Hebrews 7:4
Tenth of The Spoils – Part 1
Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. (Hebrews 7:4)
<<A Psalm of David.>> The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. (Psalm 24:1 – 10)
The Creator – The Owner
  The Spirit of God working through the psalmist explains to man who holds possession of the earth and the world. He is the Almighty God, the Creator of all things who not only possesses it, but controls it for His good pleasure. The earth and the world that we live in, the people, the nations, and the tribes, are all possessed by the Almighty, the possessor of heaven and of the earth, and this ties in with our High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. As there are two creatorial realms, heaven and earth, the Spirit of God also signifies two different realms of creation upon the earth. First, it is the creation of the earth itself in all its elements, the very dust of the ground to the highest point of the ionosphere, all working to give to mankind a habitation for life. One little movement of the axis of the earth could cause havoc for all mankind. The Creator of all things upholds all by the Word of His power. Then we have the second realm, the people, the nations, the tribes that inhabit and make up the world. In John’s 1st epistle, he stated that each and every Christian has three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Never is the earth brought in as an enemy. It is the world of national and religious structure that is in opposition to God, and His Christ. The Lord continues to maintain His sovereignty over them even in their disobedience. He turns all the pages of history, the present, and the future all follows His divine will. The Creator of all things is the Lord of glory, He is the One in the finality of Psalm 24 who will come openly to take possession of the earth, and the world. All will be put in subjection to Him, as He upholds all things by the Word of His power.
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)　
The Creator – The Possessor
  As the Creator of all things, He is also the Possessor of those things that He has created. ALL belongs to Him, therefore, also all the spoil, all our belongings, all our possessions belong to Him. Every facet of His creation is His. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. After the battle of the kings, Abraham met Melchisedec, and gave a tenth of the spoil. This is recorded of the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 7:4. The reason is quite evident, for we are dealing with two different systems. With Abraham, we have the system of grace because he gave from his heart freely to Melchisedec. Even though Abraham was an heir to the promises of God, he gave the gift of the tenth of the spoils to Melchisedec. Was it a gift, or was it an offering? I believe that it was both. For it was given to the Priest of the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth. Abraham was not in subjection to anyone on earth. He was called by the Lord of glory, and his call was from heaven.
  In the appearing of Jesus Christ as Melchisedec it was to guide, and to uphold His servant Abraham. When Abraham stood before the Almighty God in Genesis, Chapter 17, he was told by the Almighty God to walk before me, and be thou perfect. Abraham believed the promises that God gave to him, he believed God by faith and it was counted unto him for righteousness, the very righteousness of God. (Romans 4:3) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Let us look at three particular scenes when Abraham faced God. In Genesis 14, he met Melchisedec, the Priest of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth. In Genesis Chapter 17, he met with the Almighty God, and there his name (Abram) was changed to Abraham. In Genesis Chapter 18, Abraham met with the Lord again, this time, he met with the Judge of the whole earth. In this combination of these three chapters (Genesis Chapters 14, 17 and 18) we see God as the Possessor, God as all powerful in the Almighty God, and then as the supreme Judge of all the world: people, nations, and tribes. And in each of these chapters what stands out? The righteousness of God in all its fullness stands out.
The Creator – Gives a New Life, a New Name, and a New Position
  What did God expect from Abraham? He said to Abraham, Walk thou before me, and be thou perfect. The liberal theologian today would choke on these words, however, they forget that God imputed His righteousness to His servant Abraham. Notice that in Chapter 17 of Genesis that Abraham received a new position, and a new life, and a new name before the Almighty God. Abraham met the God of glory while he was in Ur of Chaldees. After his battle with the Chaldeans and the nations, he met Melchisedec, the eternal Priest of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth. This was a new revelation to Abraham, for now Abraham was made aware of the price that God was going to pay for His servant Abraham. Not only would Abraham receive the promises of God in land and possessions, but he now knew from the hand of God that he would receive eternal life. This would explain the tenth of the spoil as an offering (from the heart) to Abraham’s Savior. Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness, the righteousness of God. (Romans 4) Now righteousness can only be received with belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Righteousness is just as much a gift as grace.
