( HEBREWS 5:6 )

AS HE SAITH IN ANOTHER PLACE, THOU ART A PRIEST FOR EVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC, ( 7 ) WHO IN THE DAYS OF HIS FLESH, WHEN HE HAD OFFERED UP PRAYER AND SUPPLICATIONS WITH STRONG CRYING AND TEARS UNTO HIM THAT WAS ABLE TO SAVE HIM FROM DEATH, AND WAS HEARD IN THAT HE FEARED; ( 8 ) THOUGH HE WERE A SON, YET LEARNED HE OBEDIENCE BY THE THINGS WHICH HE SUFFERED; ( 9 ) AND BEING MADE PERFECT, HE BECAME THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION UNTO ALL THEM THAT OBEY HIM; ( 10 ) CALLED OF GOD AN HIGH PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC.

If you study out Melchisdec, you will see that he was a type of Christ. You can find his name in ( Genesis 14::18 ). We can’t find where is was ever born nor did he die. There’s no record of it. He was the King of Salem which means ( peace ).

I’ll write those verses, make that statement and, now we’ll look at this, also the rest of this chapter. I’ve stated before; ( I believe ) the Apostle Paul wrote ( Hebrews ). He was speaking to his own people. He sought to get them to understand that following any man is not wise; that is, any man in the flesh. The reason for that is that, they all die, that because of their own sin.

Jesus Christ also died because of sin ( ours ), not his own. That’s why God the Father raised him from the dead and, why we are freely justified because of his resurrection. Melchisedec was a type, just like we see often in the Old Testament.

Now, notice something. The Apostle Paul, being a Jew; new this fact. Why? Because he had studied it out, just like any other Jew could have done. You might say; that’s a debatable fact. I’ll agree however, we can see that no matter how he gained that knowledge, he is now sharing it with his brothers in the flesh. My point is that God, through different ways had been trying to reveal this knowledge to them for years. The Apostle Paul just happens to be the last way that it will be revealed. He’s is the ( open door ) to ( the Church ) for all men.

Now, look at:

( verse 11 )

OF WHOM WE HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY, AND HARD TO BE UTTERED, SEEING YE ARE DULL OF HEARING.

It’s so much that can be taught here! For instance; we know that the word of God teaches that God purposely ( dulled the hearing ) of Israel as a nation. That because of their unbelief; as a Nation. We speak of ( Melchisedec ) as being a type. Well, look at this verse:

( 2 Corinthians 3:13-15 )

And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the of that which was abolished: ( 14 ) But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testamant; which veil was done away in Christ. ( 15 ) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their hearts.

We often simply read by verses such as we see here and in the book of Hebrews, not ever understanding what is being taught. I’d like to take the time here to show all that is being taught. So, let’s look in:

( Exodus 34:30-33 )

And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the shin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come high to him. ( 31 ) And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. ( 32 ) And afterwards all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinia. ( 33 ) And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. ( 34 ) But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. ( 35 ) And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

As I seek to tie these things together, in all cases we see typlical things. Now, let’s begin with the letters that the Apostle Paul wrote to different Churches. We call them epistles. When he wrote those letter, he was speaking to ( the Church ) in those cities or, areas. Here, in Hebrews; he’s speaking to the people, members of ( the Church ) that are Hebrews. Those that are born again in the Nation of Israel. He’s not speaking to them as a nation but, as individual people. As you consider this, we must understand that he was concerned for the souls of all men. In other words, he was hoping that all Israel would have their eyes opened and see Christ as their Savior. That’s is the spiritual mindset of any Church, it’s members and, it’s pastor; wouldn’t you agree?

While we see that the Apostle Paul is he ( Apostle to the Gentiles ) in ( Ephesians 3 ); can you see that ( the Hebrew people ) are just as likely to be born again as the people are anywhere else? They can become members of the body of Christ ( the Church ), as can people in any nation under heaven. ( The Veil ) we are speaking of was on ( Israel ) as a Nation, not as individuals. The ( dull of Hearing ) was upon ( the Nation ) not simple individuals.

