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Melchizedek and Abram19C
And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. He blessed him, saying,
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your foes into your hand.”
And [Abram] gave him a tenth of everything.
Genesis 14:18-20 (Tanakh)
26 And God said [to His Son], “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that creep on earth.” 27 And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27 (Tanakh))
Father and Son, having agreed to the creation of mankind, realised that before setting in motion a train of events which would achieve that objective, they must first do their homework if they were to come up with a sound design plan. Of course, the Father would be 'lead', and Jesus would work under Him.
They had seen what had happened following the creation of the Heavenly Beings. Some had fallen by the wayside while, perhaps, others had rejected the Primary Contract from the outset. Just like any contract, new arrivals were free to reject or commit to the Primary Contract. Since the Heavenly Beings were immortal, those who fell into sin and error had no opportunity for redemption.
The creation of mankind in their image and likeness was far more challenging! Having witnessed the fall of some of the Heavenly Beings, they accepted that this was a high-risk project. Because mankind would be created in their image and likeness, Father and Son wanted to offer a chance of redemption to any who might fall into sin and error.
Creating mankind as immortal beings would not work: the penalty clause of the Primary Contract stated that any who broke the contract would Die (ie, they would be excluded from God's dwelling place and company). There seemed to be no way around this!
Further, more detailed, examination of the Primary Contract led to the discovery of a loophole! How about creating mankind as mortal beings? What might be the benefits?
Creating mankind as mortals, provided the loophole in the Primary Contract the Lord had been looking for. And so the Rescue Contract was born whereby the Death of His Son would provide the Death required by the penalty clause of the Primary Contract. It would be as well to prepare for the fall of mankind, so the Lord God set up a priesthood, later to be renamed the Priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek, in which Jesus accepted the appointment of Great High Priest Designate:
[18] For you know what was paid to set you free from the worthless manner of life handed down by your ancestors. It was not something that can be destroyed, such as silver or gold; [19] it was the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or flaw. [20] He had been chosen by God before the creation of the world and was revealed in these last days for your sake. (1 Peter 1:18-20 GNT)
Peter - one of the Twelve - confirms that Jesus had been chosen before the creation of the world. Although Peter's epistles are excluded from the Scriptures on grounds he'd been led astray by Paul's false teaching, we are on safe ground when citing 1 Peter 1:18-20.
[Dissertation: Paul's corruption of the minds of the Twelve.]
Having made Jesus Great High Priest in the Order, later renamed as the 'Order of Melchizedek', the Lord God an opportunity to appoint priests in the Order should it prove necessary. When the Lord drew up the Mosaic Covenant, He wanted the Levites to act as shepherds. But, lest the Levitical Priests went astray, He reminded them of the fact that the Levitical Priests were subject to the authority of the Priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek. This, He accomplished through Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20 (Tanakh)). With Jesus as Great High Priest and Melchizedek a priest serving under Him, the Lord had a fully functional priesthood which He could call upon were the Levitical Priesthood not up to scratch.
Following the fall of David's Tent, the Lord God reduced the Levitical Priesthood to the ranks, and handed the shepherding of Israel over to the Priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek. Following the establishment of the Two Olive Trees, subsequent appointments would be on a hereditary basis.
Since the universe would be created in a domain completely separate from the Heavenly Realm, it would have no access to its power source:
On no day will its gates ever be shut [in the New Jerusalem], for there will be no night there. (Revelation 21:25 NIV)
There will be no more night [in the New Jerusalem]. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5 NIV)
It would therefore be necessary to create a power source which would enable the creation of life forms, and then sustain them. This independent source of power would not last forever:
This was okay, because it was the Lord's intention to eventually do away with imperfection and wrongdoing, and to shift life-forms either to the New-Jerusalem or to Hell.
So, when the Lord was happy with their research and design work, He set in motion a train of events which would lead to the creation of the universe as we know it:
When God began to create heaven and earth — the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water — God said,
“Let there be light”;
and there was light. (Genesis 1:1-3 (Tanakh))
The light - as we know today - allowed evolution, and continues to drive photosynthesis. See also Genesis, chapter 1.
Jesus is Great High Priest in the Order. He dwells with His Father in the Temple in Heaven, and is subject to His own contract with His Father. The priests, on the other hand, are appointees who serve under Jesus, their Great High Priest.
See also: Rescue Contract.
[Assignment: Continue to study the Scriptures.]
And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. He blessed him, saying,
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your foes into your hand.”
And [Abram] gave him a tenth of everything.
(Genesis 14:18-20 (Tanakh))
The Order takes its name from Melchizedek.
[1] I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. [2] But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. [3] And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." [4] These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. [5] If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. [6] These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
[7] Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. [8] Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. [9] For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. [10] The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
[11] But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. [12] Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. (Revelation 11:1-12 NIV)
The 'tree' metaphor (Rev. 11:4) confirms that the Two Witnesses are descendants of the Two Olive Trees, the Two Lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the Earth. The prerequisite is that a Priest be married according to Covenant Marriage‡. Necessarily, therefore, a Priest in the Order - like God Himself - has no gender, despite appearances to the contrary at the Physical Level.