The Creator – Gives the Gift of Grace
  Let’s follow the gift: we will start at righteousness. We have received righteousness because of God’s gift of grace. We have received grace because of God’s gift of faith. We have received faith because of God’s gift of His Son. It all starts with belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. A tenth part was a small amount to give to the possessor of heaven and earth. Yet, like Abel, Abraham offered this gift from the heart. There was no law, it was the inward movement of the Spirit of God in the heart of Abraham to show his love, and his desire for the Son of God. Abraham rejoiced to see the day of Christ, he was glad in it because it set him free from sin and death. The Lord referred to Abraham in the gospel of John Chapter 8: the 8th Chapter of John is full of the preeminence of Jesus Christ; and it is full of the unbelief of the Jews, so much so that they took up stones to stone Him.
  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. (John 10: 31 -33) This all stemmed from the Lord Jesus proclaiming to them that He was the great I AM. If you put all of the declarations of the Lord Jesus in the 8th Chapter of John together, the Spirit of God will reveal to you, as He did to Abraham, the God of glory, Melchisedec (the eternal Priest of God), God Almighty, and the Judge of the whole earth all in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the same God of creation, the God (‘elohiym) He proclaimed it to the Jews, and He was rejected. Abraham, however, believed God which falls in line with Hebrews 11:6, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
  The tenth part of the spoil was an offering of the whole. God has always required from His creation (man) obedience from Adam, faith from Abel and of the rest of his seed. Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, and here we have the tenth part of the spoil given by Abraham.
  Remember when the king of Sodom offered all the spoil to Abraham, yet Abraham would not take a thread or a shoe latchet, for he had lifted up his right hand in subjection to the most high God possessor of heaven and earth. Man is God’s subject. All men are under the sovereignty of God whether in obedience or disobedience. They still come under divine subjection under the Almighty God. Not only did Abraham prove his obedience to God, but God proved this in His divine destruction of the four kings of the east. The description of the spoil is not mentioned. Was it in all the cattle of the enemy to be offered as a sacrifice to the Almighty God? Remember that Abraham built an altar when he first entered into the land, and Noah built an altar and sacrificed to the Almighty God after the flood. God established that He, Himself, was a God of sacrifice. For in Himself, He would be the ultimate sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. And at this sacrifice, the words, it is finished, came from the lips of the Almighty God. Man probably would feel that the spoils in Genesis 14 were all the jewels from the east, this to show wealth and possession. So the words from the lips of Abraham to the king of Sodom we read in Genesis 14:23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich.
The Creator – The Source of Seen and Unseen Manna
  Ponder all these things, and consider Lot. Lot was set free by Abraham, yet, where do we find him, wallowing with the swine back in Sodom. Do you think that he ever thought of that day when he separated himself from Abraham? Lot had shared the blessings of God with Abraham, Lot was rich in cattle, and herdsmen, but he lost it all in sin-city. Lot went into the well-watered plains of Jordan with much cattle and herds. He had a multitude of herdsmen, but sin stripped it all from him. His cattle were gone, his herdsmen were gone, and his wealth was gone, sadly at the end of his days, after the destruction of Sodom, the Holy Spirit, Himself, records Lot living in a cave with two evil daughters. All had perished in sin. This man of God, who God declared righteous, was away from God and in the presence of evil. God had previously blessed him, so with Abraham, Abraham gives a tenth of the spoil and this was a more excellent sacrifice than Lot, or the king of Sodom could ever give. When a saint of God acquires some of this world’s possessions, man wants to claim that it was received from the hands of man, and not from the hand of God. They in their pernicious spirit, state that the day of manna is over. Well I am living proof that manna still comes down from heaven. For God has kept me every step of my sojourn upon planet Earth. He has provided the very walk of faith that I walk in. He has provided every day for my needs, and not for my wants. He gave me the gift of a helpmate in whom I have been blessed by, and comforted by, in this walk of faith. What is manna today? Do I have to tell you, did not the Lord Jesus say, He was the manna from heaven, that He is the manna from heaven, and does not faith receive that manna from heaven? Lot is a good example of a godly man under the control of man, and not under the control of God. This is one of the biggest lies of the devil that to serve God you need man.
