WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC #42                                          

Melchisedec, Shalom, King and Priest of Peace

FEBRUARY 18,  2001

Brian  Kocourek

 

This morning we will turn our thoughts again to the Sermon Who is this Melchisedec that Brother Branham taught us. We will begin our study today beginning with paragraph 29.

 

Who is this Melchisedec 29 Now, let's get right into the service now quickly, turning now with me if you will to the Book of Hebrews. And another revelation on the Message, we'll speak for just a few moments tonight, the Lord willing. And then while reading the first three verses of Hebrews 7:1-3, and then commenting on this... And we don't know what the Lord will do. We do not know; the only thing we do is just believe, watch, pray (That right?), and believe that He'll make everything work together for good to them that loves Him, because He promised to.

1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; (Let's read a little farther).

3 Without father, without mother, without descent,... neither beginning of days, or end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

 

Who is this Melchisedec 30 Think of this great Person, of how great this Man must be. And now, the question is: "Who is this Man?" Theologians has had different ideas, but since the opening of the Seven Seals, the mysterious Book that's been mysterious to us... According to Revelations 10:1-7, all the mysteries that's wrote in this Book that's been hid down through the age of the reformers is supposed to be brought out into view by the angel of the last church age. How many knows that's right? That's right. Supposed to be brought... All the mysteries of the mysterious Book is to be revealed to the Laodicea messenger of that age. Seeing there is much dispute about this Person, and this subject, I think it behooves us to break into it to find out Who this is. Now, there's several schools of thought on Him. One of the schools are--claims He's just a myth; He wasn't actually a person. And the others says that it was a priesthood, that was the Melchisedec priesthood. That's the most likely one that hold better to that side than they do to the other, is because they say it was a priesthood. It can't be that, for in the 4th verse it says He was a Person, a Man. So in order to be a person He has to be a personality, a Man, not a order, but a Person.

 

Let's turn in our Bibles again and read verse 4.

 

HEBREWS 7:4  Now consider how great this man [was], unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

 

Notice the Apostle Paul tells us this was a man, a person, not a myth, not some Spirit, not a Ghost or a cloudy vapor, but a man. Now, let's go back and review the story as told to us by Moses in the Book of Genesis.

 

GENESIS 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he [was] the priest of the most high God.19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

 

 

 

            Now, I would like for you to notice that Paul had called Melchisedec a man. And I want you to notice the first thing Moses called him is a King. The Hebrew Word used here is Melek, and it is the same in the Aramaic. It means King. And not only did mOses call him a King, but in fact he called him the King of a Specific place. Salem, in the Hebrew spelled Shalem, and pronounced Shaw-lame. It is means peace. And it's root meaning is 1) complete, safe, peaceful, perfect, whole, full, at peace - finished- unharmed

In reference to a covenant it means peace of  mind) It also means  perfect, complete (of keeping covenant relation) And refers to being in a covenant of peace.

 

Therefore this King of Salem could not be a myth as some would believe, but a real life person Who came to Abraham representing a Kingdom and a relationship with God. For Moses tells us that this King is also a Priest. And not just any priest, but Moses says, He was THE PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. The Priest.  Not a priesthood, because that would imply many. But THE PRIEST of the Most High God. And what does the word "of" mean?  Think of the two letters "o" and "f" as an acronyn for two words, "o" for "Out" and "f" for "From". "Out from"

 

Notice Moses said He was The Priest "OF" "Out From" the Most High God.  Now the Word Priest used here is a Hebrew Word, Kohen, which means 1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler and is used not only of the Priests of Jehovah, the Levitical Priests and the Aaronic priests, but it is used also of the High Priest. However it was also used of the Pagan Priests as well, so in essence it refers to the office of Priest.

 

Now, I want you to notice that Melchisedec did not just come down to visit Abraham, nor did He come with just a Message for Abraham, but He came in the Role of High Priest, For Moses called Him, "THE PRIEST" of the Most High God.

 

Notice what this Melchisedec brought with him, Bread and Wine.  Now, why would "THE PRIEST" out from God, bring bread and wine to Abraham, and then bless Abraham? I believe this was symbolic. Bread is the staff of Life and Symbolizes Life.

 

For Jesus said in, JOHN 6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35    And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.  And then in verse 48 Jesus said,   I am that bread of life.

 

Now, Jesus said, the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Therefore, this Staff of Life was a symbol of the Promise of Life to Abraham. Another thing is that bread is made from seeds. "Wheat and rye and other seeds which are also carriers of life. I believe this was a most appropriate gift that was given to Abraham because it not only carried with it the blessings of Life but represented Seed Life. That is why Melchisedec blessed Abraham and said, And he blessed him, and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.  Notice the Blessing: Blessed [be] Abram of the most high God.