‡ Covenant Marriage.
Note that God's directions to either component will be passed on by HusbandWife.
[Essay: Covenant Marriage is the merger of a man and a woman at the Spiritual Level, such that they are without gender (illustrate with a schematic).]
Meeting the Two Witnesses at work, provides an insight into the Two Olive Trees.
[Dissertation: The two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.]
1 The angel who talked with me came back and woke me as a man is wakened from sleep. 2 He said to me, “What do you see?" And I answered, “I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl above it. The lamps on it are seven in number, and the lamps above it have seven pipes; 3 and by it are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and one on its left.” 4 I, in turn, asked the angel who talked with me, “What do those things mean, my lord?" 5 “Do you not know what those things mean?" asked the angel who talked with me; and I said, “No, my lord.” 6 Then he explained to me as follows:
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit—said the LORD of Hosts. 7 Whoever you are, O great mountain in the path of Zerubbabel, turn into level ground! For he shall produce that excellent stone; it shall be greeted with shouts of 'Beautiful! Beautiful!'"
8 And the word of the LORD came to me: 9 “Zerubbabel's hands have founded this House and Zerubbabel's hands shall complete it. Then you shall know that it was the LORD of Hosts who sent me to you. 10 Does anyone scorn a day of small beginnings? When they see the stone of distinction in the hand of Zerubbabel, they shall rejoice.
“Those seven are the eyes of the LORD, ranging over the whole earth.”
11 “And what," I asked him, “are those two olive trees, one on the right and one on the left of the lampstand?" 12 And I further asked him, “What are the two tops of the olive trees that feed their gold through those two golden tubes?" 13 He asked me, “Don't you know what they are?" And I replied, “No, my lord.” 14 Then he explained, “They are the two anointed dignitaries who attend the Lord of all the earth.” (Zechariah 4 (Tanakh))
Zechariah 4 - the Temple in the Heavenly Realm is flanked by two olive trees. Depicted, are the two anointed dignitaries - the two olive branches - who attend the Lord God, and who bring [a harvest of] liquid gold into God's Temple.
Those who enter the New Jerusalem will have access to God's Temple, and so will see the two olive trees on either side of the building. Further inspection will confirm them to be Trees of Life.
See also Trees and The Lampstands
[Essay: The Hall of Remembrance.]
Scriptural depictions of the Tree of Life in the Heavenly Realm, remind us of their function and purpose:
[1] Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb [2] down the middle of the great street of the city.
On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2 NIV)
These trees are watered by the 'Water of Life' - ie, the Lord Spirit.
But what Rev. 22:1-2 doesn't explain is how this works in practise and how people gain entry to the New Jerusalem in the first place!
The Two Olive Trees are inseperable from the Golden Lampstand; and they pour their 'liquid gold' into the Lampstand (Zech-4). There is a clear-cut allusion to the [Heavenly] Trees of Life, except that it appertains to this life and how people may find access to the New Jerusalem. Just how that works is mentioned in the Book of Teaching:
1 He led me back to the entrance of the Temple, and I found that water was issuing from below the platform of the Temple—eastward, since the Temple faced east—but the water was running out at the south of the altar, under the south wall of the Temple. 2 Then he led me out by way of the northern gate and led me around to the outside of the outer gate that faces in the direction of the east; and I found that water was gushing from [under] the south wall. 3 As the man went on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and led me across the water; the water was ankle deep. 4 Then he measured off another thousand and led me across the water; the water was knee deep. He measured off a further thousand and led me across the water; the water was up to the waist. 5 When he measured yet another thousand, it was a stream I could not cross; for the water had swollen into a stream that could not be crossed except by swimming. 6 “Do you see, O mortal?" he said to me; and he led me back to the bank of the stream.
7 As I came back, I saw trees in great profusion on both banks of the stream. 8 “This water," he told me, “runs out to the eastern region, and flows into the Arabah; and when it comes into the sea, into the sea of foul waters, the water will become wholesome. 9 Every living creature that swarms will be able to live wherever this stream goes; the fish will be very abundant once these waters have reached there. It will be wholesome, and everything will live wherever this stream goes. 10 Fishermen shall stand beside it all the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim; it shall be a place for drying nets; and the fish will be of various kinds [and] most plentiful, like the fish of the Great Sea. 11 But its swamps and marshes shall not become wholesome; they will serve to [supply] salt. 12 All kinds of trees for food will grow up on both banks of the stream. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail; they will yield new fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the Temple. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
Rev. 22:1-2 NIV | Eze. 47:1-12 T
At this point we leave an exhaustive mapping as homework:
[Dissertation: An exhaustive mapping between Rev. 22:1-2 NIV and Eze. 47:1-12 T.]
[Essay: Assessing 'need' must be handled dynamically, and kept under constant review.]