The Creator – Reveals Himself as King and Priest
  Consider Elijah, well . . . let’s go back further; consider Samuel . . . well, let’s go back further; consider Gideon . . . well let’s go back further; consider Moses . . . still, let’s go back further, consider our subject: Abraham. Abraham’s faith saw the God of righteousness, and that righteousness was imputed as a gift to Abraham. Abraham was assured that God would reveal Himself upon the earth, and that God would fulfill all the promises that He gave to His servant Abraham. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39 – 40) Rest assured in your walk of faith that Jesus Christ sits on the throne of heaven, and God has promised that He would set His King upon the earth on His holy hill of Zion. (Psalm 2) And His King will be both the Priest of the most high God, and the King of righteousness. (Zechariah 6:13) Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. The counsels of peace will be between them both as Priest and King, as they are one and the same with Melchisedec and Jesus Christ, both Priest and King of twain He made one new man, so making peace. (Ephesians 2:15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.
The Creator – The Source of All Knowledge and All Truth
  So much of the divine is lost in man’s carnal knowledge and feelings. Man’s imagination is a dangerous thing. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. (Luke 1:51) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21) If one is not guided by the Holy Spirit of God, Himself, one cannot acquire the divine mind in the things of God. Following the traditions of men can get you into great danger, for they are not the movement of the Spirit Himself. The theological mind today, as the Jews, is in opposition to the truth of God for they have followed man and man’s carnal imaginations. They have become fools in the presence of all knowledge and truth, for they do not believe the truth (like the Jews) that had been given to them through the Scriptures. The contemporary theologian counts on his imagination before he considers the Scriptures, when in fact, the Scriptures have been given to control our imaginations. Remember as Cain thought, His imagination led him to murder, and thus, led him to being cast off by God. The imagination of the Jews, in the day of Christ, was quite evident; their traditions and the traditions of the elders trumped the word of God. The doctrines of men had taken God so far away from their thoughts that they could not recognize the very face of God in their midst: in the Lord Jesus Christ. Even among themselves (as today) they had theological arguments. They were divided into different religious belief systems as Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians. They argued about resurrection, they argued about political spiritualism, they argued about their own positions, and they had lost sight of heaven above, and the Possessor of heaven, Jesus Christ.
  Fast forward to our present age, there are churches on every corner, all claiming Christ in unbelief. They imagine a limited God, a God of their own choosing, however, the Lord Jesus said, Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. The God of glory has never appeared unto them, they have not the Spirit of Christ, they have never walked in the Presence of the high Priest and the King. They are trapped among the tares, and they run with the goats. They look for a light with no oil in their lamps. They cry in the marketplace for oil and cannot purchase it for they have never possessed the oil of gladness in the righteousness of our Savior Jesus Christ. The angels of God shut the door in Sodom, and the men of Sodom staggered in the darkness looking for the door. Today, that door is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the door that gives life everlasting, He stands at that door and knocks waiting for it to open so that He can come in and sup with you in His grace. Don’t let the fires of Sodom consume you, all that Sodom possessed became ashes. The smoke of their judgment rose up into the heavens, and Abraham could see the cloud of darkness as he looked over the plains of Jordan. Abraham saw the great cloud of witnesses, as we have seen today. These witnesses have revealed that doom and destruction await those who refuse the Savior where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
  Abraham showed his faith by his offering to the Priest eternal, the Priest of the most high God possessor of heaven and earth. Yes, it is Jesus Christ that Abraham lifted up his right hand to, and swore by an oath to the possessor of all things, Jesus Christ.
