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Figure 1: Melchizedek and Abram19C
[4] The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind,
"You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
Psalm 110:4 NRSV
Predates the creation of mankind.
The Order of Melchizedek started out at the Spiritual Level as an abstract contingency contract. The Father had done His research before going ahead with the creation of mankind. He was fully aware of the possibility that mankind might fall into sin and error. And so He discussed the matter with His Son, and came up with the abstract Rescue Contract. Hopefully, it wouldn't be needed; but it was there should the need arise. Jesus accepted the terms, and so became High Priest Designate in the Order. Undoubtedly the abstract contract had a name, but was renamed 'Melchizedek Contract' at the time of Melchizedek19C, who was one of the appointed priests in the Order.
The Lord will send us Priests in the Order of Melchizedek. They will take precedence over the shamed Levitical Priesthood whom they will replace.
Next up: The Melchizedek Contract.
Predates the Levitical Priesthood.
The House of Israel were appointed to be a kingdom of priests:
"'...Now then, if you will obey Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples. Indeed, all the earth is Mine, 6 but you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel.” (Exodus 19:5-6 (Tanakh))
The priestley duties of the whole of the Jewish nation included taking the Covenant and its model to every nation. Thus, the Lord had a nation obedient to Himself, who could go out into the world and bear much fruit!
Eventually, the Lord God chose Jerusalem for His dwelling place:
But then I chose Jerusalem for My name to abide there, and I chose David to rule My people Israel. (2 Chronicles 6:6 (Tanakh))
Not only did the Lord set His Name in Jerusalem for ever, but He gives the assurance that His heart and eyes will ever be there:
3 The LORD said to him, “I have heard the prayer and the supplication which you have offered to Me. I consecrate this House which you have built and I set My name there forever. My eyes and My heart shall ever be there. (1 Kings 9:3 (Tanakh))
Hence the title 'Priesthood in the Order of Zion'.
[Dissertation: The Priesthood of Zion.]
Since the Covenant was binding in law, it was necessary to document and record those who desired to dwell with Him in this life. Zion would be the forerunner of the New Jerusalem, at both the Physical and Spiritual Levels; though, with the Holy City coming down from Heaven as a Bride, one might argue that the New Jerusalem complements and honours Zion:
[2] And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2 NRSV)
The Register of Zion is a subset of the Book of Life which contains information about those who were born in Zion or those who made Zion their Spiritual Home:
And those who remain in Zion
And are left in Jerusalem—
All who are inscribed for life in Jerusalem—
Shall be called holy. (Isaiah 4:3 (Tanakh))
The Lord will write in the register of the peoples: "This one was born in Zion." (Psalm 87:6 NIV)
Clearly, not everyone can be born and brought up in Zion! Yet for those of us who live far away on the other side of the Globe, Zion can still be our spiritual home, for Zion will be a city without walls:
Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. 5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the Lord, 'and I will be its glory within.' (Zechariah 2:3-5 NIV)
At the Spiritual Level Zion will be - and is - a city without limits or boundaries. And as the world sinks into evil unimaginable, the flock - wherever they may be living, however great their distress - will be able to look to Zion and find inspiration and strength and hope and encouragement. Even though a person may be an exile in his own country, Zion will always be both existential home and refuge.
The 'Register of Zion' is documented in Ps. 87:6 T:
Of the Korahites. A psalm. A song. The LORD loves the gates of Zion, His foundation on the holy mountains, more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah. 4 I mention Rahab‡~and Babylon among those who acknowledge Me; Philistia, and Tyre, and Cush--each was born there. 5 Indeed, it shall be said of Zion, "Every man was born there." He, the Most High, will preserve it. 6 The LORD will inscribe in the register of peoples that each was born there.Selah. 7 Singers and dancers alike will say: "All my roots are in You." (Psalms 87:1-7 (Tanakh))
‡ A poetic name for Egypt (NIV, GNB).
It speaks of the Lord's great love for Zion. In verse 6 we read of those born there and whose names are included in the Register. This is straightforward enough. But what is of particular interest is the inclusion of Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush: they acknowledge both God and Zion, and so are treated the same as those born in Zion - in the same way that aliens who attach themselves to the Lord and become integrated, are considered as part of His People:
Let not the foreigner say,
Who has attached himself to the LORD,
“The LORD will keep me apart from His people” (Isaiah 56:3a (Tanakh))
We find verification of this in Scripture; but note that it is dependent on attachment and obedience to the Covenant:
As for the foreigners
Who attach themselves to the LORD,
To minister to Him,
And to love the name of the LORD,
To be His servants—
All who keep the sabbath and do not profane it,
And who hold fast to My covenant
7 I will bring them to My sacred mount
And let them rejoice in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
Shall be welcome on My altar;
For My House shall be called
A house of prayer for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:6-7 (Tanakh))
Not only individuals but towns and countries will attach themselves to Zion:
In that day, the Egyptians shall be like women, trembling and terrified because the LORD of Hosts will raise His hand against them. 17 And the land of Judah shall also be the dread of the Egyptians; they shall quake whenever anybody mentions it to them, because of what the LORD of Hosts is planning against them. 18 In that day, there shall be several towns in the land of Egypt speaking the language of Canaan and swearing loyalty to the LORD of Hosts; one shall be called Town of Heres.