 

Of or out from showing where Abraham Himself had come from. And in the Blessing Melchisedec showed Abraham Who it was that watched over and protected him from his enemies.

 

Notice also that Melchisedec brought Wine with the Bread. Now, Wine in itself has various meanings in the Scripture. In Proverbs it is spoken of as the fruits wealth showing forth the increase. PROVERBS 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: Remember, this is exactly what Abraham did, He gave Melchisedec tithes of all. Notice the next verse. 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

 

In NUMBERS 15:7 we read,  And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third [part] of an hin of wine, [for] a sweet savour unto the LORD.

 

Now, What was Melchisedec doing when He gave Abraham the Bread and Wine? I believe He was showing Abraham the essential elements necessary to Worship God. After all, he was the High Priest of God. Therefore, He was bringing to Abraham the essential elements necessary to worship God. To show Abraham how to worship God.

 

Now, we have already shown that the Bread represents the Staff of Life, or the bread of Life. The Life is in the seed and the seed crushed releases the life and therefore the Bread of Life.  The Wine stands for the pouring out of the Life.

 

GOD'S GIFTS ALWAYS FIND PLACE  63-1222  31    David crying out, "If I could drink once more (See?), from that well," where he used to water his sheep when he went out of a morning from the corral, they'd want a drink of water. And these men pulled their swords and fought through fifteen miles of men, brought this water back. And David said, "Far be, that I drink it." And he poured it upon the ground as a drink-offering to the Lord. What a beautiful type of the same thing of this John 3:16 tonight.... God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,... And what did Christ do? The Life that He had to live Eternally, He poured it upon the ground from His veins, His natural life, upon the ground as a sin-offering for us.

 

MATTHEW 26:26   And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed [it], and brake [it], and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27    And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave [it] to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28    For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

 

I CORINTHIANS 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25    After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. 26    For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

 

 

Now, in getting back to this great King-Priest, The King of Peace, and the Priest of Peace, we see that he brought to Abraham a Peace offering. Communion then is a peace offering showing forth that we are at peace with God, utilizing the same elements Melchisedec brought to Abraham.  God was showing Him Life, and the blessing had to do with receiving that Life. Then what ought it do to us, who are at peace with God.

 

JOHN 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55    For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

 

How important is the Communion service, when Jesus Himself said, Unless you eat it and drink it you have no part with me. And if you take it unworthily, you drink condemnation to yourself and will suffer in this body, perhaps even to the point of death. That ought to make every child of God straighten up their life, and walk worthily of this great covenant of life and Peace. 

 

Jesus Himself said, JOHN 6:53 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

That is a promise. If you don't believe any other promise, believe this one. That ought to make you never want to miss a communion service again. If you eat and drink you have Life, and will never come into the judgment. But if you don't partake, it is because there is no life in you. You are dead, dead, dead. Take your choice this morning, Do I turn my nose up at God and say I don't believe it? Or do I say, "Lord, Help Thou my unbelief. Help me to never miss another communion service as long as I have breath in my body."

 

COMMUNION  65-1212  17    Now, we only have three physical Divine orders left to us: one of them is--is communion, feet-washing, water baptism. That's the only three things. That's the perfection of the three. See? And that's the only three orders we have. We realize that that was the issue given by Saint Paul in the New Testament.

 

And yet just showing up for communion won't do it either. You've got to be cleansed first by the Holy Fire of God as brother Branham said.

 

FUTURE HOME  64-0802  37-1  No man, no person, no woman, boy, girl--I don't care who he is--is fit to go in the pulpit, or even claim to be a Christian, without being filled with the Holy Ghost. You have no right to the Lord's supper or any Communion or feet washing or anything, until you've been cleansed by the holy Fire of God.

 

So that places you in a live, die sink or swim situation. God! Either slay me right now, or cleanse me by the Fire of Your Word. Psalm 119: says, "How does a young man cleanse himself? By taking heed to the word thereof." Washed in the washing of Water by the Word. If you walk in the Light as he is in the Light, the blood of jesus Christ cleanses you from all of your sins. But you've got to walk in it.

 

COMMUNION   57-0418  19 In the taking of the communion, was the difference between life and death. Those who were on the inside under the shed blood took the communion. No one could take the communion outside being under the shed blood. The blood of the lamb was shed first, and then was put on the lintel and the doorpost. The lintel is the cross timber. And on the doorpost... And then the lamb was roasted, and was--and--and was eaten with bitter herbs. And they girded themselves. After the blood was shed, and they had passed under the shed blood, they were girded and ready for the march. And now, it's a very beautiful type tonight of people who take communion is not to be associated or affiliated with things of the world anymore. They must come under the Blood first and be cleansed from all sin (which is unbelief), and then be shod with the preparation of the Gospel, having on the whole armor of God, ready for the summons at anytime.