According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:11 – 21) 　
The Creator
The Almighty God – Son of God – Judge – King of Righteousness – Living Word
King of Peace – Counselor – Everlasting Father – Alpha and Omega
Melchisedec the Eternal Priest – I AM – the GodMan – Son of man
  Now if it were possible, we could ask these questions to Abraham, Whom do you think is Melchisedec? Whom do you think is the most high God? Whom do you think is the great I AM? Whom do you think is the Almighty? Whom do you think is the God of glory? Whom do you think is the Prince of peace? Whom do you think is the Son of God? Whom do you think is the Judge of all the earth? Whom do you think is the King of righteousness? Whom do you think is the Living Word? Whom do you think is the Lord of lords? Whom do you think is the son of man? Whom do you think is Jehovah? Whom do you think is the King of righteousness, and the King of peace? Whom do you think is the Counselor? Whom do you think is the everlasting Father? Whom do you think is the Son of righteousness with healing in His wings? Whom do you think is the Highest Himself? Whom do you think is the Christ of the cross? Whom do you think is the resurrected Savior? Whom do you think is the Alpha and the Omega? Whom do you think is the first and the last? Whom do you think is the beginning of the creation of God? Whom do you think is the One who fills all-in-all? So . . . Abraham, which one of these is your God? or can you say, all the above, and more! So we conclude that Jesus Christ is the everlasting God.
The Creator – The Peace Offering – The Prince of Peace
  When Abraham met the king of Sodom, he wanted nothing from the world. He had already met the King of righteousness, and by meeting the King of righteousness, Abraham could say in his heart, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. To walk by faith, like Abraham, one must first meet the King of righteousness, then he will possess and be part of the dominion of the King of peace. The only way that mankind can find peace is through the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. God the Father sent His Son into the world. Christ was not part of the world, He was the Creator of the world when He was upon the earth, He made this statement concerning His relationship to the world. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head. (Luke 9:58) He could find no peace in this world till He, Himself, became peace. (Hebrews 4) Only in Christ can one find rest and peace for their soul. Only in Christ can one find everlasting life. This is the fullness of the riches of Christ. For He is the One who holds the power of an endless life, and therefore, He is a great God, and a great Savior, Jesus Christ. So, what can the world give us? If we belong to the Lord Jesus, we possess all things in Christ. We possess things that we see (the tangible) which we have received at the Lord’s hand, and we also possess the substance of things not seen. (Hebrews 11) Abraham knew in his heart that the only position worth having is in Christ Himself. When Melchisedec appeared to Abraham there was no righteousness on earth, all had sinned and come short of the glory of God. And the fullness of the God of glory in Jesus Christ had not yet been revealed. For it was in the fullness of time that God sent forth His Son made of a woman made under the law. This was a specific time according to the determinate counsels of God that the glory of God would come to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)
But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! (Luke 22:21 – 22)
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)
  There was no peace in this world in the days of Abraham, for the Prince of peace had not yet been revealed. (Galatians 4:4) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, Peace came in the fullness of time in the Person of Jesus Christ. He proclaimed this to His disciples, My peace I give unto you. The world has no peace, but I give you my peace.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
  When we are born into this world, we are born as a descendant of Adam, we have the DNA of Adam including the violent string of sin. Why is it violent? It is violent because it brings forth death. We are taught to believe in man’s righteousness, and man’s peace which does not exist in the world of sin. When Abraham met Melchisedec there was no righteousness in the world, and no peace in the world. What man will not tell you is that God is the only righteous entity or self-existent Being in all of eternity, for He possesses all righteousness, and only imputes that righteousness to the children of faith. And they are the only ones who can know peace; for it is Christ who is the righteousness of God who also possesses ALL peace. When the Lord Jesus came into this world, He came in Himself to fulfill all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15) And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. In the days of the manifestation of the Son of God, the Spirit speaketh expressly, there was no king in Israel, and there was no king of peace in Israel until Christ came from heaven above. The world did not know peace.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Philippians 4:7-9)
