). It also says a shadow is "not the very image" of the thing itself (Hebrews 10:1). No one could read the whole truth from the shadow alone. When Christ came, the light showed the body. This is why we never build a teaching on a shadow by itself. We only call something a shadow when the New Testament light has shown us the body the shadow belongs to.
Colossians 2:16Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: (17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
A SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME → THE BODY IS OF CHRIST.
Hebrews 10:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
THE LAW HAVING A SHADOW OF GOOD THINGS TO COME + NOT THE VERY IMAGE OF THE THINGS.
1.Genesis 14:18Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
MELCHIZEDEK KING OF SALEM + THE PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.
2.Hebrews 7:14Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. (15) And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, (16) Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (17) For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
OUR LORD SPRANG OUT OF JUDA → AFTER THE SIMILITUDE OF MELCHISEDEC THERE ARISETH ANOTHER PRIEST + AFTER THE POWER OF AN ENDLESS LIFE.
(My personal thoughts: The New Testament light itself makes this connection, for the book of Hebrews sets Psalm 110:4 on Jesus. Hebrews 7:14 also names the tribe of Judah, the same tribe that holds the sceptre in Genesis 49:10. The shadow at Salem was a king and a priest in one man, and the body is Jesus, the King and the Priest.)
CLOSING
Hebrews 4:14Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST + JESUS THE SON OF GOD → COME BOLDLY UNTO THE THRONE OF GRACE.
Galatians 3:28Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
YE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS → IF YE BE CHRIST'S, THEN ARE YE ABRAHAM'S SEED, AND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE.
(My personal thoughts: The priest thread ends at a throne of grace, where the Bible tells you to come boldly. The seed thread ends at your own door, because if you belong to Christ, then God counts you as the seed of Abraham, an heir of the same promise (Galatians 3:29). Jesus, the King and the Priest, is still calling.)
PRACTICE QUIZ
1. Genesis 14:18 — And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was:
a) possessor of heaven and earth
b) the priest of the most high God
c) King of righteousness
2. Matthew 3:17 — And lo a voice from heaven, saying:
a) This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased
b) Thou art a priest for ever
c) Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased
3. Psalm 132:11 — The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it:
a) I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever
b) Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek
c) Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne
4. Galatians 3:16 — He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed:
a) in Isaac shall thy seed be called
b) which is Christ
c) in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed
5. Zechariah 6:13 — and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be:
a) a priest upon his throne
b) he shall bear the glory
c) higher than the heavens
6. Hebrews 7:22 — By so much was Jesus made:
a) an high priest for ever
b) a minister of the sanctuary
c) a surety of a better testament
7. Revelation 22:16 — I am the root and the offspring of David:
a) the first and the last
b) and the bright and morning star
c) the beginning of the creation of God
ANSWER KEY: 1-b, 2-a, 3-c, 4-b, 5-a, 6-c, 7-b
HOW THIS STUDY BRANCHES
→ How the shadow brings light: Melchizedek met Abram with bread and wine (Genesis 14:18). Jesus took bread and the cup at the table (Matthew 26:26-28). No verse joins the two meals. The two scenes stand side by side for the reader to weigh.
→ How the new covenant expounds it: the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law (Hebrews 7:12). The priest changed. The covenant changed with the priest, and Jesus is the surety of the better testament (Hebrews 7:22).
→ How the words matter: the righteous Branch in Jeremiah 23:5 and The BRANCH in Zechariah 6:12 are one Hebrew word, tsemach (H6780). One prophet gives the Branch the throne of David. The other prophet makes the Branch a priest upon that throne.
→ How this applies to you: the promise of the seed is not locked in the past. If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and an heir according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).
→ What this means for eternity: the oath of God has no end. A priest for ever (Psalm 110:4). A throne for ever (2 Samuel 7:13). The priesthood stands in the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16).
→ Rabbit trail: John 14:16-17 and John 14:26 open onto the whole doctrine of the Comforter, the Holy Ghost. What the Comforter does inside a believer deserves its own full study.
→ Rabbit trail: Genesis 49:10 opens onto the whole thread of the tribe of Judah. The thread runs from the sceptre that stays with Judah to the throne room of heaven, where Revelation 5:5 calls Jesus the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David.
→ Possible revelation: Jeremiah 23:6 gives the king from the family of David the name THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. The first study followed a name that was withheld from Jacob and withheld from Manoah. Here a man born in the line of David openly carries the covenant name of God. No one verse joins those scenes. Set the scenes side by side and consider them.
