Christ has been appointed ruler of the world by God the Father. His rule will abolish sin and sorrow and death one day.
But that His people might be suited for His reign, it is necessary that He establish first a reign of righteousness by which His people are justified, sanctified, and made obedient unto Him.
This He did by His perfect obedience and blood at Calvary.
His reign is far beyond that of secular rulers. He makes His people safe - for eternity! He arranges our security - but from eternal wrath! He establishes peace - with an offended God! He puts down all evil - by making us perfect in Him!
He does these things as our King, but through exercising His high priesthood on our behalf unto God. Thus, He is more than a King - He is a Priest King, doing for us eternally what mere Kings do but temporally and imperfectly.
Melchizedek is the great type of the Lord Jesus, for his name means "King of Righteousness," and he was king of Salem, or king of peace. As there can be no peace with God without Righteousness, it is necessary that our eternal King be unto us a Priest to reconcile us to God.
This explains the puzzle of Psalm 110, where Christ's despotic and violent reign over the world is interrupted by a promise of His eternal priesthood. It is His work as our Priest that fits us to survive and prosper in His rule of perfect righteousness and judgment of sin. Those without benefit of that priestly work suffer His wrath and destruction.
How foolish the Jews to seek His kingdom but reject His sacrifice and His priesthood. In the end, they wanted a Caesar, not a Melchizedek.
He is no weak priest, but a mighty Priest King for us!
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John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