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
  Only the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6) can give peace. In the days of Abraham, how many men did God call out of the world to serve Him? Only one, a man out of Ur of Chaldees, and that man was Abram. (Isaiah 51:2) In this we have a new work of God, as Noah was a preacher of righteousness before the flood, and chosen by God as a man of faith: Noah was a preacher of righteousness, and this proves Noah’s standing with God, for only God can give righteousness to man. After the flood, Abram was chosen of God. It was a new work of God, for all the world had turned their backs on God. By faith, Abraham walked in the presence of God. In his call, it was a new work of God. In Abraham’s meeting with Melchisedec, it was a new relationship with God. In Genesis, Chapter 17, Abram became a new man in the presence of God, and therefore, God could say to him,Walk thou before me and be thou perfect. And God changed the name of Abram to Abraham, and this shows the new birth. You will not hear this today: when the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus in the gospel of John, Chapter 3, that a man must be born again, Nicodemus’ mind should have gone straight to Abraham in the book of Genesis when God changed Abram’s name and being to Abraham. Abraham was born again by the Spirit of God. How can I prove this? No man can walk before God and be perfect unless the Spirit of God is within him! God does not ask of man what man cannot give! Abraham walked before God and God imputed His righteousness to Abraham.Â
  Let us examine the worlds’ word, the word ‘peace,’ as the world sees and understands peace. The word peace from the lips of Adam, or man, is a mirage. You see it in the distance, but you never arrive. It is not real. It is only a reflection from the hot burning sand. For the only peace that mankind can have has to be peace with the Almighty God, and that has to come through the Prince of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ.
  In Genesis, Chapter 14, it is the first and only appearance of Jesus Christ as Melchisedec. He presented Himself as the Priest Melchisedec. This is the first mention of priesthood in the Bible, and this Priest is the King of righteousness, and the King of peace. Remember the law of first mention: we have a hint of this in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ when the Lord Jesus says of Himself that He is the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega. So, He must be the first Priest of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth. This alone should allow us to soar in the heavenlies in our spirit. We should be interested in His priesthood which is declared over and over in the book of Hebrews.
  It was the first official office that man possessed after God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. The priesthood was revealed to man as a shadow of that which was above, that God had established a priesthood in His Son before the foundations of the world. God chose the tribe of Levi, and out of Levi, He chose the house of Aaron to establish the priesthood on earth as a type of the glorious priesthood in heaven. He would also establish a dwelling place in the tabernacle. This was to be a shadow of all the sanctuary articles which are in heaven, and not made with hands.
  The priesthood of heaven in Melchisedec cannot fail, for it is brought by an oath under the righteousness of God. Aaron was only an example. And because Aaron was merely a man, the priesthood immediately failed under Aaron and his sons, Nadab and Abihu. Yet. God continued the line of the priesthood among men till the fullness of time. This earthly priesthood continued and was brought to its final true high priest in John the Baptist. John the Baptist was not nationally known as the high priest, nor would he have been accepted as the high priest; he was only recognized as a prophet from God. The priesthood was merely examples, a shadow, and a type of things above. Aaron was only a shadow of the true substance of Melchisedec, the possessor of heaven and earth, even Jesus Christ.