Before the creation of the universe, Jesus was appointed to be the Redeemer, the Scapegoat for those who might fall into sin and error. This would entail being born a human being, living, working, and eventually laying down His life for the Sheep. And so He was appointed Great High Priest in what was later to be known as the Priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek. Not only would Jesus be the Redeemer, but He would also become the Good Shepherd of the Sheep.
The Lord God realised that Jesus would need support staff to assist Jesus in His work on Earth. Hence there was a need for the appointment of priests who would work with Him, witness to the world, and would help with shepherding the Sheep.
The Lord needed to establish the primacy of the Priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek. This was later accomplished in the meeting between Melchizedek and Abram.
With the shameful failure of the Levitical Priesthood, it was necessary to demote them to the ranks. Not only had they defiled the original Mosaic Covenant, but they had rejected their Messiah, to the point where they conspired to have Jesus executed. Total destruction of the Levitical Priesthood was not on the cards, for there were undoubtedly some who remained faithful. Nevertheless, being reduced to the ranks, would be a shame the Office would have to endure throughout the whole of Eternity.
Other things were happening too. With the fall of David's Tent, worship was shifted to the Spiritual Level. The destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 CE rendered the Covenant unenforceable at the Physical Level. Jesus made sweeping amendments to the Covenant with the Messianic Amendment.
The complete and utter failure of the Levitical Priesthood meant that they had to be replaced by shepherds after God's own heart:
I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. (Jeremiah 3:15 NRSV)
In other words, Priests in the Order of Melchizedek. See more of the context in Jeremiah, chapter 3.
There were, of course, the needs of Jew and Gentile alike - people to whom the Lord had a duty of care [under the terms of the Primary Contract]. Misled and then abandoned by those in authority over them, they were doomed.
Delegated everything to His Son (Mat. 11:27a).
[Essay: Hereditary appointment vs laying on of hands.]
Initially, the Lord's existential invitation and appointment are required. The office is hereditary.
The accountability of a Priest in the Order of Melchizedek:
Priestly Accountability.
[Assignment: Discuss the ways in which a shadow may be cast on the People.]
The penalty clauses are tied to 'accountability', but perhaps might be summarised as 'Death'.
The Priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek stand between the Lord God and His people. Should any of them cast a shadow - either by deeds of omission or by deeds of commission - then their Death is assured, and their names will be entered in the Blacklist.
[Essay: Casting shadows.]
Classification of the priesthood, in order of precedence:
The Levitical Priesthood have been given the boot and reduced to being little more than servitors, allowed to do only the most menial of jobs within the Church. Admittedly the office will continue, because the Lord God has said that it would. But although the office continues, it will continue to bear its shame (cf, the Zadok Amendment).
So shamed are the Levitical Priesthood, that the Lord has promised to take some Gentiles from all the nations as Levitical Priests - something previously unheard of!
18 For I [know] their deeds and purposes. [The time] has come to gather all the nations and tongues; they shall come and behold My glory. 19 I will set a sign among them, and send from them survivors to the nations: to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud—that draw the bow—to Tubal, Javan, and the distant coasts, that have never heard My fame nor beheld My glory. They shall declare My glory among these nations. 20 And out of all the nations, said the LORD, they shall bring all your brothers on horses, in chariots and drays, on mules and dromedaries, to Jerusalem My holy mountain as an offering to the LORD—just as the Israelites bring an offering in a pure vessel to the House of the LORD. 21 And from them likewise I will take some to be levitical priests, said the LORD. (Isaiah 66:18-21 (Tanakh))
Also:
[22] Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. (Isaiah 49:22 KJVS)
In Zechariah chapter 4 is found the metaphor of the Heavenly Menora flanked and one with the two Olive Trees (qv)
More can be found in Revelation chapter 11 (qv).
The metaphor can now be changed to the Cypress and the Myrtle:
12 Yea, you shall leave in joy and be led home secure.
Before you, mount and hill shall shout aloud,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the brier, a cypress shall rise;
Instead of the nettle, a myrtle shall rise.
These shall stand as a testimony to the LORD,
As an everlasting sign that shall not perish. (Isaiah 55:12-13 (Tanakh))
[Assignment:Discuss
(i) the metaphor of the two Olive Trees;
(ii) the metaphor of the Cypress and the Myrtle;
(iii) the interchangeability of the two metaphors.]
The responsibility taken from the Levitical Priesthood will be handed to the Priesthood in the Order of Melchizedek, shepherds after God's heart:
14 Turn back, rebellious children—declares the LORD. Since I have espoused you, I will take you, one from a town and two from a clan, and bring you to Zion. 15 And I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will pasture you with knowledge and skill. (Jeremiah 3:14-15 (Tanakh)
[3] And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, wearing sackcloth
[4] These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
[5] And if anyone wants to harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes; anyone who wants to harm them must be killed in this manner.
[6] They have authority to shut the sky, so that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying,
and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. (Revelation 11:3-6 NRSV)
Version: 2024-11-19