day five: Christ, the king-priest

During the forty days of Lent from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday (forty days not counting Sundays), Jayme Thompson and I will post daily devotionals on this blog to help guide you through the season. Lent is an ancient tradition in the church intended to be a time of focusing on the cross. To help us in this pursuit, we are studying the book of Hebrews in a series called, "Journey of Hope". It is appropriate that we use this book during our fast, as the theme of Hebrews is "Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Christ, the King-Priest

1Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. 5So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

"You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.
6And he says in another place,
"You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek."

(Hebrews 5:1-7)

In the Old Testament you cannot find someone who embodies the role of both king and priest. The king is the one represents the truth of God's law to the hearts of man. The priest stands as an intercessor between man and God. One has the ministry of truth, the other ministry of tears. One is like the stern father imparting justice, the other is like the compassionate mother who defends her children. One has the ministry of the law, the other the ministry of grace.

But deep in the bowels of scripture in the book of Genesis one finds an example of both priest and king. His name is Melchizedek:

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.' He gave him a tenth of all. (Genesis 14:18-20)

This fascinating figure who was both king of Salem and Priest of the Most High God, whose name means "King of Righteousness" is a foreshadowing of the coming messiah. In Psalm 110, David made this prophecy:

4 The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind:
"You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek."

The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is both priest and king. As King He represents the truth of God's law to us, as Priest He is our intercessor.

Do you see the parallel at the crucifixion between your need for both justice and mercy?

It was only in the death of the King-Priest that our sin could be wholly atoned for. At the cross the infinite justice of God was satisfied by His infinite mercy and abounding love. At the cross the law was overcome by grace- the ministry of truth met the ministry of tears.

The lent season is about focusing on this unmatched beauty of the cross. When you and I comprehend it in it's fullness, our hearts are melted and transformed by it!

Our pleasure and our duty
Though opposite before
Since we have seen His beauty
Have joined to part no more.
To see the law by Christ fulfilled
And to hear His pardoned voice
Transforms a slave into a child
And duty into choice.

John Newton