  Now according to the Holy Spirit in the gospel of John, we have a fulfillment of the eternal tabernacle in the Person of Jesus Christ. John gives us pictures of the tabernacle and the priest throughout his gospel, and this tabernacle is not made by hands. The true tabernacle is above, but we have its first establishment in the Person of Christ, for all is established by the counsel of God. In the beginning was the Word, pointing to one God, and to one word, which is the Word of God. The Word dwelt among us, Let them build me a sanctuary that I might dwell among them. Next we have the holy of holies, the most holy place, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father. From the most holy place to the Lamb of God, in Him we see Lights and Perfection, or the Urim and Thummim. In Him was life, and the Life was the Light of man. We pass the candlestick, and now we behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. We see both the sacrifice and the brazen altar, when Christ proclaimed of Himself, I have the power to lay down my life and I have the power to take it again. John Chapter 1 begins with God’s march through this world, and through the history of mankind, In the beginning was the Word. The gospel of John has been called The Spirit’s Gospel, for it is completely unique from the other three gospels. In John’s gospel, we see the Lord on earth doing the work of heaven, but we also see the Lord in heaven doing the work of Melchisedec for the earth. (John 3:13) And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. This verse speaks of the omnipresence of the Son of God as well as the omnipotence of the great High Priest, Melchisedec, who is in heaven. Consider John Chapter 3 where the altar is there: after speaking of His omnipresence in verse 14, He refers back to Moses and the brazen serpent. Here was life, and Christ was speaking of the life that He came to give for the world; that He was Life, and to have eternal life one must look and live, the exact words that Moses gave to the children of Israel. This was Christ explaining that He was the redemption of man. He was expressing His death upon the cross through the brazen altar which symbolized by the brazen serpent. In the brazen altar only the priest could put the sacrifice on the altar, the sin offering had to be offered by his own hands, so too, Christ once offered Himself.
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)
Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. (Hebrews 7:27)
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:12)
  These verses show Christ as the High Priest forever offering Himself on the cross as both Priest and Sacrifice for the sin of the world. It was John the Baptist who was the true earthly high priest of that day, for he was a direct descendant of Aaron for both John’s father and mother was of the lineage of Aaron. Elizabeth was specifically called by the Holy Spirit as a daughter of Aaron. In regard to prove her lineage back to Aaron, therefore, we believe that in the fullness of time, it was John the Baptist who was God’s true earthly high priest. He was the only one who God qualified to be the high priest. Notice that the Holy Spirit mentions nothing concerning the genealogy and lineage of Annas and Caiaphas (the high priests of that age), however, John’s record goes back to Aaron.
The Creator – The Meeting Between The Substance and His Subject
  Stay with me now . . . don’t tire out now . . . we have a meeting of the true high priest on earth with the true High Priest from heaven at the river Jordan. The Lord presented Himself as the sacrifice by His own hand, and He is informing John in Matthew 1:15 that it was up to them both to fulfill all righteousness. The son of Aaron met the Lamb of God (as the sacrifice) and Melchisedec (as the Sacrificer, the Priest). At the same time that John was the earthly priest, Christ was the holy Priest from heaven both together presenting the Lamb of God to Israel, and to the world. Remember that Christ came to reconcile things in earth and things in heaven; therefore, the meeting at the Jordan is very important. The Spirit opens a window to us, remember the twelve stones that were placed on the banks of the Jordan and in the Jordan. John referred to those stones when he stated to the Pharisees that God was able to raise up children to Abraham from those very stones. This phrase by John is no coincidence, for it was Abraham and his children who were counted in the eternal promises of God given in Genesis Chapter 17. Both Jew and Gentile were brought into those promises; both earthly and heavenly were contained in those promises. Now in the fullness of time, heaven came down to meet earth so that earth may go up to heaven in the children of men. John, the high priest of the earth, first presented the eternal Priest, and then it was the next day that John declared, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. The first mention of priesthood is in Genesis Chapter 14, and Melchisedec is a Priest of righteousness. He is the Possessor of righteousness therefore, when the Lord Jesus told John it was up to them to fulfill all righteousness, the Lord Jesus was presenting Himself to John as Melchisedec. Then John, the next day, as a priest in the line of Aaron proclaimed, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (both Jew and Gentile). Christ was fulfilling the determinate counsels of God. This He declared when He told John it was up to them to fulfill all righteousness. Both the eternal Priest and the eternal Sacrifice is revealed at the Jordan in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, for both John and the heavens declared the Son of God.
