The True Melchizedek: Christ Jesus

In the previous post, we have seen the Melchizedek in the Old Testament. Then through this Melchizedek, what is it that God wanted to teach us? It is the Christ who was the true reality of the Melchizedek. Everything in the bible was given to us to teach us the Christ.

The Bible and the Christ

John 5:39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Jesus said that everything written in the bible was given to teach us the Christ. In this sense, the bible contains all the information about the Christ who was to come to save us. But the Jews did not accept the Christ even though he came to fulfill the prophecies of the bible and standing right in front of them, teaching them the way to the kingdom of heaven. They refused to accept the Christ and they rejected their salvation.

If we look at the bible, the bible contains all the information of the coming of Christ: the place he was to be born, the place he would grow up, the place he would preach the gospel, the life he was to live. All these information was recorded in the bible as prophecies and when the prophecies are fulfilled at God’s appointed time by someone we can recognize him as the Christ who was to come.

Isaiah 48:3   I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

God foretold many things through the prophets of God through the bible and all the things recorded in the bible are supposed to “come to pass” when God acts at his appointed times. These are prophecies of God. Then what did God prophesied about through the prophets?

1 Peter 1:10   Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.

The prophets of God received the prophecies through the Holy Spirit and they were showing “the Messiah” who is coming and all the information about his coming such as “the tiem and circumstances” so that we can correctly recognize the Messiah or Christ who comes fulfilling all the prophecies of God like Jesus 2000 years ago.

Christ Appearing As Mechizedek

One of the prophecies of the bible about the Christ was his coming as Mechizedek. Even though there were many important figures in the Old Testament, God chose Melchizedek, who was recorded briefly in a passing way to teach us about the Christ coming to fulfill the work of Melchizedek. As we have already examined before, Melchizedek in the Old Testament was given as type for Christ would come to do the work of Melchizedek.

Let us think about the characteristics of Melchizedek one more time one by one. First, Melchizedek was the priest of God who blessed Abraham or God’s people with bread and wine, rather animal sacrifices performed by the priests of God following the Order of Aaron as it was written in the Law of Moses. Therefore, the most unique and important characteristic which distinguises Melchizedek from all other priests of God is this offering of “bread and wine.” And we can say that “bread and wine” is the symbol of the true Melchizedek. The priest who is appearing as Melchizedek must bring the bread and wine so that we can know who the spiritual Melchizedek is. In this way, we can know the Christ or Messiah who is coming as Melchizedek.

Then who came as Melchizedek and blessed God’s people to receive salvation? This prophecy of Melchizedek was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Let us find out the reason why Jesus is the spiritual Melchizedek. 2000 years ago Jesus came as high priest to mediate between God and his people so that they can receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. What we should look at in the ministry of Jesus as high priest is the offerings he was presenting to God for the blessing. He did not sacrifice animals according to the Law of Moses following the Order of Aaron. But he blessed his people with “bread and wine” of Passover.

Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup (of wine), and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

What was the offering he used to give the blessing of “the forgiveness of sins”? Bread and wine. Then who used bread and wine to give blessing to Abraham who represents God’s people? Mechizedek. Then who is the spiritual Melchizedek who fulfilled the prophecies of Melchizedek? Jesus. Therefore, we can say that Jesus is Melchizedek. The ceremony which Jesus and disciples were keeping was called the Passover. (Matthew 26:17)

Through this Passover bread and wine he gave the forgiveness of sins and also granted eternal life, the true salvation we are waiting for.

John 6:53   Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh (bread) and drinks my blood (wine) has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

Through the bread and wine of the Passover which represent Jesus’ flesh and blood he gave the blessing of eternal life. That is why we can say that Jesus is the spiritual Melchizedek.

Hebrews 5:8   Son though he (Jesus) was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Conclusion

Through the prophecies of Melchizedek of the Old Testament, we can clearly know that Jesus who fulfilled the prophecies of the Melchizedek is the Messiah or Christ. The ceremony through which Jesus blessed his people was named as new covenant, showing us the time of old covenant was gone and the age of fulfillment came. When he established the new covenant, he was announcing that the new age had come to fulfill the prophecies of the bible. That is why the bible says that he is the high priest mediating with new covenant of bread and wine.

Hebrews 9:15   For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant.

Just as Melchizedek, Jesus gave “bread and wine” for the blessings of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life with bread and wine, which represent his precious flesh and blood that he sacrificed for us. Jesus came and fulfilled all the prophecies as it was recorded in the bible, but people refused to accept him as Christ since he did not meet their expectation of Christ.

In our time too, we are given chance to show our faith and belief toward the words of God. Christ came again for the second time bringing “bread and wine” of the Passover to grant us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Through this symbol of Melchizedek we must recognize Christ Ahnsahnghong as true Messiah who came to this earth to fulfill the prophecies of the bible. We should not make the same mistakes again the Jews made 2000 years ago. Jesus’ physical life and his physical appearance became stumbling blocks to them, hindering them from accepting the Christ who fulfilled the prophecies of the bible, which was true signs of Christ.

In the same way, the bible which testifies about the Christ says Christ Ahnsahnghong is the Christ or Messiah who came to us as spiritual Melchizedek to give us salvation. But aren’t we focusing on the physical life and appearance of Christ Ahnsahnghong, rather than the fulfillment of prophecies of the bible? Let us accept Christ Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother New Jerusalem by getting rid of our own opinion or expectations of Christ, but trusting the words of God in the bible.