 

HEBREWS CHAPTER 7 PT 1  57-0915E  299-67    See that Melchisedec? Hundreds of years before, when He met Abraham after the battle was over, He gave bread and wine. And here Jesus gives the disciples, after His hard battle was over, He gave them bread and wine. Watch. Watch the future coming. And he took the cup, and--and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for sins... and remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom.

 

  299-68    We are in the battle now. We're after our fallen brother, that God, before the foundation of the world, saw and predestinated unto Eternal Life. And the things of the world's got him caught up in a whirlwind. He's out into societies and classes, him and his wife, walking up and down the streets, smoking and drinking and carousing, trying to find peace. And the Spirit of Christ in us, as it would be in Abraham, we're gone after him. With all the armors of God, the Angels of God encamped about, we're gone to bring back our fallen brother.

 

  300-69    And when the battle is finally ended, we will meet Melchisedec again (Bless God), Who blessed Abraham there, and gave him the blessing, and give him bread and wine, the communion. And when the battle's over, we'll meet Him. We who are the heirs of the promise of Abraham, joint heirs with Christ in the Kingdom, shall meet Him at the end of the road and take bread and wine again when the battle's over. Who is this Melchisedec? The One that had no father, had no mother, had no beginning of days or the ending of life, He'll be there to give the communion again. You get it?

 

  300-71    When we pull up... On the certain nights when we come together and take communion from the hands of the ministers, representing that we believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, that that veil, His body that He was inveiled in, God... We take it as a representative we're dead to the things of the world, and been borned anew of the Spirit. And we walk with the body of Christ, all the believers together.

When the great battle is finished, and we come up again with Christ, we'll take the communion with Him in the Kingdom of God anew, and eat the flesh, and drink the blood of the grape again in the Kingdom of God. Oh, there's Melchisedec. That's Who He was.

 

  300-73    Now, let's read just a little further about Him here, and the 18th verse. And Melchisedec king of Salem brought forth bread and wine:... (You get it?)... and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abraham of the most high God, possessor of heavens and earth: And he blessed him,... And he blessed... And blessed be the most high God, which has delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him a tenth of all. (He paid tithes to Melchisedec. Abraham give Him a tenth of the spoil.)

 

  301-74    Now, I want you to notice here as Paul goes on, giving a background for the coming lesson now. And the king of Sodom said unto Abraham, Give me the persons, and take thou the goods to thyself... (Now, the king of Sodom said, "Now, you just give me back my subjects, and you take the goods to yourself.") And Abraham said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto the LORD, the most high God,... (Elohim, the Possessor of heavens and earth there)... the most high God, the possessor of heavens and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatch,... (He didn't have a great campaign to take up money; he only wanted his fallen brother.)... and that I will not take any thing... of thine, lest thou shall say, I have made Abraham rich: Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me,...

 

  301-75    Now, I want you to notice. Abraham said, "I'll not take from a thread to a shoelatch." He didn't fight the war to make a lot of money. And real true battles are not made with selfish motives. Wars are not fought for money. Wars are fought for--for motives, for principles. Men fight war for principles. And when Abraham went out to get Lot, he didn't go out because he knowed he could whip the kings and take all their possession; he went out for the principle of saving his brother. And any minister that's sent out under the inspiration of the King of heaven, will not go for money; neither will he go to make big churches; neither will he go to inspire denominations. He'll only go for one principle, and that is, to bring back his fallen brother. Whether he gets a dime in the offering or whether he doesn't, it won't make a bit of difference to him. As I say, "Real wars are fought and waged for principles and not for money." And men and women who join church and come into church to be popular, because the Joneses belong there, or they change their church from a little church to a big church, you're doing it for a selfish motive and the right principle's not behind it. You should be willing to stand at the battle front.

 

  302-78    In this Tabernacle here, when things go wrong and you men and you women will run and go over somewhere else, or lay out till the little fuss or the stew is over, there's something wrong with your experience. That's right. We have a custom here. We have a--we have a order here; this church is based upon the principles of the Bible. If there's somebody in here not doing right, and you think they're not, you go to him and talk to him. If you can't reconcile him, then take some brother with you, one or two more. If he won't be reconciled then, then tell it to the church; and the church will dismiss him, have no more fellowship with him. And Jesus said, "Whatever you loose on earth, I'll loose in heaven." That's the reason you have so much troubles, because you don't follow the Bible principles. If somebody in the church is causing a disturbance, or something going wrong, it's not your duty to go talk about that man or that woman. It's your duty to go to that man or woman and tell him his error. And if he won't hear you, take some other one with you. If he won't hear that, then the church looses him. Jesus said, "What you loose on earth, I'll loose in heaven. What you bind on earth, I'll bind in heaven." That's the power of the church.