And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. (John 1:32 – 34)
The Creator Went to the Cross to Set Mankind Free From Sin and Death
  Now concerning the tenth of the spoil was an offering from the heart of Abraham to his God. It is recorded of Levi that he also paid tithes even when he was yet in the loins of Abraham. And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (Genesis 14:20) And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham. (Hebrews 7:5) God sees life far differently than man sees life, man has a low value of life. God’s value of life is eternal, for life (all life) is within Him for He is the Creator and Sustainer of life. Although we do not understand our existence in our ancestors it is a very realistic thought according to the Scriptures. God stated that Levi paid tithes when he was yet in the loins of Abraham. God has moved from the Creator all things to the Savior of all things.
  Sin had moved His creation (both man and the world) into chaos and death. Man and the earth have suffered because of sin. Sin is not an abstract. We see it every day in this world, and we see the result of sin, the soul that sinneth shall die. It is a Biblical fact that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is a Biblical fact that the wages of sin is death. It is a Biblical fact that all men die. Death is the result of sin, and we have this witness all around us, no matter how it comes, it comes upon all for all have sinned. As by one man sin came into the world, and death by sin, so death has passed on to all men for all have sinned. Give sin another name, call it by a different color, whatever you do or say, sin will always be there because the result of sin is death. There is only one path to escape it, and that is the Christ of the cross, the Man in heaven at the right hand of the majesty on high who has borne the sin of the whole world in His own Being and took it out of the way and nailed it to His cross. It took a supernatural Priest, a supernatural Sacrifice, and a supernatural Man to rectify Adam’s sin.
  There was nothing in Christ that was of Adam, yet the Lord Jesus in the mystery of godliness was manifested in the flesh. Pay attention to the word ‘manifested,’ for it trumps the word ‘birth.’ He was that holy thing that was placed in Mary’s womb. He was placed there by the Spirit of God, so that there would be no taint of sin in Him. He was the only GodMan, and He was free from sin, yet He endured all the temptations as a man, even the tempter himself, the devil, tempted him as recorded in Matthew Chapter 4. This temptation was face to face. It was an exchange between the GodMan and the devil; the GodMan was not tempted, then He endured (as the Son of God) three more years of world rejection, and temptation. For He was tempted in all parts as we are, yet, apart from sin. God the Holy Spirit makes sure that we understand the sinless Being of the Lord Jesus Christ. He records in the Scriptures that Christ did no sin, that in Christ there was no sin, and that He knew no sin, for the Spirit of God has said, the Lord Jesus was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. In the Lord Jesus, the Son of man, the Christ of God is made higher than the heavens. It took the Creator of all things, the Creator of heaven and earth to free us from Adam and Adam’s sin. This is the greatness of the Man we consider Christ Jesus.
  The tenth in Abraham’s day was an offering for the law had not yet been given, but it shows the provision in the law that the first fruits were always for God, and Israel would have to abide by the offering of the first fruits, and remember, the Lord Jesus is referred to as the first fruits. All of Israel came under the law, so Levi paid tithes when he was yet in the loins of Abraham. This truly gives us complete proof of our DNA back to the beginning with Adam. And after the transgression of Adam, the DNA of mankind changed. There was a strong string of DNA added after the fall, and this strand was sin. Some people have brown eyes, and some have blue eyes; some people are white, some are brown, some are yellow, some are red; some are short, some are tall; some have greater intelligence and wisdom then others. All have different strands of DNA, but there is one strand that ALL men have that never changes, it is the black strand of sin. Because of sin all have come short of the glory of God. I beseech you by the mercies of God, Come to the Lord Jesus Christ, wherever you are, whoever you are, Come to the Lamb of God and consider how great this Man is in heaven for you. Amen.
© Copyright 2018, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)