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Hebrews 7:3

Hebrews 7:3 Who is Melchizedek? This enigmatic verse explains that there is a reason why we know so little about Melchizedek. We all know how important genealogies were to the Israelites, they were a fundamental part of their culture. Originally, every man, woman and child knew their family tree, from what tribe they originated and the tract of land that belonged to them. In the Book of Genesis each character that is mentioned is accompanied at some point by their genealogy so that there might be no doubt as to where they fitted into the history of Israel. Thus, it is intriguing to meet someone whose father and mother are not named, we know nothing about the ancestors of Melchizedek, we do not know when or where he was born, whether he was married and had children or when and where he died. There is absolutely no information available about this man. However, the veracity of his existence is never in doubt, if Abraham, the father of Israel, said he met him and conversed with him, then ...
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Hebrews 7:2

Hebrews 7:2 Abraham gave a tenth of everything So far as we are aware, Abraham was the first human being to make a tithe to someone he believed to be greater than himself. The ritual of tithing reoccurs often in Scripture, particularly in the context of our offering one tenth of our money or assets to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30 reminded the Israelites, “ A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. Whoever would redeem any of their tithe must add a fifth of the value to it.”  The instruction here goes on to set out that every tenth animal of the herd or flock will also be holy to the Lord. The rules about tithes are expanded upon throughout the Old Testament and are more complex than many might think. The point here is, that Abraham was the first, he set the pattern that his descendants would follow, and the surprise is that he tithed the spoils of his military conquests to a man he barely knew...
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Hebrews 7:1

Hebrews 7:1 This chapter is holy ground! We previously met Melchizedek in chapter 5:6, I make no apologies for repeating the introduction given there. Melchizedek was a King Priest of God Most High at Salem in the days of Abraham. As such, this man was appointed to a higher order than even Aaron and his sons and all the other High Priests of Israel. The roles of priest and king were not given to any man apart from Melchizedek, a curious figure about whom we know very little. However, Abram (yet to be named Abraham) saw and believed enough to honour the man and make tithes to him. (See Genesis 14:18-20)  It is remarkable that when the two men met, outside the walls of ancient Jerusalem, the priest king brought out bread and wine. We read, “ He was priest of God Most High and he blessed Abram”.  We need to emphasise the extraordinary status held by this man for the offices of king and priest have been held by none other than Christ Himself. Zechariah had a vision of Christ who h...
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No more "Musings" until Tuesday 11th August

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Hebrews 6:19-20

Hebrews 6:19-20 The anchor for our souls V19      The metaphor being used here is obvious, all ships carry anchors, when they need to come to rest and cannot tie up to a jetty or wharf, they must lower the anchor. An anchor is deliberately made so that it digs into the seabed, and it is heavy enough and strong enough to take the weight of the boat and stop it from drifting in the current. God’s Word is our anchor; we trust that He will never lie to us and that everything He says is true. Therefore, no matter how violent the storms of life may be, we are securely held in place, and we can trust our anchor, there is a place of security for us, we will not always be troubled by the currents and tides of the world. That is why our journey in this life requires faith, sometimes just to cling on and wait for the opposing and dangerous elements to ease.  However, an anchor is of little use if there is no suitable seabed for it to take hold and just look at the seabed the Lo...
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Hebrews 6:18

Hebrews 6:18 It is impossible for God to lie We would have to admit, that the author of Hebrews is very persistent when he has a point to make! A lot of time was spent proving, beyond doubt in chapter 1, that Jesus Christ is superior to all the angelic hosts of heaven. In chapter 3 we looked at the arguments as to why Jesus is superior to Moses, and then there is a drawn-out explanation as to why we must be wary of unbelief. This latter argument goes on throughout chapter 4 of the epistle and then come the lengthy warnings about elementary teachings and the differences between the milk and meat of the Word of God. Now, it seems that we must be left in no doubt as to the unbreakable authenticity of God’s promises. The apostle Paul would have probably dealt with each issue in a few short, pithy words and then moved on, which is why I do not believe that he is the writer of this letter! Let’s consider, one more time, the impossibility of the Lord God ever breaking His promises. Firstly, b...
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Hebrews 6:17

  Hebrews 6:17 Confirmed with an oath Let’s remind ourselves again of what we learned from v13-14 about the oath that God swore to Abraham,  “ I swear by myself,   declares the   Lord , that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,   I will surely bless you   and make your descendants   as numerous as the stars in the sky   and as the sand on the seashore.   Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring   all nations on earth will be blessed,   because you have obeyed me.”  Genesis 22:16-18. This promise followed the moment when Abraham was willing to offer his son as a sacrifice to the Lord! The verse before us expands the explanation of why God made such a promise and why He swore to fulfil it by using His own name.  Let’s face it, the history of Abraham’s descendants is hardly clothed in glory, they have never excelled in faultless obedi...
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