Lesson 13 – Compared to Melchizedek
Read Hebrews 7 - www.bible.com/bible/59/heb.7.esv

As we begin chapter 7, we are introduced to an important teaching method God uses in many places in the Bible. It is called “a type.” We might say a “type” is a picture of something – it is not the real thing, but it gives us some ways of looking at that real thing to help us understand it better.

There are many beautiful pictures of Jesus in the Old Testament. They include the Tabernacle, the crossing of the Red Sea, the serpent in the wilderness, manna, Joshua, and many more. Here in this chapter we understand that Melchizedek is also a picture of Jesus, an important one.

A few lessons ago, you were urged to read the actual story of Melchizedek in Genesis 14:17-20. Another passage that has information about him is Psalm 110:4 where the prophecy is first made that the Messiah would be a High Priest – not like Aaron, but like Melchizedek.

So here are a few things we know about this man:
* He was a king and a priest of God Most High
* He worshipped the true God.
* He accepted tribute from Abraham.
Some important things we do NOT know about this man:
* Who his parents were.
* Anything at all about his lineage.
* When he died.


We will study more about the importance of this man being both king and priest in the next lesson. Here, let’s see how the things we aren’t told about him are important as a picture of Jesus.

The fact that we have no idea who his parents were, what his lineage is, or when he died shows us a picture of Jesus being without beginning or end. His importance was not tied to any earthly line – even though He was the direct descendant (humanly) of King David, and therefore had a right to the throne of David. This lineage, however, was not what qualified Jesus to become the Savior of all who believe in Him.

Verse 3 also has another interesting clue – he was “made like the Son of God.” This means the picture of Jesus in this man is made to be very accurate because God made him for the specific purpose of being a picture to us of Jesus. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people around us could say, “If you want to know what Jesus looks like, just look at” and name you! It doesn’t matter if we’re man or woman, what nationality we may come from, whether we’re small or big – we can be a picture of Jesus to the people around us by being obedient to His every command.

 Remember, a picture is not the real thing. Let me illustrate this by telling you about a photo I took some years ago. Just to look at the photo you might think I was standing in a dense jungle for there is water and a thick growth of trees. But if you could see the actual location, you would discover this thick stand of trees was no jungle but just a growth around an artesian well that had been running for many years – yet barely 50 yards away it looks like a sandy desert. All the pictures of Jesus together cannot tell us all the truth about Him.