As born again believers in the Nation of Israel; the Apostle Paul knows well that ( they ) as a people had always followed ( a man ). They looked at the high priest as their leader so to speak and, they also considered the ( tabernacle ) as a place of worhip. In:

( John 4:23-24 ) Jesus tells the ( woman of Samaria this )

( 23 ) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. ( 24 ) God id Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.

If you go to any letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to any Church; you can see his mindset as far as what might be a hinderance to their worship in that particular area. In Corinth, they were ( carnal minded ). In Galatia they ( mixed law and grace ). The Romans ( struggled with grace ). The Hebrew believers ( struggled with how to simply allow God to speak to them ) apart from any man directing them.

That quest, the quest to learn to hear God speak by his spirit within us can still be seen as a real problem today. For example; what is a denomination? What difference can it make? I, Marshall Clayton was born again in an Independant Baptist Church. While I consider that to be a very great blessing, does that mean they have all the answers? If I base my salvation on simply what they teach then, I’m a fool! While God uses Churches and men, just like me to speak to people; he also desires for those same people to learn to allow him, by his Spirit to teach them and lead them.

I contend that we are more like the Hebrew children than we like to admit! We fall in love with our Churches, pastors, Sunday School teachers and yes, even our denominations. There’s an older song that says this: ( I’LL GO TO MY GRAVE, LOVING YOU ). A lot of Christians say that about their Church, pastor ana denomination. Not me, my friend! I love Jesus and, the study of his word! I’ll go to my grave, loving, listening to him!

THe Apostle Paul is seeking to get the ( Hebrew Childern ) to understand that Jesus is now your High Priest. That, after the order of Melchisedec. What he’s saying is that every high priest that lived, died. They had a beginning and an end. However, Jesus Christ, the Hight Priest that we follow today had no beginning and no end. That, Just like Melchisedec.

If you wish, you can say that ( Abram ) worshipped Jesus Christ 2000 years before he was born. That’s what is actually being taught. Abram understood the concept of God speaking and, he, being willing to obey that voice. If I lock myself into ( a man ) ( a denomination ) even ( a teacher ) then the knowledge that is found there is as high as I can go.

If any person will allow themselves to learn to hear God’s Spirit then, the teaching is unlimited. What is the gift of preaching? That gift is the ability to take a few words from scripture and, allow God’s Spirit to speak through and reveal many other things.

( In my opinion ) many pastors are average teachers but, they can’t preach! In that case, he simply becomes one of his congregation, no different. It takes great courage to step out and allow God’s Spirit to use you as his voice!

In closing, I’ll say this. The children of Israel saw the lightnings and thunderings, dark smoke and feared. They told Moses to go up and allow God to speak to him and, whatever he said, they would listen. Well, I desire to be like Moses! I want to walk right up into that dark smoke, right into the thunder and lightning, I want to hear all God’s got to say.

There once was a powerful evangelist in our area, I won’t call his name but, my daughter and I went to a Church he was preaching at once to sing. At that time, my daughter was about eighteen. This evangelist came out of the pulpit, stood on one end of the communion table and said this: Jesus Christ, as our High Priest, shed his blood and died on his Cross. When He died, he took his own blood, brought it to this end of the alter of sacrifice and said; I offer this blood for the sins of the people of the world and, sit that blood down on that alter. Then, he walk right to the other end of that communion table and said, ( I ECCEPT IT )! He offered that blood as the Son and eccepted it as the Father!

During that preaching exchange, I seen my daughter laughing and crying all at the same time! Friends, can you see that picture! Teaching never does that! It only come from the power of the Holy Spirit when a man is willing to allow himself to allow God to reveal himself through his body of flesh!

Far too oftn we lock ourselves into the things of this world and, at the very same time, by that very act, we lock God’s ability to speak to us ( outside ) The Apostle Paul was trying to gat the Hebrew Children to understand that very concept!

What are you locked into? As for me; my desire is to be locked into ( God’s Holy Spirit )!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7