A Christ-less Heaven

Today in church our pastor was in Hebrews 9 again and we were dealing with Christ entering into heaven itself and Pastor David pointed out what was right there in verse 23:

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

That's right. Christ died to purify not only the earthly manifestations of the "holy place" in which we would offer sacrifices, but also died to purify heaven itself. I have to be honest that that question had NEVER jumped out at me before.

It says just this in verse 24:

For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Christ purified heaven itself--now, at first blush that would seem to say that there was something in God that needed to be purified, but remember: God made the heavens too. He is above it! And it is His presence that made the earthly copy of heavenly things holy! He was before time and before the heavens. 1 Peter mentions the promise of the new heavens and new earth that we look forward to in the time coming when Christ shall return--and Isaiah prophesies this in Ch. 65 and 66.

The union of Christ with the Father purified the heavens because perhaps in a way there was a peace--even an appeasement?--that occurred with Christ's entrance into the heavens. Christ was the Lamb who was slain for all time--taking away the iniquity once for all for God's people, whom He had chosen before time began. No longer did God have act as He did in the Old Testament time and again for His name's sake (due perhaps to the inferior nature of the sacrifices made and the unfaithfulness of His people)--Christ, His Son, offered Himself as a sacrifice once. And in this sacrifice, His work corresponds to the promise that God made in Ezekiel 36, when He speaks of putting a His spirit within us, giving us a new heart--this could not be done without Christ's sacrifice, because His holiness CANNOT be compromised (in the same chapter, several verses show God's concern for His holy name). Without Christ's sacrifice and the eternal effect of his life, death and resurrection, we would still be making continuous sacrifices.

Christ, in purifying the heavens, offers himself as sacrifice and as our mediator between us and the Father, forever interceding for us. Praise His Holy Name.

The other point that David also made is that we often may look to heaven as the end rather than Christ--when we are suffering and in a hard place, how often do we not say, "Lord, take me now!" But this type of escapism is exactly the attitude Christ does not want us to have, but rather we would say with Paul that I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the future glory that is to be revealed to us. And this glory is Christ! Do you dream simply about the streets of gold and the absence of suffering rather than being with Christ, your Savior? Remember that heaven without Christ, to quote my pastor, is just another word for hell--separation from Christ is no heaven at all! The Trinity is 3 in 1! Christ's entrance into heaven made it the "promised land" for us, because without His sacrifice we have no audience or standing before the Father!

No matter the storm, flee to Christ and fling yourself at His feet, hearing His Word for your life today.

So Who Was Melchizedek? Part One

In the first of two parts, Pastor David preached on Hebrews 7:1-3:

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

Who Was Melchizedek?

1. He was a king (vv. 1-2) of peace (Salem is derived from shalom, meaning peace) and of righteousness.

2. He was a priest. Now why is this interesting?

Because the Levitical priesthood was later created by Mosaic law, and this was 400 years away! So we have a priest essentially before there was an "official" office. In addition, the Mosaic law made a VERY strict line that separated the King and the priest, making them separate offices (one need only look to Uzziah's mistake in 2 Chronicles 26 to see this illustrated).

3. He also had no genealogy.

This is also interesting because you have to realize that both for the hearers of Hebrews and those living in Old Testament times, genealogy was VERY important. Why do you think that Matthew begins with a genealogy in setting the scene for the Gospel? EVERY other Old Testament believer had a genealogy, but it was likely because he was a type.

Melchizedek Was a Type of Christ

1. Definition: a TYPE is a divinely-purposed illustration or example of the ultimate reality

2. A type POINTS or foreshadows the reality--at the end of Hebrews 6, it states that Melchizedek was a forerunner

3. When the type is considered, the reality of that type is greater appreciated--just as Melchizedek was king of peace and righteousness, Christ is the ultimate King of peace and righteousness.

How did Melchizedek act as a type of Christ?

Pastor David closed with three points to illustrate this:

1. Melchizedek was a king; Jesus is the KING OF KINGS.

2. Melchizedek was a priest; Jesus is the HIGH PRIEST.

3. Melchizedek did not have a father or mother; Jesus is THE ETERNAL AND ONLY Son of God, THE Ancient of Days, always existing, immutable, glorious.

The importance of this forerunner to Christ is the illustration of the joint office of Christ: He is both our intercessor as priest, ever our representative before the Father and King over us as our Creator! And even more, He acts as the person offering sacrifice AND having been the sacrifice! Glory in Christ as your King and High Priest!