November 21, 2025 - Hebrews 7

The writer continues his theme of the priesthood and its ministry and writes about “Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God” (7:1).  In his priesthood, he is one “resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever” (7:3).  There is here mention not only of Melchizedek but Abraham and Levi and the laying down of a principle, i.e., that “the inferior is blessed by the superior” (7:7).  As great as Melchizedek was, there is One greater.  God is perfect.  We must be perfect in order to come into his presence and enjoy fellowship with him.  However, the Levitical sacrifices could make no one perfect.  They had to be offered day after day and, once offered, the person sins again, and another sacrifice must be made ad infinitum.  If the Levitical priests and their ministry could result in perfect righteousness, “what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek” (7:11).  But there is such a need; there must be a priest who is similar to Melchizedek but different in that he is perfect.  That One “has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life” (7:16).  That is, not by daily sacrifices but by the sacrifice of his own life, a life that is perfect and whose righteousness can be imputed or given to us.  We “have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens” (7:26), Jesus Christ!

He lives, the great redeemer lives!

What joy the blest assurance gives!

And now before his Father God

Pleads the full merits of his blood.

Repeated crimes awake our fears,

And justice armed with frowns appears;

But in the Savior's lovely face

Sweet mercy smiles, and all is peace.   –Anne Steele (1760)