19 In that day, there shall be an altar to the LORD inside the land of Egypt and a pillar to the LORD at its border. 20 They shall serve as a symbol and reminder of the LORD of Hosts in the land of Egypt, so that when the Egyptians cry out to the LORD against oppressors, He will send them a savior and champion to deliver them. 21 For the LORD will make Himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians shall acknowledge the LORD in that day, and they shall serve Him with sacrifice and oblation and shall make vows to the LORD and fulfill them. 22 The LORD will first afflict and then heal the Egyptians; when they turn back to the LORD, He will respond to their entreaties and heal them.
23 In that day, there shall be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians shall join with the Egyptians and Egyptians with the Assyrians, and then the Egyptians together with the Assyrians shall serve the LORD.
24 In that day, Israel shall be a third partner with Egypt and Assyria as a blessing on earth; 25 for the LORD of Hosts will bless them, saying, “Blessed be My people Egypt, My handiwork Assyria, and My very own Israel.” (Isaiah 19:16-25 (Tanakh))
For an example of integration, see Ruth12C, who became the great-grandmother of David10C:
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife (Matthew 1:5-6 NIV)
For those not born in Zion, but for whom Zion is their spiritual home, there is a direct link through 'identification' (q.v.). They identify themselves with Zion; and the Lord God identifies Zion with them. This is the thrust of Ps. 87:7 T, where we read, 'All my roots [literally sources] are in you.' So, those five cities in Egypt where Hebrew will one day be spoken
In that day five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord Almighty. One of them will be called the City of Destruction. (Isaiah 19:18 NIV)
will have their roots established in Zion and be recorded in the Register of Zion (Ps 87:4 T).
Those whose names are written in the Book of Life but who did not view Zion as their spiritual home, will not have their names written in the Register of Zion, for God will not falsify the records.
The Register of Zion will contain only the names of those who truly claim to have their roots there. I think that the NIV translation brings this out a little more clearly:
He has set his foundation on the holy mountain; 2 the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are said of you, O city of God: Selah 4 "I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me---Philistia too, and Tyre , along with Cush---and will say, 'This one was born in Zion. ' " 5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said, "This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High himself will establish her." 6 The Lord will write in the register of the peoples: "This one was born in Zion." Selah 7 As they make music they will sing, "All my fountains are in you." (Psalm 87:1-7 NIV)
'This one and that one' suggests a selection process which picks out those individuals who've made Zion their spiritual home and whose names are entered in the Register of Peoples (i.e., the Book of Life).
There is no need to limit the Register of Zion to individuals. The texts show that entries will also be entered on a collective basis, either as city, region, nation or group.
We need not be surprised at this, for the Scriptures often mention towns and cities:
"Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. (Matthew 10:11-15 NIV)
The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. (Luke 11:32 NIV)
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." (Matthew 11:20-24 NIV)
[Note that these passages indicate the transparency and consistency of God's justice on the Day of Judgement.]
Jesus' name is also included in the Register of Zion. The significance of this fact should never be overlooked.
Dr Paul Tournier has discussed the importance of having a place, and the psychological trauma for those having no place. This applies as much to the Spiritual Level as to the Physical.
But the Lord has already anticipated people's needs, and has provided access to Zion, the city in which He dwells. It is our own headquarters, if you like, for it is here on Earth that we can actually dwell with God. Jesus, too, dwells in Zion. Then, as we go out into the world to carry out the tasks God assigns us, Jesus will be present where only two or three gather in His name:
[20] For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." (Matthew 18:20 NRSV)
Following Pentecost, the Spirit is poured out on all mankind, on men and women alike (Joel 2:28-29 NIV). Hence, at all times, Father, Son, or Spirit are with God's people wherever they may find themselves in the world. Whether alone or together in the smallest group, wherever they may find themselves on Earth, whatever the circumstances: the Lord is with them at all times...
Even when physically far away from Jerusalem, all are together in Zion at the Spiritual Level. For it is as the Lord explains to Zechariah,
[3] Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him, [4] and said to him, "Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and animals in it. [5] For I will be a wall of fire all around it, says the LORD, and I will be the glory within it. (Zechariah 2:3-5 NRSV)"
Figure 2: Aaron and his rod.
[Dissertation: The Office of Levitical Priest.]
[Dissertation: The Office of Levitical Servitor.]
11 A time is coming—declares my Lord GOD—when I will send a famine upon the land: not a hunger for bread or a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of the LORD.
12 Men shall wander from sea to sea and from north to east to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12 (Tanakh))
That time coincides with the current period of David's fallen Tent.
What are the options for those approaching the Age of Discretion?
Each of these three options is false and will lead to Death:
Figure 3: The AoD options.
As can be seen from fig.3, the only Covenant which doesn't lead to Death is that of the current Covenant - namely, the Messianically Amended Covenant - which exists at the Spiritual Level.
The Messianically Amended Covenant will be the foundation for the rebuilding of David's fallen Tent. Which, in turn, will lead to entry into the New Jerusalem.
Unfortunately, the Messianically Amended Covenant has no infrastructure in place where people may worship and dwell with the Lord.
The purveyors of false covenants and doctrine, have left people searching for God's words, but not finding them...
The removal of these false shepherds and their replacement with the Priests in the Order of Melchizedek - shepherds after God's own heart - is long overdue!
Version: 28-Jan-2024